Cephalexin what if i miss a dose

They believe this so much that they pressurise the doctors to prescribe antibiotics even when they do not need it. Antibiotics are medicines that are used to fight infections caused by bacteria. These are also called antibacterial and treat infection by decreasing and eventually killing the growth of the bacteria.

Antibiotics work by killing bacteria or suspending their growth. They do so by attacking the wall or coating that surrounds the bacteria, interfering the reproduction of the bacteria or by blocking the protein production in bacteria.

Antibiotics start to work right after you take them, though you might take some time to feel better. How quickly an antibiotic works depends on the medicine as well as the infection you are being treated for.

The course can vary from three, five, seven to fourteen days. If you leave your antibiotics without completing the full course, you can develop antibiotic resistance and the infection might also not go away completely.

Thus, it is advised not to stop your antibiotics without consulting your doctor. It is always important to stick to your dose of antibiotics, especially because the doctor would not prescribe it unless necessary talk to your doctor. But if you happen to miss a dose, you can have it soon after you realise it, suggests Dr Tarun Sahni, senior consultant, Internal Medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi.

He further adds that if the gap between the missed dose and the time when you realise is longer and closer to the time for your next dose, it is best to forget about the missed dose. Just take the next dose at the right time. Antibiotic resistance occurs when the bacteria, which is supposed to be killed by the antibiotic can no longer be controlled by it. According to the recent data, 2 million people are infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, resulting in 23, deaths.

When we take an antibiotic, the sensitive bacteria are eliminated. The bacteria that survive during the treatment are often resistant to that antibiotic. These bacteria have unique characteristics that do not let antibiotics work on them.

Antibiotics are usually taken between one to four times a day. The dose should be equally spread throughout the day and taken at the same time each day. This helps in maintaining a constant level of medication in your bloodstream. But if you miss a dose by mistake, do not double the next dosage.

Taking the double dosage can increase your risk of getting side effects. You can take the missed dose as soon as you realise that you have missed it. Contact your doctor if you have missed multiple doses of your medicine.

Set reminders on your phone to help yourself not to forget taking your crucial antibiotics. You can also buy a pill organiser and arrange your medicines in each compartment carefully for each day. Even if you feel completely fine, you should never leave the course of your antibiotics incomplete. Because if you do not finish the course, the infection might come back soon.

Never keep a hold of antibiotics you have taken in the past with a mindset of using them again if you feel the same symptoms are reoccurring. Please Click Here to subscribe other newsletters that may interest you, and you'll always find stories you want to read in your inbox. A weekly guide to the biggest developments in health, medicine and wellbeing delivered to your inbox.

Thank you for subscribing! Your subscription is confirmed for news related to biggest developments in health, medicine and wellbeing. Back to Top. Select a City Close. Your current city: Mumbai Mumbai search close. All Bombay Times print stories are available on. Skin infections are commonly treated with cephalexin.

How is Cephalexin given and what if a dose is missed? Cephalexin is typically prescribed for twice daily dosing. If a dose is missed and it is less than 12 hours late, go ahead and give missed dose. If it is within 12 hours of the next dose, skip a dose and resume regular schedule with next dose.

It may be helpful to give on a full stomach. How should Cephalexin be stored? However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store the capsules and tablets at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom. Keep liquid medicine in the refrigerator, tightly closed, and dispose of any unused medication after 14 days. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them.

However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory.

Your doctor may order certain lab tests to check your response to cephalexin. Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking cephalexin. If you are diabetic and test your urine for sugar, use Clinistix or TesTape not Clinitest to test your urine while taking this medication.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription over-the-counter medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.

Generic alternatives may be available. Cephalexin pronounced as sef a lex' in.