Amoxicillin is a common treatment for the sexually transmitted disease (STD) gonorrhea. Since this medication is only available by prescription, you can typically rely on your doctor for learning when and how to take it. Typically, however, doctors prescribe one dose of amoxicillin for gonorrhea, and this is enough to get rid of the infection. You can take this medication with food or without it, but you may benefit from taking it with food if it irritates your stomach. Side effects are possible when using amoxicillin for treating gonorrhea but are usually mild.
It is unlikely that you will have to figure out how to use amoxicillin for gonorrhea on your own. A doctor has to prescribe this medication for you and will typically provide instructions for doing taking it. It is usually critical that you follow your doctor’s instructions, as failure to do so might result in the treatment failing, an illness, or other harm to your health. For example, taking too little of this drug could allow the infection to continue to thrive while too much of it could cause unpleasant side effects.
Unlike other medications that you have to remember to take multiple times, you usually only have to take one dose of amoxicillin to treat gonorrhea. This means you can basically take it one time, usually in a relatively high, potent dosage, and then forget about it. You usually have the choice of whether you will take this medication with food or not, but doing so might help protect you from experiencing an upset stomach. There is, however, at least one brand of this drug that requires waiting one hour before taking it. As such, you will need to read the label on your prescription and follow it, along with your doctor’s instructions, before taking amoxicillin for gonorrhea.
When you are taking amoxicillin for gonorrhea, you might experience some unpleasant side effects, such as diarrhea, yeast infection, or feelings of increased anxiety. You might also feel nauseous after taking it, develop problems with sleeping, or experience confusion or dizziness. Some people also develop allergic reactions to this drug, such as hives or an itchy rash, swelling of the face and mouth, difficult breathing and wheezing, or seizures. Liver damage is a less likely but possible effect of taking amoxicillin. Severe side effects and signs of an allergic reaction typically warrant a doctor’s attention; minor side effects like nausea and loose bowels typically fade with time.