Nafcillin: What Should I Discuss With My Healthcare Provider Before Taking Nafcillin

Content provided by Cerner Multum, Inc.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking nafcillin?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to nafcillin or to any other penicillin antibiotic, such as:

• amoxicillin (Amoxil, Amoxicot, Biomox, Dispermox, Trimox);
• ampicillin (Omnipen, Principen);
• carbenicillin (Geocillin);
• cloxacillin (Cloxapen);
• dicloxacillin (Dycill, Dynapen);
• oxacillin (Bactocill); or
• penicillin (Beepen-VK, Ledercillin VK, Pen-V, Pen-Vee K, Pfizerpen, V-Cillin K, Veetids, and others).

Before using nafcillin, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs (especially cephalosporins such as Ceclor, Ceftin, Duricef, Keflex, and others), or if you have:

• asthma;
• liver disease;
• kidney disease; or
• a history of any type of allergy.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use nafcillin, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Nafcillin can make birth control pills less effective, which may result in pregnancy. Before taking nafcillin, tell your doctor if you use birth control pills.

Nafcillin can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Last updated:	November 01, 2006