Amoxicillin Clavulanate

Tell your doctor and pharmacist all the medications you're taking.

This includes prescriptions and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, vitamins and other dietary supplements (nutritional shakes, protein powders, etc.), herbal remedies, and illegal and recreational drugs.

You should not take Augmentin if you've receiving treatment with Theracys (BCG live intravesical) or have received Vivotif (typhoid vaccine live oral).

Augmentin interacts with many drugs and several should be taken with caution. These include:

• Exenatide (Byetta, Bydureon)
• Chloroquine (Aralen)
• Methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall)
• Magnesium citrate (Citroma)
• Warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
• Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as like omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), rabeprazole (Aciphex), and dexlansoprazole (Dexilant)
• Tetracycline antibiotics, such as tetracycline or doxycycline (Vibramycin)
• Tramadol (Ultram, Ultracet)
• Mycophenolate mofetil (Cellcept)
• Bupropion (Aplenzin, Contrave, Forfivo XL, Wellbutrin, Zyban)

Augmentin and Alcohol

Because both Augmentin and alcohol can cause dizziness and drowsiness, using the two together might worsen these effects.

Avoid or limit drinking while taking Augmentin.

Augmentin and Grapefruit Juice

Avoid grapefruit juice while taking Augmentin.

Scientists don't know whether the liver breaks down Augmentin the same way that it does grapefruit juice.

Included as part of the "PRECAUTIONS" Section

Amoxicillin & Clavulanate is part of the drug class:

• Combinations of penicillins, incl. beta lactamase inhibitors

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• probenecid (Benemid)
• warfarin (Jantoven, Coumadin)
• allopurinol (Zyloprim)
• oral contraceptives (birth control pills)

This is not a complete list of amoxicillin/clavulanate drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Amoxicillin/clavulanate falls into category B. Studies in animals have failed to demonstrate a risk to the unborn baby and there are no well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Or, animal studies have shown a harmful and undesired effect, but adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women have failed to demonstrate a risk to the unborn baby in any trimester.

It is not known if amoxicillin/clavulanate will harm your unborn baby.

• Take amoxicillin/clavulanate exactly as prescribed.
• Amoxicillin/clavulanate comes as an immediate-release tablet, extended-release tablet, a chewable tablet, and as a powder for oral (by mouth) suspension.
• Amoxicillin/clavulanate is usually taken 2 to 3 times every day, preferably with food.
• Continue to take this medication even if you feel well. Do not stop taking amoxicillin/clavulanate without talking to your doctor.
• If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of amoxicillin/clavulanate at the same time.

Chewable tablets:

• Amoxicillin chewable tablets should be chewed before swallowing.

Extended-release tablets:

• Swallow extended-release tablets whole. Do not chew or crush unless you are taking the chewable tablets form of amoxicillin/clavulanate.

Oral suspension:

• Tap bottle until all powder flows freely.
• Add approximately 1/3 of the total amount of water to the bottle and shake well to wet the powder. Refer to the instructions on your bottle or your pharmacist for the amount of water to add.
• Add remainder of the water and again shake well.
• After mixing the powder with water, shake the oral suspension well before use.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• your weight
• your age
• your renal function
• the severity of the infection

The usual adult dose is one amoxicillin/clavulanate tablet 500 mg/125 mg every 12 hours or one Amoxicillin/clavulanate tablet 250 mg/125 mg every 8 hours.

• For more severe infections and infections of the respiratory tract, the dose should be one amoxicillin/clavulanate tablet 875 mg/125 mg every 12 hours or one amoxicillin/clavulanate tablet 500 mg/125 mg every 8 hours.

Pediatric patients weighing 40 kg or more should be dosed according to the adult recommendations.

• Store amoxicillin/clavulanate at room temperature (tablet forms) or in the refrigerator (suspension form once made).
• Discard the suspension form (once made) after 10 days of refrigeration.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.

Amoxicillin is an antibiotic in a group of drugs called penicillins. Amoxicillin fights bacteria in the body.

Clavulanate potassium is a form of clavulanic acid, which is similar to penicillin. Clavulanate potassium fights bacteria that is often resistant to penicillins and other antibiotics.

The combination of amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium is used to treat many different infections caused by bacteria, such as sinusitis, pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, and infections of the skin.

Amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to amoxicillin or clavulanate potassium, or if you have ever had liver problems caused by this medication.

Do not use if you are allergic to any other penicillin antibiotic, such as amoxicillin (Amoxil, Augmentin, Dispermox, Moxatag), ampicillin (Principen, Unasyn), dicloxacillin (Dycill, Dynapen), oxacillin (Bactocill), or penicillin (Bicillin L-A, PC Pen VK, Pfizerpen)), and others.

To make sure you can safely take this medicine, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

• liver disease (or a history of hepatitis or jaundice);
• kidney disease;
• mononucleosis; or
• if you are allergic to a cephalosporin antibiotic, such as cefdinir (Omnicef), cefprozil (Cefzil), cefuroxime (Ceftin), cephalexin (Keflex), and others.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium can make birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about using a non-hormone method of birth control (such as a condom, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy while taking amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.

Amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

The liquid and chewable tablet forms of this medication may contain phenylalanine. Talk to your doctor before using these forms of amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium if you have phenylketonuria (PKU).