Messed up taking antibiotics

[foreverchangingnappies]

I was given amoxicillin 3 days ago for a tooth infection to take 3 times a day for 7 days. Started the first day (got given them at lunchtime) at 1pm, 5pm and 10pm then the next 2 days I’ve been taking with meals (8am, 12pm and 6pm) and today I have the worst diarrhea! I know it’s a common side effect but I’m thinking it’s because I’ve been taking doses too close together. I thought if I need to take it with food then it would make sense to take it at mealtimes? (Instructions didn’t say anything about timings).

Is this going to stop it being effective? From now on I’ll space it out better (maybe 8am, 3pm and 10pm or something) but I’m hoping I haven’t totally messed up with the first 3 days? My pain hasn’t improved very much, and the diarrhea is horrendous I can’t even leave the house.

I’m on amoxicillin for chest infection also got horrendous diarrhoea to the point I haven’t slept two nights in a row I’ve been taking it with food every 8 hours I’m not sure what to do

@Elvisbaby321sorry to hear you are struggling too - it’s awful isn’t it!

Yeah it is I’ve never struggled with amoxicillin I’ve got a chest infection and I suspect flu so could be that but then I didn’t get a upset stomach till I started the antibiotics so I’m not sure

I was always told by my doctor as long as you take it with food it would protect your stomach a little so no sickness or diarrhoea but I’ve had a bad stomach and nausea with them to the point I’ve thought of stopping the antibiotics.

GI upsets are a really common side effect of amoxicillin, and should settle down once you finish the course. Think of the dose spacing as a way of keeping some of the drug in your system as much as possible over a 24 hr period. You won’t have messed up your treatment with the dose timings you have had.

@drusilla49thank you this is good to know