How To Use Cephalexin

Cephalexin comes in the form of an oral tablet, capsule, and liquid suspension. It is usually taken every 6 hours (4 times a day) or every 12 hours (twice a day) for 7-14 days, depending on the infection being treated. You can take it with or without food. Try to take the medicine at the same time(s) every day.

Read the prescription label carefully and take cephalexin exactly as prescribed. Do not change the dose, dosing frequency, or treatment duration without your doctor’s approval.

Shake the oral suspension well before use. Use a dose-measuring device such as a syringe or dropper to measure the dose of liquid medicine accurately. Do not use a household spoon from your kitchen - this can result in wrong dosing.

You should notice an improvement in your symptoms after being on cephalexin for a few days. Tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, get worse, or go away and come back. Finish all the prescribed cephalexin even if you no longer have any symptoms. Stopping the antibiotic too soon or skipping doses can result in incomplete treatment of your infection. This can cause the infection to come back and be harder to treat in the future.

Do not use leftover antibiotics or someone else’s medicine to treat infections. Remember, antibiotics are not effective against viruses and cannot treat the common cold and flu. Using antibiotics when they are not needed can lead to bacterial resistance.

Missed dose: If you forget to take a dose of cephalexin, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next dose according to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take two doses or extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

Storage: Store cephalexin capsules and tablets at room temperature (between 15-30° C or 59-86° F) away from moisture, heat, and direct light in their original container, tightly closed. Store the oral suspension in the refrigerator and discard any unused medicine after 14 days. Do not store medications in the bathroom, where they can be exposed to moisture and heat. Keep all medications safely out of reach of children and pets.

Unused medicine: Unused or expired cephalexin should be disposed of in a way that children, other people, and pets cannot get to them. Do not throw cephalexin in the trash or flush it down the toilet. The best way to dispose of expired or unneeded cephalexin is through your local waste disposal company or a drug take-back program. Learn more about proper medication disposal. 

NOTE: This medication guide is a summary and may not contain all possible drug information on cephalexin. The information contained here may not be up-to-date. This sheet is for information purposes only. If you have questions about cephalexin, talk to your healthcare professionals for medical advice.

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