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Use of Augmentin ?!?


T_Mom

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Help-- Do you think this is a problem?

 

My younger d (9) is on Augmentin. 500 mg twice a day.

We are giving her the Augmentin tablets which say "500/125"

 

From the Wikipedia description below, it appears there can be too much clavulanic acid given.

* Note, Sammy was on Augmentin XR which has a lower ratio of clavulanic acid to Amoxicillan (as noted below.)

 

So, if we are using Augmentin, it appears that we should request the form that provides the lowest amount of clavulanic acid?-- especially for younger children? Thoughts?

 

The following quote is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-amoxiclav

 

"Co-amoxiclav was invented around 1977/78 by British scientists working at Beecham, which filed for US patent protection for the drug combination in 1979. U.S. Patent 4,441,609 was granted in 1984.

[edit] Dosage

 

The proportions of the two constituents are expressed as x/y where x and y are the strengths in milligrams of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid respectively. However, the branded products indicate their strengths as the quantity of amoxicillin, hence co-amoxiclav 250/125 ≡ Augmentin 250 and contains 250 mg of amoxicillin with 125 mg of clavulanic acid.[1][2]

 

Standard adult dosages for respiratory tract, urinary, abdominal, and dental infections as well as cellulitis and animal bites is co-amoxiclav 250/125 (one tablet Augmentin 250) taken every 8 hours, which may be doubled in severe infections (as a single tablet of co-amoxiclav 500/125 ≡ Augmentin 500, but not as two co-amoxiclav 250/125 tablets which would double the maximum recommended dose of clavulanic acid). In the US, Augmentin XR (co-amoxiclav 1000/62.5) is marketed for use in community acquired pneumonia with two tablets taken twice a day (giving 4000 mg total daily dose of amoxicillin).

 

Dosages for children are also given three times a day using suspensions containing co-amoxiclav 250/62 in each 5 mL (Augmentin '250/62 SF') for those between the ages of 6–12 years and co-amoxiclav 125/31 (Augmentin '125/31 SF') for those between the ages of 1–6 years. A more concentrated solution, co-amoxiclav 400/57 (Augmentin '400/57 SF'), may be administered more conveniently just twice daily to children from as young as 2 months of age; quantities are based on body weight with 2.5 mL from the age of 2 years and 5 mL after the age of 6 years."

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Help-- Do you think this is a problem?

 

I think what you are highlighting is that parents (and their doctors) should not double up existing prescriptions since that would raise the amout of clavulanic acid. Absolutely something to watch out for. I'm pretty sure the maximum amount of clavulanic acid is 10mg/kg/day.

 

Buster

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Help-- Do you think this is a problem?

 

My younger d (9) is on Augmentin. 500 mg twice a day.

We are giving her the Augmentin tablets which say "500/125"

 

From the Wikipedia description below, it appears there can be too much clavulanic acid given.

* Note, Sammy was on Augmentin XR which has a lower ratio of clavulanic acid to Amoxicillan (as noted below.)

 

So, if we are using Augmentin, it appears that we should request the form that provides the lowest amount of clavulanic acid?-- especially for younger children? Thoughts?

 

The following quote is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-amoxiclav

 

"Co-amoxiclav was invented around 1977/78 by British scientists working at Beecham, which filed for US patent protection for the drug combination in 1979. U.S. Patent 4,441,609 was granted in 1984.

[edit] Dosage

 

The proportions of the two constituents are expressed as x/y where x and y are the strengths in milligrams of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid respectively. However, the branded products indicate their strengths as the quantity of amoxicillin, hence co-amoxiclav 250/125 ≡ Augmentin 250 and contains 250 mg of amoxicillin with 125 mg of clavulanic acid.[1][2]

 

Standard adult dosages for respiratory tract, urinary, abdominal, and dental infections as well as cellulitis and animal bites is co-amoxiclav 250/125 (one tablet Augmentin 250) taken every 8 hours, which may be doubled in severe infections (as a single tablet of co-amoxiclav 500/125 ≡ Augmentin 500, but not as two co-amoxiclav 250/125 tablets which would double the maximum recommended dose of clavulanic acid). In the US, Augmentin XR (co-amoxiclav 1000/62.5) is marketed for use in community acquired pneumonia with two tablets taken twice a day (giving 4000 mg total daily dose of amoxicillin).

 

Dosages for children are also given three times a day using suspensions containing co-amoxiclav 250/62 in each 5 mL (Augmentin '250/62 SF') for those between the ages of 6–12 years and co-amoxiclav 125/31 (Augmentin '125/31 SF') for those between the ages of 1–6 years. A more concentrated solution, co-amoxiclav 400/57 (Augmentin '400/57 SF'), may be administered more conveniently just twice daily to children from as young as 2 months of age; quantities are based on body weight with 2.5 mL from the age of 2 years and 5 mL after the age of 6 years."

 

 

Are you saying that 125mg (twice a day) of clavulonic acid is too much for a child? Or that 250mg clavulonic acid (twice a day) is too much (if they decided to give a Saving Sammy 1000mg 2x daily)?

 

I suppose if you wanted to give something that was closer to Augmentin XR 1000mg you could give 500/125mg Augmentin plus a regular 500mg Amoxcillin pill twice daily. ??? so then you'd have 1000mg/125mg What do you think?

 

Is Augmentin XR hard to get?

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  • 3 weeks later...
Help-- Do you think this is a problem?

 

My younger d (9) is on Augmentin. 500 mg twice a day.

We are giving her the Augmentin tablets which say "500/125"

 

From the Wikipedia description below, it appears there can be too much clavulanic acid given.

* Note, Sammy was on Augmentin XR which has a lower ratio of clavulanic acid to Amoxicillan (as noted below.)

 

So, if we are using Augmentin, it appears that we should request the form that provides the lowest amount of clavulanic acid?-- especially for younger children? Thoughts?

 

The following quote is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-amoxiclav

 

"Co-amoxiclav was invented around 1977/78 by British scientists working at Beecham, which filed for US patent protection for the drug combination in 1979. U.S. Patent 4,441,609 was granted in 1984.

[edit] Dosage

 

The proportions of the two constituents are expressed as x/y where x and y are the strengths in milligrams of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid respectively. However, the branded products indicate their strengths as the quantity of amoxicillin, hence co-amoxiclav 250/125 ≡ Augmentin 250 and contains 250 mg of amoxicillin with 125 mg of clavulanic acid.[1][2]

 

Standard adult dosages for respiratory tract, urinary, abdominal, and dental infections as well as cellulitis and animal bites is co-amoxiclav 250/125 (one tablet Augmentin 250) taken every 8 hours, which may be doubled in severe infections (as a single tablet of co-amoxiclav 500/125 ≡ Augmentin 500, but not as two co-amoxiclav 250/125 tablets which would double the maximum recommended dose of clavulanic acid). In the US, Augmentin XR (co-amoxiclav 1000/62.5) is marketed for use in community acquired pneumonia with two tablets taken twice a day (giving 4000 mg total daily dose of amoxicillin).

 

Dosages for children are also given three times a day using suspensions containing co-amoxiclav 250/62 in each 5 mL (Augmentin '250/62 SF') for those between the ages of 6–12 years and co-amoxiclav 125/31 (Augmentin '125/31 SF') for those between the ages of 1–6 years. A more concentrated solution, co-amoxiclav 400/57 (Augmentin '400/57 SF'), may be administered more conveniently just twice daily to children from as young as 2 months of age; quantities are based on body weight with 2.5 mL from the age of 2 years and 5 mL after the age of 6 years."

 

 

Are you saying that 125mg (twice a day) of clavulonic acid is too much for a child? Or that 250mg clavulonic acid (twice a day) is too much (if they decided to give a Saving Sammy 1000mg 2x daily)?

 

I suppose if you wanted to give something that was closer to Augmentin XR 1000mg you could give 500/125mg Augmentin plus a regular 500mg Amoxcillin pill twice daily. ??? so then you'd have 1000mg/125mg What do you think?

 

Is Augmentin XR hard to get?

I am bring this topic back up... My son is starting AMOX/K CLAV 875-125 twice a day. He is 12 and weighs only 77 lbs (about 33 kgs.) . Is this too much clavuconic acid? It is only a 1-month prescription, so I'll go ahead with it, but I would like to know for when we go back in a month.

 

Thanks!

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Guest Angela Shaw
did you try e-mailing Beth Maloney? regardless of other thoughts about her ideas/thoughts on diagnosis and treatment - i think augmentin is what she really knows.

she is swamped but did get back to me via e-mail with short answers twice yesterday.

This wasn't addressed to me but I did contact Beth about the Augmentin that is not XR. She said she did not know and to ask my doctor. I've emailed my doc ad put in a phone call too and I'd expect to hear back today. I'm not filling our prescription until I hear back that that level of Clavulonic acid is okay for her. My dd has been prescribed 2000mg of Augmentin that is NOT the XR. I'm not sure my doctor knew that the levels of Clavuloic acid were different. I did ask her the difference between XR and regular and the only thing she mentioned was the time release issue and the expense and availability of XR vs. regular. I can't imagine that our pharmacy couldn't order it though.

 

Angela

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did you try e-mailing Beth Maloney? regardless of other thoughts about her ideas/thoughts on diagnosis and treatment - i think augmentin is what she really knows.

she is swamped but did get back to me via e-mail with short answers twice yesterday.

This wasn't addressed to me but I did contact Beth about the Augmentin that is not XR. She said she did not know and to ask my doctor. I've emailed my doc ad put in a phone call too and I'd expect to hear back today. I'm not filling our prescription until I hear back that that level of Clavulonic acid is okay for her. My dd has been prescribed 2000mg of Augmentin that is NOT the XR. I'm not sure my doctor knew that the levels of Clavuloic acid were different. I did ask her the difference between XR and regular and the only thing she mentioned was the time release issue and the expense and availability of XR vs. regular. I can't imagine that our pharmacy couldn't order it though.

 

Angela

Shouldn't a pharmacist know if this is safe?

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Yeah...a pharmacist might actually know more about this than your doc.

 

If the non-xr is safe (and I assume they are 500mg pills) I wonder if it would be better to give 500mg 4x daily (vs 1000mg 2x daily) to better replicate the time release nature of xr.

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Guest Angela Shaw
Yeah...a pharmacist might actually know more about this than your doc.

 

If the non-xr is safe (and I assume they are 500mg pills) I wonder if it would be better to give 500mg 4x daily (vs 1000mg 2x daily) to better replicate the time release nature of xr.

 

I emailed our doctor last night and told her about the concerns of too much clavulonic acid in the regular Augmentin at the 2000mg dose. I just got a call back from her office that she just called in a prescription for the XR. So, she must have agreed upon reviewing the evidence. I'll pick it up later and we'll start it tongiht.

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I am bring this topic back up... My son is starting AMOX/K CLAV 875-125 twice a day. He is 12 and weighs only 77 lbs (about 33 kgs.) . Is this too much clavuconic acid? It is only a 1-month prescription, so I'll go ahead with it, but I would like to know for when we go back in a month.

 

Thanks!

Went back and did the math according to Buster's post..."I'm pretty sure the maximum amount of clavulanic acid is 10mg/kg/day."

 

So that would be 10mg x 33kg = 330mg

 

We will be doing 2x125mg = 250 mg.... we're safe!

 

Thanks all for the replies anyway.

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