What Does It Feel Like to Take Augmentin for a Bacterial Infection?
Key takeaways:
Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid — sold under the brand name Augmentin — is a prescription antibiotic.
It’s used to treat bacterial infections, such as sinus or ear infections.
Some people report side effects such as upset stomach, nausea, and diarrhea.
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Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid — sold under the brand name Augmentin — is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics on the market.
Since the 1980s, it has been a powerful treatment for infections caused by certain bacteria. It’s a combination of two medications — amoxicillin and clavulanic acid.
Plus, the combination works against more bacteria than just amoxicillin alone. It is commonly used to treat ear infections, sinus infections, and urinary tract infections. It’s also used to treat lower respiratory infections, such as pneumonia.
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Taken by mouth in either tablet or liquid suspension form, Augmentin can be used by both adults and children.
Most people can take Augmentin without any side effects at all.
It can clear up infections
Dana Orchoff Gencarelli, of Anderson, South Carolina, has had success taking Augmentin to clear up sinus infections.
“I take Augmentin at least once a year,” she says. “I usually need it in the height of pollen season. I’ve taken it for years and never had any horrific effects. It works quickly and usually resolves the worst of my symptoms within 3 days.”
However, she does do some things to make taking it easier.
“It does upset my stomach if I don’t take it with food,” she says. “It also causes diarrhea and yeast infections if I don’t eat yogurt or take a probiotic supplement with it. Other than that, it’s a pretty easy prescription for me.”
Side effects can include diarrhea
Most people who take Augmentin finish the course of the antibiotic without any issues. Side effects are generally mild. For some people, the side effects of Augmentin include:
Diarrhea
Nausea
Allergic reactions
Skin rashes
Vaginal yeast infections
Vomiting
For Lynn Julian, taking Augmentin meant constantly running for the bathroom.
“The doctor did warn me that it would cause diarrhea, and recommended I buy Imodium on the way home,” Julian says. “But, I had no idea how serious it would become: no appetite, severe nausea, painful stomach cramps, vomiting — diarrhea morning, noon, and night. Literally everything came back out of me within an hour of eating.”
Lynn, who is originally from Boston, experienced those symptoms while she was visiting a friend in Los Angeles and developed a sinus infection. Miles away from her regular doctor, she visited a local clinic where a doctor prescribed Augmentin.
“The doctor at the clinic warned me about the antibiotic before she wrote the prescription,” Lynn says. “She told me there was going to be severe diarrhea that could turn into a yeast infection.”
On the plus side, 7 days into the treatment, Lynn’s sinus infection was going away. On the minus side, she did get the diarrhea and vaginal yeast infection the doctor warned could happen.
Be prepared for digestive issues
Like Lynn, Cynthia Daugherty, of Ladera Ranch, California, was also taking Augmentin for a sinus infection and had digestive issues, too.
“I was on it for 9 days. Eating yogurt and taking probiotics didn’t help, I even tried kimchi,” she says. “I was nauseous, vomiting, or on the toilet with diarrhea.”
After a couple of days, she was able to get in touch with her doctor, who took her off Augmentin and put her on doxycycline instead, which seemed to help.
Cynthia didn’t want to wait extra days to tough out the stomach issues she had with Augmentin.
“If someone has to take it, I hope they don’t have the reaction I did,” she says. “It’s probably a really good drug for the people who can handle it.”
What does the pharmacist say?
Stacia Woodcock, PharmD
Pharmacy Editor
Augmentin is a penicillin antibiotic prescribed for many common bacterial infections. It includes two ingredients: amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. Clavulanic acid helps the amoxicillin work against bacteria, but it’s also responsible for some of Augmentin’s side effects.
The most common side effects you can expect when taking Augmentin are diarrhea and nausea. It’s recommended that you take Augmentin with a meal to help lower the chance of these side effects.
Adding a probiotic to your treatment may also help prevent these side effects from happening. And a probiotic can help prevent you from developing a vaginal yeast infection, too.
In rare cases, Augmentin can cause a more dangerous type of diarrhea, called C. diff colitis. This happens when Augmentin kills off the good bacteria that protect your gut. Once they’re gone, C. diff can grow and infect your gut. This causes severe diarrhea that can be dangerous.
If you have severe diarrhea, belly pain, and/or a fever while taking Augmentin (or soon after you’ve finished it), let your healthcare provider know right away. They’ll need to check for this infection and treat it as soon as possible.
Keep in mind that you should always take your full course of Augmentin, even if you’re experiencing side effects. If you stop taking it too early, your infection could return. It could also make your infection harder to treat.
If your side effects are bothersome, reach out to your pharmacist or healthcare professional. They can give you tips to help manage them safely or help you figure out if you need a different antibiotic.
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