Minocycline is used for:

Treating infection caused by certain bacteria. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Minocycline is a tetracycline antibiotic. It works by slowing the growth of certain bacteria and allowing the body's immune system to destroy them.

It is primarily used to treat acne and other skin infections

Do NOT use Minocycline if:

you are allergic to any ingredient in Minocycline

you are taking acitretin, aluminum salts (eg, aluminum carbonate), isotretinoin, methoxyflurane, or penicillins

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Minocycline:

Some medical conditions may interact with Minocycline. 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 kidney problems

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Minocycline. Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Aluminum salts (eg, aluminum carbonate) or cimetidine because they may decrease Minocycline's effectiveness
• Acitretin, anticoagulants (eg, warfarin), digoxin, ergot alkaloids (eg, ergotamine), insulin, isotretinoin, methotrexate, methoxyflurane, or theophyllines because the risk of their side effects may be increased by Minocycline
• Penicillins, oral contraceptives (birth control pills), or live oral typhoid vaccine because their effectiveness may be decreased by Minocycline

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Minocycline 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 Minocycline:

Use Minocycline as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

Take Minocycline by mouth with or without food.

Take Minocycline with a full glass of water (8 oz/240 mL). Do not lie down for 30 minutes after taking Minocycline.

If you also take bismuth salts (eg, bismuth subsalicylate), calcium salts (eg, calcium carbonate), colestipol, iron salts (eg, iron sulfate), magnesium, urinary alkalinizers (eg, daily antacids), sucralfate, vitamins/minerals, quinapril, didanosine, or zinc salts (eg, zinc sulfate), do not take them within 2 to 3 hours before or after taking Minocycline. Check with your doctor if you have questions.

To clear up your infection completely, take Minocycline for the full course of treatment. Keep taking it even if you feel better in a few days.

Minocycline works best if it is taken at the same time each day.

If you miss a dose of Minocycline, 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 Minocycline.

Important safety information:

• Minocycline may cause drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, or blurred vision. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Minocycline with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
• Minocycline may cause you to become sunburned more easily. Avoid the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to Minocycline. Use a sunscreen or wear protective clothing if you must be outside for more than a short time.
• Long-term or repeated use of Minocycline 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.
• Minocycline only works against bacteria; it does not treat viral infections (eg, the common cold).
• Contact your doctor right away if stomach pain or cramps, severe diarrhea, or bloody stools occur. Do not treat diarrhea without first checking with your doctor.
• Tell your doctor or dentist that you take Minocycline before you receive any medical or dental care, emergency care, or surgery.
• Be sure to use Minocycline 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.
• Hormonal birth control (eg, birth control pills) may not work as well while you are using Minocycline. To prevent pregnancy, use an extra form of birth control (eg, condoms).
• Lab tests may be performed while you use Minocycline. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
• Use Minocycline with caution in the ELDERLY; they may be more sensitive to its effects.
• Use Minocycline with extreme caution in CHILDREN younger than 10 years old who have diarrhea or an infection of the stomach or bowel.
• Minocycline should not be used in CHILDREN younger than 8 years old; safety and effectiveness in these children have not been confirmed. Using Minocycline in CHILDREN younger than 8 years old or in women during the last half of pregnancy may cause a permanent change in the tooth coloring of the child.
• PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: Minocycline 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 Minocycline while you are pregnant. Minocycline is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Minocycline.

Possible side effects of Minocycline:

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:

Abnormal skin sensations; appetite loss; changes in nail color; cough; decreased hearing; diarrhea; difficulty swallowing; dizziness; drowsiness; feeling of a whirling motion; fever; hair loss; incomplete development of tooth enamel in children; indigestion; inflammation of the mouth; inflammation of the tongue; lightheadedness; loss of appetite; nausea; second infection; sensitivity to sunlight; skin inflammation; skin inflammation in the anal and genital areas; unsteadiness; vomiting; worsening of asthma.

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); bloody stools; blurred vision; bulging soft spots in infants; headache; increased pressure in the head; inflammation of the pancreas (stomach tenderness, nausea, vomiting, fever, increased pulse); ringing in the ears; seizures; severe diarrhea; severe skin reaction to the sun; stomach pain/cramps; vaginal irritation or discharge; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.