Vantin vs. Amoxicillin

• Are Vantin and Amoxicillin the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Vantin?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Amoxicillin?
• What Is Vantin?
• What Is Amoxicillin?
• What Drugs Interact with Vantin?
• What Drugs Interact with Amoxicillin?
• How Should Vantin Be Taken?
• How Should Amoxicillin Be Taken?

Vantin (cefpodoxime proxetil) and Amoxil (amoxicillin) are antibiotics used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria.

Vantin and amoxicillin are different types of antibiotics. Vantin is a cephalosporin antibiotic and amoxicillin is a penicillin-type antibiotic.

Brand names of amoxicillin include Moxatag and Amoxil.

Common side effects of Vantin include:

• diarrhea,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain,
• bloating,
• gas,
• constipation,
• headache,
• tired feeling,
• stiff or tight muscles,
• back pain,
• muscle pain,
• anxiety,
• nervousness,
• feeling restless or hyperactive,
• numbness or tingly feeling,
• flushing (warmth or redness under your skin),
• dizziness,
• spinning sensation,
• strange dreams,
• nightmares,
• stuffy nose,
• dry mouth,
• unusual or unpleasant taste in your mouth,
• white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips,
• diaper rash in an infant taking liquid cefpodoxime,
• itching or skin rash, or
• vaginal itching or discharge.

Tell your doctor if you have unlikely but serious side effects of Vantin including:

• swelling of the ankles or feet,
• tiredness,
• fast or pounding heartbeat,
• trouble breathing,
• new signs of infection (e.g., fever, persistent sore throat),
• dark urine,
• persistent nausea or vomiting,
• yellowing eyes or skin,
• easy bruising or bleeding, or
• changes in the amount of urine.

Common side effects of Amoxicillin include:

• mild headache (not a migraine),
• pain or chest tightness,
• pressure or heavy feeling in any part of your body,
• weakness,
• feeling hot or cold,
• dizziness,
• spinning sensation,
• drowsiness,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• drooling,
• unusual taste in your mouth after using nasal spray,
• burning/numbness/pain/irritation in your nose or throat after using nasal spray, or
• flushing (warmth, redness, or tingling under the skin).

Vantin (cefpodoxime proxetil) is a cephalosporin antibiotic used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria.

Amoxil (amoxicillin) is a penicillin-type antibiotic used to treat infections caused by bacteria that are B-lactamase negative (B-lactamase positive bacteria are usually resistant to Amoxil); these infections usually occur in the skin, lungs, urinary tract and eye, ears, nose, and throat. Amoxil is available as a generic drug termed amoxicillin. Amoxil may be combined with other drugs (for example, clavulanic acid [Augmentin]), to make the antibiotic more effective.

Vantin may interact with lithium, probenecid, methotrexate, antiviral medicines, cancer medicines, diuretics (water pills), medications that reduce stomach acid, IV antibiotics, medicines used to prevent organ transplant rejection, medicines used to treat ulcerative colitis, or pain or arthritis medicines. Tell your doctor all medications you are taking. During pregnancy, Vantin should be used only when prescribed. This drug passes into breast milk and could have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Amoxicillin may interact with sibutramine (Meridia); monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) isocarboxazid (Marplan); selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft), serotonin; norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, venlafaxine (Effexor)) and duloxetine (Cymbalta); and ergot-containing medications, dihydroergotamine (Migranal) and ergotamine (Methergine).

The recommended dosage of Vantin is 70 mg once monthly; some patients may benefit from a dosage of 140 mg once monthly, which is administered as two consecutive subcutaneous injections of 70 mg each.

Amoxicillin is available in many preparations (capsules, tablets, chewable tablets, powder for oral suspension and pediatric oral suspension). Serious reactions of Amoxil include anaphylactic reactions that can be life-threatening; patients allergic to penicillins should not be given Amoxil. Amoxil may interact with probenecid, blood thinners, other antibiotics, or sulfa drugs. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Treatment in pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding should be done with caution.