How to take antibiotics properly
Take each dose at the time on the label, with or without food as it says, and finish the course unless your doctor tells you to stop. If you miss one, follow that leaflet and do not take a double dose.
Start with the label and the leaflet
The label and the Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet say how to take this antibiotic. Read both before the first dose.
- Copy the times, and any line about food.
- Note how many days to take it, or the stop date.
- Tell the pharmacist every other medicine you take.
- Keep the leaflet in the box.
The CMI is often inside the pack, and your pharmacist can print it. Check the brand name on the leaflet matches the box.
Space the doses evenly
Take antibiotics at the right time, and do not shift a dose to a more convenient hour. The words on the label are the schedule.
| The label says | What to do |
|---|---|
| Every 8 hours | Space the doses about 8 hours apart. One example is 6 am, 2 pm and 10 pm. |
| Three times a day | Read the CMI. It may still mean space them evenly, about every 8 hours, rather than only at breakfast, lunch and dinner. |
| With food, or on an empty stomach | Follow that line for this antibiotic. Do not copy the food rule from a different one. |
What those words mean, and how to place them around a meal, is in take with food or on an empty stomach.
- Read whether it says every 8 hours, three times a day, or another interval.
- For every 8 hours, pick a start time and add 8 hours twice.
- For three times a day, use the spacing in the CMI before you tie the doses to meals.
- Ask the pharmacist if the label only says "as directed".
Keep those times for a short course
Set a reminder for the times already on the label, and mark the dose after you take it. How to remember to take your medicine covers a daily routine.
Pillbo can hold those evenly spaced times for a short course, and a log of each dose you mark taken, skipped, or missed. If a dose runs late, its late-dose alarm can ring even on Silent, on iPhone and Android.
It will not tell you whether a late dose should still be taken. Check the leaflet, or ask a pharmacist.
Finish the course you were prescribed
Take the antibiotic for as long as you were told, even if you feel better. Stop earlier only if your doctor tells you to.
Missing doses, or not finishing the course, is one way antibiotic resistance develops. Do not take extra because tablets are left, and do not continue past the prescribed stop date unless your doctor says to.
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects, and they are not an allergic reaction. Ask your doctor or pharmacist before you stop the course because of a side effect.
If you miss a dose
Open the missed-dose section of the CMI before you take anything extra. The wording is for this antibiotic, so do not borrow it from another pack.
A typical leaflet says:
- Take the missed dose when you remember.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one.
- Do not take a double dose to catch up.
Ask a pharmacist if the leaflet is missing, or if you are not sure the dose was missed. The same caution for any medicine is in what to do if you miss a dose.
Tell them what else you take
One medicine can change how another works, or change its side effects. Tell your doctor and pharmacist about everything you take before you start.
- Prescription medicines, including ones from another doctor.
- Pharmacy and supermarket medicines.
- Vitamins, herbal products, and other supplements.
- Any antibiotic allergy you have been told you have.
Known interactions, including some foods, drinks, and alcohol, are listed in the CMI. Ask if you are unsure.
When to get help
If you suspect an anaphylactic reaction, call 000 for an ambulance.
An allergic reaction can include hives, a fever of 38°C or higher, or difficulty breathing. A severe allergy may become anaphylaxis, usually within an hour of the dose.
| What you notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| Suspected anaphylaxis, including difficulty breathing | Call 000 |
| Severe diarrhoea, heavy rectal bleeding, or diarrhoea with severe abdominal pain | Urgent care, the same day |
| Not improving in the time your doctor gave you, or you feel worse | Contact your doctor |
| You need advice and it is not an emergency | Call healthdirect on 1800 022 222, any time |
Diarrhoea is a common side effect. Ongoing diarrhoea is less common, so do not wait it out if it is severe.
Ask your doctor how long recovery should take before you leave. Contact them if you are not improving in that time.
Common questions
Do I have to finish antibiotics if I feel better?
Take them for as long as you were prescribed, even if you feel better, unless your doctor tells you to stop.
What if I miss an antibiotic dose?
Follow that medicine's leaflet. Take it when you remember unless the next dose is close, and do not take a double dose.
Should antibiotics be taken with food?
Check the label or the Consumer Medicine Information leaflet. It says whether yours is taken with food, without food, or either way.
Can I keep leftover antibiotics for next time?
No. Do not share them or save them. Return unused antibiotics to a pharmacy.
Sources
- Antibiotics, healthdirect
- How to read Consumer Medicine Information (CMI), healthdirect
- Diarrhoea, healthdirect
- Do I really need antibiotics?, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
- Antibiotics and you, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
- Amoxil Capsules, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
- Antimicrobial resistance, SA Health
