Amoxil general information

Amoxil is an antibiotic in the penicillin group of drugs. Amoxicillin fights bacteria in your body.

Amoxil 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. Amoxil 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).

Do not stop taking Amoxicillin without checking first with your doctor.

Amoxil dosage and administration

The dose of Amoxil will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of Amoxil. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The number of tablets that you take depends on the strength of the Amoxicillin.

Usual Adult Dose for Actinomycosis

500 mg orally 3 times a day or 875 mg orally twice a day for six months

Initial treatment of actinomycosis should include high dose parenteral penicillin G or ampicillin for 4 to 6 weeks, followed by appropriate oral therapy.

Usual Adult Dose for Anthrax Prophylaxis

500 mg orally every 8 hours

Oral amoxicillin is not considered first-line treatment for anthrax prophylaxis; it may, however, be used to complete a 60-day prophylactic course after 10 to 14 days of ciprofloxacin or doxycycline in pregnant or lactating patients or in patients with contraindications to the other two agents. The total duration of antimicrobial therapy is 60 days.

Usual Adult Dose for Cutaneous Bacillus anthracis

Treatment for confirmed cases of cutaneous Bacillus anthracis infection: 500 mg orally three times a day

Oral amoxicillin is not considered first-line treatment for the treatment of cutaneous anthrax; it may, however, be used to complete the treatment course once clinical response to ciprofloxacin or doxycycline has been observed or if the patient has contraindications to the other two agents. The total duration of antimicrobial therapy is 60 days.

Usual Adult Dose for Helicobacter pylori Infection

1 g orally 2 to 3 times a day for 14 days

Amoxicillin is used in combination with metronidazole and bismuth subsalicylate or with clarithromycin and a proton-pump inhibitor such as omeprazole or lansoprazole.

Amoxil side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Amoxil: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips;

• fever, swollen glands, rash or itching, joint pain, or general ill feeling;

• severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;

• pale or yellowed skin, yellowing of the eyes, dark colored urine, fever, confusion or weakness;

• severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness; or

• easy bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin.

Less serious Amoxil side effects may include:

• stomach pain, nausea, vomiting;

• vaginal itching or discharge;

• headache; or

• swollen, black, or "hairy" tongue.