Do I take 4 or 8 500 mg tablets of Azithromycin per day?

Resolved question:

I was tested positive for chlamydia, my doctor prescribed 500mg azithromycin; the bottle says it brings 8 but it also says take 4 500mg tablets in one dose but it brings 8 so my question is do I have to take only 4? Or take the other 4the next day as well?

Submitted: 4 Days
Category: Community

Expert:  Dr. John Monheit replied 4 Days.

Hello, Chlamydia infection is a sexually transmitted infection and passes on from one person to another through unprotected sex. Symptoms will be pain, while urinating, unusual discharge from the penis, vagina or rectum, bleeding between periods or after sex, heavy periods, and pain in the lower abdomen. If it is untreated, it may lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which is a major cause of infertility, miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. If you are under 25 and sexually active, you should get tested for chlamydia every year or every time you have a new partner. Diagnosis can be made through urine sample or cervical swab testing. You should get tested whether you have the symptoms or not as long as you are under 25, unprotected sex and passes from one person to another, whether you may be having or your partner may be having chlamydia infection. Complications include in women are pelvic inflammatory disease, cervicitis, bartholinitis and in men they will have urethritis, epididymitis, reactive arthritis. Treatment: Chlamydia usually responds to antibodies, only thing is they should take it correctly. Depending on whether you are pregnant or allergy, your doctor may prescribe either.

For non-pregnant adults:

1) Azithromycin 1 gram orally in a single dose o

2) Doxycycline 100 mg orally twice a day for 7 days.

3) Erythromycin ethyl succinate 800 mg orally four times a day for 7 days

4) Oflaxacin - 300 mg orally twice a day for 7 days

5) Levofloxacin - 500 mg orally once a day for 7 days

Pregnant women should not take doxycycline, oflaxacin or levofloxacin but azithromycin is safe and effective. Have a check up after 3 weeks. During treatment, both the sexual partners should be treated at the same time and also abstain from sex for 7 days after starting the treatment. If abstaining is not possible, make sure to use condoms for all sexual encounters. Hope this helps. Thank you

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