How To Use Ciprofloxacin and Dexamethasone (Ciprodex)

Ciprofloxacin-dexamethasone comes as an otic suspension (ear drops) to place in the infected ear. The usual dose is 4 drops in each ear canal, twice a day for 7 days. Try to use the medicine at the same time every day. This medicine is only for use in the ear canals—it is not for oral administration (by mouth) or for ophthalmic use (in the eyes). 

Read the prescription label and patient information leaflet carefully and use ciprofloxacin and dexamethasone exactly as prescribed. Do not change the dose, dosing frequency, or treatment duration without consulting your doctor. 

Here is a step-by-step guide for instilling ciprofloxacin-dexamethasone ear drops:

• Warm the bottle by rubbing it in your hands for a minute or two. 
• Shake the bottle of otic suspension well before use.
• Lie down on your side with the infected ear on top.
• Gently pull the outer ear lobe upward and instill the medicine into the external canal.
• Do not touch the dropper tip with your fingers, your ear, or any other surface.
• If you are using the medicine to treat a middle ear infection, gently press the tragus inward four times (this is the small flap of cartilage in front of your ear canal near your face). This pumping motion will push the ear drops into your middle ear.
• Keep the affected ear upward for 1 minute.
• Repeat in the opposite ear if necessary. 

You will likely start feeling better after a few days of using ciprofloxacin and dexamethasone. Contact your doctor for further evaluation if your symptoms worsen or do not improve after one week. Do not stop using the medicine until you finish the prescribed treatment course, even if your symptoms are gone. Stopping ciprofloxacin and dexamethasone too soon or skipping doses may result in incomplete treatment of your ear infection. This can cause the infection to come back and be harder to treat in the future because of antibiotic resistance in the bacteria.

Missed dose: If you miss a dose of ciprofloxacin-dexamethasone, instill it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and instill the next dose according to your regular dosing schedule. Do not instill extra doses to make up for a missed dose.

Storage: Store ciprofloxacin-dexamethasone at room temperature (between 15-30° C or 59-86° F) away from moisture, heat, and direct light in the original container, tightly closed. 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 ciprofloxacin-dexamethasone should be disposed of in a way that other people, children, and pets cannot get to them. Do not throw ciprofloxacin and dexamethasone in the trash or flush the medicine down the toilet. The best way to properly discard expired or unneeded ciprofloxacin and dexamethasone is through a drug take-back program or your local waste disposal company. Learn more about proper medication disposal. 

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

Discounted prices for ciprofloxacin-dexamethasone (Ciprodex)
 start at $85.02.

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