Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Quickly It WorksDosing RegimensSide EffectsWhen to Avoid AmoxicillinInteractions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Quickly It Works
Dosing Regimens
Side Effects
When to Avoid Amoxicillin
Interactions
Amoxicillinbegins working within a few hours after starting the antibiotic. You may start to feel better within 48 to 72 hours. However, you should always finish taking all your prescribed medication, even if you feel better, before it runs out.
Amoxicillinis a beta-lactam antibiotic drug used to treat a wide range ofbacterial infections. Its fast-acting nature is an important feature of the drug. It is among the most commonly used antibiotics in the primary care setting.
Amoxicillin begins working immediately after the first dose and reaches full effectiveness about an hour or two later.
However, when amoxicillin is given via an extended-release (ER, a form of administration where a drug is slowly released into the body over an extended time) tablet, the medicine may take longer to begin fully working, likely around three hours.
Amoxicillin becomes less effective after the first few hours. Approximately 60% of the amoxicillin dose is expelled from the body within six to eight hours.
Because of this, amoxicillin is prescribed in multiple daily doses. Continuous dosing at regular intervals maintains healthy levels of amoxicillin, allowing it to fight infection around the clock.
Amoxicillin does not relieve symptoms of infection immediately. Instead, it takes around 72 hours to relieve the symptoms in most people, though some people notice improvements within 24 to 48 hours.
Finish taking all doses of amoxicillin, even if you feel better before it runs out. If you stop taking amoxicillin too early, your infection won’t be treated completely and the bacteria could become resistant to antibiotics.
A person’s antibiotic resistance may also affect how long amoxicillin takes to work. Taking antibiotics frequently can also cause bacteria in your body to develop antibiotic resistance.
Always inform your healthcare provider if your antibiotics do not work as expected.
Severe bacterial infections can pose a grave risk to a person’s life. Therefore, the rate at which medication stops an infection is crucial to ensuring a complete recovery with no long-term, lasting effects.
How to Take It
Amoxicillin is available in different oral formulations and strengths, including a capsule, a tablet, a chewable tablet, and a liquid suspension. It is prescribed every eight or 12 hours at equal intervals with or without food. Taking it with food, particularly at the start of a meal, may help to prevent stomach upset.
The table below lists common forms of amoxicillin and their respective strengths:
Shake the liquid suspension well before using it every time. Do not chew, crush, or break amoxicillin if taking the ER tablets.
The table below outlines typical dosing regimens associated with the use of amoxicillin, concerning a person’s age and body weight:
The duration of your treatment and dose adjustment will depend on the type and severity of the infection you have.
Your healthcare provider may alter the dose for people with severe impaired renal (kidney) function to avoid adverse effects.
What to Do if You Miss a Dose
If you miss a dose of your medication, take it as soon as you remember. If it’s almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue taking it on your regular schedule. Do not take two doses at once.
How Safe Is Amoxicillin?
However, it may cause some side effects of varying severity.
Common Side Effects
Some of the more common, less severe side effects associated with the use of amoxicillin include:
If you experience any of these side effects, monitor your symptoms carefully. If your symptoms worsen, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
Severe Side Effects
More rare, severe side effects associated with the use of amoxicillin include:
If you experience severe side effects, immediately contact your healthcare provider. In the case of a medical emergency, directly call 911.
Warnings and Precautions
The use of amoxicillin in some cases may cause some severe reactions and may need medical attention.
Some of these reactions include:
Call your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any reactions to amoxicillin.
Proper Storage
Store amoxicillin tablets and capsules at room temperature. Keep the medicines away from excess heat and moisture. Do not store it in the bathroom.
Store the liquid dosage form of amoxicillin in the refrigerator, but do not freeze. Dispose of any reconstituted and unused liquid medication after 14 days.
Keep all medication out of sight and reach of children and pets. Always keep the safety locks.
Dispose of unwanted medications. Ask your pharmacist or local garbage/recycling department about medicine take-back programs in your community.
Who Shouldn’t Take Amoxicillin?
Amoxicillin is discouraged in people with the following conditions:
Amoxicillin Interactions
Amoxicillin may interact with the following drugs:
Probalan (probenecid):It decreases the renal tubular secretion (one of several steps in filtering blood to produce urine) of amoxicillin. The simultaneous use of amoxicillin and probenecid may increase the blood levels of amoxicillin.
Anticoagulant agents: The simultaneous use of amoxicillin with oral anticoagulant (blood thinning) drugs, such asJantoven (warfarin), may prolong blood clotting time. If you’re currently taking a blood thinning medication, your healthcare provider may need to change the dose of your drugs.
Zyloprim (allopurinol):The simultaneous administration ofZyloprim (allopurinol)and amoxicillin increases the number of rashes in people receiving these drugs compared to people receiving amoxicillin alone.
Oral contraceptives:Amoxicillin may affect the bacteria in your intestines, leading to lower estrogen hormone reabsorption and reduced efficacy of combined oral hormonal (estrogen/progesterone) contraceptives.
Antibacterial drugs: The medicines belonging to different classes of antibiotic drugs, such as chloramphenicol, macrolides, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines, may interfere with the bactericidal effects of amoxicillin.
Some of these drugs include:
Tell your healthcare provider about all the drugs you take before starting treatment with amoxicillin to avoid any adverse drug interaction.
Smoking and drinking do not directly affect the effectiveness of amoxicillin. However, it is better to do it in moderation as these activities harm overall physical and mental health.
According to a study, tobacco use during an infection treated with antibiotics may require an increased prescription. It may also cause antibiotic resistance development (the ability of bacteria to resist antibiotics).
Summary
Amoxicillin starts working within a few hours of taking it. You may begin to feel better within two to three days of starting amoxicillin. However, you should always finish taking your medication to ensure you treat the infection completely. If you stop too early, you may increase the risk of getting an infection later and may cause bacterial resistance.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DailyMed.Label: amoxicillin- amoxicillin capsule.Prescriber’s Digital Reference.Amoxicillin - drug summary.MedlinePlus.Amoxicillin.U.S Food and Drug Administration.Amoxil (amoxicillin) capsules, tablets, or powder for oral suspension). label.Steinberg MB, Akincigil A, Kim EJ, Shallis R, Delnevo CD.Tobacco smoking as a risk factor for increased antibiotic prescription.Am J Prev Med.2016;50(6):692-698. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2015.11.009.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DailyMed.Label: amoxicillin- amoxicillin capsule.Prescriber’s Digital Reference.Amoxicillin - drug summary.MedlinePlus.Amoxicillin.U.S Food and Drug Administration.Amoxil (amoxicillin) capsules, tablets, or powder for oral suspension). label.Steinberg MB, Akincigil A, Kim EJ, Shallis R, Delnevo CD.Tobacco smoking as a risk factor for increased antibiotic prescription.Am J Prev Med.2016;50(6):692-698. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2015.11.009.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
DailyMed.Label: amoxicillin- amoxicillin capsule.Prescriber’s Digital Reference.Amoxicillin - drug summary.MedlinePlus.Amoxicillin.U.S Food and Drug Administration.Amoxil (amoxicillin) capsules, tablets, or powder for oral suspension). label.Steinberg MB, Akincigil A, Kim EJ, Shallis R, Delnevo CD.Tobacco smoking as a risk factor for increased antibiotic prescription.Am J Prev Med.2016;50(6):692-698. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2015.11.009.
DailyMed.Label: amoxicillin- amoxicillin capsule.
Prescriber’s Digital Reference.Amoxicillin - drug summary.
MedlinePlus.Amoxicillin.
U.S Food and Drug Administration.Amoxil (amoxicillin) capsules, tablets, or powder for oral suspension). label.
Steinberg MB, Akincigil A, Kim EJ, Shallis R, Delnevo CD.Tobacco smoking as a risk factor for increased antibiotic prescription.Am J Prev Med.2016;50(6):692-698. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2015.11.009.
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