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Question

Is Levaquin effective with Strep throat because Ampicillin is not helping me

Submitted: 345 days and 1 hours ago.
Category: Health
Value: $9
Status: CLOSED
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Optional Information

Age: 32; Female, New Jersey

Already Tried:
Ampicillin 875mg twice daily but my tonsils are enlarging and covered in pus

Posted by TheGermDoctor 345 days and 1 hours ago.

Info Request

Hello XXXXXXXXXX-

 

Have you had a culture confirmed case of strep infection?

How many days/ doses of the antibiotic have you taken?

Is it really ampicillin? ( or amoxicillin- clavulanate)?

 

Aside form the appearance, do you have any symptoms? sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, cough etc?

345 days and 1 hours ago.

Reply

I have not had any cultures but my two kids are sick with strep right now also and getting better.

I have taken four doses of actually Amoxicillin 875mg. It only helped with fever, my tonsils are much bigger now and covered with pus than before the antibiotic.

Accepted Answer

OK.. Well I will assume that your children had a confirmed case - more likely however would be if you all had viruses, but bacteria ( strep) is possible...

 

As for the most effective antibiotic- there has never been a single report of resistance to amoxicillin by Group A streptococcus, the bacteria that causes strep throat- Never.. In fact Levaquin has weak overall activity for strep, and so changing form amoxicillin to Levaquin would be going from a far more potent, to a weak antibiotic....

 

Now if this is a bacterial infection, it could be other bacteria in your throat that are impairing the response to the amoxicillin- My second line choice would usually be either Augmentin ( amoxicillin plus clavulanate) or clindamycin. But at this point, I would usually recommend a throat swab and culture to confirm the diagnosis.

 

Alternately, if it is a virus, it will juts run its course and improve- The fact that the fever is settled down is certain a sign of improvement, and the appearance of the tonsils may actually lag a bit behind.. particularly if you are feeling better overall..

 

I hope that helps.

 

Always ask if you need clarification/more information.

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Expert: TheGermDoctor
Pos. Feedback: 100.0 %
Accepts: 677
Answered: 3/1/2009

Doctor

17 years as a physician, Board Certified in both Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine.

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