doxycycline 100 mg and 50 mg tablets, as doxycycline hydrochloride
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some of the common questions about DOXY Tablets. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking DOXY Tablets against the benefits the medicine is expected to have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.
What DOXY Tablets are used for
DOXY Tablets are an antibiotic used to:
- treat certain infections
- control acne
- prevent malaria.
DOXY Tablets belong to a class of medicines called tetracyclines.
These medicines work by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria which cause infections or make acne worse. They also work against parasites which cause malaria.
Tetracyclines will not work against viral infections such as colds or the ‘flu’.
Your doctor, however, may prescribe DOXY Tablets for another purpose. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why DOXY Tablets have been prescribed for you.
This medicine is only available with a doctor’s prescription.
There is no evidence that DOXY Tablets are addictive.
Before you take DOXY Tablets
When you must not take DOXY Tablets
Do not take DOXY Tablets if:
- you have ever had an allergic reaction to:
- medicines containing doxycycline, or doxycycline hydrochloride.
- medicines containing other tetracyclines
- any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction to tetracyclines may include: rash, itching, or hives on the skin, swelling of the face, lips and tongue or other parts of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or troubled breathing.
- you are taking preparations containing vitamin A, isotretinoin or etretinate.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if you are taking one of these medicines.
- you you are in the second and third trimester of pregnnacy or breastfeeding.
As with many medicines, tetracyclines can harm the developing or breastfeeding baby. This may include enamel loss and staining of the child’s teeth and increase the pressure on your child’s brain.
High doses of tetracyclines may also cause liver problems in pregnant women.
If you are not sure whether you should be taking DOXY Tablets, talk to your doctor.
Do not take DOXY Tablets if:
- the expiry date on the pack has passed.
- If you take this medicine after the date has passed it may have no effect at all, or worse, an entirely unexpected effect.
- the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
Do not give DOXY Tablets to children of eight years and under unless directed by the child’s doctor. DOXY Tablets like all other tetracyclines may cause enamel loss and staining in developing teeth.
Before you start to take DOXY Tablets
You must tell your doctor if:
- You are allergic to any other medicines or other substances such as foods, dyes or preservatives.
- You have or have ever had any other health problems.
- You plan to become pregnant or to breastfeed.
- You are scheduled to have surgery under general anaesthetic.
- You are exposed to direct sunlight or ultra-violet light.
If you have not told your doctor or pharmacist about any of the above, tell them before you start taking DOXY Tablets.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
There may be an interference between DOXY Tablets and some other medicines, including:
- preparations containing Vitamin A
- some medicines used for skin problems such as isotretinoin or etretinate
- warfarin, a medicine used to stop blood clotting
- another group of antibiotics called penicillins
- Methoxyflurane, an inhaled anaesthetic
- Barbiturates such as phenobarbitone
- Medicines containing sodium bicarbonate
- Acetazolamide and ethoxzolamide, a medicine used to treat glaucoma
- the contraceptive pill (birth control pill). DOXY Tablets may decrease the effectiveness of some birth control pills. Your doctor may advise you to use an alternative method of contraception while taking DOXY Tablets
- some medicines for epilepsy such as phenytoin, carbemazepine or phenobarbitone
These medicines may be affected by DOXY Tablets or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicine
Some medicines interfere with the absorption of DOXY Tablets. These include:
- iron preparations, including vitamin preparations which contain iron.
- antacids used for indigestion
- Do not drink alcohol or take any of these medicines if you are taking DOXY Tablets.
You can still take these medicines while you are taking DOXY Tablets. However, you must take DOXY Tablets at least two hours before or two hours after taking any of these medicines to make sure that there is no problem with absorption.
How to take DOXY Tablets
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor and pharmacist carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the pack, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How to take it
Swallow the prescribed dose of DOXY Tablets whole with a full glass of water or milk while standing upright. Do not lie down immediately after swallowing DOXY Tablets. It is important to drink adequate amounts of fluid and to stay upright, for example sitting, standing or walking for at least half an hour after swallowing your tablet. This is to help avoid irritation and ulceration oesophagus (foodpipe).
When to take it
Take DOXY Tablets during or immediately after a meal , at about the same time each day (usually in the morning). If taken on an empty stomach, DOXY Tablets may cause a stomach upset.
Late evening ingestion of the tablet should be avoided.
How long to take it
For controlling acne, DOXY Tablets should be taken as prescribed by your doctor. For severe acne the tablets may be taken up to a maximum of 12 weeks.
For treating infections DOXY Tablets are usually taken for one to two weeks.
Do not stop taking DOXY Tablets because you are feeling better. If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, the infection may not clear completely or your symptoms may return.
For preventing malaria, DOXY Tablets are normally recommended to be taken for up to a maximum of eight weeks.
However, your doctor may prescribe DOXY Tablets for longer periods. Check with your doctor if you are not sure how long you should be taking it for.
Continue taking DOXY Tablets until you finish the pack or until your doctor recommends.
If you forget to take it
If it is almost time to take your next dose, skip the dose that you have missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise take it as soon as you remember, then go back to taking your tablets as usual.
Do not double a dose to make up for a dose that you have missed.
If you take too much (overdose):
Immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too many DOXY Tablets. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention. Keep telephone numbers of these places/services handy.
If you take too many DOXY Tablets, you may suffer nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
While you are using DOXY Tablets
Things you must do
If the symptoms of your infection do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, tell your doctor.
If you get severe diarrhoea tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse immediately. Do this even if this occurs several weeks after you have stopped taking DOXY Tablets. Diarrhoea may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your bowel. You may need urgent medical care. Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor.
If you get a sore white mouth or tongue while taking or soon after stopping DOXY Tablets, tell your doctor. Also tell your doctor if you get vaginal itching or discharge. This may mean you have a fungal infection called thrush. Sometimes the use of DOXY Tablets allows fungi to grow and the above symptoms to occur. DOXY Tablets do not work against fungi.
If you become pregnant while you are taking DOXY Tablets, tell your doctor.
If you are about to start taking a new medicine tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking DOXY Tablets.
Things you must not do
Do not stop taking your tablets because you are feeling better, unless advised to do so by your doctor. If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, the infection may not clear completely or your symptoms may return.
Do not give DOXY Tablets to anyone else even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not use DOXY Tablets to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Things to be careful of
Protect your skin when you are in the sun, especially between 10am and 3pm. Doxycycline may cause your skin to be much more sensitive to sunlight than it is normally.
Exposure to sunlight may cause a skin rash, itching, redness, or a severe sunburn. If outdoors, wear protective clothing and use a 30+ sunscreen. If your skin does appear to be burning, stop taking doxycycline and tell your doctor.
Be careful of driving or operating machinery until you know how DOXY Tablets affect you. DOXY Tablets do not normally cause any problems with your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. However, as with many other medicines DOXY Tablets may cause tiredness in some people.
Side effects
Check with your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you have any problems while you are taking DOXY Tablets, even if you do not think that the problems are connected with the medicine or are not listed in this leaflet.
Like all medicines, DOXY Tablets can cause side effects. If they occur, most are likely to be minor and temporary. However, some may be serious and need medical attention.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
While you are taking DOXY Tablets
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- oral thrush – white, furry, sore tongue and mouth
- vaginal thrush – sore and itchy vagina and/or discharge
- nausea
- vomiting
- loss of appetite
- stomach pain
- darkened tongue
- taste loss
- tooth discolouration
Tell your doctor immediately, or go to the nearest casualty at your local hospital if you notice any of the following:
- skin rash/hives/itchy skin
- joint pain
- difficulty breathing
- fever
- sore throat
- more frequent bruising than normal
- severe sunburn
- yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice).
After finishing DOXY Tablets
Tell you doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects, particularly if they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with DOXY Tablets.
- severe abdominal cramps or stomach cramps
- watery and severe diarrhoea, which may also be bloody
- fever in combination with one or both of the above
These are rare but serious side effects. You may have a serious condition affecting your bowel. Therefore you may need urgent medical attention. However, this side effect is very rare. Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without checking with your doctor first.
Some people may experience other side effects while taking DOXY Tablets. Tell your doctor if you notice any other effects.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects you may not experience any of them.
After using DOXY Tablets
Storage
Keep your tablets in the blister until it is time to take them. If you take the tablets out of the pack they may not keep as well.
Keep DOXY Tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C.
Do not store DOXY Tablets or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.
Do not leave DOXY Tablets in the car or on window sills. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep DOXY Tablets where children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
Tell your doctor if you stop taking the tablets or the tablets have passed their expiry date. Ask your pharmacist what to do with any tablets which are left over.
Product Description
What DOXY Tablets look like
DOXY-100 Tablets are white, film-coated, circular biconvex tablets with a breakline on one face, the other face is plain. They are available in blisters of 7 tablets or 21 tablets.
Doxy-50 Tablets are white, film-coated, circular biconvex tablets having a diameter of approximately 6.3 mm. They are available as a calendar pack of 25 tablets.
Ingredients
Active ingredient:
DOXY-100 and DOXY-50 Tablets contain, 100 mg and 50 mg of doxycycline respectively as doxycycline hydrochloride.
Other ingredients (excipients):
Microcrystalline cellulose, maize starch, colloidal anhydrous silica, magnesium stearate and Opadry white Y-1-7000B.
DOXY Tablets do not contain gluten, lactose, sucrose, tartrazine or any other azo food dyes.
Supplier
Doxy-100 and DOXY-50 Tablets are supplied by:
Ascent Pharma Pty Ltd
151-153 Clarendon Street
South Melbourne VIC 3205
AUSTRALIA
www.ascentpharma.com.au
For further information telephone 1800 554 414
AUST R 64443 (for DOXY-100 blister)
AUST R 65687 (for DOXY-50)
AUST R 83351 (for Doxy-50 Acne Pack)
AUST R 56206 (for DOXY-100 bottle)*
* – Not marketed.
This leaflet was prepared in April 2010
Published by MIMS November 2010