allergies to amoxicillin
(a mox i SILL in)
Amoxil, Biomox, Trimox, Wymox
What is the most important information I should know about amoxicillin?
• Take all of the amoxicillin that has been prescribed for you even ifyou begin to feel better allergies to amoxicillin. Your symptoms may begin to improve before the infectionis completely treated allergies to amoxicillin.
• Do not break, chew, open, or crush the capsules allergies to amoxicillin. Swallow them whole allergies to amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills allergies to amoxicillin. Usea second method of birth control while taking amoxicillin to protect againstpregnancy allergies to amoxicillin.
What is amoxicillin?
• Amoxicillin is an antibiotic in the class of drugs called penicillins allergies to amoxicillin. It fights bacteria in your body allergies to amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin is used to treat many different types of infections, suchas tonsillitis, pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis, urinary tract infections,gonorrhea, and infections of the skin allergies to amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin may also be used for purposes other than those listed inthis medication guide allergies to amoxicillin.
Who should not take amoxicillin?
• If you have ever had an allergic reaction to another penicillin or toa cephalosporin, do not take amoxicillin unless your doctor is aware of yourallergy and monitors your therapy allergies to amoxicillin.
• Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have kidney diseaseor infectious mononucleosis allergies to amoxicillin. You may not be able to take amoxicillin becauseof an increased risk of side effects allergies to amoxicillin.
• If you are a diabetic, some glucose urine tests may give false positiveresults while you are taking amoxicillin allergies to amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin is in the FDA pregnancy category B allergies to amoxicillin. This means that it isunlikely to harm an unborn baby allergies to amoxicillin. Amoxicillin is generally considered to be safefor use during pregnancy allergies to amoxicillin. Do not, however, take amoxicillin without first talkingto your doctor if you are pregnant allergies to amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin passes into breast milk allergies to amoxicillin. Rarely, amoxicillin may cause ayeast infection, diarrhea, or allergic reaction in a nursing infant, althoughno serious harm is expected allergies to amoxicillin. Do not take this medication without first talkingto your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby allergies to amoxicillin.
How should I take amoxicillin?
• Take amoxicillin exactly as directed by your doctor allergies to amoxicillin. If you do not understandthese instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them toyou allergies to amoxicillin.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water allergies to amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin can be taken with food or on an empty stomach allergies to amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin should be taken at evenly spaced intervals throughout theday and night to keep the level in your blood high enough to treat the infection allergies to amoxicillin.
• Do not crush, chew, or open the capsules allergies to amoxicillin. Swallow them whole allergies to amoxicillin. The chewabletablets must be chewed before they are swallowed allergies to amoxicillin.
• To ensure that you get the correct dosage, measure the liquid form ofamoxicillin with a dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon allergies to amoxicillin. Ifyou do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist where you can getone allergies to amoxicillin. Shake the suspension well before measuring a dose allergies to amoxicillin.
• Take all of the amoxicillin that has been prescribed for you even ifyou begin to feel better allergies to amoxicillin. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infectionis completely treated allergies to amoxicillin.
• Store the tablets and capsules at room temperature and store the suspensionin the refrigerator for longer use allergies to amoxicillin. The suspension is good for 7 days at roomtemperature and for 14 days if it is stored in the refrigerator allergies to amoxicillin. Throw awayany unused liquid after this amount of time allergies to amoxicillin.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember allergies to amoxicillin. However, if it is almosttime for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take only your next regularlyscheduled dose allergies to amoxicillin. Do not take a double dose of this medication unless otherwisedirected by your doctor allergies to amoxicillin.
• If you have only missed one dose, you can take the rest of your scheduleddoses for the day at evenly spaced intervals allergies to amoxicillin.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention allergies to amoxicillin.
• Symptoms of an amoxicillin overdose include muscle spasms or weakness,pain or twitching, pain in the fingers or toes, loss of feeling in the fingersor toes, seizures, confusion, coma, or agitation allergies to amoxicillin.
What should I avoid while taking amoxicillin?
• Alcohol may irritate your stomach if taken with amoxicillin, so use itwith moderation allergies to amoxicillin.
What are the possible side effects of amoxicillin?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingamoxicillin and seek emergency medical attention:
· an allergic reaction (shortness of breath; closing of your throat;hives; swelling of your lips, face, or tongue; rash; or fainting);
· seizures;
· severe watery diarrhea and abdominal cramps; or
· unusual bleeding or bruising allergies to amoxicillin.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur allergies to amoxicillin. Continueto take amoxicillin and talk to your doctor if you experience
· mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain;
· white patches on the tongue (thrush/yeast infection);
· itching or discharge of the vagina (vaginal yeast infection);
· black, "hairy" tongue or sore mouth or tongue allergies to amoxicillin.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur allergies to amoxicillin. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome allergies to amoxicillin.
What other drugs will affect amoxicillin?
• Some drugs may decrease the effects of amoxicillin and prevent it fromproperly treating your infection allergies to amoxicillin. Before taking amoxicillin, tell your doctorif you are taking any of the following drugs:
· cholestyramine (Questran) or colestipol (Colestid); or
· another antibiotic (for the same or for a different infection) suchas erythromycin (Ery-Tab, E-Mycin, E.E.S., others), tetracycline (Sumycin, others),minocycline (Minocin), doxycycline (Doryx, Vibramycin, others), or any otherantibiotic allergies to amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills allergies to amoxicillin. Usea second method of birth control while taking amoxicillin to protect againstpregnancy allergies to amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin increases the effects of methotrexate, and you may need adose adjustment during therapy with amoxicillin allergies to amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin also increases the side effects of allopurinol (Zyloprim)and may cause a rash allergies to amoxicillin.
• Probenecid (Benemid) increases the effects of amoxicillin allergies to amoxicillin. These drugsmay be used together for this purpose; however, be sure your doctor is awareif you are taking probenecid allergies to amoxicillin. You may need a lower dose of amoxicillin allergies to amoxicillin.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with amoxicillin allergies to amoxicillin. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines allergies to amoxicillin.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about amoxicillin writtenfor health professionals that you may read allergies to amoxicillin.
|
