amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium

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 amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Your symptoms may begin to improve before the infectionis completely treated amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Do not break, chew, open, or crush the capsules amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Swallow them whole amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Amoxicillin may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Usea second method of birth control while taking amoxicillin to protect againstpregnancy amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.

What is amoxicillin?
• Amoxicillin is an antibiotic in the class of drugs called penicillins amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. It fights bacteria in your body amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• 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 amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Amoxicillin may also be used for purposes other than those listed inthis medication guide amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.

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 amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have kidney diseaseor infectious mononucleosis amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. You may not be able to take amoxicillin becauseof an increased risk of side effects amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• If you are a diabetic, some glucose urine tests may give false positiveresults while you are taking amoxicillin amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Amoxicillin is in the FDA pregnancy category B amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. This means that it isunlikely to harm an unborn baby amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Amoxicillin is generally considered to be safefor use during pregnancy amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Do not, however, take amoxicillin without first talkingto your doctor if you are pregnant amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Amoxicillin passes into breast milk amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Rarely, amoxicillin may cause ayeast infection, diarrhea, or allergic reaction in a nursing infant, althoughno serious harm is expected amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Do not take this medication without first talkingto your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.

How should I take amoxicillin?
• Take amoxicillin exactly as directed by your doctor amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. If you do not understandthese instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them toyou amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Amoxicillin can be taken with food or on an empty stomach amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• 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 amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Do not crush, chew, or open the capsules amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Swallow them whole amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. The chewabletablets must be chewed before they are swallowed amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• 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 amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Ifyou do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist where you can getone amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Shake the suspension well before measuring a dose amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Take all of the amoxicillin that has been prescribed for you even ifyou begin to feel better amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infectionis completely treated amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Store the tablets and capsules at room temperature and store the suspensionin the refrigerator for longer use amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. The suspension is good for 7 days at roomtemperature and for 14 days if it is stored in the refrigerator amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Throw awayany unused liquid after this amount of time amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.

What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. However, if it is almosttime for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take only your next regularlyscheduled dose amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Do not take a double dose of this medication unless otherwisedirected by your doctor amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• If you have only missed one dose, you can take the rest of your scheduleddoses for the day at evenly spaced intervals amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.

What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• 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 amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.

What should I avoid while taking amoxicillin?
• Alcohol may irritate your stomach if taken with amoxicillin, so use itwith moderation amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.

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 amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. 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 amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.

What other drugs will affect amoxicillin?
• Some drugs may decrease the effects of amoxicillin and prevent it fromproperly treating your infection amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. 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 amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Amoxicillin may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Usea second method of birth control while taking amoxicillin to protect againstpregnancy amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Amoxicillin increases the effects of methotrexate, and you may need adose adjustment during therapy with amoxicillin amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Amoxicillin also increases the side effects of allopurinol (Zyloprim)and may cause a rash amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Probenecid (Benemid) increases the effects of amoxicillin amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. These drugsmay be used together for this purpose; however, be sure your doctor is awareif you are taking probenecid amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. You may need a lower dose of amoxicillin amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with amoxicillin amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.

Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about amoxicillin writtenfor health professionals that you may read amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.

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