Amoxicillin 500mg

About Amoxicillin

Description

Amoxicillin is a broad spectrum antibiotic. The active ingredient is Amoxicillin. This belongs to a group of medicines called ‘penicillins’. It is used to treat infections caused by bacteria in different parts of the body.

Suitability

Amoxicillin is not suitable if you are allergic to Amoxicillin, penicillin or any of the other ingredients of this medicine listed in the patient information leaflet. Do not take Amoxicillin if you have ever had an allergic reaction to any antibiotic. This can include a skin rash or swelling of the face or throat.

Important Interactions

If you are taking:

• allopurinol (used for gout) with Amoxicillin, it may be more likely that you will have an allergic skin reaction
• probenecid (used for gout), your doctor may decide to adjust your dose of Amoxicillin
• medicines to help stop blood clots (such as warfarin), you may need extra blood tests
• other antibiotics (such as tetracycline) Amoxicillin may be less effective
• methotrexate (used for the treatment of cancer and severe psoriasis) Amoxicillin may cause an increase in side effects

Side Effects

• diarrhoea
• skin rash
• feeling sick (nausea)
• being sick (vomiting)
• thrush (a yeast infection of the vagina, mouth or skin folds)
• kidney problems
• dizziness
• thrombocytopenia (a low blood platelet count)

Please Note

All medication can cause side effects. We have only listed a few to be aware of. Details of all side effects, including rare side effects to be aware of, are listed in the patient information leaflet (PIL). When completing your medical questionnaire, it is very important that you answer the questions truthfully. This is to ensure your doctor has a full picture of your medical history before prescribing. List all medicines you are already taking, including non-prescription and herbal medicines.

Looking after your medicine

Do not take medicines after the expiry date stamped on the pack. Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.

Medicines are only intended to be used by the person they are prescribed for. Do not give your prescribed medicine to anybody else, even if they have the same symptoms as you. Medicines can be harmful if used by anybody other than the person they have been prescribed for.

References

Amoxicillin 500mg Patient Information Leaflet

British National Formulary: amoxicillin

What is Amoxicillin used for?

Amoxicillin is a type of penicillin that is used to fight bacteria. It is effective for various infections caused by bacteria. It does not work with viruses. Infections it can treat are tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and infections of the ear, nose, throat, skin, or urinary tract.

What is an alternative for Amoxicillin?

If you are allergic to penicillin you should not take Amoxicillin. Instead, you should consider other antibiotics such as Clarithromycin, Doxycycline and Erythromycin, as they may be safe alternatives for you.

What is the most common side effect of Amoxicillin?

The most common side effects of Amoxicillin are diarrhoea, stomach upsets, headache, abnormal taste sense, skin rash and vaginal yeast infections.

How long does it take for Amoxicillin to start working?

This antibiotic will start to take effect as soon as you take it, you may however not start to feel better for a few days. It is very important that you complete your full course of antibiotics, even if you start to feel better sooner. If you don't, there is a risk that not all the bacteria have been killed and the infection may return. Even worse, any remaining bacteria may also become resistant to the antibiotic taken and therefore will no longer respond as well to it.

Can I buy Amoxicillin over the counter?

In the UK all antibiotics require a prescription. Whilst travelling, you may come across countries where antibiotics such as Amoxicillin are available over the counter. We do not recommend you purchase antibiotics over the counter like this or online without a prescription. If you do not get your antibiotics from a reputable source, you may risk buying counterfeit or fake medicines which can harm your health.