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Drug Uses
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic. It is part of a class of medications recognized as penicillin. Its main purpose is to fight bacteria within the body, and is administered for numerous kinds of infections caused by a bacterial outbreak, such as ear, salmonella, and urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and sexually-transmissible infections.
How to Take Amoxicillin
Amoxicillin may come in several forms: capsule, oral suspension, chewable tablet, and pediatric drops. The normal intake schedule involves three equally-spaced doses per day. The drug may be taken with food, or on an empty stomach. Chew the tablet thoroughly before swallowing it. Shake the liquid forms (oral suspension and pediatric drops) thoroughly in its bottle before measuring out the dose to be administered. You may directly put it in the tongue, or mix it with beverages like milk, fruit juice, or water.
Drug Precautions
If you have incurred a severe allergic reaction with a previous intake of Amoxicillin, do not take the medication without prior instruction. You should also tell your physician of any current renal, stomach or intestinal illnesses. Amoxicillin is safe for use in pregnancy, and will not cause harm to an unborn child; but it can pass into breast milk, and may cause an allergic reaction, yeast infection, and bowel movement disorders to a nursing baby. Although these are not life-threatening conditions, it is best for pregnant and nursing women to take Amoxicillin under medical supervision.
Drug Interactions
Medications which can interfere with the potency of Amoxicillin may include other antibiotics like azithromycin, erythromycin, telithromycin, and troleandomycinp; methotrexate and probenecid; sulfa drugs; and tetracycline antibiotics like doxycycline, minocycline, and demeclocycline. This list is not exhaustive, and other drugs may have an effect on Amoxicillin, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements, and medications recommended by other health practitioners.
Side Effects
Seek immediate medical attention if you suffer an allergic reaction due to taking Amoxicillin (hives, labored breathing, and swollen parts of the face). Do the same in the presence of these critical side effects: queasiness, a slight fever, stomach pains, decreased appetite, jaundice, and dark-colored urine; symptoms of the flu; diarrhea which contain blood or water; feebleness, easy bruising and bleeding; black-outs or convulsive episodes; and an inability to urinate normally.
Missed Dose
Do take a missed dose immediately, and adjust the succeeding doses accordingly (following the prescribed eight-hour intervals). But if it your next intake is up, skip the missed dose and anticipate the next. Avoid taking Amoxicillin in double doses unless instructed otherwise.
Overdose
The indications that you may have incurred an overdose of Amoxicillin can include involuntary muscle spasms and feebleness, pain sensations or an inability to feel with your fingers and toes, muscle pain and twitching, seizure episodes, unusual agitation, and coma. Get urgent medical attention if you suspect that you have taken too much of this drug.
Storage
Store Amoxicillin in a cool, dry area; excessive heat and moisture can easily cause the medication to break down and lose its potency.
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