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Precautions and Warnings With Rocephin

Numerous precautions and warnings with Rocephin should be heeded both before and during treatment. If you have been prescribed Rocephin, let your healthcare provider know if you are breastfeeding, pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, or about to undergo any surgery. Also, tell your healthcare provider all the medicines you currently take and any allergies you have to Rocephin, penicillin, or other types of antibiotics.

 

Rocephin: What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?

You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking Rocephin® (ceftriaxone) if you:
 
  • Are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant (see Rocephin and Pregnancy)
  • Are breastfeeding
  • Will be having any surgery
  • Have any allergies. This includes allergies to:
o Rocephin
o Other cephalosporins
o Penicillin
o Other types of antibiotics.
Also, tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
 

Some Precautions and Warnings With Rocephin

Patients taking Rocephin should keep the following precautions and warnings in mind:
 
  • Rocephin can interact with certain medications (see Drug Interactions With Rocephin).
     
  • About 10 percent of people who are allergic to penicillins may also be allergic to Rocephin. Therefore, let your healthcare provider know if you are allergic to penicillin. Also, if taking Rocephin, let your healthcare provider know if you develop any unexplained rash, itchy skin, hives, wheezing, swelling of the throat, or difficulty breathing.

 

  • Rocephin can bind to calcium and calcium-containing products, causing dangerous deposits in the kidneys and lungs. Calcium and calcium-containing products should not be taken with Rocephin or within 48 hours of stopping Rocephin.

       
  • Rocephin is considered a pregnancy Category B medicine. This means that it has not been studied in pregnant women. When studied in animals, however, Rocephin showed no negative effects on unborn babies. If you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, talk with your healthcare provider before using Rocephin.
     
  • Rocephin is known to pass through breast milk. Therefore, nursing while taking Rocephin is not recommended.
     
  • Many antibiotics -- including Rocephin -- have been known to cause pseudomembranous colitis (severe diarrhea). If you experience severe, watery diarrhea, blood in your stools, stomach pain, and/or a low-grade fever, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
     
  • While taking antibiotics, other infections have been known to occur. If you notice any unrelated symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider.
     
  • Taking Rocephin has been known to increase the chance of developing vaginal yeast infections.
     
  • Never take outdated Rocephin. Taking any outdated medication may cause serious problems because the intended effects often change after the medicine expires.
     
(Precautions and Warnings With Rocephin Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;