Can I adjust my antibiotic schedule?

In general, you should follow the directions on your prescription. But please don’t hesitate to ask your doctor or pharmacist whether you can vary your dosing schedule somewhat to make it more convenient for you. Most medicines work best when their level in your bloodstream is fairly steady.

How do you space out antibiotics?

If you are supposed to take the medicine three times a day, for example, it usually needs to be taken at set times so that the effect is spread out evenly over the course of the day. You could remember the regular times of 6 a.m., 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. for an antibiotic that needs to be taken every 8 hours, for example.

Do antibiotics have to be exactly 12 hours apart?

The general rule is if you are more than 50\% of the way toward your next dose, you should skip. So for example, if you are supposed to take your antibiotic every 12 hours, you could take it if it’s less than six hours away from your next scheduled dose.

Can I take antibiotics less than 12 hours apart?

Do I have to wait 8 hours between antibiotics?

Generally speaking, if you miss a dose of your antibiotic, you can take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Let’s look at an example. You need to take your antibiotic three times per day (every 8 hours) but have forgotten a dose. You remember this 2 to 3 hours later and take the missed dose.

How often should I schedule my antibiotic doses?

Thus, while it is not important to take a dose of antibiotic every twelve hours down to the precise second, it is a good idea to maintain the schedule within a window of ±1 hour (this is what I do when taking antibiotics). If you have questions about how precisely you should schedule your antibiotic doses, please consult your prescribing physician.

What should I do if I miss a dose of antibiotics?

As a rule, if you miss a dose of an antibiotic, you can take it as soon as you realize you’ve forgotten. In many cases, you can double up on the next dose safely. But be sure to check with your doctor, pharmacist or at the very least a book on prescription drugs to see if it’s safe to do so.

Why do antibiotics take 12 hours to work?

The reason for the 12-hour schedule is to keep a constant blood level in your body. If it varies, it can indeed affect the antibiotic’s effectiveness. What will happen is that the reduction in blood level could cause the more virulent organisms to adapt and overgrow, making your infection harder to treat.

What happens to antibiotics when they reach a steady state?

The antibiotic reaches a steady state, meaning it’s still present in sufficient quantity to continue to kill the targeted bacteria while you sleep. It reaches a steady state. If you still don’t how that happens after reading the edited answer above, read about pharmacokinetics. You’ll understand better afterwards.