Americans routinely skirt federal law by crossing into Canada and Mexico or tapping online pharmacies abroad to buy prescription medications. While Medicines are hugely important in healthcare, they also have the potential to cause problems. Unsafe medication can cause serious harm to patients.
One of the best ways to reduce your risk of a medication error is to take an active role in your own health care. Learn about the medications you take including possible side effects. Never hesitate to ask questions or share concerns with your doctor, pharmacist, and other health care providers.
What is amoxicillin?
Amoxicillin is a penicillin antibiotic that fights bacteria. Amoxicillin is used to treat many different types of infection caused by bacteria, such as tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and infections of the ear, nose, throat, skin, or urinary tract. Amoxicillin is also sometimes used together with another antibiotic called clarithromycin (Biaxin) to treat stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori infection. This combination is sometimes used with a stomach acid reducer called lansoprazole (Prevacid).
According to New York Times, the number of older Americans coming to Mexico for discount medications has fueled an industry that thrives off the ability of consumers to pass through United States Customs with little or no hassle, and has raised safety concerns on both sides of the border.
In Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana, Los Algodones and other communities, the number of pharmacies has doubled, sometimes tripled, in recent years. Tijuana has 1,500 pharmacies, up from 500 four years ago, according to the city’s association of pharmacies. Many of these have sprung up in a couple of days, medications filling the shelves before walls are completed. Mexican laws allow stores to open with just a business license and allow pharmacists to work with no training in dispensing drug prescriptions.
What does Genuine Mexican Amoxicillin look like?
Genuine Mexican Amoxicillin brands, like in other parts of the world contain the active ingredient Amoxicillin trihydrate. The other ingredients are Magnesium Stearate (E572) and Colloidal Anhydrous Silica. Amoxicillin 250mg and 500mg capsule shells contain Gelatin, Carmoisine (E122), Quinoline Yellow (E104), Titanium Dioxide (E171), and Iron Oxide Yellow (E172). The brands include: Gilmalxina, aAmoxil, Amoxicilina, and Vizimox.
How should I take Mexican amoxicillin?
Take amoxicillin exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Take amoxicillin at the same time each day. Some forms of amoxicillin may be taken with or without food. Check your medicine label to see if you should take your mediicne with food or not.
Shake the oral suspension (liquid) before you measure a dose. Measure liquid medicine with the dosing syringe provided, or use a medicine dose-measuring device (not a kitchen spoon). You may mix the liquid with water, milk, baby formula, fruit juice, or ginger ale. Drink all of the mixture right away. Do not save for later use.
If you are taking amoxicillin with clarithromycin and/or lansoprazole to treat stomach ulcer, use all of your medications as directed. Read the medication guide or patient instructions provided with each medication. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without your doctor’s advice.
Use this medicine for the full prescribed length of time, even if your symptoms quickly improve. Skipping doses can increase your risk of infection that is resistant to medication. Amoxicillin will not treat a viral infection such as the flu or a common cold.
Do not share this medicine with another person, even if they have the same symptoms you have.
This medicine can affect the results of certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using this medicine .
Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.
You may store liquid Mexican amoxicillin in a refrigerator but do not allow it to freeze. Throw away any liquid medicne that is not used within 14 days after it was mixed at the pharmacy.
Are Prescriptions From Mexico Legal?
You are allowed to bring FDA-approved prescription medications back into the United States for your personal use, with the following stipulations. In general, you may bring up to 50 dosage units without a prescription.
To bring more than 50 dosage units across the border, you need a prescription from an FDA-approved U.S. physician. A prescription from a Mexican doctor is no longer acceptable. However, U.S. Customs agents may prohibit a supply that is for more than 60 to 90 days.
