Side Effects

Side Effects

 Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

The following side effects may happen with this medicine:

Treatment with ceftriaxone, particularly in elderly patients with serious kidney or nervous system problems may rarely cause decreased consciousness, abnormal movements, agitation and convulsions.

Severe allergic reactions (not known, frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)

If you have a severe allergic reaction, tell a doctor straight away.

The signs may include:

• Sudden swelling of the face, throat, lips or mouth. This can make it difficult to breathe or swallow.
• Sudden swelling of the hands, feet and ankles.

Severe skin reactions (not known, frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)

If you get a severe skin reaction, tell a doctor straight away.

The signs may include:

• A severe rash that develops quickly, with blisters or peeling of the skin and possibly blisters in the mouth (Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis which are also known as SJS and TEN).
• A combination of any of the following symptoms: widespread rash, high body temperature, liver enzyme elevations, blood abnormalities (eosinophilia), enlarged lymph nodes and other body organs involvement (Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms which is also known as DRESS or drug hypersensitivity syndrome).
• Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction which causes fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, and skin rash that is usually self-limiting. This occurs shortly after starting Ceftriaxone treatment for infections with spirochete such as Lyme disease.

Other possible side effects:

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

• Abnormalities with your white blood cells (such as a decrease of leucocytes and an increase of eosinophils) and platelets (decrease of thrombocytes).
• Loose stools or diarrhoea.
• Changes in the results of blood tests for liver functions.
• Rash.

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

• Fungal infections (for example, thrush or genital fungal infections).
• A decrease in the number of white blood cells (granulocytopenia).
• Reduction in number of red blood cells (anaemia).
• Problems with the way your blood clots. The signs may include bruising easily and pain and swelling of your joints.
• Headache.
• Dizziness.
• Feeling sick or being sick.
• Pruritis (itching).
• Pain or a burning feeling along the vein where Ceftriaxone has been given. Blisters, deep redness or rash, burned areas, pain, irritation, itching at the injection site.
• A high temperature (fever).
• Abnormal kidney function test (blood creatinine increased).

Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)

• Inflammation of the large bowel (colon). The signs include diarrhoea, usually with blood and mucus, stomach pain and fever.
• Difficulty in breathing (bronchospasm).
• A lumpy rash (hives) that may cover a lot of your body, feeling itchy and swelling.
• Blood or sugar in your urine.
• Oedema (fluid build-up).
• Shivering.

Not known (Frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)

• A secondary infection that may not respond to the antibiotic previously prescribed
• Form of anaemia where red blood cells are destroyed (haemolytic anaemia).
• Severe decrease in white blood cells (agranulocytosis).
• Convulsions.
• Vertigo (spinning sensation).
• Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). The signs include severe pain in the stomach which spreads to your back.
• Inflammation of the mucus lining of the mouth (stomatitis).
• Inflammation of the tongue (glossitis). The signs include swelling, redness and soreness of the tongue.
• Problems with your gallbladder and/or liver which may cause pain, nausea, vomiting, yellowing of the skin, itching, unusually dark urine and clay coloured stools.
• A neurological condition that may occur in neonates with severe jaundice (kernicterus).
• Kidney problems caused by deposits of calcium ceftriaxone. There may be pain when passing water (urine) or low output of urine.
• A false positive result in a Coombs’ test (a test for some blood problems).
• A false positive result for galactosaemia (an abnormal build up of the sugar galactose).
• Ceftriaxone may interfere with some types of blood glucose tests – please check with your doctor.

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.