Drug Uses

Amoxil is an antibiotic in the class of drugs called penicillin. It fights bacteria in the body. Amoxil is used to treat many different types of infections, such as tonsillitis, pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, gonorrhea, and infections of the skin. Amoxil may also be used for other purposes.

How Taken

Amoxil comes as a capsule, chewable tablet, liquid, and pediatric drop to take by mouth. It is usually taken every 8 hours (three times a day). Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Amoxil exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Shake the liquid and pediatric drops well before each use to mix the medication evenly. Use the bottle dropper to measure the dose of pediatric drops. The pediatric drops and liquid may be placed on a child's tongue or added to formula, milk, fruit juice, water, ginger ale, or other cold liquid and taken immediately. The tablets should be crushed or chewed thoroughly before they are swallowed. The capsules should be swallowed whole and taken with a full glass of water. Continue to take Amoxil even if you feel well. Do not stop taking Amoxil without talking to your doctor.

Warnings/Precautions

If you have ever had an allergic reaction to another penicillin or to a cephalosporin, do not take Amoxil without first talking to your doctor. Before taking Amoxil, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease, or stomach or intestinal disease. Amoxil is in the FDA pregnancy category B. This means that it is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Amoxil is generally considered to be safe for use during pregnancy. Do not, however, take Amoxil without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. Amoxil passes into breast milk. Although serious problems have not been reported, rarely, Amoxil may cause a yeast infection, diarrhea, or an allergic reaction in a nursing infant, although no serious harm is expected. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Missed Dose

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember, and take the rest of the day's doses at evenly spaced intervals. However, if it is almost time for the next regularly scheduled dose, skip the dose you missed and take the rest of the doses for the day as directed. Do not take a double dose of this medication unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

Possible Side Effects

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience severe or bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps during treatment with Amoxil. If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking Amoxil and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately: an allergic reaction (shortness of breath; closing of the throat; hives; swelling of the lips, face, or tongue; rash; or fainting); seizures; or unusual bleeding or bruising. Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take Amoxil and talk to your doctor if you experience mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain, white patches on the tongue (thrush/ yeast infection); itching or discharge of the vagina (vaginal yeast infection); black, "hairy" tongue or sore mouth or tongue. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Storage

Keep out of the reach of children. Store away from heat and direct light. Do not store the capsule or tablet form of Amoxil in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down. Store the oral liquid form of Amoxil in the refrigerator because heat will cause this medicine to break down. However, keep the medicine from freezing. Follow the directions on the label. Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

Overdose

Symptoms of an Amoxil overdose may include muscle spasms or weakness, pain or twitching, pain in the fingers or toes, loss of feeling in the fingers or toes, seizures, confusion, coma, or agitation. Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected.

More Information

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience severe or bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps during treatment with Amoxil. Take all of the Amoxil that has been prescribed for you even if you begin to feel better. Your symptoms may begin to improve before the infection is completely treated. Amoxil may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills. If you are taking birth control pills, use a second method of birth control while taking Amoxil to ensure protection from unintended pregnancy.

Disclaimer

This drug information is for your information purposes only, it is not intended that this information covers all uses, directions, drug interactions, precautions, or adverse effects of your medication. This is only general information, and should not be relied on for any purpose. It should not be construed as containing specific instructions for any particular patient. We disclaim all responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of this information, and/or any consequences arising from the use of this information, including damage or adverse consequences to persons or property, however such damages or consequences arise. No warranty, either expressed or implied, is made in regards to this information.

Other info about Amoxicillin at Wikipedia.org and other resources:

Detection of pneumolysin and autolysin genes among antibiotic resistant
Conclusion: Emerging resistance observed for cefepime and ceftriaxone might be due their increased and frequent usage nowadays. Presence of pneumolysin appears to be more critical for pathogenesis of invasive infections than the ocular infections. However, presence of lytA gene in all the isolates signifies that irrespective of site of isolation, kind of infection caused, autolysin is an obligate necessity for this organism. (Source: Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology)

Short-duration furazolidone therapy in combination with amoxicillin, bismuth subcitrate, and omeprazole for eradication of
Conclusion: One week of furazolidone in combination with 2 weeks of amoxicillin, omeprazole, and bismuth subcitrate is a safe and cost-effective regimen for the eradication of H pylori. Adding metronidazole to the above regimen does not increase the eradication rate. (Source: The Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology)

Amoxicillin drives resistance in child UTIs
GPs should avoid prescribing ampicillin to any child with a UTI who has been given amoxicillin at any time in the previous two months, say US researchers. (Source: Pulse)

AUGMENTIN (Amoxicillin And Clavulanate Potassium) Tablet, Film Coated AUGMENTIN (Amoxicillin And Clavulanate Potassium) Tablet [GlaxoSmithKline LLC]
Updated Date: Mar 3, 2010 EST (Source: DailyMed Drug Label Updates for the last seven days (since May 20, 2007 EST))

Comparison of the Efficacy of the Two Tetracycline-Containing Sequential Therapy Regimens for the Eradication of Helicobacter Pylori: 5 days Versus 14 days Amoxicillin
Conclusion: Extended duration of amoxicillin treatment during the entire tetracycline containing sequential therapy period did not improve the H. pylori eradication rate. As a consequence, sequential therapy using 5-day amoxicillin is an acceptable first-line therapy option for the eradication of H. pylori in Turkey. (Source: Helicobacter)<div id="medworm"><p><b><i>MedWorm Message:</i></b> Get the very latest Swine Flu news via the MedWorm <b><a href="http://www.medworm.com/rss/search.php?qu=%2Bswine+%2B%28influenza+flu%29&t=Swine+Flu&f=infectiousdiseases&r=Any&o=d" target ="_self">Swine Flu RSS news feed</a></b> - updated hourly from thousands of authoritative health and news sources.</p></div>