Dumb Question RE: medication - when is it "finished"?

[alien_host]

DD is on Augmentin (SP?) and the instructions are take 1 tsp 2x per day for 10 days. So I've given her 20 doses. There is still a some left in the bottle and the bottle says "finish all this medication unless instructed by the doctor".

So because I have the 20 doses, I'm all set right? I just toss the rest or do I really have to keep giving it until it is gone?

The last time we did Amoxicillan it was a chewable so I didn't think about "leftovers".

TIA! Man this question seems dumb, I guess I could call the nurses line but I'm sure I'd feel totally stupid!

[nov04]

There's usually a little extra in liquid form to allow for spills etc. We always finish the correct amt of doses. We have the opposite problem sometimes, our pharmacy doesn't always allow for a little extra and we've had to go back!

[Ceepa]

I would stop if the symptoms have resolved.

[brittone2]

I would stop if the symptoms have resolved.

I've always been told that with antibiotics you should always take the full course even if the symptoms have resolved, otherwise you can risk creating drug-resistant strains.

OP-You should call and verify because those are confusing instructions, but I personally would stop once my child had finished all of the RX'd doses.

[Ceepa]

I've always been told that with antibiotics you should always take the full course even if the symptoms have resolved, otherwise you can risk creating drug-resistant strains.

OP-You should call and verify because those are confusing instructions, but I personally would stop once my child had finished all of the RX'd doses.

Yes, to clarify, I meant that she should finish the full course of tx and then *if* the symptoms have resolved at that point, I would stop the abx and not continue giving her what's left in the bottle. OP said her DD finished all 20 doses.

[brittone2]

Yes, to clarify, I meant that she should finish the full course of tx and then *if* the symptoms have resolved at that point, I would stop the abx and not continue giving her what's left in the bottle. OP said her DD finished all 20 doses.

Sorry! I misinterpreted what you meant.
:hug:

[Ceepa]

Sorry! I misinterpreted what you meant.
:hug:


No worries. :D

[lilycat88]

We've always been told by our ped that with Augmentin to just take the usual course and if there is some left over, take it as well. We usually have another couple of days worth. The pharmacist said once that it was up to us whether to use it or not. It starts losing some of it's potency after the 10 days but it isn't harmful. That's why they don't mix Augmentin until you pick it up. We once had to do 20 days of Autmentin for DD and we had to go back after the first 10 day course to get the second 10 days mixed.

[crayonblue]

From what I understand, you only give what is prescribed. That would be 20 doses. Carmen has a full pharmacy line in our house and if we were to always give her what is in the bottles vs. what is prescribed, she would be getting tons of extra meds.

[egoldber]

Only give what is prescribed. You may have some leftover because it depends on the dosage prescribed. Most liquid antibiotics come in premeasured powder form. The pharmacist simply adds water and shakes. The number of premeasured packets they use is determined by the amount needed for your child based on their weight. So sometimes, to get enough for your child's dose, there may be a significant amount left over.

For example, a 20 pound toddler may only need one packet to get a full day 10 course. But a 22 pound toddler may need 1.2 packets to get the complete course. But the pharmacist can't divide the packet, so would have to use 2 packets, not 1. So you would essentially be getting an extra .8 of a packet. Make sense?