amoxicillin prescribing guidelines

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

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

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

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

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

What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention amoxicillin prescribing guidelines.
• 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 prescribing guidelines.

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

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

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

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

Copyright 2005 D-S LTD.
All Rights Reserved.