Whats The Treatment For Chlamydia
Chlamydia is usually easy to get rid of. Your nurse or doctor will get you antibiotics to treat the infection. Sometimes you only have to take one dose of medication. Another chlamydia treatment lasts for 7 days. Your doctor will help you figure out which treatment is best for you.
If youre treated for chlamydia, its really important for your sexual partners to get treated also. Otherwise, you can keep passing the infection back and forth, or to other people. Sometimes your doctor will give you medicine for both you and your partner.
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How To Cope With Side Effects
What to do about:
- feeling sick stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food while youre taking this medicine.
- diarrhoea or being sick drink lots of fluids such as water or squash to avoid dehydration. Take small, frquent sips if youre being sick. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea or vomiting without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.
- losing your appetite eat when you would usually expect to be hungry. If it helps, eat smaller meals more often than usual. Snack when youre hungry. Have nutritious snacks that are high in calories and protein, such as dried fruit and nuts.
- headaches rest and drink plenty of water. Ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller if you need one. Talk to your doctor if the headaches last longer than a week or are severe.
- feeling dizzy or tired if you feel dizzy when you stand up, try getting up very slowly or stay sitting down until you feel better. If you begin to feel dizzy, lie down so you dont faint, then sit until you feel better. Do not drive or use tools or machines if you feel dizzy or tired. Do not drink alcohol as it may make you feel worse.
- changes to your sense of taste talk with your doctor if this is bothering you.
Do You Take First 2 Pills Of Z Pack At Same Time
Each Z-Pack contains six tablets, 250 mg each, in a package. Taking two tablets on the first day as a single dose will lead to one tablet on the second day, and one tablet on the third and fourth days. A childs dosage is usually determined by their weight and the condition they are being treated for.
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Randomization And Sequence Generation Allocation Concealment And Blinding
A computer-generated randomization sequence will be created by an independent statistician. Blinded therapy will be prepared by an independent organization and labelled with individual kit numbers according to randomization. Study drugs will be packaged into individually numbered kits stored by independent site pharmacists. All tablets will be identical in appearance and feel, and all medications will be packaged identically to maintain blinding. Participants, physicians, nurses, trial statistician and all other trial staff will be masked to treatment group. The effectiveness of blinding will be tested at completion of the trial when participants will be asked to indicate which treatment they thought they received .
The side-effect profiles of the drugs will have negligible impact on blinding. They have been widely used for chlamydia for decades at the dosages we will be using. Their side-effect profiles are well established and similar including minor gastrointestinal upset . Photosensitivity may occur for doxycycline but is more common with longer or higher dosages . Rash is a rare side effect for each drug, occurring in 0.11% of cases . Our packaging will clearly state sunscreen should be used and exposure to sun minimalized, thereby reducing the risk of photosensitivity. We examined the side-effect data from treatment trials for urethral/cervical chlamydia and found that among 17 trials, there was no difference in side-effects .
Is This A Confidential Service
All your details are stored privately on a secure system. We will never share any information with anyone, and have implemented security measures to ensure your personal details are kept safe. Your medication will be delivered by post in plain packaging, with no reference made to the contents of the package, or our company in general.
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How Do I Know If I Have Chlamydia
If you suspect you have chlamydia, your doctor may want to test cervical or penile discharge or urine using one of several available methods.
In most cases of chlamydia, the cure rate is 95%. However, because many women dont know they have the disease until it has caused serious complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, sexually active women under age 25 and others at higher risk should be tested for chlamydia once a year during their annual pelvic exam even if they dont have symptoms.
Pregnant women should also be tested as part of their routine lab work.
What If My Chlamydia Test Is Positive
If you test positive to chlamydia, heres the good news! Chlamydia can be successfully treated. This means that after proper treatment, the infection will have completely disappeared from your body.
However, it is extremely important you get treated without delay.
You need the right advice, the right medication, and the right support.
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Do I Need To Have A Test To Check That The Chlamydia Has Gone
If you take the treatment according to the instructions, you wont usually need a test to check the chlamydia has gone.
If youre aged under 25, you should be offered a repeat test 3 months after finishing the treatment. This is because youre at a higher risk of getting chlamydia again.
Whatever your age, you may need a repeat test or more treatment if:
- you think youve come into contact with chlamydia again
- you had sex without a condom with a partner before the treatment for both of you was finished
- you didnt complete the treatment or didnt take it according to the instructions
- the signs and symptoms dont go away
- your test was negative but you develop signs or symptoms of chlamydia
- youre pregnant.
A repeat test can be done 56 weeks after the first test.
If the chlamydia was in your rectum , you may need another test around 3 weeks after finishing the treatment. Your doctor, nurse or clinic will let you know if you need another test.
You can go back to the doctor, nurse or clinic if you have any questions or need advice on how to protect yourself from infection in the future.
Why Do You Take Two Tablets Of Azithromycin On Day One
The pharmacist discusses why it is necessary to take a “loading dose” of two tablets of azithromycin on day one of therapy with the Z-Pak.
Question
Is my Z-pack less effective if I only took tablet one at the start? I know the directions tell me to take two tablets for my first dose, but I don’t understand why I would need to.
Medical Content Reviewed By HelloPharmacist Staff
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Testing And Treating Sexual Partners
If you test positive for chlamydia, it’s important that your current sexual partner and any other recent sexual partners you’ve had are also tested and treated.
A specialist sexual health adviser can help you contact your recent sexual partners, or the clinic can contact them for you if you prefer.
Either you or someone from the clinic can speak to them, or the clinic can send them a note to let them know they may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection .
The note will suggest that they go for a check-up. It will not have your name on it, so your confidentiality will be protected.
Page last reviewed: 01 September 2021 Next review due: 01 September 2024
Is Treatment Always Necessary For Chlamydia
Yes, treatment is necessary for chlamydia, particularly in women of childbearing age, because it reduces the risk of chlamydia-associated ectopic pregnancy, fertility problems, and the transmission of chlamydia to neonates during birth. In women, of all ages, chlamydia treatment reduces the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease.
In men, treatment for chlamydia stops them from infecting or reinfecting sexual partners with the bacteria.
Treat any person testing positive for chlamydia with a recommended course of antibiotics promptly. Delays in treatment have been associated with complications, such as pelvic inflammatory disease.
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Warnings For Other Groups
For pregnant women:
Azithromycin hasnt been evaluated in clinical studies of pregnant women. However, when used during pregnancy, the drug hasnt been found to increase the risk of pregnancy loss, birth defects, or other problems.
One study in pregnant rats did show increased risk of fetal death and delays in development after birth. However, most animal studies of the drug havent shown any increased risk of birth defects. And keep in mind that animal studies dont always predict what will happen in humans.
Before taking azithromycin, talk with your doctor if youre pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This drug should be used only if its clearly needed.
For women who are breastfeeding:
Azithromycin does pass into the breast milk of lactating women. Because of this, the drug may cause side effects in a child whos breastfed. These side effects may include diarrhea, vomiting, and rash.
Before taking azithromycin, talk with your doctor about whether its safe for you to breastfeed.
All possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here. Your dosage, drug form, and how often you take the drug will depend on:
- your age
- how severe your condition is
- other medical conditions you have
- how you react to the first dose
How Much Does Azithromycin Cost
Azithromycin is available as a generic medication and may be significantly cheaper compared to the brand version. Unless there is a specific reason you need the brand, the generic medication will be a better value. For even more savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.
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Indication: What Zithromax Is Used For
Zithromax is used to treat infections in different parts of the body caused by bacteria.
It is commonly used to treat Chlamydia. Zithromax is also used to prevent infections by a bacterium called Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex in some people.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Zithromax has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
Zithromax is only available with a doctors prescription.
This medicine is not addictive.
This medicine is not expected to affect your ability to drive a car or operate machinery.
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Infant Pneumonia Caused By C Trachomatis
Chlamydial pneumonia among infants typically occurs at age 13 months and is a subacute pneumonia. Characteristic signs of chlamydial pneumonia among infants include a repetitive staccato cough with tachypnea and hyperinflation and bilateral diffuse infiltrates on a chest radiograph. In addition, peripheral eosinophilia occurs frequently. Because clinical presentations differ, all infants aged 13 months suspected of having pneumonia, especially those whose mothers have a history of, are at risk for , or suspected of having a chlamydial infection should be tested for C. trachomatis and treated if infected.
Diagnostic Considerations
Specimens for chlamydial testing should be collected from the nasopharynx. Tissue culture is the definitive standard diagnostic test for chlamydial pneumonia. Nonculture tests can be used. DFA is the only nonculture FDA-cleared test for detecting C. trachomatis from nasopharyngeal specimens however, DFA of nasopharyngeal specimens has a lower sensitivity and specificity than culture. NAATs are not cleared by FDA for detecting chlamydia from nasopharyngeal specimens, and clinical laboratories should verify the procedure according to CLIA regulations . Tracheal aspirates and lung biopsy specimens, if collected, should be tested for C. trachomatis.
Treatment
Erythromycin base or ethylsuccinate 50 mg/kg body weight/day orally divided into 4 doses daily for 14 days
Azithromycin suspension 20 mg/kg body weight/day orally, 1 dose daily for 3 days
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What Are The Symptoms Of Chlamydia
Many people with chlamydia have no symptoms at all, and their infection is only picked up with a screening test.
Guidelines currently recommend that all women under the age of 25 get screened for chlamydia every year. Older women at increased risk for an infection, such as those with a new sex partner, more than one sex partner, a sex partner with concurrent partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection, should also be screen regularly.
Although routine screening for chlamydia in young men is not currently recommended, it should be considered in populations with a high prevalence of chlamydia or those at high risk for chlamydia .
Some people may have symptoms.
Women may notice an unusual vaginal discharge or problems when urinating , such as pain or burning, an increased need to urinate pain during sex bleeding between periods or after sex lower abdominal , or pelvic pain or cramps or.
Men may notice a discharge from their penis, pain or discomfort while urinating , or pain or swelling in their testicles.
How To Take Zithromax
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully. They may differ from the information contained here.
If you do not understand the instructions on the pack, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
The dose will depend on your infection.
The usual dose to treat Chlamydia is two 500 mg tablets taken as a single dose.
For other infections, Zithromax is usually taken once a day. Sometimes the dose is taken once a week. Your doctor will decide the right dose for you.
The dose for your child will depend on his or her body weight. Zithromax oral suspension is for use by children.
Your pharmacist will explain how to use it if you are not sure.
How to take it
Swallow the tablets whole with liquid.
Oral Suspension
Shake the bottle well before use and use the measuring syringe supplied. Zithromax may be taken with or without food.
If you are taking an antacid , take it at least one hour before or two hours after your Zithromax dose. This will avoid any possible effect of the antacid on the absorption of Zithromax.
How long to take it
Continue taking Zithromax until you finish the pack or bottle or until your doctor recommends.
Do not stop taking it because you are feeling better. If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, the infection may not clear completely or your symptoms may return.
If you are not sure how long you should be taking Zithromax, check with your doctor.
If you forget to take it
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What Happens If Chlamydia Is Left Untreated
If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to more serious health problems.
In people assigned female at birth, untreated chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease , a condition which can scar the fallopian tubes and lead to infertility.
Chlamydia can also be passed on to babies during birth if the parent has the infection while pregnant.
In people assigned male at birth, untreated chlamydia can cause epididymitis, an infection in the prostate gland, and male chlamydial urethritis.
Can You Drink Alcohol While Taking Azithromycin For Chlamydia
Yes, you may drink a small amount of alcohol while you are taking azithromycin but there is a chance large amounts of alcohol may increase the gastrointestinal side effects of azithromycin, such as nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, or flatulence. Too much alcohol with azithromycin may also give you a headache.
Because azithromycin is usually taken as a one-off dose, drinking alcohol is unlikely to stop azithromycin from curing chlamydia.
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How Is Chlamydia Diagnosed
Chlamydia can be diagnosed with either a first-catch urine test or a swab collected from the endocervix or vagina in women, or a first-catch urine test or a swab collected from the urethra in men.
Self-collected vaginal swab testing is available and many women find this screening strategy highly acceptable.
- Geisler WM, Uniyal A, Lee JY, et al. Azithromycin versus Doxycycline for Urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis Infection. N Engl J Med. 2015 373:2512-2521. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1502599
- Workowski, K, Bolan G. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2015. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
- WHO Guidelines for the Treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis. Geneva: World Health Organization 2016. 4, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TREATMENT OF CHLAMYDIAL INFECTIONS. Available from:
- Chlamydia Treatment and Care. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/treatment.htm
- Chlamydia Treatment Information Sheet. Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
What Is The Treatment For Chlamydia
Chlamydia can be easily cured with antibiotics. HIV-positive persons with chlamydia should receive the same treatment as those who are HIV-negative.
Persons with chlamydia should abstain from sexual activity for 7 days after single dose antibiotics or until completion of a 7-day course of antibiotics, to prevent spreading the infection to partners. It is important to take all of the medication prescribed to cure chlamydia. Medication for chlamydia should not be shared with anyone. Although medication will stop the infection, it will not repair any permanent damage done by the disease. If a persons symptoms continue for more than a few days after receiving treatment, he or she should return to a health care provider to be reevaluated.
Repeat infection with chlamydia is common. Women whose sex partners have not been appropriately treated are at high risk for re-infection. Having multiple chlamydial infections increases a womans risk of serious reproductive health complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy. Women and men with chlamydia should be retested about three months after treatment of an initial infection, regardless of whether they believe that their sex partners were successfully treated.
Infants infected with chlamydia may develop ophthalmia neonatorum and/or pneumonia. Chlamydial infection in infants can be treated with antibiotics.
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