Amoxicillin

Unknown / Multiple | Amoxicillin (Medication)

Desc:

Amoxicillin is a penicillin antibiotic. Other members of this class include ampicillin, piperacillin, ticarcillin and several others. These antibiotics all have a similar mechanism of action. They do not kill bacteria, but they stop bacteria from multiplying by preventing bacteria from forming the walls that surround them. Amoxicillin is used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria, such as ear infections, bladder infections, pneumonia, gonorrhea, and E. coli or salmonella infection. Amoxicillin is also sometimes used together with another antibiotic called clarithromycin to treat stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori infection. This combination is sometimes used with a stomach acid reducer called lansoprazole.

Amoxicillin also is used sometimes to prevent anthrax infection after exposure and to treat anthrax infection of the skin and chlamydia infections during pregnancy. ...

Side Effect:

Side-effects are as those for other beta-lactam antibiotics. Side-effects include nausea, vomiting, rashes, and antibiotic-associated colitis. Loose bowel movements (diarrhoea) may also occur. Rarer side-effects include mental changes, lightheadedness, insomnia, confusion, anxiety, sensitivity to lights and sounds, and unclear thinking. Immediate medical care is required upon the first signs of these side-effects.

The onset of an allergic reaction to amoxicillin can be very sudden and intense - emergency medical attention must be sought as quickly as possible. The initial onset of such a reaction often starts with a change in mental state, skin rash with intense itching (often beginning in fingertips and around groin area and rapidly spreading), and sensations of fever, nausea, and vomiting. Any other symptoms that seem even remotely suspicious must be taken very seriously. However, more mild allergy symptoms, such as a rash, can occur at any time during treatment, even up to a week after treatment has ceased. For some people who are allergic to amoxicillin the side-effects can be deadly.

Use of the amoxicillin/clavulanic acid combination for more than one week has caused mild hepatitis in some patients. Young children having ingested acute overdoses of amoxicillin manifested lethargy, vomiting and renal dysfunction. ...

Precaution:

Before taking amoxicillin, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to amoxicillin, penicillin, cephalosporins, or any other medications. Inform your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking.

The doctor should also be informed about kidney disease, allergies, asthma, hay fever, hives, or phenylketonuria that you may have or had in the past. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking amoxicillin, call your doctor. ...