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Augmentin XR with younger kids


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We use augmentin XR on my 8yo. But due to weight, we have to cut one pill in half and give 1/2 in a.m. (which = 500mg) and 1/2 in p.m. (another 500mg). By cutting the pill in half, we lose the time release aspect. So it may depend on the child's weight. If they aren't heavy enough to handle 2000 mg/day, then you may want to look into the slow release version instead (forget the letters that follow - Augmentin SR?)

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The full, adult dose of Augmentin XR for conditions like sinus infections, etc. is actually 2,000 mg. twice daily, as compared to the 1,000 mg. twice daily many of us are giving our PANDAS kids, so it seems as though we're already accommodating them with a lower dose, aren't we?

 

Colleen, as a nurse, you would know better than me, but I seem to recall having read somewhere that at 90 pounds, regardless of age, a kid is essentially considered an adult with respect to standard medications. Do I have that right? So, for antibiotics and OTC meds, is age really a factor, or weight?

 

Our DS began 1,000 mg. twice daily of XR at age 12 to no negative results, including gut/intestinal. In fact, it seems to be easier on his belly than regular Augmentin, even at a lower dosage.

 

They are monster-sized pills, though, so that might be the catch for some.

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We use augmentin XR on my 8yo. But due to weight, we have to cut one pill in half and give 1/2 in a.m. (which = 500mg) and 1/2 in p.m. (another 500mg). By cutting the pill in half, we lose the time release aspect. So it may depend on the child's weight. If they aren't heavy enough to handle 2000 mg/day, then you may want to look into the slow release version instead (forget the letters that follow - Augmentin SR?)

 

Hey LLM, just curious. But if you're having to break the XR in half for your 8yo, thereby losing the extended release part of the equation, is there any particular reason why you/your doctor stick with the XR, rather than just going with regular Augmentin? In our experience, the regular is usually less expensive. And the regular Augmentin actually has a higher clavulanic acid ratio than the XR, I believe. Does that play into it?

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My dd5, is 40 pounds. Our Dr. had my compounding pharmacy make Augmentin SR (slow release) capsules, 250 mg morning, 250 mg at night.

We couldn't do it- within 3 days, it wrecked havoc on her tummy (but her tummy is not in great shape to begin with) she cut down on eating, drinking, poo'ing, and slid under the kitchen table at dinner time when I pulled it. Back on Azith.

My point? (sorry) A compounding pharmacy can make what you need/easier.

 

ETA: Corrected dosage.

Edited by S & S
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My 10 year old weighs almost 90 lb., so I am thinking he could take 1/2 of the 1000mg. It has really helped his older sister (they are both on Zithromax) and I am tempted to add it in, if only for 10 days.

Colleen

My 13yo is only 80lbs and has been on Augmentin XR twice daily for over a year. Recently, we have also added Zithromax to the equation. So I'd say weight-wise you are fine (unless of course there is something else in the mix)

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Hey LLM, just curious. But if you're having to break the XR in half for your 8yo, thereby losing the extended release part of the equation, is there any particular reason why you/your doctor stick with the XR, rather than just going with regular Augmentin?

The short answer is laziness. The prescribing doc is hard to get hold of and shortly after we started the XR, we started down the lyme trail (and a lot of personal $#@! hit the fan and it was overwhelming). Knowing it would take energy to explain our new situation to the prescribing doc and knowing that our LLMD only wanted DS to stay in the augmentin thru the winter (it's not something he uses to treat lyme/bartonella), it was easier to just stay on the XR thru the winter. We'll probably be discontinuing once the snow melts. So I never bothered to get a script to switch us to a regular augmentin. Sorry to say there was no magic medical reason - have to admit that making repeated phone calls was just more than I could manage last fall. :(

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I am wondering if I should try regular augmentin first as he has never been on aug. He has been on zithromax for over two years and doing pretty well until recently. I tried increasing the zith, adding ibuprofen and no results. My 14 yo is having pretty good results with the augmentin xr added with the zithromax.

 

My 8 year old is also in a flareup (he is on zithromax daily), so I am thinking he needs Augmentin added in. He only weighs 50 lb.

 

Nancy- Yes ,he would take the adult dose b/c anyone weighing over 40 kg takes an adult dose of augmentin.

Colleen

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Hi Colleen,

 

we did 1 mo. of Aug. XR 1000mg 2x daily this past Fall. We wanted to see if it would push us closer to 100% (vs. 250mg/day of Azith.). It didn't seem to help (or hurt). We didn't do Azith. for that month, just the Aug. XR.

 

Our PANDAS dd was 10 years old and about 65 pounds at the time.

 

BTW...Nancy (momwithOCDson) is right...the adult dose of XR is 2000mg 2x daily. So, 1000mg 2x daily is 1/2 the adult dose. (And, a child on 1000mg XR 2x daily will be getting less Clav. Acid than a child on regular Augmentin.)

 

One disadvantage of XR (for some folks) is that some insurance companies (at least ours) won't pay for XR but will pay for reg. Augmentin.

Edited by EAMom
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Eamom-

Did you keep her on the zithromax while adding the augmentin?

 

Do you think it would be better to get regular Augmentin for him b/c it has more Clavuluate potassium? He is on day three of the 500 XR twice a day and I have noticed he is a tiny bit less irritable. It has not bothered his stomache, so I may give the whole 1000mg tonight and for the next week. He has only been on penicillin once b/c I would never let them prescribe pcn or amoxicillin due to it not helping my oldest at all. She would test positive while on weeks of amoxicillin. That is why I am so anti- pcn for PANDAS kids, but I know it works for some.

Colleen

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Did you keep her on the zithromax while adding the augmentin?
Nope. We just gave the Aug. XR.

 

Do you think it would be better to get regular Augmentin for him b/c it has more Clavuluate potassium? He is on day three of the 500 XR twice a day and I have noticed he is a tiny bit less irritable. It has not bothered his stomache, so I may give the whole 1000mg tonight and for the next week. He has only been on penicillin once b/c I would never let them prescribe pcn or amoxicillin due to it not helping my oldest at all.

 

That was the big debate for us. The XR has time release Amoxcillin, the non-XR has more Clav Acid. We decided to go for the XR b/c it seemed that people on ths forum had more success with it.

 

I wonder if the time release Amoxicilllin means you're less likely to get tummy upset?

Edited by EAMom
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