Ciprofloxacin 500mg Tablets

Ciprofloxacin is an antibiotic treatment for traveller’s diarrhoea and other types of bacterial infections. It belongs in the fluoroquinolone antibiotic class of medications and comes in 250 mg, 500 mg and 750 mg tablets.

The active ingredient in ciprofloxacin tablets is ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, and there are several inactive ingredients contained in the medication too, including microcrystalline cellulose, maize starch and sodium starch glycolate.

As well as traveller’s diarrhoea, Ciprofloxacin is also used to treat a range of other bacterial infections, including:

• Chest infections (such as pneumonia)
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Skin and bone infections
• Ear infections
• Eye infections

Ciprofloxacin has become a treatment of choice for traveller’s diarrhoea, due to its excellent performance in combatting enteropathogenic (the ability to cause disease in the intestinal tract) bacteria.

Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic which works by inhibiting the type II DNA topoisomerases (gyrase enzymes) that are needed for bacterial synthesis – this kills the bacteria that cause traveller’s diarrhoea and other infections.

You can drink alcohol while taking ciprofloxacin, as it won’t make the medication less effective. However, you should remember that drinking alcohol while you are taking ciprofloxacin may increase the risk of side effects or worsen side effects. Among the side effects that you could intensify by drinking alcohol while taking ciprofloxacin are:

• Nausea
• Sickness
• A bad stomach
• Dizziness

Ciprofloxacin tablets are not usually recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Studies have shown that while ciprofloxacin does not show an increased risk of congenital malformations or miscarriage; however, this drug should not be used during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks for the mother and the foetus.

Therefore, before taking ciprofloxacin you should inform your doctor if you are pregnant, trying for a baby, or breastfeeding. You may also be unsuitable for ciprofloxacin if you:

• Are over the age of 60
• Have had a brain disorder
• Have had a nervous system disorder
• Have had an organ transplant
• Have kidney problems
• Are currently taking corticosteroids

Ofloxacin – also sold under the brand name Tarivid - is another fluoroquinolone antibiotic that treats bacterial infections. Ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin work in the same way; preventing the growth of bacteria by stopping the reproduction of genetic material. Like ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin can be used to treat chest infections, STIs and other bacterial infections.

The two medications also share some of the same potential side effects, including nausea, diarrhoea and dizziness. Like ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin is not available over the counter in the UK. To buy ofloxacin, your suitability for the medication will need to be assessed before a prescription can be issued. Ofloxacin is available in 200 mg and 400 mg tablets.

While both ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin are fluoroquinolone antibiotics with similar characteristics, ofloxacin may be more effective in treating staph infections (usually minor skin conditions).

Ciprofloxacin and doxycycline – also sold under the brand names Vibramycin-D, Periostat and Efracea – are both antibiotics which are used to treat bacterial infections. Doxycycline is a different type of antibiotic from ciprofloxacin. It is a tetracycline antibiotic, which works by interfering with protein synthesis to inhibit bacterial growth. Like ciprofloxacin, doxycycline can treat STIs and chest infections. It is also a treatment for cholera, typhus, anthrax, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin are currently the treatment of choice for traveller’s diarrhoea. Doxycycline is not usually prescribed for traveller’s diarrhoea, as resistance to the medication is currently high.

Ciprofloxacin has been given overwhelmingly positive reviews by those taking the medication to treat traveller’s diarrhoea. Users have reported that their diarrhoea stopped within two to three days of starting to take ciprofloxacin tablets. Other reviewers online observed that their traveller’s diarrhoea symptoms had cleared up in as little as 24 hours after starting to take ciprofloxacin. Among the commonly reported side effects is slight constipation.

In the UK, you are not able to purchase ciprofloxacin tablets over the counter. A medical professional will need to assess your suitability for ciprofloxacin before issuing a prescription for the medication. After you have your prescription, you can buy ciprofloxacin tablets from your local or online pharmacy.

When buying ciprofloxacin, you can benefit from the convenience of Cloud Pharmacy’s online service. You’ll just need to complete a simple consultation with one of our online pharmacists. Once your prescription has been issued, we can dispense your tablets and send them to you via our next-day delivery service.