Rulide (Generic)
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Rulide (roxithromycin) is used to treat infections in different parts of the body caused by bacteria
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Generic Rulide 150mg pills
Uses
Roxithromycin is used to treat infections in different parts of the body caused by bacteria. For example:
· acute pharyngitis (sore throat and discomfort when swallowing)
· tonsillitis
· sinusitis
· acute bronchitis (infection of the bronchi causing coughing)
· pneumonia (lung infection characterized by fever, malaise, headache)
· skin and soft tissue infections
· non gonoccocal urethritis
• impetigo (bacterial infection causing sores on the skin)
How to take
Swallow the tablets whole with a glass of water.
Roxithromycin works best if you take it on an empty stomach.
The recommended adult dosage is 300mg per day, which may be taken according to one of the following alternative dosage regimens:
· One 300mg tablet once a day, or
· one 150mg tablet twice a day, or
· two 150mg tablets once a day.
However, depending on your condition and how you react to the medicine, your doctor may ask you to take a different dose.
The recommended dosage for children more than 40kg is one 150mg tablet twice daily.
The dosage of roxithromycin given to children is dependant on the child's weight.
Roxithromycin D should be used for children less than 40kg in weight.
Side effects
All medicines have some unwanted side effects. Sometimes they are serious, but most of the time they are not. Your doctor or pharmacist has weighed the risks of using this medicine against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking roxithromycin.
It helps most people with bacterial infections, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
· oral thrush - white, furry, sore tongue and mouth
· vaginal thrush - sore and itchy vagina and/or discharge
· nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, flatulence
· loss of appetite
· red and/or itchy skin
· headache, dizziness, ringing in the ears
· tiredness
· altered taste
These are mild side effects of this medicine and usually short-lived.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately if you notice any of the following, particularly if they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with roxithromycin:
· Severe abdominal cramps or stomach cramps
· watery and severe diarrhea, which may also be bloody
· fever, in combination with one or both of the above.
These are rare but serious side effects. You may have a serious condition affecting your bowel. Therefore, you may need urgent medical attention.
Precaution
The serum half-life of roxithromycin is increased in patients with hepatic failure.
In severe hepatic insufficiency (e.g. hepatic cirrhosis with jaundice and/or ascites), the dose should be reduced by half i.e. roxithromycin 150mg once daily.
Effects on Driving and Use of Machines
Attention should be drawn to the possibility of dizzy sensations.
Use in Pregnancy and Breast Feeding
Safety of the fetus has not been established during pregnancy. However, studies in several animal species have not shown any teratogenic or foetotoxic action with doses up to 200mg/kg/day, or 40 times the human therapeutic dose.
Small amounts of roxithromycin are excreted in human breast milk (less than 0.05% of the dose ingested). Breast feeding or treatment of the mother should be stopped if required
Drug interactions
Some medicines may interfere with the absorption of roxithromycin. These include:
· theophylline (Neulin, Austyn, Theo-dur), a medicine used to treat asthma
· some medicines for migraine headache such as ergotamine (Migral, Ergodryl, Cafergot) or dihydroergotamine (Dihydergot tablets)
· disopyramide (Rythmodan), a medicine to treat irregular heart rhythms
· terfenadine (Teldane) and astemizole (Hismanal), over the counter medicines used to treat allergies
· warfarin (Coumadin, Marevan), a medicine used to prevent blood clots
· digoxin (Lanoxin, Sigmaxin), a medicine used to treat heart failure
· midazolam (Hypnovel, Midazolam Sandoz), used to induce sleep before operations
· cyclosporin (Neoral, Cicoral, Cysporin, Sandimmun), a medicine used to prevent organ transplant rejection or to treat certain problems with the immune system
· cisapride (Prepulsid), a medicine used to treat gastrointestinal problems
· pimozide (Orap), an antipsychotic medicine
These medicines may be affected by roxithromycin, or may affect how well it works. You may need to use different amounts of your medicine or take different medicines. Your doctor or pharmacist will advise you.
Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or to avoid while taking roxithromycin.
Missed dose
If you miss a dose, take as soon as remembered; do not take if it is almost time for the next dose, instead, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not "double-up" the dose to catch up.
Storage
Store at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (between 15 and 30 degrees C) away from moisture and sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep away from children and pets.
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