Advice to patients (31) Co-amoxiclav tablets
- Co-amoxiclav is an antibiotic which contains amoxycillin and clavulanic acid. It is used to treat infections.
- One ingredient is a type of penicillin. If you are allergic to penicillin, do not take any of this medicine without first telling your doctor.
- Try to space the doses evenly though the day - one dose every eight hours if you are taking the tablets three times a day.
- It is important that you keep taking the tablets until they have all gone, even if you feel better quickly.
- Most medicines sometimes have side effects. If you find the tablets cause mild stomach upset or diarrhoea, try taking them just before a meal. If you have bad diarrhoea, skin rashes, itching, wheezing or difficulty breathing, stop taking the medicine and tell your doctor straight away.
- For women of child bearing age Co-amoxiclav can reduce the effectiveness of some contraceptive pills. You may need to use an additional form of contraception while you are taking it.
This series of "advice tips" on commonly used drugs is written by
pharmacists from the Sussex Pharmacy Academic Practice Unit. It is intended
as a reminder of points to be made by pharmacists as they hand out dispensed
medicines. The list is not intended to be comprehensive but to cover some important
points.
By Carina and Duncan Livingstone
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