1. Why am I taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS?

CEFALEXIN VIATRIS contains the active ingredient cefalexin monohydrate. CEFALEXIN VIATRIS is used to treat infections caused by bacteria in different parts of the body, including infections of the respiratory tract (throat, tonsils, chest and lungs), nose (sinusitis), ears (otitis media), skin and soft tissue, kidneys and bladder (genitourinary tract).

For more information, see Section 1. Why am I taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS? in the full CMI.

2. What should I know before I take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS?

Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to cefalexin monohydrate, penicillin, other cephalosporins or any of the ingredients listed at the end of the CMI.

Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, take any other medicines, or are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.

For more information, see Section 2. What should I know before I take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS? in the full CMI.

3. What if I am taking other medicines?

Some medicines may interfere with CEFALEXIN VIATRIS and affect how it works.

A list of these medicines is in Section 3. What if I am taking other medicines? in the full CMI.

4. How do I take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS?

• Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist.
• You doctor will tell you how much and how often you should take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS.

More instructions can be found in Section 4. How do I take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS? in the full CMI.

5. What should I know while taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS?

For more information, see Section 5. What should I know while taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS? in the full CMI.

6. Are there any side effects?

For more information, including what to do if you have any side effects, see Section 6. Are there any side effects? in the full CMI.

CEFALEXIN VIATRIS

Active ingredient(s): cefalexin monohydrate

Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)

This leaflet provides important information about taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS. You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you would like further information or if you have any concerns or questions about taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS.

Where to find information in this leaflet:

1. Why am I taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS?

CEFALEXIN VIATRIS contains the active ingredient cefalexin monohydrate. This medicine belongs to a group of medicines called cephalosporins. These antibiotics work by killing the bacteria that are causing your infection.

CEFALEXIN VIATRIS is used to treat infections caused by bacteria in different parts of the body, including infections of the:

• respiratory tract (throat, tonsils, chest and lungs)
• nose (sinusitis)
• ears (otitis media)
• skin and soft tissue
• kidneys and bladder (genitourinary tract).

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you.

Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.

There is no evidence that it is addictive.

2. What should I know before I take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS?

Warnings

Do not take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS if:

• you are allergic to cefalexin monohydrate, penicillin, other cephalosporins, or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
  Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
  • shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing
  • swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
  • rash, itching or hives on the skin.

Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine.

• the expiry date (EXP) on the pack has passed.
• the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your doctor.

Check with your doctor if you:

• are allergic to any other medicines or any foods, preservatives or dyes.
• have any other medical conditions including
  • liver disease
  • kidney disease
  • bowel disease.

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS.

During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information under Section 6. Are there any side effects?

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed.

Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.

3. What if I am taking other medicines?

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines may interfere with CEFALEXIN VIATRIS and affect how it works.

These include:

• probenecid (e.g. Pro-Cid), a medicine commonly used to treat gout
• metformin, a medicine used in the treatment of diabetes.

These medicines may be affected by CEFALEXIN VIATRIS or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines or you may need to take different medicines.

Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins or supplements you are taking and if these affect CEFALEXIN VIATRIS.

4. How do I take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS?

Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist.

They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.

If you do not understand the instructions on the carton, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.

How much to take

• Your doctor will tell you how much and how often you should take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS.
• This will depend on the type of infection. The dose varies from patient to patient.

When to take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS

• It does not matter if you take this medicine with or without food.

How to take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS

• Swallow the capsules whole with a full glass of water.

How long to take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS

Continue taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS for as long as your doctor tells you.

It is important to complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. If you do not, the bacteria causing your infection may not clear completely or your symptoms may return.

If you forget to take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS

If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.

Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.

Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed.

If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.

If you take too much CEFALEXIN VIATRIS

If you or anyone else has taken too much CEFALEXIN VIATRIS, urgent medical attention may be needed.

You should immediately:

• phone the Poisons Information Centre
  (Australia telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or
• contact your doctor, or
• go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.

You should do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

Symptoms of an overdose may include feeling sick in the stomach, diarrhoea, blood in the urine, unusually increased reflexes, convulsions or hallucinations.

5. What should I know while taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS?

Things you should do

• Tell your doctor if the symptoms of your infection do not improve within a few days or if they become worse.
• Tell any other doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS, especially if you are about to be started on any new medicines.
• Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking this medicine.
• If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS.

It may interfere with the results of some tests.

• If you are diabetic, check with your doctor or pharmacist before using urine sugar tests. CEFALEXIN VIATRIS may affect the results of some of these tests.
• Keep all of your doctor’s appointments so that your progress can be checked.

Your doctor may do some tests from time to time to make sure the medicine is working and to prevent unwanted side effects.

Things you should not do

• Do not stop using this medicine suddenly or change the dosage without first checking with your doctor. If you stop taking it, your condition may worsen.
• Do not take CEFALEXIN VIATRIS to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
• Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.

Driving or using machines

Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how CEFALEXIN VIATRIS affects you.

It may cause dizziness or drowsiness in some people.

Children should be careful when riding bicycles or climbing trees.

Looking after your medicine

• Keep the capsules in the blister pack until it is time to take them.
• Keep it in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Do not store it in the bathroom or near a sink, in the car or on window sills.

Keep it where young children cannot reach it.

Getting rid of any unwanted medicine

If you no longer need to use this medicine or it is out of date, take it to any pharmacy for safe disposal.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date.

6. Are there any side effects?

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking CEFALEXIN VIATRIS.

All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention.

See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any further questions about side effects.

Common side effects

Serious side effects

Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following, particularly if they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with CEFALEXIN VIATRIS:

• severe stomach cramps or pain
• severe, watery or bloody diarrhoea
• fever, in combination with one of the above.

Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor.

You may have a serious condition affecting your bowel requiring urgent medical attention.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you feel unwell.

Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people. Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

Reporting side effects

After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop taking any of your medicines.

7. Product details

This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription.

What CEFALEXIN VIATRIS contains

Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.

What CEFALEXIN VIATRIS looks like

CEFALEXIN VIATRIS 250 mg capsules are dark green and white, self locked hard gelatin capsules of size '2' imprinted with 'RX656' in black edible ink containing white to off white granular powder/pellets. (AUST R 493733).

Each blister pack contains 20 capsules.

Who distributes CEFALEXIN VIATRIS

Alphapharm Pty Ltd trading as Viatris

Level 1, 30 The Bond

30-34 Hickson Road

Millers Point NSW 2000

www.viatris.com.au

Phone: 1800 274 276

This leaflet was prepared in November 2025.

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