Tetracycline

What is tetracycline?

Tetracycline is an antibiotic meant to treat different bacterial infections like acne, chlamydia, gonorrhea, urinary tract infections and others.

What is the most important information I should know about tetracycline?

Never use tetracycline during pregnancy; otherwise it will have a negative impact on your unborn baby, resulting in such side effects as permanent discoloration of teeth or problems with growth. Keep in mind that tetracycline minimizes the effect of birth control pills. To keep from getting pregnant, you should choose another form of birth control. Besides, tetracycline appears in breast milk and can be harmful for teeth and bones of a nursing baby. Consult with your health care provider if you are pregnant, planning to become one or are breastfeeding.

Tetracycline isn’t recommended for use in children who are less than 8 years old.

You should avoid both sun rays and artificial tanning, when you are under tetracycline: your skin gets very sensitive, and sunburn may occur. If exposure to sunlight is unavoidable, wear protective clothing.

Do not mix tetracycline with calcium supplements, multivitamins, laxatives and antacids two hours before or after using the medication, otherwise tetracycline becomes less effective.

It is important not to use expired tetracycline, as it may damage your kidney. Throw away the medication if it is expired already.

Never use tetracycline if you are allergic to any it or to similar drug like doxycycline (Doryx, Adoxa, Vibramycin, Oracea), demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline or minocycline (Solodyn, Dynacin, Vectrin, Minocin).

In case you suffer from liver or kidney disease, you should inform your health care provider before starting treatment with tetracycline. You may need special dosage adjustment and medical tests during treatment.

In case you are taking the drug to eliminate gonorrhea, get ready to the test for syphilis which also belongs to a group of sexually transmitted diseases.

Tetracycline isn’t meant for viral infections like flu and cold.

FDA: pregnancy category D. Do not use tetracycline during pregnancy, unless it was recommended by your doctor. If you become pregnant while following the course of treatment with tetracycline, you should inform your doctor right away. Consider using a non-hormone form of birth control to prevent pregnancy during treatment.

How should I take tetracycline?

Use the medication with a full glass of water. Take tetracycline on an empty stomach, one hour before having meals or two hours after it.

It isn’t recommended you use tetracycline with dairy products, as it may prevent your body from absorbing the drug properly.

Shake the oral suspension and measure your dose with a marked measuring spoon or a medical cup.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Use the dose you missed asap. Do not double your dose to catch up.

What happens if I overdose?

If you detect such overdose symptoms as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, you should seek immediate medical assistance. Drug Uses Use Tetracycline to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria.

How Taken

The usual daily dose is 1g to 2g. Your doctor may increase the dosage in case of severe infections. You should continue therapy for at least 24 to 48 hours after the symptoms and fever have subsided.

Warnings/Precautions

Talk to your physician before taking this medicine if you are hypersensitive to tetracyclines. Using Tetracycline in the absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection or a prophylactic indication is unlikely to provide benefit and increases the risk of the development of drug-resistant bacteria.

Missed Dose

If you skip doses or do not complete the full course of therapy, you may risk a decrease in the effectiveness of the immediate treatment. Also there is a chance that bacteria will develop resistance and will not be treatable by Tetracycline or other antibacterial drugs in the future.

Possible Side Effects

Side effects you may experience may include: anorexia, epigastric distress, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bulky loose stools, stomatitis, sore throat, glossitis, black hairy tongue, dysphagia, hoarseness, enterocolitis, and inflammatory lesions (with candidal overgrowth) in the anogenital region.

Storage

Store the tablets at room temperature; avoid excessive heat. Dispense in tight, light-resistant containers. Keep out of the reach of children.

Overdose

In case of overdosage, seek emergency medical attention.

More Information

If you are undergoing long-term therapy, periodic laboratory evaluation of organ system function, including renal, hepatic, and hematopoietic systems, should be performed.

Disclaimer

This drug information is for your information purposes only, it is not intended that this information covers all uses, directions, drug interactions, precautions, or adverse effects of your medication. This is only general information, and should not be relied on for any purpose. It should not be construed as containing specific instructions for any particular patient. We disclaim all responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of this information, and/or any consequences arising from the use of this information, including damage or adverse consequences to persons or property, however such damages or consequences arise. No warranty, either expressed or implied, is made in regards to this information.