Amoxicillin explained: Uses, dosage and online prescription advice

Amoxicillin is a broad spectrum antibiotic that’s effective against a wide variety of bacterial infections.

It’s suitable for most adults and children. And it starts to work as soon as you take it. But it could take a few days before you feel better.

This medication effectively treats chest, ear, bowel, urinary tract and skin infections, as well as tooth abscesses.

But like all antibiotics for bacterial infections, it doesn’t work against viruses.

As explained in our complete guide to antibiotics, you can’t get amoxicillin over the counter. You need a prescription from a licensed and approved medical healthcare provider.

But that doesn’t mean you need to wait weeks for an appointment with your GP.

Instead, you can get a quick, safe and legal online amoxicillin prescription from a UK-licensed doctor at The Online Clinic.

As part of your free consultation, we ask you to complete a short medical health questionnaire.

Your doctor will review your request for prescription antibiotics to ensure Amoxicillin is safe and suitable for your condition.

You don’t need a prior prescription to buy amoxicillin online with The Online Clinic.

And if you order before 3:30pm on a weekday, you can even request next-day delivery. Same day collection in a pharmacy local to you is available up to 9 pm on weekdays, 6 pm on Saturdays and 5 pm on Sundays.

Register as a patient today to request a prescription for amoxicillin to treat your bacterial infection.

What conditions is amoxicillin used to treat?

Amoxicillin uses

Amoxicillin is effective in treating bacterial infections.

Common amoxicillin uses include treating:

• Respiratory infections (pneumonia, bronchitis)
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Ear, nose and throat infections
• Skin and soft tissue infections
• Dental abscesses and infections

Due to the growing risk of antibiotic resistance, antibiotics are only prescribed when clinically indicated. And even if Amoxicillin may be effective in treating a certain condition, it may not be the first line choice and a more appropriate antibiotic may be offered.

In many cases, a healthy immune system is enough to fight off infection without treatment. But you might need prescription antibiotics depending on your symptoms. At The Online Clinic, your symptoms are carefully assessed by a doctor before a prescription or advice is offered.

It’s important to remember that not all prescription antibiotics are equally as effective against all bacterial infections.

Speak to a UK doctor online to discuss amoxicillin uses and find out which antibiotic is right for you.

Why isn’t amoxicillin effective against viruses?

Bacterial and viral infections can have similar symptoms.

And they’re both capable of being spread through coughing, sneezing, kissing and touching contaminated surfaces.

But these two microbes work in very different ways.

Harmful bacteria attack cells from outside the cell walls.

Viruses, on the other hand, latch onto a host cell and live inside it.

That means viruses are surrounded by a protein coating that protects them against antibiotics.

As such, antibiotics can’t treat viral infections like colds, flus and COVID-19.

Taking amoxicillin when you don’t need to also contributes to global antibiotic resistance.

You should always get antibiotics prescribed by a licensed and regulated healthcare provider to ensure effective treatment with minimal risks.

Amoxicillin treatment guidelines

Amoxicillin standard dosage

The usual dose of amoxicillin for adults is 500mg taken as a capsule 3 times a day.

Amoxicillin 500mg is too strong for younger children. According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the standard amoxicillin dose for children is:

• 1-11 months: Amoxicillin 125mg
• 1-4 years: Amoxicillin 250mg
• 5+ years: Amoxicillin 500mg

Children are not treated at The Online Clinic.

How to take amoxicillin

In most cases, your doctor will recommend you take 3 doses of amoxicillin spread evenly throughout the day.

This is typically in the morning, mid-afternoon and right before bed.

You can take amoxicillin before or after food.

Swallow capsules with water. Don’t chew or break them.

Be aware that you might still be infectious after starting treatment.

It can take between 48 hours and 14 days to stop being infectious to others.

Can I stop taking amoxicillin early if I feel better?

Always finish your full course of treatment, even if you feel better.

Symptoms can often clear up before the bacteria is fully destroyed.

So if you stop taking Amoxicillin early, your infection could recur.

Worse still, bacteria that’s exposed to but not killed by amoxicillin could develop resistance. This makes it much harder to treat in the future. This is also why you should never save leftover antibiotics for later or take someone else’s.

Your doctor will give you clear instructions on how to take Amoxicillin, and for how long. Following these instructions gives you the best chance to completely eliminate your infection without contributing to antibiotic resistance.

What if I miss a dose of amoxicillin?

If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember – unless it’s nearly time for your next dose. Never take two doses at the same time. And never take an extra dose to make up for one you’ve missed.

Amoxicillin interactions

Other medications can impact the effectiveness or side effects of amoxicillin:

• Allopurinol: Increases the risk of skin rash
• Methotrexate: Amoxicillin may increase side effects
• Probenecid: Your doctor might need to prescribe a lower doses of amoxicillin
• Tetracycline: Could reduce the effectiveness of amoxicillin
• Warfarin: You might need extra blood tests to monitor blood clot risk

It’s important to declare any other medication you’re taking in your free consultation at The Online Clinic. This helps your doctor prescribe a suitable antibiotic that targets your infection without unnecessary risks.

Get amoxicillin prescribed safely

Can I take amoxicillin while pregnant or breastfeeding?

It’s usually safe to take amoxicillin during pregnancy. But to ensure your safety, inform your doctor that you’re pregnant before you buy amoxicillin online.

You can also safely take amoxicillin while breastfeeding. Trace amounts of amoxicillin can make their way into breast milk. Some babies could experience mild side effects like diarrhoea, drowsiness or rash. But these are very rare and unlikely to cause harm.

And if you’re around a baby, it’s very important to treat your infection to keep them from getting infected.

The Online Clinic does not treat pregnant or breastfeeding women, as it is safer to have a face to face risk assessment.

Amoxicillin side effects and safety

Common side effects

One in 10 people might experience nausea, skin rash or diarrhoea.

Here are some simple steps you can take to relieve these side effects:

• Nausea: Eat bland, simple meals. Avoid rich or spicy foods
• Skin rash: Take a non-drowsy over-the-counter antihistamine
• Diarrhoea: Drink plenty of fluids. Don’t take other medicines to treat diarrhoea without consulting a pharmacist or doctor

If you develop a rash while using Amoxicillin or another antibiotic, it is important to consult with the prescriber to determine if it is a mild side effect or a serious allergic reaction,

Rare side effects

Stop taking amoxicillin and call a doctor or 111 immediately if you experience:

• Serious diarrhoea, or diarrhoea containing blood or mucus
• Signs of liver or gallbladder problems (pale poo, dark pee, yellowing skin or eyes)
• Unexpected bruising or change sin skin colour
• Joint or muscle pain that starts about two days into your course of amoxicillin
• A skin rash with circular red patches and a high temperature

Call 999 immediately if you experience a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) with swelling and breathing difficulties.

Antibiotic-associated colitis

Antibiotic treatment – including the use of amoxicillin – can cause antibiotic-associated colitis, also called pseudomembranous colitis.

This occurs when prescription antibiotics upset the bacterial balance of your colon. As a result, certain bacteria (often Clostridioides difficile) quickly outgrow others and produce harmful toxins.

Antibiotic-associated colitis is rare. But it’s more common in people over 65 years old.

It can begin as soon as one or two days into your course of treatment. Though it could appear several months or more after you finish taking antibiotics.

Symptoms include:

• Watery diarrhoea
• Pus or mucus in stool
• Dehydration
• Nausea
• Stomach cramps, pain or tenderness
• Fever

If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor or call 111 right away.

Buying amoxicillin online in the UK

Can you legally buy amoxicillin online?

In the UK, antibiotics are only available with a valid prescription.

But that prescription doesn’t need to come from the NHS.

A licensed, registered and approved online healthcare provider like The Online Clinic can give a legal prescription for amoxicillin following a free no-obligation consultation.

Once your prescription is approved, you can legally buy amoxicillin online.

https://www.theonlineclinic.co.uk/buy-amoxicillin.asp

[Button: Buy amoxicillin online]

Get a safe online prescription for amoxicillin

The illicit online sale of prescription antibiotics is a serious problem in the UK.

According to the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 75% of online pharmacies lack evidence of the appropriate registration status required by law.

And 45% dispense antibiotics without a prescription, which is illegal.

While this makes it easy to buy amoxicillin online, the lack of proper checks puts patients at serious risk.

At The Online Clinic, we take your health and the legal sale of prescription medications seriously.

We fully comply with the regulations of the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) in prescribing and selling medications.

And our online service is licensed and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to ensure the highest standards of care.

When you request prescription medication, we ask you to complete a medical health questionnaire. This is reviewed by one of our UK-licensed doctors to make sure amoxicillin or any other treatment is right for you.

So when you become a patient with The Online Clinic, you can have total confidence in our commitment to giving you a safe online prescription for amoxicillin or anything else.

Register as a patient

Our prescription process

We use a simple 5-step prescription process to offer you a quick, safe and convenient amoxicillin prescription:

• Consultation: Complete our patient registration form and medical health questionnaire for review by one of our doctors. This only takes a few minutes
• Diagnosis: Your doctor will make a diagnosis. This should only take around 30-60 minutes during normal business hours (7:00am to 10:00pm). If your doctor needs more information, they’ll send you a message
• Purchase prescription: Using our easy patient portal, you can access any prescription medications approved for you to purchase
• Repeat prescriptions: Antibiotics are not appropriate for repeat prescriptions. We will always conduct a new consultation with each request.
• Delivery: Orders received on our system by 3:30pm Monday to Friday (public holidays excluded) are dispatched on the same business day with options for next-day delivery. Your medication arrives in discreet packaging with no mention of The Online Clinic or the contents on the outside for total privacy
• Collection: antibiotics can be considered urgent medical treatment, so can be collected from a pharmacy close to you immediately after a prescription has been issued.

With over 20 years’ experience and more than 13,000 5-star patient reviews, people throughout the UK rely on The Online Clinic for responsive healthcare they can trust.

Excellent service – Highly recommend

I recently needed to order Amoxicillin and was thoroughly impressed with the entire process.

The medical questionnaire was detailed yet straightforward, ensuring all necessary information was covered.

The interaction with a qualified medical practitioner was professional and reassuring.

The ordering process was smooth, and to my delight, the medication was dispatched within a day.

The efficiency and care taken were commendable.

Excellent service from start to finish

Highly recommend!

Robert Taylor

Start a course of antibiotics with The Online Clinic

Register as a patient today and request a free no-obligation consultation. Antibiotics may not be the most appropriate treatment, but you can rest assured that your case will be reviewed with care by a UK doctor.

Get amoxicillin online

Amoxicillin uses frequently asked questions

What is amoxicillin used to treat?

Amoxicillin is a wide spectrum antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections such as chest infections, dental abscesses and UTIs.

Can you buy amoxicillin online in the UK?

Yes, you can. But you need a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider that follows the strict regulations of the MHRA and GPhC.

What is the standard dosage for amoxicillin?

Adults usually take 500mg 3 times a day.

For children under the age of 5, this is reduced to 125-250mg.

Please note that we do not treat children at The Online Clinic.

Is it safe to take amoxicillin without seeing a doctor?

You should only ever take amoxicillin under medical supervision.

This ensures the antibiotic will be safe and effective for your condition and doesn’t contribute to global antibiotic resistance.

Can I drink alcohol on amoxicillin?

Moderate alcohol consumption is generally safe. But it may increase side effects like nausea.

Useful resources for safe amoxicillin treatment

National Health Service

• About amoxicillin
• Who can and cannot take it
• How and when to take it
• Side effects
• Common questions

Patient.info

• Amoxicillin for infections

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

• Amoxicillin indications and dose
• Cautions

Cleveland Clinic

• Amoxicillin: Uses and side effects

MedlinePlus

• Amoxicillin: MedlinePlus drug information

Medicines For Children

• Amoxicillin for bacterial infections