Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
The dispensing label will tell you much of this medicine you should take and how often you should take. Please read it carefully. The dose your doctor prescribes depends on the type of infection and how bad the infection is. It also depends on how well the kidneys are working. Your doctor will explain this to you.
Adults and adolescents:
The usual dose is 10 ml twice a day.
For severe infections or gastric ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori the usual dose is 20 ml twice a day.
Children 6 months to 12 years:
The daily amount is worked out according to the weight of the child.
The following table provides a guide to usual doses:
Body weight (in kg) | Age (years) | Dosage (in ml) given twice |
| | daily |
8 – 11 | 1 – 2 | 2.5 |
12 – 19 | 2 – 4 | 5 |
20 – 29 | 4 – 8 | 7.5 |
30 – 40 | 8 – 12 | 10 |
Children who weigh less than 8 kg should be given a dose of 0.3 ml/kg twice a day.
Duration of treatment
Your doctor will tell you how long Claritromycine Sandoz 125 mg/5 ml should be used, normally between 5 and 14 days. Do not stop treatment on your own decision, e.g. because you or your child feels better. If the use is stopped too early, the infection may return.
Method of use
Usually this medicine is given twice a day, once in the morning and again in the early evening.
You may take this medicine with or without food.
This medicine can cause a bitter aftertaste when remaining in the mouth. This can be avoided by eating or drinking something immediately after the intake of the suspension.
How to measure the dose
A 5 ml syringe marked at 2.5, 3.75 and 5 ml is provided with this medicine. It comes with an adaptor which fits onto the bottle. To measure the medicine:
- Shake the bottle
- Put the adaptor into the mouth of the bottle
- Put the end of the syringe into the adaptor
- Turn the bottle upside-down
- Pull the plunger to measure the dose you need
- Turn the bottle upright, remove the syringe, leave the adaptor on the bottle and close the bottle
Always remember to shake the bottle before measuring out each dose.
Giving the medicine using the syringe:
- Make sure the child is supported in an upright position.
- Put the tip of the syringe carefully into the child’s mouth. Point the tip of the syringe towards the inside of the cheek.
- Slowly push down the plunger of the syringe: Do not squirt it out quickly.
- Allow the child time to swallow the medicine.
Alternatively, empty the measured dose from the pipette onto a spoon for your child to take the medicine from.
How to prepare this medicine
A doctor or pharmacist will prepare this medicine for you. To open the medicine bottle, you need to press the childproof top down and then turn it.
If you need to prepare this medicine yourself, you should fill the bottle with cold water to just under the measurement line marked on the bottle. Shake it well as soon as you have done that.
Then put more water in right up to the measurement line marked on the bottle and shake it again.
You only need to prepare the suspension once, at the beginning of your course.
If you take more of this medicine than you should
If you have taken too much of this medicine, contact your doctor or hospital as soon as possible.
Symptoms of overdosage may be gastrointestinal symptoms.
If you forget to take this medicine
If you forget to take this medicine, continue treatment following the normal dosage, recommended by your doctor. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you stop taking this medicine
It is important that you take your medicine in accordance with the doctor’s instructions. Do not suddenly stop using this medicine without discussing it first with your doctor. Otherwise symptoms may return.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.