Liquid Augmentin

[Hayley]

My DD is on augmentin and responding well. She takes the liquid becuase she can't yet swallow pills (and doesn't mind the taste) so, at the pharmacy's recommendation, we refill every nine days due to the compound losing potency at about 10 days. Each time we cycle through a bottle, we feel like the last day or so of doses, she is definitely a little off and this last time, on the 8th day, I noticed that the augmenin (refrigerated) had yellowed a bit (it's usually stark white) and that evening she was really off. We are thinking that maybe the liquid is losing potency sooner than later. Anyone else have this experience? If so, how often do you refill? I'm thinking of asking the pharmacy to just refill once a week instead. Alternatively, for anyone whose kids are taking chewable augmentin, do they taste bad?

[JenniferG]

My DD is on augmentin and responding well. She takes the liquid becuase she can't yet swallow pills (and doesn't mind the taste) so, at the pharmacy's recommendation, we refill every nine days due to the compound losing potency at about 10 days. Each time we cycle through a bottle, we feel like the last day or so of doses, she is definitely a little off and this last time, on the 8th day, I noticed that the augmenin (refrigerated) had yellowed a bit (it's usually stark white) and that evening she was really off. We are thinking that maybe the liquid is losing potency sooner than later. Anyone else have this experience? If so, how often do you refill? I'm thinking of asking the pharmacy to just refill once a week instead. Alternatively, for anyone whose kids are taking chewable augmentin, do they taste bad?

We have tried the chewable and they do NOT taste good. I also found that my kids start to change towards the end of the bottle, and it does yellow. We have a wonderful pharmacist. She will fill however many days I would like, so when I notice that the color is changing etc, we just get a new bottle.

[AmySLP]

Yes, yes, yes!! Somewhere in my old posts I am sure I asked this question. My daughter had issues at day 7 or 8 and the pharmacist thought I was a nut, when I'd ask for the studies that measures potency at each day. Never offered to reconstitute it in smaller amounts but that's a great idea. Chewable a are terrible, but my daughter did accept them crushed for a while in pudding. It was a great motivation for learning to swallow pills.

[Hayley]

Glad to see I wasn't imagining this! Thanks! Sticking with liquid, but going to see about getting more frequent refills.

[bigmighty]

We found that if we shooke the bottle for two full minutes by the clock on the day we received the medication, then shook it vigorously for one full minute prior to each dose, we could keep the liquid equally potent for the full 10 days. If we didn't shake enough each time, during the last couple of days, it became obvious that DS was not getting the full strength. Serious shaking each and every time helped.

[colleenrn]

The liquid is supposed to last for 10 days, but sometimes it turns yellow before the ten days. I also think it is not as potent once it turns yellow. Keep it in the back of your fridge also, not on the door to try to keep it consistently cold.

Colleen

[landamom]

I was wondering this same thing this morning! Our dd has been slightly off the past two days and our bottle is technically past it's date. I guess you do have to be vigilant about shaking etc. and the date actually does matter

[airial95]

In addition to shaking, I found that the temperature also had an impact.

 

I found that it started to get discolored quicker if I wasn't IMMEDIATELY putting it back into the fridge (ie, pulling it out and not putting it back until I assembled the entire "medicine station" as my son calls it!) It's often not more than a couple of minutes at a time, but we noticed a difference the few times we had to travel with the Augmentin, we used a cooler, with lots of ice pacs (the medical kind used for overnight shipping of medicines - one of the few benefits of my ins. co forcing me to use the mail order pharmacy for my weekly Enbrel!) but found that it got discolored more quickly -prior to 10 days.

 

I've since started drawing the medicine right in the fridge, or with the fridge door open - keeps me form keeping it out too long - and we haven't had early discoloration since.

 

None of this is scientifically proven - just our own experiences!!!

[WonderWhy]

Yep - Augmentin definately discolors quicker if left unfridgerated. Unfortunately we learned this from experience

[ptcgirl]

Those pills are huge too. My daughter can take pills pretty easily but no those. They are gigantic. The chewables are nasty and get stuck in your teeth. She has to take the liquid and it is a pain in the butt due to refrigeration and the expiring thing.