Amoxycillin
About Amoxycillin
Amoxycillin is a penicillin antibiotic used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections affecting different parts of the body, including the lungs, ears, throat, urinary tract, skin, and teeth. It works by killing the bacteria responsible for the infection, helping relieve symptoms and prevent the infection from spreading. This medicine is effective only against bacterial infections and does not work for viral illnesses such as the common cold or flu.
To get the best results, you must take Amoxycillin regularly and at evenly spaced times throughout the day as prescribed. You can take this medicine with or without food, though taking it with a meal can help prevent an upset stomach. Drinking plenty of water and getting adequate rest will also help your body recover faster from the infection.
While taking Amoxycillin, you may experience mild side effects like nausea or diarrhea. However, if you develop a severe skin rash, constant watery diarrhea, or swelling of your face, stop taking the medicine and seek immediate medical help.
Do not take this if you have a history of allergic reactions to penicillin or similar antibiotics. Before starting, talk to your doctor if you have kidney problems, asthma, or glandular fever, as these conditions may require a different treatment plan.
This medicine can interact with other treatments like gout medications or blood thinners, so it is important to share your full medication list with your pharmacist. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or caring for an elderly patient, consult your doctor to ensure this is the safest option for you.
Uses of Amoxycillin
• Bacterial Infections: Amoxycillin is widely used to treat various bacterial infections, including pneumonia, bronchitis, and ear infections.
• Skin Infections: Amoxycillin effectively treats skin infections caused by susceptible bacteria, reducing inflammation and promoting healing.
• Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): Amoxycillin is prescribed to manage UTIs by targeting the bacteria responsible for the condition.
• Stomach Ulcers: Amoxycillin can be part of a comprehensive treatment plan to eliminate Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium associated with stomach ulcers.
• Dental Infections: Dentists commonly recommend Amoxycillin to treat dental infections and prevent complications during or after dental procedures.
Medicinal Benefits
This medicine helps treat bacterial infections, relieve symptoms, and support a faster recovery. Its benefits include:
- Helps kill the bacteria causing the infection.
- Relieves symptoms such as pain, swelling, fever, and discomfort associated with bacterial infections.
- Helps prevent the infection from spreading or causing complications.
- Starts fighting the infection soon after treatment begins, with many people feeling better within a few days.
- Can be taken with or without food for added convenience.
- Supports a faster recovery when taken exactly as prescribed.
Directions for Use
- Amoxycillin can be taken with or without food or as advised by your doctor.
- Follow your doctor's instructions on the dosage and timing of this medication.
- Swallow Amoxycillin as a whole with a glass of water.
- Do not crush, break, or chew it.
Storage
Side Effects of Amoxycillin
Common Side Effects (Usually mild)
- Mild diarrhea or loose stools
- Nausea or feeling sick in your stomach
- Vomiting
- Skin rash (mild and non-itchy)
Serious Side Effects (Call a doctor right away)
- Severe, watery diarrhea that does not stop, accompanied by stomach cramps or fever
- Signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, and difficulty breathing
- Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, or dark urine, which can be signs of liver damage
- Unusual bruising or bleeding
Medicines Containing this Salt
View AllDrug Warnings
- Complete the full course: Finish the entire course of Amoxycillin, even if you start feeling better, to help prevent the infection from returning.
- Watch for allergies: Tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to penicillin, cephalosporins, or other antibiotics before taking this medicine.
- Report severe diarrhea: Contact your doctor immediately if you develop severe, watery, or bloody diarrhea, as it may be a sign of a serious bowel condition.
- Do not share your medicine: Take this medicine only as prescribed for you and do not share it with others, even if they have similar symptoms.
- Check the expiry date: Always check the expiry date before use and do not take the medicine if it has expired.
Drug Interactions
- Blood thinners (such as warfarin): Taking Amoxycillin with blood thinners may increase the risk of bleeding. Your doctor may monitor your blood clotting more closely.
- Allopurinol: Taking Amoxycillin with allopurinol may increase the risk of developing a skin rash.
- Probenecid: Probenecid can reduce the removal of Amoxycillin by the kidneys, increasing the amount of the medicine in your bloodstream. Your doctor may adjust your treatment if needed.
- Other antibiotics: Some antibiotics may interfere with how Amoxycillin works, potentially reducing its effectiveness.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeDo not drink too much while taking this medicine. Drinking a lot of alcohol may more likely to drowsiness, dizziness or sleepiness side effects.
Pregnancy
cautionAmoxycillin is a pregnancy category B drug. So, Amoxycillin can be safely taken by pregnant women if prescribed by the doctor.
Breast Feeding
safe if prescribedCan safely give Amoxycillin to breastfeeding mothers.
Driving
cautionYou may have side effects like dizziness after taking Amoxycillin that may make you unfit to drive. So, it is advisable not to drive or operate machinery until you are feeling well.
Liver
safe if prescribedAmoxycillin can be safely taken in case of liver disease if prescribed by the doctor. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and any potential risks before prescribing Amoxycillin.
Kidney
cautionTake Amoxycillin with caution if you have severe kidney disease. Your doctor may reduce the dose of Amoxycillin in patients with severe renal impairment (GFR less than 30 mL/min).
Children
consult your doctorAmoxycillin can be safely given to to children, only if recommended by a child specialist only.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Stay well-hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially if you experience mild diarrhea, to help maintain your fluid balance.
- Support your gut health: Consider taking a probiotic or eating yogurt with live cultures after completing your antibiotic course. Take probiotics at least 2 hours apart from your antibiotic.
- Avoid alcohol: Alcohol may increase stomach irritation, dizziness, and dehydration, which can slow your recovery.
- Rest and recover: Get enough sleep and avoid strenuous activities to help your body fight the infection and recover more quickly.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Bacterial infections: A bacterial infection is a condition in which harmful bacteria enter, multiply, and infect our body. It can target any body part and multiple very quickly. When you get infected with bacteria, you can experience generalized symptoms like fevers, chills, and fatigue. Bacteria are of various forms comprising commonly spherical, rod, and spiral-shaped. Bacterial infections vary from minor illnesses like sore throat and ear infections to severe brain infections like meningitis and encephalitis. Few harmful bacteria that cause infections include Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and E. coli. Anyone can become infected with a bacterial infection. But, people with weak immune systems or taking immunosuppressive medicine can make you more prone to bacterial infection.
FAQs
Amoxycillin is used to treat various bacterial infections like ear, nose, or throat (ENT) infections, skin infections, genitourinary tract, and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) caused by susceptible bacteria.
Amoxycillin kills the bacterial cell by blocking the chemical (mucopeptides) released by the bacteria's outer layer (cell wall). In turn, Amoxycillin weakens and destroys the bacterial cell wall. It is a broad range of antibiotics that helps in fighting various types of bacteria.
Amoxycillin belongs to the class of penicillin antibiotics. Amoxycillin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic effective against a wide range of bacteria. On the other hand, penicillin is a narrow-spectrum antibiotic effective against fewer bacteria.
Do not use anti diarrhoeal until the doctor has prescribed you. You can drink plenty of fluids (electrolytes) to avoid dehydration. Besides this, you can also take prebiotics or probiotics to manage diarrhoea as it may help increase the number of good bacteria in the intestine, which aids indigestion.
Try to stay well hydrated by drinking at least six glasses of water or other fluid per day. Always keep your bladder empty as much as possible by peeing regularly.
After taking an antibiotic, you may need to wait for up to three hours to eat or drink any dairy products, including milk and butter, yoghurt, and cheese. Grapefruit juice and dietary supplements containing minerals like calcium may also work to dampen the effect of antibiotics.
Do not stop using Amoxycillin even if you feel better. It should be strictly used as advised by your doctor to avoid the recurrence of symptoms and to worsen the disease.
Amoxycillin may cause side effects such as nausea and diarrhoea. If these side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
Amoxycillin can be used during pregnancy if prescribed by a doctor. Do not self-medicate, especially during pregnancy since there is limited safety information available on the use of Amoxycillin during pregnancy. Consult a doctor before taking Amoxycillin.
You should not take Amoxycillin if you have or ever had cirrhosis, severe kidney or liver disease, adrenal gland failure, an electrolyte imbalance, or an allergy to Amoxycillin or sulfa drugs. Also, inform your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to conceive or are breastfeeding to avoid any harmful effect on your baby.
Amoxycillin is effective if used in the dose and duration prescribed by your doctor. Do not stop taking Amoxycillin even if you see improvement in your condition as discontinuing Amoxycillin too early may cause symptoms to worsen or reoccur.
If you forget to take a dose of Amoxycillin, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next scheduled dose in the prescribed time. Do not double the dose to make up for the missed one as this may increase the risk of side effects.
Alcohol does not directly stop Amoxycillin from working, but it may increase side effects such as nausea and dizziness and slow your recovery. It is best to avoid alcohol until you have finished your treatment and feel better.
Mild diarrhea is common and usually goes away after treatment. If you develop severe, watery, or bloody diarrhea, contact your doctor immediately and avoid taking anti-diarrheal medicines unless advised.
No. Do not take Amoxycillin if you are allergic to penicillin, as it may cause a serious allergic reaction. Tell your doctor about any antibiotic allergies before starting treatment.
Yes. You can take Amoxycillin with or without food. Taking it with food may help reduce stomach upset.
No. Amoxycillin does not reduce the effectiveness of hormonal birth control pills. However, if you experience severe vomiting or diarrhea while taking this medicine, your body may not absorb your contraceptive pill properly. In that situation, use an additional contraceptive method until you recover and follow the instructions provided with your contraceptive pill.
No. Always complete the full course of Amoxycillin, even if you feel better, to help prevent the infection from returning and reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance.
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