Ampicillin: general drug information
Ampicillin is a medicine that belongs to the group of drugs called penicillins (antibiotics). It works by affecting the bacteria present in your body and helping your body deal with the infection more successfully. Ampicillin slows down the growth of bacteria and makes it possible for your immune system to deal with it faster and more efficiently. While some infections are easy for your immune system to get under control, others may be impossible to overcome because of very quick process of bacteria multiplication. Ampicillin can be used for the treatment of a wide range of conditions, such as ear infection, bladder infections, pneumonia, salmonella, E. coli, gonorrhea, and some other ones as recommended by your health care provider. This medicine is not intended for viral infections and is not supposed to be used for them. If you are allergic to ampicillin or any other antibiotics, such as carbenicillin, dicloxacillin, oxacillin, or penicillin, taking this medicine is not recommended, as the same allergic reaction is likely to happen again. In case you have a history of an allergic reaction but decided to take ampicillin anyway, the same symptoms are possible – you can develop hives, rash, difficulty breathing and swallowing swelling of your feet, hands and face and some other ones. In case of getting an allergic reaction make sure to seek emergency medical help. Talking to your health care provider is recommended before you start taking ampicillin, as this medicine has been reported to interfere with quite a few other medications you may also be taking at the moment. Besides, some medical conditions you have can affect the success of your treatment, and for ampicillin to work right you may need a higher\lower dose or some other changes. These are things that can be decided by a qualified health care professional. Do not try to decide which dose you need, especially if there are any health aspects in your particular case. When you are examined by your doctor, it’s easier to determine which lowest efficient dose you need. Another benefit of getting professional advice is that you will be monitored all the time to see if you are getting all the benefits of this treatment. This medicine is not expected to produce any serious side effects – in most cases. You are most likely to handle ampicillin well, although a few mild side effects are possible. However, any mild side effects you may get will most probably go away on their own and you will be able to carry on with your treatment. Always take this medicine for as long as recommended by your health care provider. This is the only way you will be able to benefit from your treatment. If you stop taking ampicillin without your doctor’s consent – a relapse of infection is possible, and it will be a lot more difficult to treat it after that. Avoid sharing ampicillin with other people, as they may have conditions that ampicillin won’t be able to treat. Always make sure you are the only one using this drug and do not let members of your household to take your ampicillin.