4g of flucloxacillan for 2 weeks - is this normal?

[Bumblescamps]

I've got a cyst which has gone from pea size to about 4inch in size in a matter of days & started weeping yesterday. It's stopped weeping now & just been to the Dr's. They've prescribed 4g of flucloxacillin for 2 weeks. I'm concerned that this is too high a dose as what I've seen online say 4g for 5-7 days. Has anyone else been prescribed this amount for such a long time?

[Karen12]

Hi Bumblescamps,

I have had a number of abscesses/infected cysts since starting Baricitinib Jan last year. I was at one stage given double the dose after 2 weeks of the normal dose as it just wasn’t shifting. This was recommended by microbiology following a swab that was taken. About 4 weeks in total that time but had about 5 courses in total last year.

Hope that helps 😊.

[Bumblescamps in reply to Karen12]

It helps a lot, thanks. Good to hear its not uncommon. Glad it shifted things for you x

[Runrig01]

As a nurse I’ve seen many patient on 4g daily for weeks on end. It is to ensure the bacteria are killed and not allowed to flare again. They will also want to ensure it doesn’t cause potential osteomyelitis, where it infects the bone, as that’s a very difficult infection to get rid of.

[Bumblescamps in reply to Runrig01]

Thanks for this, I feel considerably better about the dosage now

[Pebblescat]

if you are on immune surpressants it takes a lot longer to get rid of infections. I wouldn’t worry. I normally get 2 weeks of anti biotics and if I only get 1 week I normallly have to go back to the doctor as it’s not enough.

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Bumblescamps, welcome. Just to add to the other info you've been given. Being new we don't know your med history. If you do have an RD & just in case you're on methotrexate, with some antibiotics (mostly penicillins) we are advised to halt MTX until we've completed the course. With flucloxacillin, whilst it is a penicillin based ATB as I understand it you may take both but it's recommended you leave a space of 12 hours between the 2. I think over the fortnight that may be difficult as you're prescribed FLX 4 g daily (divided dose 250 mg x 4 times). If you are on MTX it might be best to refer to you GP.

Obviously if you're not prescribed MTX ignore this! Hopefully it may be helpful to others though. I hope you only need the one course. 😊

[DeeM1]

Hi. I've had a horrendous time with this drug. I was prescribed it in August 2020, two days at 500g x 4 daily, then told to double the dose for about 7-10 days. All seemed well, and then a few weeks later I was rushed to hospital being very poorly. It was discovered I had suffered a severe Drug Induced Liver Injury (DILI) from Flucloxacillin. As soon as the liver consultant heard I had been prescribed this she said it was a bugger of a drug! I spent 5 weeks in hospital not knowing if I'd recover. Eventually, I was discharged into the care of the local specialist liver unit at a major hospital. I was jaundiced for months, suffered severe pluritis and have been left traumatised by the while experience. I'm still not recovered - my bile ducts aren't working properly and I still take Piriton to help keep itching bearable. It has changed my life. A liver transplant was very. much a possibility. I can never have alcohol again and I have to be very careful with taking meds such as paracetamol and other antibiotics. This drug is supposed to be reviewed after a week. A warning was issued to GPs in the 1990s in the UK about the association with liver injury. So many studies have been carried out and there is a well established link between Flucloxacillin and liver injury. Australia has warned GPs to reduce prescriptions, it isn't used in many other countries. I have been left very much harmed by this drug with no recourse available to me. GPs do not often know about the link and for those that do, they often feel 4g x 4 daily is too much. Online you will find they mention about a very rare risk of liver problems and that it is more likely if you are a certain age, have certain genetic markers etc. I am not genetically predisposed to injury by this drug, I was 49 years old at the time. A gentleman in the south of England suffered death due to DILI by Flucloxacillin in the same month I suffered the DILI - he was on half the dosage. I would urge anyone reading this to not take Flucloxacillin lightly. The warnings on the meds are not sufficient to convey the level of harm this drug can cause. I hope you are well now.