Summarize:

Set an alarm or write it down in a journal or on the calendar. Schedule your doses so that they are associated with normal daily activities like brushing your teeth or your regular bedtime. The patient leaflet will tell you if your antibiotic should be taken with food or if you must take it on an empty stomach. Food interferes with the absorption of some antibiotics. On the other hand, food may help prevent the stomach upset caused by other antibiotics. The information leaflet will specify how to take your medication. Do not fail to take the antibiotic because you cannot swallow a large tablet or the liquid’s taste is too unpleasant. The antibiotic is an essential part of your treatment. The doctor has the option of prescribing the antibiotic in a different form or trying a totally different antibiotic. Take the drug as soon as you remember if you forget to take it. If it is close to your next dose, just wait. Continue with your normal dosing schedule as usual.  Call your doctor if you end up missing several doses or more than one day’s worth. She can advise you how to proceed.  Skipping doses prevents you from maintaining therapeutic levels of the antibiotic in your system.  The microorganisms are not being inhibited or destroyed properly. You increase your chances of experiencing side effects when you have too much of the antibiotic in your body at once. Call your doctor if you accidentally take too many doses, as you may need to take medical action.  Do not compensate for a skipped dose by taking more than the prescribed amount of antibiotic. In most cases, antibiotic overdose does not cause severe symptoms, although it may cause stomach upset and diarrhea. Even if you are starting to feel better, an incomplete drug course can lead to antibiotic resistance and/or a recurrence of your symptoms.  You may end up needing a second course of antibiotics. A complete course of antibiotics allows you enough time to eradicate the bacteria from your system. When you prematurely stop taking the antibiotic, the bacteria may not all be cleared completely from your system. The bacteria that survive are the strongest, and they are thus harder for the antibiotic to kill. These bacteria may also change or mutate, making the antibiotic less effective against this new strain. Antibiotic resistance is a serious problem, but using antibiotics wisely as prescribed can help prevent it.
Keep track of when your next dose is due. Schedule your doses around your meals and snacks. Tell your doctor if you having difficulty taking the antibiotic. Do not skip doses of the antibiotic. Do not take extra doses of the antibiotic. Take all of your antibiotic doses.