If the instruction on the antibiotics are to "Take one pill every 12 hours," what is the window on either side of that 12 hours that will keep you in compliance?

Glad it is “Social” . . . . .
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Don’t go to bed at 10 PM.
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Start schedule that gives you flexibility. 10AM and 10PM.

It is okay to take it a couple hours early, but as @Tropical_Willie points out now you are on the 10/10 schedule. Stick to it.

I generally like to make sure there is no less than 10 hours in between and no more than 13. Don’t think about the math too much there or it will trip you up.

That is roughly my logic @anniereborn. I go to the doc tomorrow and I’ll ask them.

I just do approximate and it always works out ok. Maybe 9 in the morning and then 9 or 10 at night. I tend to want to get the night things over with in case I fall asleep early so I would probably do the night pill on the earlier side, like 7 or 8.

There should be instructions with the prescription that tell what to do. If you aren’t sure, call your pharmacist.
Missing out on a antibiotic dose could be serious in your treatment of an infection. It is most important to take the pills when prescribed and take all of the pills as prescribed.

The “instructions” say 1 every 12 hours.

I’m not missing out @kritiper. I’m just a little late.

I had a doc appointment today with my LPN and I asked about this. I said “An hour or two on either side of that 12 hours?”
She made a small dismissive wave and said that’s fine.

I just try to cover all possible bases @Dutchess_III . I never assume anything.

One hour leeway is the typical advice. If you are supposed to take it at 10:00, you can take any time between 9 and 11.

Two hours early is fine. Take it two hours early and then 12 hours after that and shift the time for the rest of the course of the drug if that time is better for you.

It’s not unusual to take a loading dose of antibiotics when you first start if maybe your first dose was taken at an odd time.

Especially, if you are taking a low dose of the drug it’s not a problem. It’s very important not to take antibiotics late or to miss a dose. Each does is killing off a portion of the bacteria, and when you miss a dose the bacteria start multiplying again.

Some antibiotics, like Augmentin, the clauvanate really should not be taken in a higher does, and taking it close together makes the clauvanate dose high, while most antibiotic you’re just getting more of the same drug and is usually fine. fine.

I’m not a doctor. I just know a little more than average about drug half life and antibiotics. You can always ask your pharmacist or look up dosages online.

As I said, @JLeslie, my doc says otherwise.

What two hours? Fine, two hours. I’m just telling you the typical advice is an hour either direction. Late is more risk than early for efficacy.

If you rather take it at 10, switch both morning and night to 10:00.

I already talked to my doc. Thanks.

@Dutchess_III: You said your doctor’s nurse said two hours is fine, which is what @JLeslie was saying.

I don’t have a doctor, really. I use LPNs, so my LPN dismissed it. I just call her a “doc” during conversations like these.

Best to take your antibiotic treatment more seriously. Seriously! Superbugs are nothing to take lightly.

It is not a superbug, @kritiper. And I am taking it seriously. I’m just not taking it exactly every 12 hours on the dot.

@Dutchess_III

What @kritiper is talking about is; that is how superbugs come to be by people miss timing their meds and stopping when the feel better.

I am aware of that @Tropical_Willie. That’s why I have never done that.

In true Fluther style y’all make a mountian out of a mole hill. We went from taking the antibiotic within in a window of an hour or 2 of the “every 12 hours” to SUPERBUG!!!!

@Dutchess_III I had a friend that was hospitalized with an abscess in her neck (not at the skin level) at the seventh vertebra. She had a habit of stopping antibiotic when she felt better, she was in the hospital on antibiotic drip for 14 days. Superbug

Let’s see @Tropical_Willie. So you had a stupid friend and that somehow applies to my situation…how?

Not you, just be meticulous about antibiotic intake.

What makes you think I’m not? What makes you, or anyone else, think I’m missing doses, or quitting before they’re gone? None of those comments are relative to the question.

^^Taking a dose late is basically the same as missing a dose of stopping early if the dose barely reaches the needed amount to kill off the bacteria to begin with. I don’t think you’re doing any of that, I’m just answering your question. Taking antibiotics in a sloppy way is more or less the same whatever the breach is. Again, I don’t think you’re doing that.

I’m the first to tell people to stop or switch meds if the antibiotic isn’t working, so there are reasons to stop early, or even reduce dose, but that’s not really what we are talking about, those are exceptions.

No, taking it a little late or early is NOT the same as skipping a dose. My DOCTOR said an hour or two either way is fine.

I would never presume to give anyone such dangerous medical advice about their meds. That is terribly presumptuous of you, and dangerous for them.

Gawd. I said that. A little late like an hour or two is fine, especially on an every 12 hours drug. But an antibiotic that is every 6 hours, if you take it 3 hours late, it’s a much bigger miss than an every 12 hours drug, because the half life on the every 6 hours is much shorter. If the dose is 500mg and that is just enough to bang out the bacteria, then it’s important to take it very well, but if 500mg will work, and your prescribed 875mg, then you get a little more leeway, because even if you’re late, you have a higher dose in your system. Believe me, usually doctors prescribe high, which guards against screw ups.

Doctors like to prescribe drugs that are every 12 hours, or once a day, because patients are better at being compliant, and being compliant with antibiotics is very important. Patients often take drugs that are 4 times a day, 4 times during waking hours, rather than setting an alarm to take the drug every 6 hours.

It sounds to me like you do give a damn about taking it correctly, and I have said that over and over, and I don’t know what your problem is.

What you said was “Taking a dose late is basically the same as missing a dose of stopping early…” No. It’s not. Not if it’s early or late within the 1 to 2 hour time frame.

And, BTW, I took my last pill this morning.