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Amoxicillin is a penicillin antibiotic that prevents bacteria from forming cell walls, making it effective against various strains of bacteria. It can be prescribed for conditions such as ear infections, tonsillitis, and urinary tract infections. However, it can cause severe allergic reactions and other side effects, and it’s important to take it exactly as prescribed to avoid rebound effects.
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic that belongs to the penicillin class. It is very important to understand this about the drug because most people who are allergic to one form of penicillin (or drugs such as ampicillin and piperacillin) are at risk of having allergic reactions to any of them and these reactions can often result in anaphylactic shock. . Understanding that amoxicillin might produce this reaction is key to avoiding life-threatening reactions.
It’s easy to say that antibiotics kill bacteria, but that’s not exactly how amoxicillin works. Instead it makes it difficult for bacteria to form cell walls, which prevents them from making more bacteria. This can ultimately be very effective against a variety of strains of bacteria, potentially including E. coli and some forms of strep and staph. It won’t always work, and a doctor can best determine which antibiotic is most likely to be appropriate. Some conditions for which amoxicillin may be prescribed include ear infections, tonsillitis, sore throats, urinary tract infections, gonorrhea and bronchitis.
There are several potencies of this antibiotic and it can come in tablets that people can swallow or chew. It is also available in suspension liquids, which are usually mixed right before dispensing. Once liquid forms of the drug are prepared, they need to be refrigerated and have a fairly short shelf life. This shouldn’t be a problem, since it’s highly recommended that people finish all medications they are given as directed and not hang on to antibiotics for use with a different infection. Doctors strongly advise against self-prescribing, and with amoxicillin, the drug’s activity would likely have long since disappeared, especially if it’s in liquid form.
Clearly the most serious reactions to amoxicillin are allergic reactions, which can include symptoms of anaphylactic shock. This could mean that a person could have swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, have difficulty breathing, develop a severe rash and lose consciousness. These symptoms are medically urgent and require immediate attention. If a rash develops without symptoms, people should still notify doctors right away. Severe allergy rarely, if ever, occurs if this is the first time someone has taken a drug, but it can be difficult to know if penicillin exposure has occurred in the past.
Other serious but very rare side effects that require immediate medical attention include extreme diarrhea, intense cramping or stomach pain, and blood in the stool. Dark urine or signs of yellowing of the skin or eyes should also be reported. Most people will have few side effects when using amoxicillin, although some people report stomach upset.
A major concern is that the reduction of “good” bacteria in the stomach can seriously throw the stomach out of balance and cause chronic diarrhea. For this reason, many people take active cultures available in pill form or eat yogurt. Another potential side effect, which mostly occurs in women, is yeast infection, which many claim is also reduced by eating yogurt.
It cannot be stressed enough that people should take medications like amoxicillin exactly as prescribed and for as long as prescribed. Antibiotics often make people feel better within a day or two of starting them, and some people find there is no need to continue taking them. This can create an unfortunate rebound effect, where the bacteria come back stronger and make people sick. Patients are always advised to finish the prescription in order to derive the maximum potential benefit and thus the bacteria are completely compromised.
