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Ciprofloxacin: uses, dosage and side effects

Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used for specific bacterial infections. In Ireland it is prescription-only, and European regulators have restricted its use after a safety review, so it is reserved for situations where other antibiotics are unsuitable. This page is informational. We do not issue prescriptions for ciprofloxacin or for any other antibiotic through our online questionnaire: a suspected new infection needs a doctor who can examine you and, where appropriate, test a sample, which an asynchronous questionnaire cannot replace.

What ciprofloxacin is used for

Ciprofloxacin treats infections caused by bacteria that are sensitive to it, including certain urinary tract infections, some infections of the prostate, particular gut infections, some bone, joint and skin infections and defined respiratory infections. It belongs to the fluoroquinolone class and works by blocking the enzymes bacteria use to copy their DNA. Following a European safety review, its use is restricted: it is not recommended for mild or self-limiting infections such as ordinary sore throat or uncomplicated bronchitis, nor as a first choice for uncomplicated cystitis when a narrower antibiotic will do, because the risk of lasting side effects is disproportionate in those situations. It has no effect on viruses, so it does nothing for colds, flu or most sore throats. Which antibiotic is appropriate depends on the site of infection, local resistance patterns and often on a urine or other sample, which is why the choice belongs to a prescriber who has examined you.

Side effects of ciprofloxacin

Common effects include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, rash and disturbed sleep. The reason this antibiotic is treated differently from others is the pattern of rarer but sometimes long-lasting effects that led to European restrictions: inflammation and rupture of tendons, particularly the Achilles tendon, muscle and joint pain, nerve damage in the hands or feet causing numbness, tingling, burning or weakness, and central nervous system effects such as confusion, depression, anxiety, memory problems or, rarely, seizures. Aortic aneurysm and dissection have also been associated with fluoroquinolones. Severe diarrhoea during or after a course can mean Clostridioides difficile infection. Stop the medicine and seek medical advice immediately at the first sign of tendon pain or swelling, nerve symptoms, or a change in mood or thinking, and do not simply finish the pack. In an emergency in Ireland ring 112 or 999.

Dosage and how to take it

Ciprofloxacin is taken as tablets, usually twice a day at evenly spaced intervals, with or without food but with plenty of water, and the dose and the length of the course depend entirely on the infection being treated and on kidney function. Timing around other products matters more than with most antibiotics: dairy products, calcium-fortified drinks, antacids, and supplements containing calcium, magnesium, iron or zinc bind the antibiotic in the gut and can stop it working, so they are separated from the dose by the interval given in the leaflet. Drink enough fluid throughout the course. Complete the course as prescribed unless a doctor tells you to stop or you develop the warning symptoms described above, in which case contact a doctor rather than continuing. Do not keep leftover tablets for a future infection and never take an antibiotic prescribed for someone else, which is one of the main drivers of resistance.

Is ciprofloxacin available without a prescription in Ireland?

No. Ciprofloxacin is prescription-only in Ireland, and it is not a medicine a pharmacy can supply on request. Antibiotic prescribing here is deliberately controlled, because unnecessary courses drive antimicrobial resistance and because fluoroquinolones specifically carry restrictions following a European safety review; a prescriber has to judge that the infection is bacterial, that this class is the right one and that a narrower antibiotic would not do. Websites offering antibiotics without any assessment are both unsafe and outside the legal supply chain, and courses bought that way are commonly the wrong medicine for the actual infection. A prescription written by a doctor in another EU or EEA country can be dispensed in Ireland when it carries the details required for cross-border prescriptions, and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland publishes guidance for pharmacists on that; but that route assumes a proper assessment has taken place.

Why we do not start ciprofloxacin for a new infection

Our service is an online medical questionnaire assessed asynchronously by a doctor, and it exists for continuing treatment that a prescriber has already established. A suspected new infection is the opposite of that. It needs someone who can examine you, look at the site of infection, take your temperature and, in urinary or gut infections, send a sample so the right antibiotic can be chosen and resistance checked. None of that is possible from a questionnaire, and prescribing a fluoroquinolone in those conditions would ignore the European restrictions that exist precisely because this class was being used too readily. So there is nothing to buy on this page and no fee to pay. If you think you have an infection, contact your GP, an out-of-hours GP service or a pharmacist for advice on where to go; for severe symptoms such as high fever, confusion, breathlessness or severe pain, go to an Emergency Department or ring 112 or 999.

Cost and reimbursement in Ireland

Ciprofloxacin is an old, generic antibiotic, so a course dispensed privately is usually inexpensive, though prices differ because each pharmacy sets its own. Holders of a medical card receive prescribed medicines under the GMS scheme for a small charge per item with a monthly household cap. Everyone else can use the Drugs Payment Scheme, which caps what one household pays for prescribed medicines in a calendar month; the HSE publishes the current charge and cap, so use that figure rather than an older page. In practice the cost of the antibiotic is rarely the deciding factor: the consultation and, where needed, the sample test are the parts that take time and money, and both are what make the prescription appropriate. Paying a low price for an antibiotic that does not match your infection is not a saving, because the infection is still there afterwards.

Interactions and alcohol

Ciprofloxacin has a long list of interactions. Products containing calcium, magnesium, aluminium, iron or zinc, including antacids, milk and fortified drinks, reduce its absorption if taken close to the dose. It raises levels of theophylline and of some other medicines cleared by the same liver enzymes, including tizanidine, which is contraindicated with it. Combined with warfarin it can increase bleeding risk, and monitoring is needed. Combining it with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers can increase the risk of seizures, and combining it with corticosteroids clearly raises the risk of tendon injury, particularly in older people. Medicines that prolong the QT interval on the heart tracing require care. Alcohol does not interact directly, but it worsens dizziness, disturbed sleep and stomach upset, and an illness that needs an antibiotic is not a good moment to drink. Tell your prescriber and pharmacist everything you take, including supplements.

Who should not take ciprofloxacin

Ciprofloxacin must not be taken by anyone allergic to it or to another quinolone, by anyone who has had tendon problems on a previous quinolone course, or together with tizanidine. It is generally avoided in children and adolescents except in specific situations judged by a specialist, and in people with myasthenia gravis, where it can worsen muscle weakness. Particular caution applies in older people, in anyone taking a corticosteroid, after an organ transplant, and in people with kidney impairment, who need a reduced dose. A history of seizures or other central nervous system disease, of QT prolongation, of aortic aneurysm or of connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome are all reasons to consider a different antibiotic. Because these cautions are common and overlapping, this is precisely the kind of prescribing decision that needs a doctor with your full history in front of them, not a form.

Generic and brand names

The active substance is ciprofloxacin, originally marketed as Ciproxin and now supplied in Ireland mainly as generic film-coated tablets from several manufacturers. Eye and ear drops containing ciprofloxacin also exist and are entirely different products with their own leaflets and their own rules; nothing on this page about tablets applies to them. Other fluoroquinolones include levofloxacin, ofloxacin and moxifloxacin; they share the class warnings but are not interchangeable, and each has its own spectrum of activity. Antibiotics from other classes, such as nitrofurantoin for uncomplicated urinary infection or amoxicillin for certain respiratory infections, are frequently more appropriate, which is a decision made on the infection rather than on preference. On any prescription, the medicine should be named by its international non-proprietary name with strength, form and quantity, so that a pharmacist can dispense exactly what was intended.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Ciprofloxacin is generally avoided during pregnancy. Alternative antibiotics with better-established safety records in pregnancy are usually available for the infections it treats, so it is used only when a doctor judges that there is no suitable alternative. It passes into breast milk, and although a single dose is not usually considered a reason to stop breastfeeding, the decision belongs with the prescriber, who will normally look for another antibiotic first. If you are pregnant, think you might be, or are breastfeeding, say so before any antibiotic is prescribed, because it changes the choice rather than merely adding a caution. Urinary infections in pregnancy in particular are treated differently and should always be assessed in person, since untreated infection carries real risk. Nothing on this page should be used to self-treat an infection during pregnancy.

Patient information leaflet

Every pack sold in Ireland contains a patient information leaflet, and the same leaflet is published online. The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the medicines regulator here and lists authorised products together with their leaflets and summaries of product characteristics; medicines.ie publishes the same documents for products marketed in Ireland. With fluoroquinolones the leaflet carries specific warnings about tendon, muscle, nerve and mood symptoms and a clear instruction to stop the medicine and contact a doctor if they appear, so it is worth reading before the first tablet rather than after a problem starts. If anything does not match what you were told, ask your pharmacist rather than guessing; pharmacists in Ireland are registered with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland. A suspected side effect can be reported by you directly to the HPRA, which is particularly useful for this class of antibiotic.

Who wrote and checked this page

This page was prepared by the medical content team at MEDINOW Sp. z o.o. and reviewed by lek. Damian Wojno, a doctor registered in Poland, PWZ no. 3211301. He holds no Irish registration and does not practise in Ireland; he works to Polish professional rules and issues cross-border prescriptions under Directive 2011/24/EU and Directive 2012/52/EU, which is the framework an Irish pharmacist applies when a prescription comes from another EU or EEA country. The content was verified on 29 August 2026 against the sources listed below, all of them official or regulator-published. This page is general information about a medicine: it is not personal medical advice, not a diagnosis and not an offer of the medicine itself, which we never supply. If your symptoms are new, severe or changing, contact your GP or a pharmacist; in an emergency in Ireland ring 112 or 999.

Is ciprofloxacin prescription-only in Ireland?

Yes, and its use is additionally restricted after a European safety review, so it is reserved for infections where other antibiotics are unsuitable. No pharmacy in Ireland can supply it without a prescription.

Can I get ciprofloxacin through your online questionnaire?

No. We do not issue antibiotics for a new suspected infection. That needs a doctor who can examine you and, where relevant, test a sample. Contact your GP, an out-of-hours GP service or a pharmacist for advice, and go to an Emergency Department for severe symptoms.

How long does it take to work?

When the antibiotic matches the infection, symptoms usually begin to improve within a couple of days, but the course is finished as prescribed. If there is no improvement, or symptoms worsen, contact the prescriber rather than continuing to the end of the pack and hoping.

What are the common side effects?

Nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, headache and dizziness are common. The important ones are rarer: tendon pain or swelling, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, and changes in mood or thinking all mean stopping the medicine and contacting a doctor.

Can I drink alcohol with it?

There is no direct interaction, but alcohol worsens dizziness, stomach upset and disturbed sleep, and it does not help you recover from an infection. It is better avoided for the duration of the course.