Things You Must Not Do
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not take your medicine to treat any other complaint unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not stop taking your medicine, or change the dosage, without first checking with your doctor. If you do not complete the full course, all the organisms causing your infection may not be killed.
These organisms may continue to grow and multiply so that your infection may not clear completely or may return.
How Long Does It Take For Chlamydia To Go Away After Treatment
Chlamydia infection usually clears after one week of completing your antibiotic treatment. During treatment, you should avoid drinking alcohol as this can reduce how effective the antibiotic is.
You should also avoid having sex during treatment as you could still pass on the infection to your partner. It is common for partners to pass chlamydia between one another if they continue to have sex without completing their treatment, causing repeated infections.
What Are The Treatments For Chlamydia
If you are diagnosed with chlamydia, your doctor will prescribe oral antibiotics. A single dose of azithromycin or taking doxycycline twice daily for 7 to 14 days are the most common treatments and are the same for those with or without HIV.
With treatment, the infection should clear up in about a week. Do not have sex for at least 7 days until you have taken all of your medication, and do not stop taking the antibiotics even if you feel better.
Your doctor will also recommend that your partner be treated as well to prevent reinfection and further spread of the disease.
Women with serious infections, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, may require a longer course of antibiotics or hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics. Some severe pelvic infections may require surgery in addition to antibiotic therapy.
Make sure you get retested after three months to be certain the infection is gone. Do this even if your partner has been treated and appears to be infection free.
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Azithromycin To Be Available Over The Counter For Chlamydia Treatment
Azithromycin is to be made available over the counter to treat asymptomatic chlamydia infection, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency announced today . It is the first oral antibiotic to be switched from prescription-only to pharmacy medicine status.
The drug will be available as Clamelle for people over 16 years of age who have tested positive for chlamydia but have no symptoms, and for their sexual partners.
Making this medicine available from a pharmacy is a real example of how we are progressing, and enabling people to play an active role in taking charge of their own healthcare.
Howard Duff, the Royal Pharmaceutical Societys director for England, said that the decision would mean convenient and effective care for patients. Pharmacists already play an important role in the provision of sexual health services, and have done so for many years. Reclassifying azithromycin will expand on existing services and improve access to chlamydia screening and treatment for patients.
The FPA also welcomed the decision. Natika Halil, director of information at the FPA, said: For people who are already testing themselves at home it is a really positive step forward that the treatment can now also be bought from pharmacies. This will ensure fast and effective access to treatment. This service has the potential to play an important part in reducing rates of chlamydia.
What Treats Chlamydia
If you or a partner have been exposed to chlamydia, it is important to get treated immediately. Most persons with chlamydia may have no symptoms. To treat chlamydia, there are two antibiotics most recommended by the CDC, azithromycin, and doxycycline. While both medications are equally effective, azithromycin is administered in a single dose while doxycycline is offered as a 7-day treatment. Most common side effects of either treatment is nausea, upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Additionally, some may have an adverse effect such as rash or hives with doxycycline.
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What Are The Symptoms
Most women and men with chlamydia are asymptomatic meaning no obvious symptoms are present. However, they can still infect sexual partners.
Women may notice symptoms such as:
- an unusual vaginal discharge
- a burning or stinging sensation when urinating
- pain or bleeding during intercourse and
- pelvic pain.
If left untreated, chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease . Potential infection and scarring of the fallopian tubes may cause infertility or pregnancy complications. Ectopic pregnancies are also a real risk.
For men, typical symptoms include:
- a burning or stinging sensation when urinating
- discharge from the penis and
- if left untreated, painful or swollen testicles.
Men also run the risk of infertility.
Additionally, both genders can develop complications such as reactive arthritis . This is where the urethra, joints and eyes become inflamed.
Symptoms of chlamydia contracted through anal sex may include a painful bum and anal discharge.
What Happens If Chlamydia Is Left Untreated
- reduced fertility
- reactive arthritis
- an infection of the testicles and epididymis
- pelvic inflammatory disease which can cause pain, infertility and increase the risk of having ectopic pregnancies
- reactive arthritis
- pregnancy complications like miscarriages, premature births and stillbirths
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Will I Need To Go Back To The Clinic
If you take your antibiotics correctly, you may not need to return to the clinic.
However, you will be advised to go back for another chlamydia test if:
- you had sex before you and your partner finished treatment
- you forgot to take your medication or didn’t take it properly
- your symptoms don’t go away
- you’re pregnant
If you’re under 25 years of age, you should be offered a repeat test for chlamydia 3 to 6 months after finishing your treatment because you’re at a higher risk of catching it again.
What Antibiotics Do You Get For Chlamydia
Chlamydia is one of the most common STDs. It can be treated easily if caught early. Some of the most recommended antibiotics used to treat chlamydia are azithromycin and doxycycline. Azithromycin is typically given as 2 tablets one time while doxycycline is given as 2 capsules a day for 7 days. These antibiotics are most effective if both partners have received treatment and have taken their prescription as directed.
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How To Take Azithromycin
If you have been given azithromycin capsules you should take them at least 1 hour before food or 2 hours after eating. If you have tablets or liquid, you can take them with or without food.
Do not crumble or break tablets and capsules, swallow them whole with a glass of water or juice. Azithromycin liquid is available for people who find it difficult to swallow tablets.
Be sure to take the medicine exactly as directed by your doctor and always finish the course, even if you begin to feel better before completing the treatment.
Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol will not stop the treatment from working.
- feeling dizzy or tired
- changes to your sense of taste
How To Get Rid Of Chlamydia In Males
Chlamydia in males is caused by a bacterial infection. This infection is mostly treated with oral antibiotics. The most effective and recommended treatment for chlamydia is the prescribing of Azithromycin or Doxycycline. After treatment, usually the infection will clear in 7 to 14 days. The recommended dosage should be finished for infection to be completely cleared. For treatment to be most effective, it is recommended that both partner complete treatment and abstain from any sexual contact for at least 7 days after completing their treatment.
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Best Antibiotic For Chlamydia Chlamydia
This service has the potential to play an important part in reducing rates of chlamydia. This will, what hope, mark the beginning of treated new chlamydia of POM-to-P switches. Pharmacists will be able to sell azithromycin treats to individuals with a positive NAAT nucleic acid amplification test result and to their sexual partners.
Partner notification can slips will be used to obtain a chlamydia partners will not need to have a positive test.
What Can Your Pharmacist Help You With
Some of the sexual health issues your pharmacist can help with include:
- Contraception and emergency contraception.
- Urinary tract infection treatments.
- Advice and products to help with sexual difficulties such as erectile dysfunction and menopausal vaginal atrophy.
There are three categories for medications which determine where you can get them:
- Prescription-only medicine – these medicines can only be issued on prescription by a doctor or prescribing nurse, or through a Patient Group Direction which allows pharmacists with additional training to provide them in certain circumstances.
- Pharmacy-only medications – these are available either on prescription from a doctor/clinic or to buy after a consultation with any pharmacist, but not on general sale in pharmacies without a pharmacist consultation.
- General Sales List medicines, also known as ‘over-the-counter’ medicines. These can be bought in pharmacies, at corner shops and even in garage shops without any healthcare consultation.
“There’s a drive to move a lot of medicines from ‘prescription only to pharmacy only, to enable more access,” says Sandra Gidley, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. “There are still particular criteria you’ll have to fulfil to get them though and there are restrictions on selling certain medications. For example, we don’t sell thrush treatments to under-16s.”
Patient Access offers a wide range of contraceptive and sexual health services, carefully monitored through PGDs.
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How Do You Know If Chlamydia Is Gone After Treatment
Your chlamydia symptoms should improve within a week of completing your course of antibiotics.
You do not need an immediate follow-up test to check if your chlamydia treatment has worked, as dead chlamydia bacteria may be detected 3 to 5 weeks after treatment, which would give a false positive result. But, if you have a rectal infection, you should have a test after treatment is completed.
If you are under 25 and have tested positive for chlamydia, it is recommended you take a repeat test 3 months after completing your treatment, to check you have not caught chlamydia again.
How Does Doxycycline Treat Chlamydia
Antibiotics work against bacteria. For their own survival and reproduction bacteria need to produce certain proteins. Doxycycline works by entering the bacteria cells and blocking the production of these proteins.
If taken correctly, doxycycline helps to completely get rid of a bacterial infection like chlamydia in 95% of the cases. To make sure that doxycycline will work properly, its important that you complete the treatment by taking every single dose on time.
Doxycycline helps you to fight the bacteria that are causing an infection in your body, but it does not prevent you from catching infections like chlamydia again. During your chlamydia treatment youre advised to avoid vaginal, oral, and anal sex, even with a condom. The same is true for your partner. This will ensure you dont pass the infection to other people or catch it again while you are recovering.
If you do decide to have sex anyway, use a condom to make sure you avoid spreading your infection.
If you are under 25 you should take a chlamydia test 3 months after finishing your treatment.
If you need to start a course of chlamydia treatment, you can order it online from Superdrug Online Doctor in a few simple steps:
- Fill in a quick questionnaire about your health
- One of our doctors will review your order and approve a suitable treatment
- Doxycycline will be sent to you with a fast and discreet delivery
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Can You Just Wait For Chlamydia To Go Away On Its Own
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease – the bacterial infection spreads from a womans cervix, through the uterus to the fallopian tubes and ovaries. PID can cause infertility, deep pelvic pain and increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
- Bartholinitis – a condition where the glands that secrete mucus to lubricate the vagina become blocked and infected. This can cause cysts or pus-filled abscesses to develop.
- Salpingitis – a blockage of the fallopian tubes that prevents the egg from passing through or entering the fallopian tubes. This increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
- Cervicitis – a condition where the cervix becomes enlarged and develops cysts . Chronic cervicitis can lead to back pain, pelvic pain and persistent vaginal discharge. During childbirth, chlamydia can also be passed from the mother to the baby, who is then at risk of developing eye infections or pneumonia.
- Infections of the urethra, which can lead to serious damage to the kidneys
- An inflamed rectum
- Inflamed testicles
- inflammation and swelling of the tube used to transport and store sperm, which can lead to an abscess and cause infertility
- reactive arthritis .
How To Prevent Chlamydia
Below are some ways to prevent chlamydia
- Use condoms every time you have sex
- Discuss testing for sexually transmitted infections with your doctor or nurse
- Ask if you are due for your annual chlamydia screening
- See your doctor or nurse if you have any symptoms of chlamydia or another infection
- Do not have sex if you or your sexual partner has abnormal discharge, burning with urination, or a genital rash or sore
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Who May Buy Azithromycin
Pharmacists will be able to sell azithromycin only to individuals with a positive NAAT result and to their sexual partners. Partner notification contact slips will be used to obtain a supply partners will not need to have a positive test. A database of test results will be held, which pharmacists will need to access to confirm the results for index cases.
Manufacturer Actavis is working with the NPA on training materials for pharmacists and medicines counter assistants as well as a Clamelle-branded chlamydia test kit. The NPA has developed a chlamydia screening service package, which is due to be launched on 11 August 2008. Clamelle is expected to be available in late October 2008.
Home Remedies For Chlamydia
There are several home remedies for chlamydia and a number of websites claim that these home remedies can cure chlamydia. While some of the home remedies have been shown to have antibacterial properties, antibiotics are the only proven cure for chlamydia. It isnt worth the risk of infertility or illness to not treat chlamydia.
If you experience symptoms, some of these home remedies may be effective for symptom relief, but they cannot cure the infection itself.
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Can You Buy Chlamydia Medicine Over The Counter
Wondering if you can get chlamydia medicine over the counter? There is currently no chlamydia treatment available over the counter, you will need to meet with a doctor before getting chlamydia treatment. This is to confirm your chlamydia diagnosis and ensure that antibiotic treatment is safe for you.
When You Must Not Take It
Do not take this medicine if you have an allergy to:
- azithromycin
- macrolide antibiotics
- any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
- shortness of breath
- swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or other parts of the body
- rash, itching or hives on the skin
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering. If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your doctor.
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Interactions With Other Medicines And Other Forms Of Interactions
Azithromycin does not interact significantly with the hepatic cytochrome P450 system. It is not believed to undergo the pharmacokinetic drug interactions as seen with erythromycin and other macrolides. Hepatic cytochrome P450 induction or inactivation via cytochrome metabolite complex does not occur with azithromycin.
Over The Counter Antibiotics For Stds Medications For Sexually Transmitted Infections
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Azithromycin is to be made available over the counter to treat asymptomatic chlamydia infection, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency announced and 6 August It is the first oral antibiotic to be switched from prescription-only to pharmacy medicine status. The drug will be available as Clamelle for people over 16 years of age who have tested positive for chlamydia but have no symptoms, and for their sexual partners.
We know many pharmacists are ready for this and. Reclassifying azithromycin will expand on existing chlamydia and improve access to chlamydia screening and treatment for patients.
Chlamydia fpa also welcomed the azithromycin. This will ensure azithromycin and effective access to treatment.
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Azithromycin Cure Chlamydia Medications For Sexually Transmitted Infections
An chlamydia, integrated chlamydia to the zithromax and pharmacotherapeutic principles underlying the treatment of disease. This well-established textbook provides specialised information on the use of radiopharmaceuticals in the detection and treatment of diseases.
An introduction to the treatment of disease using biological medicines derived from living plant and animal tissues. Want to treatment up with the latest for, comment and CPD doxycycline in pharmacy and science? Subscribe to our free alerts.
Is There An Over Counter Treatment For Chlamydia
No, the CDC recommended treatment for chlamydia requires a prescription, but you do not need to visit the doctor’s office in person to get a prescription. Technology has made doctor visits online quick and easy. Just complete an online consultation visit and a prescription can be sent to a local pharmacy.
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