Amoxicillin is an antibiotic in the penicillin group of drugs. It
fights bacteria in your body.
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 (Biaxin) to treat stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter
pylori infection. This combination is sometimes used with a stomach acid
reducer called lansoprazole (Prevacid).
Amoxicillin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this
medication guide.
Important information about amoxicillin
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to
amoxicillin or to any other penicillin antibiotic, such as ampicillin
(Omnipen, Principen), dicloxacillin (Dycill, Dynapen), oxacillin
(Bactocill), penicillin (Beepen-VK, Ledercillin VK, Pen-V, Pen-Vee K,
Pfizerpen, V-Cillin K, Veetids), and others.
Before using amoxicillin, tell your doctor if you are allergic to
cephalosporins such as Ceclor, Ceftin, Duricef, Keflex, and others. Also
tell your doctor if you have asthma, liver or kidney disease, a
bleeding or blood clotting disorder, mononucleosis (also called "mono"),
or any type of allergy.
Amoxicillin can make birth control pills less effective, which may
result in pregnancy. Before taking amoxicillin, tell your doctor if you
use birth control pills. Take this medication for the entire length of
time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the
infection is completely treated. Amoxicillin will not treat a viral
infection such as the common cold or flu. Do not give this medication to
another person, even if they have the same symptoms you do.
Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new
infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, call
your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your
doctor has told you to.
Before taking amoxicillin
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to amoxicillin or to
any other penicillin antibiotic, such as:
-
ampicillin (Omnipen, Principen);
-
dicloxacillin (Dycill, Dynapen);
-
oxacillin (Bactocill); or
-
penicillin (Beepen-VK, Ledercillin VK, Pen-V, Pen-Vee K, Pfizerpen,
V-Cillin K, Veetids, and others).
Before using amoxicillin, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any
drugs (especially cephalosporins such as Ceclor, Ceftin, Duricef,
Keflex, and others), or if you have:
-
asthma;
-
liver disease;
-
kidney disease;
-
a bleeding or blood clotting disorder;
-
mononucleosis (also called "mono");
-
a history of diarrhea caused by taking antibiotics; or
-
a history of any type of allergy.
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment
or special tests to safely take amoxicillin.
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be
harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan
to become pregnant during treatment. Amoxicillin can make birth control
pills less effective, which may result in pregnancy. Before taking
amoxicillin, tell your doctor if you use birth control pills.
Amoxicillin can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do
not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are
breast-feeding a baby.
See also: Pregnancy and
breastfeeding warnings in more detail
The amoxicillin chewable tablet may contain phenylalanine. Talk to
your doctor before using this form of amoxicillin if you have
phenylketonuria (PKU).
This product was added to our catalog on Thursday 25 September, 2008.