How exact do I need to be for Penicillin every 12 hours?

Question

I have strep group A. My doctor gave me Penicillin V Potassium 500 MG to take once every 12 hours. It's 3 pm in my time zone, which means the next dose would be 3 AM. Does it make sense to take the next dose at like 11 PM or Midnight, and then again in the late morning, or should I take the next dose first thing in the morning (like 8 AM)? Or should I set an alarm and take it in the middle of the night (I'd rather NOT do that for the full course!)

Is there a general way to know whether to err on the side of slightly more or less often, or whether it should be very exact?

Answer 1

With most medications, the important thing is to simply be consistent and make it easy on yourself to remember to take them. An hour or two one way or the other isn't going to matter with most medications, and if something is sensitive enough that it does matter then your doctor should tell you that. In case s/he overlooks that part, you can and should ask the pharmacist who fills the prescription.