Amoxicillin and penicillin

Clinical trials also reported common side effects in patients who used amoxicillin in combination with clarithromycin and lansoprazole (triple therapy) and with lansoprazole (dual therapy).

This isn’t a complete list of potential side effects.

Contact your medical provider if you experience any side effects that won’t go away or interfere with your daily activities.

Diarrhea (7 percent) Headache (6 percent) Taste perversion (5 percent) Diarrhea (8 percent) Headache (7 percent) Serious Side Effects. Amoxicillin may cause rare, serious side effects related to hypersensitivity reactions and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD).

If you experience any of these side effects, the National Institutes of Health and U.S.

Library of Medicine recommend stopping the medication and seeking emergency medical help. Difficulty swallowing or breathing Hives Itching Rash Severe diarrhea Skin peeling or blisters Swelling of the throat, face, tongue, eyes and lips Watery or bloody stools with or without fever and stomach cramps Wheezing.

Some people who take amoxicillin have had serious and occasionally fatal allergic reactions. This is more common in people with a history of allergic reactions to penicillin. Discontinue the drug immediately and seek treatment for allergic reactions (rash, swelling of the throat, face, tongue, eyes and lips). Clostridium Difficile-Associated Diarrhea (CDAD) Treatment with amoxicillin affects the normal bacteria in the colon and may lead to overgrowth of toxin-producing bacteria called C.

These toxins cause diarrhea that can occur over two months after taking antibiotics. Some patients may require colectomy, a surgery to remove part of the colon. Medical providers will likely stop therapy and treat symptoms with hydration, nutrition and antibiotics that treat C. Amoxicillin’s drug label provides a list of drugs that may interact with the antibiotic. Tell your doctor about any vitamins, supplements and medications you take before taking amoxicillin. Amoxicillin might not be safe or effective for everyone. Before taking this medicine, make sure to tell your doctor or pharmacist about any medications you are taking, if you are allergic to penicillin and about any health conditions you have.

If you are allergic to amoxicillin, penicillin antibiotics, cephalosporin antibiotics or any of the ingredients in amoxicillin tablets, capsules or suspension.

Make sure to get a list of ingredients from your pharmacist. About other prescription medications, nutritional supplements, vitamins, herbal products and nonprescription medicines you are taking or plan to take, especially allopurinol, other antibiotics, blood thinners, birth control pills, and probenecid. If you have or cephalexin amoxicillin have ever had kidney disease or allergic reactions such as rashes or hives. If you are breastfeeding, are pregnant or plan to get pregnant. Some amoxicillin chewable tablets contain aspartame, an artificial sweetener that forms phenylalanine. People who are allergic to penicillin or amoxicillin have a few alternative antibiotic choices. The alternative you take may depend on the condition you are treating. Make sure to ask a medical provider about your options. The following are some of the most common alternatives.

Antibiotics are used to treat or prevent some types of bacterial infection.

They work by killing bacteria or preventing them from reproducing and spreading.

Antibiotics aren't effective against viral infections, such as the common cold, flu, most coughs and sore throats. Many mild bacterial infections can also be cleared by your immune system without using antibiotics, so they aren't routinely prescribed. It's important that antibiotics are prescribed and taken correctly to help prevent the progression of antibiotic resistance.

This is when a strain of bacteria no longer responds to treatment with one or more types of antibiotics. Antibiotics may be used to treat bacterial infections that: are unlikely to clear up without antibiotics could infect others unless treated could take too long to clear without treatment carry a risk of more serious complications.

People at a high risk of infection may also be given antibiotics as a precaution, known as antibiotic prophylaxis.

Take antibiotics as directed on the packet or the patient information leaflet that comes with the medication, or as instructed by your GP or pharmacist.

Doses of antibiotics can be provided in several ways: oral antibiotics – tablets, capsules or a liquid that you drink, which can be used to treat most types of mild to moderate infections in the body topical antibiotics – creams, lotions, sprays or drops, which are often used to treat skin infections injections of antibiotics – these can be given as an injection or infusion through a drip directly into the blood or muscle, and are usually reserved for more serious infections. It's essential to finish taking a prescribed course of antibiotics, even if you feel better, unless a healthcare

professional

If you stop taking an antibiotic part way through a course, the bacteria can become resistant to the antibiotic.

If you forget to take a dose of your antibiotics, take that dose as soon as you remember and then continue to take your course of antibiotics as normal. But if it's almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Don't take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

There's an increased risk of side effects if you take 2 doses closer together than recommended. Accidentally taking one extra dose of your antibiotic is unlikely to cause you any serious harm.

But it will increase your chances of experiencing side effects, such as pain in your stomach, diarrhoea, and feeling or being sick.

If you accidentally take more than one extra dose of your antibiotic, are worried or experiencing severe side effects, speak amoxicillin and pregnancy to your GP or call NHS 24 111 service as soon as possible.

As with any medication, antibiotics can cause side effects. Most antibiotics don't cause problems if they're used properly and serious side effects are rare. The most common side effects include: being sick feeling sick bloating and indigestion diarrhoea. Some people may have an allergic reaction to antibiotics, especially penicillin and a type called cephalosporins.

In very rare cases, this can lead to a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), which is a medical emergency. Some antibiotics aren't suitable for people with certain medical conditions, or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. You should only ever take antibiotics prescribed for you – never "borrow" them from a friend or family member. Some antibiotics can also react unpredictably with other medications, such as the oral contraceptive pill and alcohol. It's important to read the information leaflet that comes with amoxicillin 875 mg clavulanic acid 125mg your medication carefully and discuss any concerns with your pharmacist or GP. There are hundreds of different types of antibiotics, but most of them can be broadly classified into six groups.

penicillins (such as penicillin and amoxicillin) – widely used to treat a variety of infections, including skin infections, chest infections and urinary tract infections cephalosporins (such as cephalexin) – used to treat a wide range of infections, but some are also effective for treating more serious infections, such as septicaemia and meningitis aminoglycosides (such as gentamicin and tobramycin) – tend to only be used in hospital to treat very serious illnesses such as septicaemia, as they can cause serious side effects, including hearing loss and kidney damage; they're usually given by injection, but may be given as drops for some ear or eye infections tetracyclines (such as tetracycline and doxycycline)– can be used to treat a wide range of infections, but are commonly used to treat moderate to severe

acne

Antibiotics are no longer routinely used to treat infections because: many infections are caused by viruses, so antibiotics aren't effective antibiotics are often unlikely to speed up the healing process and can cause side effects the more antibiotics are used to treat trivial conditions, the more likely they are to become ineffective for treating more serious conditions. For example, antibiotics are no longer routinely used to treat chest infections, ear infections in children and sore throats.

Antibiotics may also be recommended for people who are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of infection. This may include: people aged over 75 years babies less than 72 hours old with a confirmed bacterial infection, or a higher than average risk of developing one people with heart failure people who have to take insulin to control their diabetes people with a weakened immune system – either because of an underlying health condition such as HIV infection or as a side effect of certain treatments, such as chemotherapy. Antibiotics are sometimes given as a precaution to prevent, rather than treat, an infection. Antibiotic prophylaxis is normally recommended if you're having surgery on a certain part of the body which carries a high risk of infection or where infection could lead to devastating effects. For example, it may be used if you're going to have: some types of eye surgery – such as cataract surgery or glaucoma surgery joint replacement surgery breast implant surgery pacemaker surgery surgery to remove the gall bladder surgery to remove the appendix.

Your surgical team will be able to tell you if you require antibiotic prophylaxis. Antibiotic prophylaxis may be recommended for a wound that has a high chance of becoming infected – this could be an animal or human bite, for example, or a wound that has come into contact with soil or faeces.

There are several medical conditions that make people particularly vulnerable to infection, making antibiotic prophylaxis necessary.

For example, the spleen plays an important role in filtering out harmful bacteria from the blood.

People who have had their spleen removed, people having chemotherapy for cancer, or those with the blood disorder sickle cell anaemia, where their spleen doesn't work properly, should take antibiotics to prevent infection.

In some cases, antibiotic prophylaxis is prescribed for people who experience a recurring infection that's causing distress or an increased risk of complications, such as: Special considerations. There are some important things to consider before taking antibiotics. This page contains information on the 6 main classes of antibiotics: Penicillin. Don't take one of the penicillin-based antibiotics if you've had an allergic reaction to them in the past.

People who are allergic to one type of penicillin will be allergic to all of them. People with a history of allergies, such as asthma, eczema or hay fever, are at higher risk of developing a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to penicillins, although cases are rare.