drug information 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 drug information amoxicillin. Your symptoms may begin to improve before the infectionis completely treated drug information amoxicillin.
• Do not break, chew, open, or crush the capsules drug information amoxicillin. Swallow them whole drug information amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills drug information amoxicillin. Usea second method of birth control while taking amoxicillin to protect againstpregnancy drug information amoxicillin.
What is amoxicillin?
• Amoxicillin is an antibiotic in the class of drugs called penicillins drug information amoxicillin. It fights bacteria in your body drug information 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 drug information amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin may also be used for purposes other than those listed inthis medication guide drug information 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 drug information amoxicillin.
• Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have kidney diseaseor infectious mononucleosis drug information amoxicillin. You may not be able to take amoxicillin becauseof an increased risk of side effects drug information amoxicillin.
• If you are a diabetic, some glucose urine tests may give false positiveresults while you are taking amoxicillin drug information amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin is in the FDA pregnancy category B drug information amoxicillin. This means that it isunlikely to harm an unborn baby drug information amoxicillin. Amoxicillin is generally considered to be safefor use during pregnancy drug information amoxicillin. Do not, however, take amoxicillin without first talkingto your doctor if you are pregnant drug information amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin passes into breast milk drug information amoxicillin. Rarely, amoxicillin may cause ayeast infection, diarrhea, or allergic reaction in a nursing infant, althoughno serious harm is expected drug information amoxicillin. Do not take this medication without first talkingto your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby drug information amoxicillin.
How should I take amoxicillin?
• Take amoxicillin exactly as directed by your doctor drug information amoxicillin. If you do not understandthese instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them toyou drug information amoxicillin.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water drug information amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin can be taken with food or on an empty stomach drug information 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 drug information amoxicillin.
• Do not crush, chew, or open the capsules drug information amoxicillin. Swallow them whole drug information amoxicillin. The chewabletablets must be chewed before they are swallowed drug information 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 drug information amoxicillin. Ifyou do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist where you can getone drug information amoxicillin. Shake the suspension well before measuring a dose drug information amoxicillin.
• Take all of the amoxicillin that has been prescribed for you even ifyou begin to feel better drug information amoxicillin. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infectionis completely treated drug information amoxicillin.
• Store the tablets and capsules at room temperature and store the suspensionin the refrigerator for longer use drug information amoxicillin. The suspension is good for 7 days at roomtemperature and for 14 days if it is stored in the refrigerator drug information amoxicillin. Throw awayany unused liquid after this amount of time drug information amoxicillin.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember drug information amoxicillin. However, if it is almosttime for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take only your next regularlyscheduled dose drug information amoxicillin. Do not take a double dose of this medication unless otherwisedirected by your doctor drug information amoxicillin.
• If you have only missed one dose, you can take the rest of your scheduleddoses for the day at evenly spaced intervals drug information amoxicillin.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention drug information 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 drug information amoxicillin.
What should I avoid while taking amoxicillin?
• Alcohol may irritate your stomach if taken with amoxicillin, so use itwith moderation drug information 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 drug information amoxicillin.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur drug information 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 drug information amoxicillin.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur drug information amoxicillin. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome drug information amoxicillin.
What other drugs will affect amoxicillin?
• Some drugs may decrease the effects of amoxicillin and prevent it fromproperly treating your infection drug information 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 drug information amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills drug information amoxicillin. Usea second method of birth control while taking amoxicillin to protect againstpregnancy drug information amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin increases the effects of methotrexate, and you may need adose adjustment during therapy with amoxicillin drug information amoxicillin.
• Amoxicillin also increases the side effects of allopurinol (Zyloprim)and may cause a rash drug information amoxicillin.
• Probenecid (Benemid) increases the effects of amoxicillin drug information amoxicillin. These drugsmay be used together for this purpose; however, be sure your doctor is awareif you are taking probenecid drug information amoxicillin. You may need a lower dose of amoxicillin drug information amoxicillin.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with amoxicillin drug information amoxicillin. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines drug information amoxicillin.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about amoxicillin writtenfor health professionals that you may read drug information amoxicillin.
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