Amoxycillin 250mg & 500mg capsules (a-mox-i-sil’lin)
Consumer Medicine Information
For a copy of a large print leaflet Ph: 1800 195 055
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about GenRx Amoxycillin.
It does not contain all the available information.
It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking amoxycillin against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What GenRx Amoxycillin is used for
Amoxycillin is an antibiotic used to treat infections in different parts of the body caused by bacteria.
Amoxycillin will not work against infections caused by viruses such as colds or the flu.
Amoxycillin is an antibiotic that belongs to a group of medicines called penicillins (pen-i-sil’lins). These antibiotics work by killing the bacteria that are causing your infection.
Your doctor may have prescribed amoxycillin for another reason.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why amoxycillin has been prescribed for you.
Amoxycillin is not addictive.
This medicine is available only with a doctor’s prescription.
Before you take GenRx Amoxycillin
When you must not take it
Do not take amoxycillin if you have an allergy to:
- amoxycillin
- other penicillins or cephalosporins
- any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include skin rash, itchiness, shortness of breath, swelling of the face, lips or tongue.
Do not take amoxycillin if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
Do not take amoxycillin if the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack has passed.
If you take this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking amoxycillin, contact your doctor.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have any allergies to any other medicines or any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had any other health problems / medical conditions, including:
- glandular fever
- blood disorders such as leukaemia
- liver or kidney problems.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if your urine has to be tested for sugar levels while taking amoxycillin.
Amoxycillin will produce false positive results when some of these tests are used. Your doctor will help you to identify the correct test.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you take amoxycillin.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may interfere with amoxycillin. These include:-
- medicines used to treat gout (eg probenecid or allopurinol)
- other antibiotics (eg tetracyclines).
These medicines may be affected by amoxycillin, or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicine, or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you.
Talk to your doctor about the need for an additional method of contraception while taking amoxycillin.
Some antibiotics may decrease the effectiveness of some birth control pills.
Your doctor or pharmacist may have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking amoxycillin.
How to take GenRx Amoxycillin
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor and pharmacist carefully.
These directions may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the box, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
The usual adult dose is one capsule (250mg or 500 mg) three times a day.
How to take it
Swallow amoxycillin capsules whole with a glass of fluid.
Amoxycillin can be taken with or without food. The effects of amoxycillin are not changed by food.
Space the doses as evenly as possible throughout the day.
For example, if you are taking amoxycillin three times a day, take a dose about every eight hours.
How long to take it
Continue taking amoxycillin until you finish the pack or until your doctor recommends.
Do not stop taking your capsules because you are feeling better.
If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, the infection may not clear completely or your symptoms may return.
If you forget to take it
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your capsules as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
If you have trouble remembering to take your capsules, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) or go to the Accident and Emergency department at your nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much amoxycillin. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. Keep these telephone numbers handy.
If you take too much amoxycillin you may get diarrhoea and nausea.
While you are using GenRx Amoxycillin
Things you must do
If the symptoms of your infection do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, tell your doctor.
If you develop itching with swelling or skin rash or difficulty breathing while you are taking amoxycillin do not take any more and contact your doctor immediately.
If you get severe diarrhoea tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse immediately. Do this even if it occurs several weeks after amoxycillin has been stopped.
Diarrhoea may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your bowel. You may need urgent medical care.
Do not take any anti-diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor.
If you get a sore white mouth or tongue while taking or soon after stopping amoxycillin, tell your doctor. Also tell your doctor if you get vaginal itching or discharge.
This may mean you have a fungal infection called thrush. Sometimes the use of amoxycillin allows fungi to grow and the above symptoms to occur. Amoxycillin does not work against fungi.
If you become pregnant while you are taking amoxycillin tell your doctor.
If you are about to start taking any new medicine, tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking amoxycillin.
Tell all the doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking amoxycillin.
Things you must not do
Do not stop taking your capsules because you are feeling better, unless advised by your doctor.
If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, all of the bacteria causing your infection may not be killed. These bacteria may continue to grow and multiply so that your infection may not clear completely or it may return and be more difficult to treat.
Do not give amoxycillin to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not use amoxycillin to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how amoxycillin affects you.
Amoxycillin generally does not cause any problems with your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. However, as with many other medicines, amoxycillin may cause dizziness / drowsiness / tiredness in some people.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking amoxycillin.
Amoxycillin helps most people with infections, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- oral thrush – white, furry, sore tongue and mouth
- vaginal thrush – sore and itchy vagina and/or discharge
- diarrhoea
- nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting.
These side effects are usually mild.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
- itching, rash
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- yellowing of the skin or eyes
- difficulty or pain on passing urine
- severe diarrhoea.
These are serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.
If any of the following happen, stop taking amoxycillin and tell your doctor immediately or go to the Accident and Emergency department at your nearest hospital:
- allergic reaction including fainting, swelling of limbs, face, mouth or throat which may cause difficulty swallowing or breathing.
These are very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. These side effects are rare.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don’t understand anything in this list.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
After finishing it
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects, particularly if they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with amoxycillin:
- severe abdominal cramps or stomach cramps
- watery and severe diarrhoea, which may also be bloody
- fever, in combination with one or both of the above.
These are rare but serious side effects. You may have a serious condition affecting your bowel. Therefore, you may need urgent medical attention. However, this side effect is rare.
Do not take any anti-diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor.
After using GenRx Amoxycillin
Storage
Keep your capsules in the blister pack until it is time to take them.
If you take the capsules out of the blister pack they may not keep well.
Keep it in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25 °C. Do not store it or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it in the car or on window sills.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking the capsules or the capsules have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any capsules that are left over.
Product description
What it looks like
GenRx Amoxycillin capsules are available in two strengths, each in packs of 20 capsules:
- 250 mg, 500mg yellow capsules
Ingredients
Active ingredients: amoxycillin trihydrate.
The capsules also contain:
- magnesium stearate
- cellulose – microcrystalline
- gelatin
- iron oxide yellow CI77492
- titanium dioxide
GenRx Amoxycillin does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten or tartrazine.
Sponsor
GenRx Pty Ltd
ABN 52 096 916 148
Level 21, 390 St Kilda Road
Melbourne, Victoria 3004
Australia
GenRx Amoxycillin 250 mg
AUST R 96875
GenRx Amoxycillin 500mg
AUST R 96876
GenRx is a registered trade mark of GenRx Pty Ltd
Date of leaflet preparation:
February 2004
Published by MIMS May 2004