AboutNigel Simmons Expertise I am happy to answer general questions on medicines and hospital care. If possible, please use approved / chemical names rather than brands which are not internationally recognised.
Like all health professionals I am bound by a duty of care which prevents me giving detailed information about medication or treatment of people other than the questioner.
I will endeavour to help wherever possible or point towards more appropriate advice. If however your question crosses too far into patient confidentiality, I hope you will understand why I cannot answer your question.
Consider.. would you want me to discuss your care with a friend or relative without your knowledge?
Experience Registered as a UK pharmacist in 1982 and have worked in a number of hospital and health management posts around the UK. Formerly Chief Pharmacist for a 440 bed general hospital in Cambridgeshire.
Past/Present clients Previously Sysop on CompuServe UK Professionals forum.
Expert: Nigel Simmons Date: 5/19/2007 Subject: Can Cephalexin be taken with cold medicines?
Question I just recently started taking Cephalexin for an infection.
Yesterday I started to feel slightly "off" and felt like I was coming down with a cold (my throat was scratchy, wasn't too hungry). Last night I went to bed more or less fine but this morning I woke up because of my throat. It was scratchy and felt like something was in it, as soon as I starting swallowing saliva I started gagging. I ran downstairs and ate some yogurt which seemed to calm me down a little and am making tea right now, but I don't really want to go through that again tomorrow morning so I was wondering if Cephalexin can be taking with cold medicines.
Thank you for your time,
~David
Answer David
There are no particular problems with taking cold remedies with antibiotics such as cephalexin, though I would question whether antibiotics are necessary for what is almost certainly a viral infection.
Simple remedies should be sufficient and will help the symptoms, though they probably do little for the real cause.
My normal advice is that colds are normally 3+3+3 i.e. take three days to fully develop, you suffer most for the next three days and then you gradually improve over the next three. Consequently antibiotics are usually unnecessary and often inappropriate within this timeframe unless there is some underlying medical problem or worsening symptoms.
