NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia.
CILAMOX
amoxicillin
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about CILAMOX. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking CILAMOX against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What CILAMOX is used for
This medicine is used to treat infections in different parts of the body caused by bacteria, such as:
upper and lower respiratory tract infections – chest infections (pneumonia), tonsillitis, sinusitis
urinary and genital tract infections
skin and fleshy tissue infections
This medicine belongs to a group of medicines called penicillins.
This medicine works by killing the bacteria that are causing the infection. It can also be used to prevent infection.
CILAMOX will not work against infections caused by viruses, such as the common cold or the flu.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
Before you take CILAMOX
When you must not take it
Do not take CILAMOX if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing amoxicillin
any medicine containing penicillin or any other similar antibiotics such as cephalosporins
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath
wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin
Tell your doctor if you have suffered from any allergic conditions due to the use of penicillin.
Do not take this medicine if you have had ever had liver problems as a result of taking penicillins.
Do not breast-feed if you are taking this medicine.
The active ingredient in CILAMOX passes into breast milk and there is a possibility that your baby may be affected.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
you have ever had an allergic reaction (such as a rash) to any antibiotics in the past
glandular fever (mononucleosis) or a blood disorder
liver or kidney problems (the dosage may need to be changed or you may need to be given an alternative medicine)
lymphatic leukaemia
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start taking CILAMOX.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and CILAMOX may interfere with each other. These include:
medicines used to treat gout such as probenecid or allopurinol
oral contraceptive pills (you may need to use other birth control methods such as condoms, while you are taking CILAMOX)
other antibiotics (these may interfere with the way CILAMOX works in the body)
These medicines may be affected by CILAMOX or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.
How to take CILAMOX
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the box, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
Your doctor will tell you how much you need to take each day, and for how long you will need to take CILAMOX for.
The dose varies from person to person, and it will depend on the condition being treated and your response to the treatment.
How to take it
Swallow the capsules whole with a full glass of water.
When to take it
Take your medicine at about the same time each day. Space the doses as evenly as possible throughout the day.
Taking it at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take it. For example, if you are taking CILAMOX three times a day, take a dose about every eight hours.
It does not matter if you take this medicine before or after food.
How long to take it
Continue taking your medicine for as long as your doctor tells you.
It is important to keep taking your medicine even if you feel well.
If you forget to take it
Skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.
Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much CILAMOX. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
While you are using CILAMOX
Things you must do
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking CILAMOX.
Tell any other doctors, dentists and pharmacists who treat you that you are taking this medicine.
If you become pregnant while taking this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
Keep all of your doctor’s appointments so that your progress can be checked.
Tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse.
Tell your doctor immediately if you develop any form of skin rash and/or itching, swelling or difficulty in breathing while taking CILAMOX.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately if you get severe diarrhoea. Do this even if it occurs several weeks after you have stopped using CILAMOX.
Diarrhoea may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your bowel. You may need urgent medical care.
Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor or pharmacist.
Tell your doctor if you get a sore mouth or tongue, vaginal itching or discharge while taking or after you have stopped taking CILAMOX.
This could be due to a fungal infection called thrush. This may also result in fever and irritation in the stomach. Sometimes the use of this medicine allows fungi to grow, as CILAMOX is ineffective against fungi.
Tell your doctor, if for any reason, you have not taken CILAMOX exactly as prescribed.
Otherwise, your doctor may think that the medicine was not effective and change your treatment unnecessarily.
Things you must not do
Do not take CILAMOX to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not stop taking your medicine or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor.
If you stop taking it suddenly, your infection may return and your condition may worsen..
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how CILAMOX affects you.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking CILAMOX.
This medicine helps most people with bacterial infections, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
nausea and vomiting
diarrhoea (several loose bowel movements per day)
indigestion
oral thrush (white, furry, sore tongue and mouth)
vaginal thrush (sore, itchy vagina sometimes with irregular discharge)
The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
rash or itching
bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
yellowing of the skin and eyes
dark urine or pale stools
difficulty in passing urine
severe diarrhoea
The above list includes serious side effects that may require medical attention.
If any of the following happen, stop taking CILAMOX and tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
lumpy rash (hives) itching, blistering or peeling of the skin
swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat
wheezing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
The above list includes very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
After using CILAMOX
Storage
Keep your capsules in the pack until it is time to take them.
If you take the capsules out of the pack they may not keep well.
Keep your capsules in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.
Do not store CILAMOX or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking this medicine or the expiry date has passed, ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over.
Product description
What it looks like
CILAMOX capsules come in two strengths, 250 mg and 500 mg, and are available in blister packs of 20 capsules. They are hard gelatin capsules and are opaque white in colour.
Ingredients
CILAMOX contains either 250 mg or 500 mg of amoxicillin (as amoxicillin trihydrate) as the active ingredient.
The capsules also contain the following inactive ingredients:
gelatin
magnesium stearate
purified talc
titanium dioxide
Distributor
CILAMOX is distributed in Australia by:
Alphapharm Pty Ltd
Level 1, 30 The Bond
30-34 Hickson Road
Millers Point NSW 2000
www.mylan.com.au
This leaflet was prepared in April 2020.
250 mg: AUST R 286257
500 mg: AUST R 286258
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