Dicloxacillin

Dicloxacillin is a prescription medication used to treat bacterial infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

• Dicloxacillin is available under the following different brand names:

Adult and pediatric dosage

Capsule

• 250mg
• 500mg

Infections

Adult dosage

• 125-500 mg orally every 6 hours
• Take on an empty stomach

Pediatric dosage

• Children weighing less than 40 kg: 12.5-25 mg/kg/day orally divided every 6 hours
• Severe infection: 50-100 mg/kg/day orally divided every 6 hours
• Children weighing 40 kg or more: 125-500 mg orally every 6 hours
• Take on an empty stomach

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”.

Common side effects of Dicloxacillin include:

• diarrhea, 
• nausea, 
• vomiting, 
• black, hairy tongue, 
• irritation in the mouth, and 
• swollen joints

Serious side effects of Dicloxacillin include:

• hives, 
• difficult breathing, 
• swelling in the face or throat, 
• rash, 
• itching, 
• wheezing, 
• joint or muscle pain, 
• abdominal pain, 
• unusual bleeding, 
• easy bruising, 
• fever, 
• sore throat, 
• chills, 
• severe diarrhea with or without fever, and
• stomach cramps (can occur up to 2 months or more after completing treatment)

Rare side effects of Dicloxacillin include:

• none 

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first

• Dicloxacillin has severe interactions with no other drugs.
• Dicloxacillin has serious interactions with the following drugs:
  • BCG vaccine live
  • cholera vaccine
  • demeclocycline
  • doxycycline
  • minocycline
  • omadacycline
  • sarecycline
  • tetracycline
  • typhoid vaccine live
• Dicloxacillin has moderate interactions with at least 31 other drugs.
• Dicloxacillin has minor interactions with at least 11 other drugs.

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this drug, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the drugs you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your physician if you have health questions or concerns.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to penicillins, cephalosporins, imipenem
• Initial treatment of severe infections
• Concomitant live bacterial vaccines

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Dicloxacillin?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Dicloxacillin?”

Cautions

• Monitor PT inpatient is taking warfarin concurrently
• Prolonged use may result in superinfection
• Elimination of drugs in neonates is slow; use caution

Pregnancy and Lactation

• Use may be acceptable in pregnancy. 
• Lactation: excreted in breast milk, use caution