Common Uses And Side Effects of Amoxicillin

Amoxicillin, pronounced (am Ox i sil iin), is a common drug. The name brand versions are Amoxil, Trimox, and Moxatag.

Potential allergies

Many people have allergies to this drug and it should not be used if the person is allergic to penicillin, ampicillin, omnipen, principen, dicloxacillin, dycill, dynapen, oxacillin, bactocill, beepen-vk, penicillin vk, pen-v, pen-vee k, pfizerpen, v-clillin k, veetids, etc. You should always consult your primary care doctor before beginning to use an amoxicillin antibiotic. It may be risky to use this antibiotic if you have asthma, or a liver or kidney disease. You should not use this if you are at risk for blood clots or mononucleosis. And of course, let your primary care doctor know if you have any type of allergy. Amoxicillin can make your birth control ineffective. If you are sexually active, make sure you are using some sort of back up birth control method, such as a condom. This antibiotic will not treat the cold or the flu. Do not share your medication with anyone else.

Take as prescribed

Take amoxicillin exactly as the label says to, or as your doctor has prescribed. Make sure you take the drug at the same time everyday. It is a good suggestion to set an alarm to make sure you do not forget. The pill can be taken with or without food. Check the label to see what your prescription suggests. If you are taking a liquid form of the drug, it can be taken mixed with water, milk, baby formula, fruit juice, or ginger ale. The mixture must be taken right away. When taking amoxicillin, you will need frequent medical testing. Also, do not stop taking the pill even if your symptoms start to improve. Skipping doses may increase your risk of infection. You may store the medication in the refrigerator, but do not allow the medication to freeze. It must be thrown away after 14 days.

If you miss a dose, take your next dose at the scheduled time. Do not take two doses at the same time. 

Side effects

There are many side effects that come along with taking amoxicillin. Go to the emergency room if you have an allergic reaction to the medication. Allergic reactions include hives, difficulty breathing, swelling in your face or throat, a severe skin reaction, fever, sore throat, skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering or peeling, etc. Call your primary care doctor if you have severe stomach pain of bloody or watery diarrhea. Common side effects of amoxicillin include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or skin rash. There are many more side effects that may occur with the use of the amoxicillin medication. If you have a side effect that is not listed, you may report it to the Federal Drug Administration by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

Blood thinners

There are many drugs that will affect amoxicillin, so make sure you report all the drugs that you take to your primary care doctor. Common drugs that will affect the effectiveness of amoxicillin include any other antibiotics, allopurinol, probenecid, or blood thinners such as warfarin, coumadin, or jantoven. This is not a complete list of drugs that will affect amoxicillin. Amoxicillin can also be affected by any over the counter medicines, vitamins or herbal products. Amoxicillin can also be affected by any other prescription medication that you take. Always make sure to keep amoxicillin out of the hands of children. Do not share medication with others, and only use amoxicillin to treat the issue it has been prescribed for.

Other information on amoxicillin

There are no foods that need to be avoided. There are no known interactions associated with drinking alcohol while taking amoxicillin. However, consuming alcohol may disrupt the healing process as it can lead to dehydration, interrupt normal sleep, and may hinder the body’s natural ability to heal itself. If you are pregnant, it is important to check with your doctor before taking penicillin.