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Suggest Dosage For Cephalexin
Question: I have been taking "Cephalexin capsules 500mg 3 per day for 14 days for a chest infection with approx 75% improvement. I am a smoker 10cigs/day. Should the dose be increased to 500mg 4 times/day?
Brief Answer:
no. what you are taking is maximum allowed dose
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting in HCM.
Whenever we prescribe an antibiotic for certain days and certain frequency there is a reason behind it. Every drug has its own half life and duration of maximum efficacy.
Less than that maximum efficiency will not be effective but giving more than that level will also be no use as the level of maximal efficiency plateau has reached.
So cephalexin should be taken 3 times a day only.
Even if you take it 4 times or 5 times the maximum response the drug will have on infection won't increase.
Any infection takes time to get rid as it is a slow process involving killing of all bacterias causing the infection.
On the other hand smoking hampers the efficacy of antibiotics. So if you want to get better faster you need to stop smoking atleast till your infection clears as it is no way helping.
So kindly do not increase the dose to 4 times a day. Continue with 3 times a day only. Stop smoking until the infection clears.
I hope i have answered your query well.
if you have any more query kindly write back to me will be happy to answer them.
Thank you
no. what you are taking is maximum allowed dose
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting in HCM.
Whenever we prescribe an antibiotic for certain days and certain frequency there is a reason behind it. Every drug has its own half life and duration of maximum efficacy.
Less than that maximum efficiency will not be effective but giving more than that level will also be no use as the level of maximal efficiency plateau has reached.
So cephalexin should be taken 3 times a day only.
Even if you take it 4 times or 5 times the maximum response the drug will have on infection won't increase.
Any infection takes time to get rid as it is a slow process involving killing of all bacterias causing the infection.
On the other hand smoking hampers the efficacy of antibiotics. So if you want to get better faster you need to stop smoking atleast till your infection clears as it is no way helping.
So kindly do not increase the dose to 4 times a day. Continue with 3 times a day only. Stop smoking until the infection clears.
I hope i have answered your query well.
if you have any more query kindly write back to me will be happy to answer them.
Thank you
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
Answered by
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