Suggest Dosage For Cephalexin

Posted on Fri, 25 Dec 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 25 Dec 2015 Answered on

Mon, 11 Jan 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : my husband is a very active 80 yr. old type 1 diabetic. on December 10th we went to a walk iclinic. told he had sinus infection and mild walking pneumonia. given doxycyclin 100mg. felt better but 9 days later extreme phlegm returned. went to different walk in clinic, told bronchitis and given cephalexin 250 mg every 12 hours. everythi g I read says 250 should be e ery 6 hrs. he is 169 lbs. in the past our regular Dr. would give 500 4x a day. is this 250 2x day enough

Answered by Dr. Baranidharan Kuselan (18 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
250 mg four times a day or 500 mg twice a day

Detailed Answer:
Hi there,
Thanks for posting in HCM.
I am Dr.Barani and I am pleased to assist you.

Cephalexin 250 mg twice a day is not an adequate dose.

It has to be taken atleast 250 mg four times a day or 500 mg twice a day.
So you can increase the dose.

Let me know if you have any more questions.
Regards,
Dr.Barani

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee

Follow up: Dr. Baranidharan Kuselan (13 minutes later)

thank you, I was afraid of that. he's been taking this low dose for 2 days, is that enough time for him to have built up a resistance to the cephalexin?

Answered by Dr. Baranidharan Kuselan (12 hours later)

Brief Answer:
No

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
No, resistance would not have developed in such a short time.
Let him take the right dose from now on.

Regards,
Dr.Barani

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D