Amoxicillin is an antibiotic used for treating bacterial infections. While doctors often prescribe it to treat pneumonia and dental abscesses, it is also given to kids for ear and chest infections. According to experts, it begins the work to eliminate the infection within a few hours after starting it.

You may begin to feel better within 48-72 hours of taking it, and it has a proper course to run, which doctors advise you must always finish, even if you feel better, before it runs out.

Amoxicillin is a beta-lactam drug that is fast-acting in nature and is mostly used in the primary care setting.

Doctors say amoxicillin works immediately after the first dose and reaches full effectiveness within an hour of taking it. However, when the medication is given through an extended-release tablet, it takes a pretty long time to begin fully working—around 3-4 hours.

According to experts, since it is not a one-dose medication, amoxicillin becomes less effective right after the first few hours. Around 60 per cent of the medication gets expelled from the body within six to eight hours. And so, it is always prescribed in multiple daily doses, as it helps to fight infection around the clock.

Doctors say your antibiotic resistance affects how long the medicine may take to work, as taking antibiotics frequently causes bacteria in your body to stop making it altogether.

Amoxicillin is relatively safer and more effective than other infection-treating medications if it is prescribed by your doctor, since the dosage would be measured according to your needs and requirements.

However, it can lead to a few side effects of varying severity, some of which include:

• Changes in taste
• Diarrhoea
• Severe headache
• Vomiting
• Hypersensitivity reaction or allergy
• Liver issues
• Anaphylactic reactions

It is important to note that if you experience any of these side effects, you should monitor your symptoms carefully. If your symptoms worsen, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Doctors would discourage you from taking amoxicillin if you have the following conditions:

If you are hypersensitive to amoxicillin or other beta-lactam drugs, including cephalosporins and penicillins, it can lead to reactions like anaphylaxis or Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Taking amoxicillin can lead to the herpes virus known as Epstein-Barr syndrome or phenylketonuria - an inherited condition in which certain foods and artificial sweeteners could result in brain damage and severe intellectual disability.

Even though amoxicillin is safe for pregnant women, doctors always say it is best to consult them before taking it.

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