Generic Oxytetracycline

Generic Oxytetracycline and its Uses

    * Acne vulgaris.

    * Chronic inflammatory disorder of the facial skin (acne rosacea).

    * Flare-ups of chronic bronchitis.

    * Dental infections.

    * Infections caused by chlamydia (eg the chest infection psittacosis, the eye infection trachoma, and sexually-transmitted chlamydia).

    * Infections caused by Rickettsiae micro-organisms transmitted by lice, fleas, ticks and mites (eg Q fever).

    * Disease caused by infection with Leptospira bacteria (Weil's Disease/leptospirosis).

    * Lyme disease.

    * Infections caused by mycoplasma organisms (eg pneumonia or genital infections).

Precautions with Generic Oxytetracycline

    * This medicine should be taken on an empty stomach, preferably one hour before or two hours after meals. Do not take the tablets at the same time as food, milk or dairy products, as these can stop the medicine being absorbed into the body properly and thus make it less effective at treating the infection.

    * This medicine should be swallowed whole with plenty of water while you are sitting or standing. This is to prevent the medicine irritating the throat. Avoid taking a dose just before going to bed.

    * Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, it is important that you finish the prescribed course of this antibiotic medicine, even if you feel better or it seems the infection has cleared up. Stopping the course early increases the chance that the infection will come back and that the bacteria will grow resistant to the antibiotic.

    * Broad-spectrum antibiotics can sometimes cause inflammation of the bowel (colitis). For this reason, if you get diarrhoea that becomes severe or persistent or contains blood or mucus, either during or after taking this medicine, you should consult your doctor immediately.

    * In some people this medicine can cause the skin to become more sensitive to sunlight and UV light. For this reason you should avoid excessive exposure to strong sunlight, and avoid using sunbeds and sunlamps while you are taking this medicine.

Use with caution in

    * Decreased liver function.

    * Hereditary blood disorders called porphyrias.

    * A condition called systemic lupus erythematosus, in which there is long-term inflammation of skin and some internal organs.

    * Abnormal muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis).

Not to be used in

    * Children under 12 years of age.

    * Pregnancy.

    * Breastfeeding.

    * Kidney disease.

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.

If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

    * This medicine should not be used during pregnancy because it may be harmful to the developing baby. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

    * Significant amounts of this medicine may pass into breast milk. It should not be used by breastfeeding mothers. Seek medical advice from your doctor.

Label warnings

    * Take this medication an hour before food or on an empty stomach.

    * Do not take iron preparations, milk or indigestion remedies at the same time of day as this medication.

    * Take at regular intervals. Complete the prescribed course unless otherwise directed.

Food and Drug Interactions with Oxytetracycline

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.

The following medicines may reduce the absorption of Oxytetracycline 250mg (4 Tablets) from the gut, which may make it less effective. If you are taking medicines containing any of the following ingredients they should be taken at least three hours before or after your Oxytetracycline 250mg (4 Tablets) dose:

    * aluminium salts

    * antacids for heartburn and indigestion containing aluminium, bismuth, calcium or magnesium

    * calcium supplements

    * iron preparations, eg ferrous sulphate (Oxytetracycline 250mg (4 Tablets) also reduces the absorption of iron from the gut)

    * kaolin

    * magnesium salts

    * quinapril tablets that contain magnesium carbonate, eg Accupro brand

    * ranitidine bismuth citrate

    * strontium ranelate

    * sucralfate

    * tripotassium dicitrato-bismuthate

    * zinc salts (Oxytetracycline 250mg (4 Tablets) also reduces the absorption of zinc from the gut).

Oxytetracycline 250mg (4 Tablets) may increase the anti-blood-clotting effects of anticoagulant medicines such as warfarin. If you are taking an anticoagulant your doctor may want to monitor your blood clotting time (INR) after you start and finish treatment with this antibiotic.

If Oxytetracycline 250mg (4 Tablets) is taken with acitretin, isotretinoin or tretinoin there may be an increased risk of developing raised pressure within the skull (benign intracranial hypertension). If you are taking one of these medicines you should not be prescribed Oxytetracycline 250mg (4 Tablets).

If Oxytetracycline 250mg (4 Tablets) is taken with ergotamine or methysergide there may be an increased risk of ergot side effects (ergotism).

If you are taking a combined oral contraceptive (the pill) there may be a very low risk that this antibiotic may make it less effective at preventing pregnancy. Although the risk of this is very low, the personal and ethical consequences of an unwanted pregnancy can be very serious. For this reason, the Family Planning Association (FPA) recommends that women taking the combined pill should use an extra method of contraception (eg condoms) while taking a short course of a broad-spectrum antibiotic, and for seven days after finishing the antibiotic course. If the seven days run beyond the end of a pill packet, a new packet should be started without a break (in the case of ED pills the inactive tablets should be omitted). However, if you are taking this antibiotic for more than three weeks (eg for acne), the effect of the antibiotic on the pill wears off and additional precautions are no longer needed. For more information talk to your pharmacist.

Possible Side Effects of Generic Oxytetracycline

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

    * Nausea and vomiting.

    * Diarrhoea.

    * Difficulty swallowing or pain swallowing.

    * Throat irritation.

    * Loss of appetite.

    * Skin reactions such as rash or itching.

    * Abnormal reaction of the skin to light, usually a rash (photosensitivity).

    * Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).

    * Raised pressure within the skull (consult your doctor if you get a severe persistant headache, or double or blurred vision while taking this medicine).

    * Liver disorders (consult your doctor if you experience yellowing of your skin or eyes (jaundice) while taking this medicine).

    * Blood disorders (consult your doctor if you experience bruising, sore throats or infections while taking this medicine).

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.

For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.