Cefipime is a medication used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections. According to Drugs.com, this medication is a cephalosporin antibiotic that works to destroy the infectious bacteria in your body. Cefipime is given as an intravenous injection over a period of 30 minutes. Its dosage depends upon your specific infection.
Common Side Effects
According to MedlinePlus, cefipime can typically cause diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain or indigestion. Prolonged diarrhea and vomiting can lead to hypokalemia (lowered potassium levels) and dehydration. It is important you fill your diet with potassium-rich foods such as fruits and green leafy vegetables to make up for the deficit. Also, drink eight to nine glasses of water a day in order to restore the fluid you lost through any bouts of diarrhea. Drugs.com indicates that cefipime can also cause swelling, pain or a rash at the injection site, nausea, a headache, mouth or lips sores and vaginal itching. Call your doctor if you suffer from any of cefipime's common side effects for more than 3 to 4 days.
Serious Side Effects
The National Library of Medicine indicates that cefipime can cause an antibiotic-induced diarrhea called pseudomembranous colitis. This happens when Clostridium difficile bacteria grow on your intestinal walls, provoking severe and foul-smelling diarrhea, stomach pain and nausea. Discontinue cefipime immediately and consult your doctor if your develop this side effect.
According to MedlinePlus, cefipime can cause easy bleeding or bruising, trouble breathing, a sore throat and a skin rash. Easy bleeding or bruising is typically due to thrombocytopenia, a condition that affects the blood's ability to clot. Drugs.com says that cefipime can affect your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and cause hallucinations, confusion or convulsions. Seek emergency medical care should you experience these side effects.
Additional Concerns
Tell your doctor if you have kidney, liver, stomach and intestinal problems as cefipime can aggravate these medical conditions.
Cefipime can pass into breast milk, so tell your physician if you are breast feeding. It is unknown whether cefipime can harm a fetus, but inform your doctor if you are pregnant.
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