When taken properly, antibiotics are very effective at killing bacteria or making it hard for bacteria to grow. However, if you miss a dose, they may not be as effective at clearing your infection.
Antibiotics need to stay at a consistent level in your bloodstream to effectively kill bacteria. If you skip a dose, the level can fall too low, making the medication less effective.
You might notice symptoms not easing as fast, or returning. This doesn’t always happen after one missed dose, but repeated misses increase the chance.
If antibiotic levels drop too low, bacteria may survive and adapt. Missing doses regularly makes resistance more likely — which can make future infections harder to treat.
Usually, if you remember within a few hours, take the missed dose right away.
If it’s close to your next scheduled dose, skip the missed one — do not double dose. (Always follow the instructions from your doctor or pharmacist.)
Doubling up can increase the risk of side effects, including:
- Rash
- Dizziness
- Gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, such as nausea and diarrhea
- Secondary infections, including yeast infections and C. diff infections
- Allergic reactions
Instructions may differ depending on the condition being treated, the specific antibiotic being taken, the timeframe with which a dose was missed, or the quantity of doses missed. For example:
- Forgetting a single dose: If you miss a single dose of your antibiotic, you can usually take the missed dose as soon as you remember.
- Forgetting a dose, but it’s almost time for the next one: In this scenario, you should skip the missed dose and take the next dose at your regularly scheduled time.
- Forgetting multiple doses: If you’ve missed multiple doses of your antibiotic, do not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose. Speak with your healthcare provider. They can determine the best course of action to continue treatment.
Again, if you’re unsure of what to do after missing a dose, talk to your healthcare provider. They will take into account the severity of your infection and when the missed dose occurred to advise you on how to move forward with your treatment.
In some cases, such as those where you’ve missed multiple doses or your infection symptoms are coming back, your healthcare provider may recommend switching to a different antibiotic.
Remembering to take your medications can be difficult—especially if they have to be taken multiple times per day. Here are some strategies that can help you avoid missing doses of your antibiotics:
- Set medication reminders or alarms on your phone or another device.
- Follow a routine where you take your medication at the same time every day.
- Use a pillbox to set up each dose.
- Position your medication in a visible place, such as near your toothbrush.
- Associate your medication with another daily activity, such as eating a meal or brushing your teeth.
