The taking of drug medications such as amoxicillin is usually accompanied by reasonable and justifiable reservations about exactly what kind of side effects are attached to this drug treatment. It’s therefore reasonable to ask the question: What are the most common side effects of amoxicillin? From seniors to children, everyone wants to be cured of their infection and if taking amoxicillin in tablet or liquid form (and injection as well) is the cure so be it! You are invited to read on.
Side effects which are important to know
It’s all very well to have a cursory knowledge of side effects that drug medications have. It’s much better to really dig an become familiar with what each side effects entails for your health.
Here are both the side effects of amoxicillin plus an adequate explanation of each one divided into the more common and more serious side effects:
More common side effects:
More serious side effect:
- Allergic reactions
- Breathing issues
- Blistering
- Dizziness
- Sleeping problems
- Seizures
- Trouble passing urine and dark urine,
- Pronounced weaknessortiredness
- Unusual bruisingorbleeding
- Yellowing ofwhite of theeyes orskin.
Less serious side effects:
Diarrhea
Diarrhea involves frequent stools of loose, watery discharge when on the toilet seat and is considered chronic when it continues for more than a month.
You should drink plenty of fluid to avoid becoming dehydrated. Drinking milk and other fluids such as water is considered suitable for mild diarrhea.
However, for moderate and severe diarrhea you should have recourse to electrolyte solutions which are available online and also in drugstores for addressing your problem.
Diarrhea is one of the most common side effects of amoxicillin. What happens is that all antibiotics are known to eliminate bacteria in the intestinal tract.
Being an antibiotic, amoxicillin also attacks the bacteria in our guts and disrupts it leading to an outbreak of diarrhea.
To treat amoxicillin induced diarrhea, you should take a supplement with probiotics and drink fluid to stay hydrated.
While diarrhea is a common side effect, you may become hydrated and notice streaks of blood in the diarrhea. If that’s the case, you should immediately seek professional medical attention.
Stomach upset
When you get abdominal painit means you are experiencing pain between your groin and chest which is referred to as the belly or stomach region of your body.
Most people often experience pain in this region from time to time but it’s often not caused by a severe medical reason. Stomach illness or nausea is a common side effect of amoxicillin with abdominal pain and vomiting as less common symptoms.
This side effect may be avoided when you take your amoxicillin dose with your meal.
To help quell the upset in your stomach, you should eat bland, easily digestible food such as sous, crackers and toast. Stomach symptoms can also be calmed when peppermint is ingested. Anti-nausea medication can also be taken if needed.
If your stomach pain becomes severe, prolonged, and you notice blood in your vomit or stool, you should immediately seek medical attention.
Headache
This side effect involves discomfort or pain in the head, scalp or neck. Common headaches are usually caused by contracted and tight muscles in your shoulders, scalp, neck or jaw.
Headaches are common side effects caused by taking amoxicillin with less serious ones often occurring less frequently.
They can be prevented when you take your doses with food and drinking an adequate quantity of water.
Once you get headaches from taking amoxicillin, you can help relieve the pain by treating them with Tylenol and Aleve.
Abnormal tasting sense
Physicians know that a deficiency of zinc in the body and sometimes, drug medications especially amoxicillin can affect the absorption of zinc (mineral) into the body. This sometimes causes food to have a metallic taste in the mouth.
Other people become sensitive to very sweet and salty food when taking amoxicillin. Some become hydrated when they have a fever while taking antibiotics and dry mouth from taking the treatment may also induce taste irregularities.
Skin rash
According to theTexas Children’s Hospital, skin rashes are very common side effects particularly in children when taking amoxicillin.
The know estimate of the number of children who succumb to skin rash outbreaks is between 5 to 10 percent. It’s difficult however to accurately determine whether or not the risk is due to allergic factors.
Usually people taking amoxicillin become aware of skin rash after three or five days of taking it. At first the rash may be small initially with flat or pronounced red blots randomly placed on the skin. They usually start on the back, stomach or chest.
They are different from hives which are raised and itchy welts that automatically appear a few hours after taking amoxicillin. Troubled breathing and swallowing are other symptoms that appear with the skin rash.
Some people have serious allergic reactions to amoxicillin when breathing and if that’s the case, emergency medical attention should be sought. The itch itself can be reduced with the sufferer can take an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
They should definitely call their doctor and request a prescription for a different antibiotic “family to treat the allergy.
Usually, the rash should disappear by itself after a few days if it’s not an allergy. The application of an anti-itch cream may also be applied.
Vaginal yeast infection
Amoxicillin can sometimes attack bad bacteria as well as good bacteria that keep pH balance in the vagina. This affects the vaginal pH and makes yeast thrive which gives rise to infection.
The symptoms of a yeast infection include itching, redness and a cottage-cheese-like discharge. Over the counter medications are available for treating yeast infection but you should take to your doctor if you are not sure about the infection.
The doctor may also prescribe a stronger medication for your condition if the over the counter medication doesn’t improve your yeast infection problem.
Conclusion
To suffer from the after effects of taking a drug treatment such as amoxicillin is not to be taken lightly but should be addressed from your actual knowledge of the condition and your willingness to what you are advised to do by medical experts such as your doctor or pharmacist. They are the best people available who can assist you in any of your medical problems. It’s our hope that you have been given sufficient information in this first episode on amoxicillin side effects that will continue in our next issue.
