Bacteria are all around us. It is one of the most resilient species that has survived all sorts of physical and environmental challenges through the course of its existence. There are harmful and beneficial bacteria. Both could actually live in your own body but when the bad bacteria increases in number or proliferates too much, then your body’s tendency is to fight back. When this happens, your immune system becomes active and sends signals to you that it is presently undergoing a battle. These signals are already telling you that you have a bacterial infection.
Bacterial infection could be mild, moderate, or severe. But an infection is an infection, no matter how small it is. One of the most common medications that work against bacterial infections is amoxicillin antibiotic. Amoxicillin antibiotic is a penicillin anti-infective. But you have to understand that an antibiotic does not work for infections that are caused by viruses such as colds and flu. Usually, when people experience fever, they self medicate and take antibiotics. This should not be done unless you see a doctor and take the prescribed medication for you. Fever can be a sign of either a viral or a bacterial infection. So, it would be much more practical for you to just do the proper protocol and not take matters into your own hands. Here are some important concepts that you should remember about amoxicillin antibiotic:
1. Precautions
Your doctor should know if you are allergic to penicillin, diabetic, asthmatic, pregnant, breast-feeding, or suffering from kidney disease so that you may be prescribed with an anti-infective that is not an amoxicillin antibiotic. Clarify everything with your doctor first since you are about to take another kind of medication. This is to make sure that amoxicillin antibiotic will not aggravate any underlying conditions or cause chaos to your present health status.
2. Taking it
When you are told to take amoxicillin antibiotic, you should take it with a full glass of water. Make sure that you read the instructions or literature enclosed in the medication’s packaging before you take it. It is okay for you to have it either on an empty stomach or with food. Make sure that you follow the dosage times. Do not alter the dosage pattern and amount. You must continue taking the medication even if you “feel†that you are already better before the dosage period ends. When you are prescribed with an amoxicillin antibiotic, the medication is only for your use. Do not share it with another person. If you forgot to take your dosage on time, just take it at the soonest. But if it is almost time for your next one, just take the scheduled dosage. Don’t take double doses.
3. Interactions
The medications that interact with amoxicillin antibiotic are birth control pills, amiloride, macrolide, chloramphenicol, tetracyclines, probenecid, and sulfonamides. Make your doctor aware of any supplementations or other medications that you take. Make know if you drink alcohol, too. Interactions with medications should not be taken lightly. Some interactions might be really dangerous or fatal. So make sure that you disclose everything to your doctor.
4. Side effects
Every form of medication has a certain number of side effects to be aware of. If you experience the following side effects from amoxicillin antibiotic, make sure that you contact your physician at the soonest possible time: jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), generalized body weakness, sudden bruising, strange bleeding, seizures, change in urination, severe diarrhea, skin rashes, hives, swelling of the lips, tongue, or face, problems with breathing, dark colored urine, redness of the skin, and loosened skin or peeling inside the mouth. If you experience a continuous upset stomach, troubled sleeping pattern, dizziness, and headache, you should be immediately see your healthcare professional. Do not just accept the side effects as something natural for you to experience. Each body accepts side effects and deals with side effects differently. Some of these side effects may not even manifest themselves on you but this doesn’t mean that you won’t experience some of them.
Amoxicillin antibiotic is one of the most effective anti-infectives today. It is one of the first antibiotics ever used to take care of bodily infections.
Getting better from a bacterial infection doesn’t only involve taking your amoxicillin antibiotic. You should also maintain a healthy lifestyle to further strengthen your immune system so that as you heal, you make your body safer from any further infections that may come your way. Amoxicillin antibiotic is prescribed for you to take responsibly with the help of your doctor. Remember to keep in contact with your physician especially if you have other health considerations.