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Home » Antibiotics » Vibramycin
Vibramycin
Brand Names: Vibramycin
Generic Name: Doxycycline
Manufacturer: Pfizer
Vibramycin is used for
Treating certain bacterial infections. It may be used in combination with other medicines to treat acne or certain amoeba infections. It may be used to prevent certain types of malaria in travelers who will be visiting malaria-infected areas for less than 4 months. It may also be used to prevent or slow the progression of anthrax after exposure.
Vibramycin is a tetracycline antibiotic. It works by slowing the growth of bacteria. Slowing the bacteria's growth allows the body's immune system to destroy the bacteria.
Do NOT use Vibramycin if:
you are allergic to any ingredient in Vibramycin or to another tetracycline (eg, minocycline)
you are taking acitretin, isotretinoin, or a penicillin (eg, amoxicillin)
you have recently received or will be receiving a live oral typhoid vaccine
Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.
Before using Vibramycin
Some medical conditions may interact with Vibramycin . Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:
- if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
- if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
- if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
- if you have diarrhea, a history of lupus, or the blood disease porphyria
Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Vibramycin . Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:
- Barbiturates (eg, phenobarbital), carbamazepine, hydantoins (eg, phenytoin), iron, or urinary alkalinizers (eg, sodium bicarbonate) because they may decrease Vibramycin 's effectiveness
- Acitretin, anticoagulants (eg, warfarin), digoxin, isotretinoin, methotrexate, or methoxyflurane because the side effects and toxic effects may be increased by Vibramycin
- Live oral typhoid vaccine, hormonal birth control (eg, birth control pills), or penicillins (eg, amoxicillin) because their effectiveness may be decreased by Vibramycin
This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Vibramycin may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.
How to use Vibramycin
Use Vibramycin as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
- Take Vibramycin by mouth with or without food. If stomach upset occurs, take with food to reduce stomach irritation.
- Do not take an antacid that has aluminum, calcium, or magnesium in it; bismuth-containing products; iron; urinary alkalinizers (eg, sodium bicarbonate); or multivitamins with minerals within 2 hours before or 2 hours after you take Vibramycin .
- To clear up your infection completely, take Vibramycin for the full course of treatment. Keep taking it even if you feel better in a few days.
- Drink plenty of fluids with Vibramycin to wash it down and avoid the risk of throat irritation.
- Do not use Vibramycin if it is outdated or has been stored incorrectly.
- If you are taking Vibramycin to prevent malaria, you should begin to take it 1 to 2 days before you travel to the malaria-infected area. You will need to keep taking it for 4 weeks after you leave the area. Discuss any questions with your doctor.
- If you miss a dose of Vibramycin , take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Vibramycin .
Important safety information:
- Be sure to use Vibramycin for the full course of treatment. If you do not, the medicine may not clear up your infection completely. The bacteria could also become less sensitive to this or other medicines. This could make the infection harder to treat in the future.
- Vibramycin only works against bacteria; it does not treat viral infections (eg, the common cold).
- Long-term or repeated use of Vibramycin may cause a second infection. Tell your doctor if signs of a second infection occur. Your medicine may need to be changed to treat this.
- If you are taking Vibramycin to prevent malaria, please note that no malaria medicine, including Vibramycin , guarantees protection against malaria. Stay in well-screened areas, use mosquito nets, cover the body with clothing, and use insect repellent to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.
- Hormonal birth control (eg, birth control pills) may not work as well while you are using Vibramycin . To prevent pregnancy, use an extra form of birth control (eg, condoms).
- Vibramycin may cause you to become sunburned more easily. Avoid the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to Vibramycin . Use a sunscreen or wear protective clothing if you must be outside for more than a short time.
- Mild diarrhea is common with antibiotic use. However, a more serious form of diarrhea (pseudomembranous colitis) may rarely occur. This may develop while you use the antibiotic or within several months after you stop using it. Contact your doctor right away if stomach pain or cramps, severe diarrhea, or blood stools occur. Do not treat diarrhea without first checking with your doctor.
- Do not take more than the recommended dose or take Vibramycin for longer than prescribed without checking with your doctor.
- Tell your doctor or dentist that you take Vibramycin before you receive any medical or dental care, emergency care, or surgery.
- Vibramycin may interfere with certain lab tests. Be sure your doctor and lab personnel know you are taking Vibramycin .
- Lab tests, including liver function, kidney function, and complete blood cell counts, may be performed while you use Vibramycin . These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
- Use Vibramycin with extreme caution in CHILDREN younger than 10 years old who have diarrhea or an infection of the stomach or bowel.
- Vibramycin should not be used in CHILDREN younger than 8 years old; permanent yellow-gray-brown tooth discoloration may occur.
- PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: Vibramycin has been shown to cause harm to the fetus. If you think you may be pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Vibramycin while you are pregnant. Vibramycin is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Vibramycin .
Possible side effects of Vibramycin
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:
Loss of appetite; nausea; sensitivity to sunlight; vomiting.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); bloody stools; chest pain; dark urine; decreased urination; fever, chills, or sore throat; moderate to severe sunburn; severe diarrhea; severe or persistent headache; stomach pain or cramps; throat irritation; trouble swallowing; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual joint pain; unusual tiredness; vaginal irritation or discharge; vision changes; yellowing of the skin or eyes.
This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
If OVERDOSE is suspected:
Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center (http://www.aapcc.org), or emergency room immediately.
Proper storage of Vibramycin :
Store Vibramycin at room temperature, between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C). Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Vibramycin out of the reach of children and away from pets.
General information:
- If you have any questions about Vibramycin , please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
- Vibramycin is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.
- If your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse, check with your doctor.
This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Vibramycin . If you have questions about the medicine you are taking or would like more information, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
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