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Doryx - Information for Patients Doryx - Information for Patients

DORYX^®

Doxycycline (dox-i-sye-klin)

What Doryx is used for

Doryx contains an antibiotic used to treat certain infections and to control severe acne.

It belongs to a group of medicines called tetracyclines.

These medicines work by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria which cause infections or make acne worse. Tetracyclines will not work against viral infections such as the flu.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Doryx has been prescribed for you. Your doctor, however, may prescribe Doryx for another purpose.

Before you take Doryx

When you must not take it

Do not take Doryx if you have an allergy to:

medicines containing doxycycline
medicines containing other tetracyclines
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.

If you are not sure if you are allergic to any of the above, ask your doctor.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction include:

asthma, wheezing or shortness of breath
swelling of the face, lips or tongue which may lead to difficulty swallowing or breathing
hives, itching or skin rash
fainting

Do not take Doryx if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. As with many medicines, Doryx may harm the developing or breast-feeding baby. This may include enamel loss and staining of the child's teeth.

High doses of tetracyclines may also cause liver problems in pregnant women.

If you are a woman of child-bearing age, you should avoid becoming pregnant while taking Doryx.

Do not take Doryx if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

Do not take Doryx if the expiry date (EXP) or use by date printed on the pack has passed. If you take this medicine after the expiry date, it may not work.

If you are not sure whether you should start taking Doryx, talk to your doctor.

Before you start to take it

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 breast-feed
you are scheduled to have surgery under general anaesthetic
you work outdoors or 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 Doryx.

Do not give Doryx to children of 12 years and under unless directed by the child's doctor. Doryx, like other tetracyclines, may cause enamel loss and staining in developing teeth or increase the pressure on your child's brain.

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.

Some medicines may interfere with Doryx. These include:

warfarin, a medicine used to stop blood clotting
another group of antibiotics called penicillins
the contraceptive pill (birth control pill)

Doryx may decrease the effectiveness of some birth control pills. Your doctor may advise you to use an additional method of contraception while taking Doryx.

These medicines may be affected by Doryx or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicine or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you.

Some medicines may interfere with the absorption of Doryx. These include:

iron preparations including vitamin preparations that contain iron
antacids used for indigestion

You must take Doryx at least two hours before or two hours after taking any of these medicines. This is to make sure there is no problem with absorption.

Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or to avoid while taking Doryx.

How to take Doryx

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 much to take

The dose will depend on your condition. The usual dose of Doryx is two capsules on the first day followed by one capsule each day from then on.

However, depending on your condition and how you react to the medicine, your doctor may ask you to take a different dose.

How to take it

Swallow the capsules whole with a full glass of water while sitting or standing upright.

Do not lie down immediately after swallowing Doryx. It is important to stay upright, for example sitting, standing or walking around for at least half an hour after swallowing your capsule. This is to help avoid irritation to your food pipe, also called the oesophagus.

When to take it

Take Doryx during or immediately after a meal, at about the same time each day (usually in the morning). If taken on an empty stomach, it may cause stomach upset.

How long to take it

Keep taking this medicine for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, the infection may not clear completely or your symptoms may return.

For treating infections, Doryx is usually taken for one or two weeks. For controlling acne, Doryx is usually taken for 12 weeks. However, your doctor may prescribe Doryx for different periods.

If you are not sure how long you should be taking Doryx, talk to your doctor.

Continue taking Doryx until you finish the pack or until your doctor recommends.

If you forget to take it

If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, then go back to taking it as you would normally. Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.

If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.

If you take too much (overdose)

Immediately telephone your doctor or National Poisons Centre for advice if think you or anyone else may have taken too much Doryx. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.

While you are taking Doryx

Things you must do

If you become pregnant while taking Doryx, tell your doctor immediately.

If you are taking Doryx for an infection and your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, tell your doctor.

If you get severe diarrhoea, tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately. Do this even if it occurs several weeks after Doryx has been stopped. Diarrhoea may mean you have a serious condition affecting your bowel.

Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor.

If you are about to start taking any new medicines, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking Doryx.

Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking Doryx.

If you are taking iron preparations (including vitamins that contain iron) or antacids, you must take them at least two hours before or two hours after your Doryx to make sure there is no problem with absorption.

Things you must not do

Do not stop taking your capsules because you are feeling better, unless advised by your doctor.

If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, all the bacteria causing your infection may not be killed. These bacteria may continue to grow and multiply so that your infection may not clear completely or may return.

Do not give Doryx to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms or condition as you.

Do not use Doryx to treat any other medical complaints unless your doctor tells you to.

Things to be careful of

Protect your skin when you are in the sun, especially between 10 am and 3 pm. Do not use a sunlamp while taking Doryx.

Doryx 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 severe sunburn.

If outdoors, wear protective clothing and use a 30+ sunscreen. If your skin does appear to be burning, tell your doctor before you take your next dose of Doryx.

If you get thrush (a fungal infection which can affect the mouth and/or vagina) or any other infection while taking, or soon after stopping Doryx, tell your doctor. Sometimes use of this medicine allows fungi to grow. These fungi are not killed by Doryx.

Side effects

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if you have any problems while taking Doryx, even if you do not think the problems are connected with the medicine or are not listed in this leaflet.

Like other medicines, Doryx can cause some 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 taking it

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 itchy vagina and/or discharge
upset stomach or vomiting
difficulty in swallowing
sore mouth or tongue
irritation of the food pipe (also called oesophagus).

These side effects are usually mild.

If any of the following happen, stop taking Doryx and tell your doctor immediately or go to casualty at your nearest hospital:

rash or itching
severe diarrhoea
severe sunburn
flaking of the skin
swelling of the face, lips or tongue
more frequent bruising than normal
passing less urine than normal

These are very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. However, these side effects are rare.

Tell your doctor if you notice any other effects. Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients.

After finishing it

Tell your doctor immediately you notice any of the following side effects, particularly if they occur several weeks after stopping Doryx:

severe stomach cramps
watery and severe diarrhoea, which may be bloody
fever, in combination with one or both of the above

These are rare but serious side effects. Doryx can cause some bacteria which are normally present in the bowel and normally harmless to multiply and therefore cause the above symptoms. You may need urgent medical attention. However, this side effect is rare.

Do not take any medicine for this diarrhoea without first checking with you doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don't understand anything in this list.

Do not be alarmed at this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

After using Doryx

Storage

Keep your capsules in the pack until it is time to take them. If you take them out of their pack they may not keep well.

Keep Doryx in a cool, dry place where it stays below 25°C. Do not store it, or any other medicine, in a bathroom or near a sink.

Do not leave it in the car or on a window sill. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.

Keep it where children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least 11/2 metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.

Disposal

If your doctor tells you to stop taking Doryx, or the capsules have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any capsules left over.