The usual dose of amoxicillin capsules in adults is 500 mg or 1000 mg 3 times a day. Your doctor will advise you how long to take amoxicillin for (usually 3–7 days). For most infections, you should feel better within a few days. Always take your amoxicillin exactly as your doctor has told you.
A growing body of research finds that telling patients to finish a full course of antibiotics even if they're already feeling better not only fails to prevent drug-resistant “superbugs” from forming, but also might make those pathogens stronger.
A duration of 5–7 days of antibiotics is recommended in adults.
Traditionally, clinicians and health authorities advocate that patients should complete their full course of antibiotics as prescribed, even when their symptoms have improved, to prevent relapse of infection and the development of antibiotic resistance.
Amoxicillin is a popular antibiotic that treats bacterial infections. After you start taking your prescription, you may start to feel better in 2 to 3 days, but it may take longer for certain infections. Even if you start feeling better, it's important to finish all of your prescribed doses.
The recommended dose of amoxicillin for a moderate chest infection in a normal healthy adult is 500mg every 8 hours (or three times a day) or 875 mg every 12 hours. Amoxicillin is a type of penicillin antibiotic that fights bacteria.
Findings from one 2022 clinical research trial suggested that a short course of Amoxicillin (5 days) was just as effective as a longer course (10 days) for uncomplicated commonly acquired pneumonia in children under 10 years old. Antibiotics like amoxicillin need time to clear bacteria out of your body.
Even if you are not feeling sick, the bacteria may still be present in your body, and you could start feeling sick again if you stop your antibiotic early. Another problem that may occur if you stop your antibiotic earlier than prescribed is antibiotic resistance.
If you're all well in three days, stop then. If you're not completely well, take it a little longer. But as soon as you feel fine, stop.
Amoxicillin is used to treat a variety of bacterial conditions. Its effectiveness against multiple strains of bacteria explains why physicians consider it a strong antibiotic. Among the bacteria it fights are E. coli, salmonella, streptococcus species, Listeria monocytogenes and Clostridial species.
In most cases, you'll take amoxicillin for 5 to 10 days at a time. This can be longer or shorter depending on your situation. However, always make sure to finish all of your prescribed doses, even if you start to feel better. This helps make sure that the infection is fully cleared from your body.
Comments: The full 10-day course of treatment should be completed in order to be effective.
Your antibiotic prescription is designed to effectively address the bacteria completely before the drug is out of your body. This is why dosage and the number of days you will take amoxicillin are important. Take the medication as prescribed, and don't stop until your course is complete or your doctor says to stop.
Adults, teenagers, and children weighing 40 kilograms (kg) or more—250 to 500 milligrams (mg) every 8 hours, or 500 to 875 mg every 12 hours. Children and infants older than 3 months of age weighing less than 40 kg—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor.
“Shorter courses of three to seven days are proven to be just as effective as longer, traditional courses, and can have less harmful side effects,” says Rachel Kenney, Pharm. D., a Henry Ford pharmacist who is co-leading an initiative under the health system's Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.
High acid foods – Citrus fruits and juices like orange and grapefruit, soda, chocolate and tomato products have a high acid content, which could decrease how much medicine is absorbed into your system for certain antibiotics.
If you don't take an antibiotic as prescribed, you may need to start treatment again later. If you stop taking it, it can also promote the spread of antibiotic-resistant properties among harmful bacteria.
The most common side effects of amoxicillin are feeling sick (nausea) and diarrhoea. Liquid amoxicillin can stain your teeth. This does not last and is removed by brushing. You can drink alcohol while taking amoxicillin.
How long should antibiotics be taken for? Usually 3, 5 or 7 days – but it can be two weeks; and sometimes many weeks for long-term infections. Antibiotics should be taken for as long as the doctor has prescribed them. In fact, take them exactly as your doctor tells you, and they have been prescribed.
Although it is not very clear, according to the literature in most cases, 2-3 days of medication is adequate. However, when the treatment is not done properly, the antibiotic coverage may be needed for up to 7 days. According to the International Dental Journal study notes, most acute infections resolve in 3-7 days.
There's an increased risk of side effects if you take 2 doses closer together than recommended. Accidentally taking 1 extra dose of your antibiotic is unlikely to cause you any serious harm. But it will increase your chances of getting side effects, such as pain in your stomach, diarrhoea, and feeling or being sick.
Amoxicillin is a penicillin antibiotic that fights bacteria. Amoxicillin is used to treat many different types of infection caused by bacteria, such as tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and infections of the ear, nose, throat, skin, or urinary tract.