Tavanic Tablets (Levofloxacin)

What is Tavanic used for?

• Bacterial infection of the sinuses (sinusitis).
• Acute flare-ups of chronic bronchitis.
• Community-acquired pneumonia.
• Bacterial infections of the urinary tract, such as cystitis and kidney infections (pyelonephritis).
• Chronic bacterial infection of the prostate gland (prostatitis).
• Bacterial infections of the skin or soft tissue.

How do I take it?

• The dose of this medicine, how often it needs to be taken and how long it needs to be taken for depends on the type and severity of infection you have and your kidney function. Follow the instructions given by your doctor. These will be printed on the dispensing label that your pharmacist has put on the packet of medicine.
• Tavanic tablets are usually taken once or twice a day. The tablets should be swallowed without chewing or crushing, however the tablets are scored and can be broken. They can be taken either with or without food. Try to take them at regular intervals.
• You should not take iron tablets or indigestion remedies at the same time of day as this medicine, because these can reduce the absorption of the antibiotic from the gut. If you need to take iron tablets or indigestion remedies they should be taken at least two hours before or after taking this medicine.
• Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, it is important that you finish the prescribed course of this antibiotic medicine, even if you feel better or it seems the infection has cleared up. Stopping the course early increases the chance that the infection will come back and that the bacteria will grow resistant to the antibiotic.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

Common (affect between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 people)

• Feeling sick.
• Diarrhoea.
• Alteration in results of liver function tests.

Uncommon (affect between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 people)

• Gut disturbances such as vomiting, abdominal pain, indigestion, wind, constipation.
• Loss of appetite.
• Overgrowth of fungi, which may cause infections such as thrush.
• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia).
• Nervousness.
• Dizziness.
• Headache.
• Sleepiness.
• Feeling weak (asthenia).
• Rash or itching.

Rare (affect between 1 in 1000 and 1 in 10,000 people)

• Decreased numbers of white blood cells or platelets in the blood.
• Tingling or pins and needles sensations (consult your doctor immediately if you experience this).
• Tremor.
• Convulsions.
• Confusion.
• Anxiety, agitation.
• Depression or psychotic reactions (consult your doctor immediately if you experience any distressing feelings, thoughts about harming yourself, mood changes or other unusual change in behaviour while taking this medicine).
• Increased heart rate.
• Low blood pressure.
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
• Tendon disorders (see warning section above).
• Pain in the muscles or joints.

Very rare (affect less than 1 in 10,000 people)

• Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), particularly in people with diabetes.
• Disturbances in hearing or vision.
• Disturbance in sense of taste or smell.
• Liver or kidney disorders. If you experience any yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice), unusually dark urine, itching, loss of appetite or abdominal pain during treatment you should stop taking this medicine and consult your doctor immediately, as these symptoms may suggest a problem with your liver.
• Inflammation of the bowel lining (colitis). 
• Abnormal reaction of the skin the light (photosensitivity).
• Severe skin reactions. Consult your doctor immediately if you get a severe rash, skin peeling, or painful blisters in the mouth/nose or genitals while taking this medicine.

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How to store Tavanic

• Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.
• Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.

If you have any more questions please ask your Pharmacist.

Remember to keep all medicines out of reach of children

Please Note: We have made every effort to ensure that the content of this information sheet is correct at time of publish, but remember that information about drugs may change. This sheet does not list all the uses and side-effects associated with this drug. For full details please see the drug information leaflet which comes with your medicine. Your doctor will assess your medical circumstances and draw your attention to any information or side-effects which may be relevant in your particular case.

References:

http://www.patient.co.uk/medicine/Levofloxacin.htm

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/infections/medicines/tavanic.html

http://www.medicines.ie/document.aspx?documentId=5377#UNDESIRABLE_EFFECTS

http://xpil.medicines.org.uk/ViewPil.aspx?DocID=3090

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levofloxacin

http://www.drugs.com/uk/tavanic-500mg-tablets-spc-5584.html