Are augmentim and amoxycillin the same thing?

[Aimsmum]

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they are slightly different - augmentin is amoxycillin PLUS clavuranic acid (I've spelt that wrong I know) - in combination they have a broader spectrum (are active against more types of bacteria) than amoxycillin alone. hth

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Elliot's right - Augmentin is amoxycillin and clavulanic acid.

Aimsmum, both dd and ds have at different times failed to respond to amoxycillin and been put on augmentin which worked well. It doesn't sound reasonable not to have let her try it

Amoxycillin is cheaper - so they tend to prescribe that first.

Also to be fair to the doc, it is better not to prescribe broad spectrum antibiotics unless the bacteria is know to be immune to the narrow spectrum ones. Over use of broard spectum antibiotics increases the number of bacteria becoming resistant to multiple types of antibiotics.

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Bit strange then that doc doesn't just switch her from amoxycillin to Augmentin.

I agree with hmb re: resistance but if it's been recommended based on a test it's a bit odd that he's not px it.

She's not even getting the amoxycillin though by the sounds of it, which does seem remiss given her history. Deffo speak to the ENT specialise about it, Aimsmum.

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the doc should not prescribe another penicillin type antibiotic twice in the same month - presume that is what he means by already on it(ie had a course within the past month) and why he did not prescribe it again.

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Exactly what does the bacteriologist report say? I used to work in microbiology typing the reports and we didn't recommend antibiotics, merely stated which ones the bugs were resistant or sensitive to.

If the microbiologist thought they were desperately called for he would likely have telephoned the report through to the surgery.

This might shed some light on your GP's attitude towards prescribing.

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Assuming the report is in the same type of format we used (I see no reason why not) then the s next to each antibiotic means they are the sensitivities, so the correct ones to prescribe if the doctor decides to go ahead with medication.

Don't worry about your dd becoming immune to the drugs. It is the bugs that become resistant not the person and this bug does still seem to be sensitive to amoxicillin. Just make sure the ENT specialist is aware of her recentish prescription - he might want to try a combination of the antibiotics and hit it with a double whammy.

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I really don't know much about this but I think that care should be taken with augmentin. There is some research implicating it in the development of autism. here is a link.

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Wow, terrific link, thanks Aimsmum and Tamum too. We have had ONE swab done in over a year of this and that was because I insisted on it when we last saw the specialist. I will be sure to ask to see the report on it because it would worry me to see Haemophilus influenzae culture in dd's ear too (and yes I know the HIB vaccine is supposed to protect them against serious illness from this bacteria).
So far dd seems to be responding well to 2.5mg Trimethoprim nightly. Only one effusion in three weeks and that was serous and not full of pus.
Good luck with the new regime Aimsmum! Let us know how you get on on the usual thread!