Amoxicillin is a generic prescription antibiotic that is an actively prescribed medication by doctors all around the world, majorly for treatments against bacterial infections in both adults as well as children. It is one of the most common antibiotics and comes in various forms such as tablets, capsules, and powdered form, and syrups.
This article explores this antibiotic drug and helps you understand more about how it’s used, what kind of dosage is generally prescribed, and what are the side effects that one should look out for if one ever consumes this drug.
Amoxicillin Uses
Amoxicillin can be used for different kinds of bacterial infections that both adults as well as children suffer from regularly. Listed below are some of the most common amoxicillin uses:
- Bacterial infections of the ears, nose, or throat, for example; strep throat and/or sinus infections
- Genitourinary tract infections, like UTIs (urinary tract infections), and STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) like gonorrhoea
- Lower respiratory tract infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis
- Bacterial skin infections
- Helicobacter pylori (bacteria infecting your digestive tract, which in turn can cause ulcers)
Amoxicillin Dosage
The amoxicillin dosage usually varies from person to person depending on their condition, age, and various other factors. This drug is prescribed to be taken at regular intervals of eight to twelve hours most of the time. If you’re prescribed to take this drug three times a day, then there will be 8-hour intervals between your dosages. Whereas, if you are told to take this drug twice a day, then the intervals would stand at 12 hours.
As for how long amoxicillin is supposed to be taken, it depends on the condition that is being treated through its usage. Usually, the amoxicillin dosage lasts up to 10 to 14 days but certain bacterial strains only require one single dose of medication.
Amoxicillin Side Effects: What to Look Out For?
Like every other medication out there, amoxicillin also has side effects that you should look out for if you are ever prescribed this by your doctor. First, what you need to keep in mind is that certain factors rule out these side effects. These factors are as follows:
- Your age, regardless if you are an adult or a child, will take part in the outcome of these side effects.
- If you have any pre-existing health conditions, they may become an added factor in how your body reacts to the medication.
- Medications tend to react with one another. And a lot of other medical drugs that you might have been prescribed for some other condition can easily react with amoxicillin and vice versa. So, you must disclose any kind of medications that you might be taking regularly beforehand to your doctor before consuming this drug. Common drugs that amoxicillin can react with are allopurinol, any anticoagulants (blood thinners), oral contraceptives, other antibiotics (chloramphenicol, sulfonamides, and tetracycline to name a few), and probenecid.
The urgency of amoxicillin side effects can vary depending on a scale of mild to serious. Written below you’ll find out more about these mild as well as serious side effects that you should keep a lookout for whenever you are prescribed this drug:
Mild Amoxicillin Side Effects
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Rash
- Mild allergic reaction: itchiness and flushing (mainly if you’re allergic to penicillin)
- Possibility of false-positive results for glucose urine tests
Major/Serious Amoxicillin Side Effects
- Extreme diarrhoea: This will happen after two months of taking your final dosage of the drug. This is caused by Clostridium difficile, also known as C. diff, and occurs when there’s an imbalance of healthy bacteria in your gut
- Bacterial and/or fungal superinfection: This term is used for any kind of infection that ends up happening in addition to any previous condition you might be suffering from.
- Severe allergic reaction to the drug: Skin swelling in your eyelids, feet, hands, and lips
- Trouble breathing: Swelling in tongue, throat, and/or mouth
- Rash: This happens in people with mononucleosis, commonly known as glandular fever, and should be avoided by them at all costs.
One thing to note is that the mild side effects do not last for long. However, if they become too bothersome for you to handle, please ensure that you visit your physician as soon as possible for a checkup and timely consultation.
Conclusion
Amoxicillin Is a versatile penicillin-based medication used for bacterial infection specifically and it’s safe to use for both adults as well as children. One of the positives of this medication is the fact that it is generic and is available very easily in the market under manageable costs. You should always remember that if you’ve been prescribed this drug, any side effects can happen easily. So, you should always be on the lookout for these amoxicillin side effects and ensure that you contact your doctor in case of any issues.
