'This is my current one bottle': Central Texas feeling impacts of nationwide Amoxicillin shortage
DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) - The liquid medication, commonly used for children to fight bacterial infections like strep throat or ear infections, is in short supply across the country.
Now it's really impacting people in Central Texas.
Martin's Wellness Dripping Springs Pharmacy is just one pharmacy searching for the liquid form of Amoxicillin.
"We started to begin noticing that it was beginning to be difficult to get it about two months ago. And that's right about the time an increase in infectious diseases was happening," said Director of Clinical Services Angela Solis.
Solis has been scrambling to find more.
"We look up every day to see who has anything and we order immediately," Solis said.
But certain restrictions on orders make it difficult to fill their shelf up.
"Allocation of one bottle per order or two bottles per order," Solis said.
In the meantime, Solis works with what she has.
"If a child's supposed to take it for 10 days, and I have only a five day supply, then I dispense the five day supply and start looking really hard to find another bottle so I can complete their prescription without an interruption in therapy," Solis said.
The shortage has caused both pharmacists and doctors like Chief Medical Officer Manish Naik with Austin Regional Clinic to adapt.
"There are certainly alternative antibiotics. There are injectable antibiotics like Penicillin, and Cephalosporins. And there are some oral antibiotic options. So the good news is we have antibiotic options," Dr. Naik said.
He also recommends patients try different forms of Amoxicillin if the liquid form is not available.
"Some older children can do things like chewable tablets, or even tablets or capsules. Also, the tablets can be broken up, crushed and put into a semi solid liquid, something like applesauce," Dr. Naik said.
Solis said even with no end in sight, she'll stay glued to the screen ready to hop on orders she sees available.
"Keep rowing that boat and keep children taken care of," Solis said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics expects this shortage to last several months. Solis said the supplies she's looked at have no clue when they'll get a certain brand or size in again.