Antibiotics & You
← All antibiotics

Warning signs and safe use

Most people take antibiotics without any trouble. These are the signs that mean you should stop waiting and get help.

Call 999 or go to A&E

  • Swelling of the lips, face, tongue or throat
  • Difficulty breathing or wheezing
  • A widespread rash with dizziness or feeling faint
  • A rash that blisters or peels, or sores in the mouth or eyes (stop the medicine)

Contact your doctor or call 111 the same day

  • Severe, watery or bloody diarrhoea that will not stop
  • Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes, or very dark urine
  • You feel much worse, or a fever does not settle after 2–3 days of treatment
  • You cannot keep the medicine down because of vomiting

Getting the best from your antibiotic

  • Take every dose at the times you were told, and finish the course unless a clinician tells you to stop.
  • Never share antibiotics or use leftovers from a previous illness.
  • Tell your pharmacist about all your other medicines, including the contraceptive pill and herbal remedies.
  • Antibiotics do not work for colds, flu or most sore throats — they are caused by viruses.
  • Using antibiotics only when needed helps keep them working, for you and for everyone else.