When you forget to take the antibiotic on time, you should take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is less than 2 hours before the next dose, it is recommended to skip the missed dose and take the next dose at the right time to avoid increasing the risk of side effects due to a double dose such as severe diarrhea, abdominal pain or vomiting .
Ideally, the antibiotic should always be taken at the same time interval, usually 8 or 12 hours, to ensure that there is always a constant level of the drug in the blood, preventing the development of bacteria that can aggravate the infection.
What to do if you forget to take 1 tablet
In most cases, when there is only 1 tablet forgotten, it is recommended to take the tablet as soon as you remember, as long as there is not less than 2 hours to the next one. However, it is important to always read the package insert, as it may vary depending on the type of antibiotic or the dose being used.
Check the package insert for the most commonly used antibiotics:
- Penicillin;
- Amoxicillin;
- Clindamycin;
- Ciprofloxacin;
- Metronidazole.
In addition, it is also possible to contact the doctor who prescribed the antibiotic to confirm the best way to act after being oblivious.
What to do if you forget to take several tablets
Failure to take more than one dose of the antibiotic may impair the workings of the drug, so it is always important to tell the doctor who prescribed the antibiotic how many doses have been missed. In many cases, your doctor will recommend starting treatment again with a new pack of antibiotics, to ensure that all bacteria are eliminated properly, preventing the disease from recurring.
Although it is possible to start treatment again with another package, it is very important to try to avoid forgetfulness, because during the period in which the antibiotic is not properly taken, the bacteria can develop immunity, becoming more resistant and difficult to treat a infection in the future.
Tips for not forgetting to take the antibiotic
To avoid forgetting to take a dose of antibiotic there are some simple and quite effective tips such as:
- Combine the intake of the antibiotic with other daily activities, such as after eating or after taking another medication, as a medicine for high blood pressure;
- Make a daily record of the antibiotic intake, noting the doses made and the doses missed, as well as the schedule;
- Create an alarm on your cell phone or computer to remind you of the right time to take the antibiotic.
These tips are important to maintain a correct and regular intake of the antibiotic, accelerating the cure of the problem and avoiding the emergence of side effects such as nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, for example.
Also check out 5 most common questions about the use of antibiotics.
