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I'm In Korea, Where Doctors Over-prescribe Antibiotics. My First Doctor
Question: I'm in Korea, where doctors over-prescribe antibiotics. My first doctor gave me 2 amoxicyllin prescription, 625mg 3 times a day AND 250mg 3 times a day. I asked another doctor and he said just take the 625mg 3 times a day. I looked online, and that seems really high too. I just want to take the 625 mgs 2 times per day. Good call?
Monday of last week I had a terrible cold, so I came home amd rested. Was okay on Tuesday and Wednesday, but Thursday I woke up with a sore throat and ear infection. I started the antibiotics on Friday. Today is Saturday, and now I have terrible conjunctivitis as well. My eyes are puffy and excreting lots of a yellow, puss-ie stuff. I'm using lots of eye drops to clean out my eyes every hour or so.
Brief Answer:
Is this amoxicillin or amoxicillin with clavulanate potassium?
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. I don't know of any amoxicillin tablets that are 625 mg, so I am wondering if you are taking amoxicillin with clavulanate potassium (Augmentin), in which case it would normally be taken 625 mg three times a day. However, unless it looked like you had an ear infection, your symptoms all sound like a viral infection, for which antibiotics would not be necessary or helpful. This includes the conjunctivitis, which appears to be viral as well. Unfortunately, antibiotics are generally over-prescribed everywhere, not just in Korea.
If a doctor examined you and determined you need antibiotics, I don't want to recommend otherwise, but again, unless you had signs of an ear infection on exam, it doesn't sound like there is any bacterial infection that would need antibiotics. But if you do have an ear infection, and it is actually Augmentin that you are taking, 625 mg three times a day would be the usual dose.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any questions about any of that, and I would be glad to discuss it with you further.
Is this amoxicillin or amoxicillin with clavulanate potassium?
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. I don't know of any amoxicillin tablets that are 625 mg, so I am wondering if you are taking amoxicillin with clavulanate potassium (Augmentin), in which case it would normally be taken 625 mg three times a day. However, unless it looked like you had an ear infection, your symptoms all sound like a viral infection, for which antibiotics would not be necessary or helpful. This includes the conjunctivitis, which appears to be viral as well. Unfortunately, antibiotics are generally over-prescribed everywhere, not just in Korea.
If a doctor examined you and determined you need antibiotics, I don't want to recommend otherwise, but again, unless you had signs of an ear infection on exam, it doesn't sound like there is any bacterial infection that would need antibiotics. But if you do have an ear infection, and it is actually Augmentin that you are taking, 625 mg three times a day would be the usual dose.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any questions about any of that, and I would be glad to discuss it with you further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Not sure you can read the box, but it says [amoxicyllin ⢠potassium clavulanate (4:1)] I now see that under Active Ingredient it says 500 mg of amoxicyllin. So if I take 3 pills a day that will be a total dose of 1500 mgs per day. Yes, it was originally prescribed for the ear infection. The eye infection joined the party today. Sounds like your advice is to stick to 3 pills per day, 1500 mgs of amoxicyllin daily. Correct?
to follow up my preference would be to do 2 pills per day for total of 1,000 mg. he also prescribed 10 days worth. Is that the appropriate amount of time to take this antibiotic?
Brief Answer:
See below.
Detailed Answer:
Yes, I can see it now. 1500 mg of amoxicillin daily would be the recommended dosage, 1000 mg would not be adequate. 10 days is the recommended duration of treatment.
That should take care of the ear infection. The rest of your symptoms may take another week to completely clear.
Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be glad to help any way I can.
See below.
Detailed Answer:
Yes, I can see it now. 1500 mg of amoxicillin daily would be the recommended dosage, 1000 mg would not be adequate. 10 days is the recommended duration of treatment.
That should take care of the ear infection. The rest of your symptoms may take another week to completely clear.
Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be glad to help any way I can.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
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