VIBRAMYCIN ^®

What to do if you missed your VIBRAMYCIN ^® dose

Other known brand names

Acticlate, Doryx, Vibra-Tabs

About Vibramycin

Vibramycin, manufactured by Pfizer, contains the active ingredient, doxycycline hyclate. It is classed as a tetracycline antibiotic and is used to treat bacterial infections such as:

• Respiratory tract infections
• Sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhoea and syphilis
• Skin infections and conditions like rosacea
• Urinary tract infections
• Malaria when you are travelling abroad
• Anthrax or Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Lyme disease

Vibramycin is available with a prescription under other brand names such as Acticlate, Doryx, or Vibra-Tabs. Now Patient offers Vibramycin for the treatment of malaria and chlamydia only, following an online consultation with a prescribing clinician.

Key facts of Vibramycin

• You will start to see improvements within a few days for most infections, but you must complete the course of treatment
• Vibramycin takes longer to treat rosacea. A healthcare professional will review your progress after around 4 weeks
• Common side effects of Vibramycin include headaches, nausea or vomiting. Vibramycin can also make your skin more sensitive to sunlight
• You are advised to not consume alcohol while taking Vibramycin as it can prevent it from working
• Vibramycin may cause thrush. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist for medical advice if this happens

Who is Vibramycin suitable for?

Vibramycin is suitable for adults and children over 12 years of age, but may be suitable for younger children for some infections.

Who is Vibramycin not suitable for?

Vibramycin may not be suitable for some people. To make sure it’s safe for you, speak to the prescribing clinician before taking Vibramycin if you:

• Have ever had an allergic reaction to doxycycline or other tetracycline antibiotics such as minocycline, or tetracycline
• Have kidney or liver disease
• Have oesophagitis (an inflamed food pipe)
• Have an autoimmune disease such as lupus
• Have myasthenia gravis which causes severe muscle weakness
• Are pregnant – doxycycline may cause permanent tooth discoloration
• Are breastfeeding, as doxycycline passes into breast milk

How and where to get Vibramycin?

Vibramycin is available from a number of sources. It is available on prescription or over the counter at a pharmacy.

Now Patient does not allow customers to buy Vibramycin directly. Our service is certified, safe and effective, and we only ever treat conditions. If you book a consultation with a prescribing clinician for the treatment of chlamydia or the prevention of malaria, you can discuss if Vibramycin is a suitable treatment option for you.

At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if a treatment plan is suitable for you. If it is, the clinician will issue you with a prescription which can then be ordered, paid for and delivered directly to your chosen address by Now Patient.

Dosage and strength for Vibramycin for malaria

Vibramycin is available as capsules, tablets, delayed-release tablets, or as a suspension, which you take orally. Your dose of Vibramycin will depend on the condition you are being treated for. The dose is usually 100mg to 200mg, once or twice a day.

For malaria, you will normally take 100mg once daily in the morning. For skin conditions, you may take a lower dose of 40mg once a day or 20mg twice a day. If you are prescribed to take Vibramycin more than once a day, you should take your doses evenly throughout the day. Speak to your doctor for further drug information.

Information about how to take Vibramycin for malaria or chlamydia

Vibramycin capsules should be taken orally on an empty stomach 1 hour before or 2 hours after food. If you are taking a high dose of Vibramycin you may take it with food to prevent the feeling of sickness. Take Vibramycin in an upright position to prevent it from causing irritation to your stomach, and avoid lying down for at least 30 minutes afterwards.

If you are prescribed Vibramycin for the prevention of malaria, begin your treatment 1 or 2 days before travelling to the area with malaria, and stop taking it 4 weeks after you leave the area. Check with our clinician that Vibramycin is the best treatment for the prevention of malaria in the area you are visiting.

How to take capsules or standard tablets

Take Vibramycin capsules with a full glass of water. You may experience swelling and irritation in your throat if you do not swallow them with enough water.

If you are taking dispersible tablets, dissolve them fully in a small amount of water before swallowing the drink.

What happens if you take too much Vibramycin?

If you take more than prescribed, then it can lead to some unpleasant side effects. You should talk to your doctor or reach out to one of our prescribing clinicians, if you have taken too much Vibramycin and you experience any of the following side effects:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting

What are the side effects of Vibramycin?

Possible side effects of Vibramycin are split into common and serious. Common side effects include:

• Headaches
• Feeling sick
• Being sick
• Photosensitivity to sunlight – Vibramycin may cause skin reactions such as skin rash, itching, blistering, or redness. You may sunburn more easily. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen when outdoors

Serious side effects include:

• C difficile (a severe intestinal condition due to a bacteria). Symptoms include diarrhea that will not stop, abdominal pain, and blood in your stools
• Unexplained bruising or bleeding
• Dark urine, light coloured stools, yellowing of your eyes, loss of appetite
• Muscle or joint pain
• Intracranial hypertension (severe headaches, vomiting and vision problems)
• Swollen mouth, lips or tongue
• Difficulty swallowing, sore throat, chest pain

If you experience any serious side effects, you should contact NHS 111.

If you experience a life-threatening allergic reaction with the signs shown below you should contact emergency services on 999.

• Hives
• Your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
• You’re breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you’re choking or gasping for air)
• Your throat feels tight or you’re struggling to swallow
• Your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
• You suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
• Someone faints and cannot be woken up

Information about taking Vibramycin at the same time as other medications or herbal supplements

There is not enough evidence to suggest there are any drug interactions between herbal supplements and Vibramycin. In any event, you should let your prescribing clinician know if you are taking any herbal supplements.

There are some prescription drugs that you should not take with Vibramycin. Tell your doctor if you are taking:

• Antacids
• Other antibiotics
• Retinoid medications such as isotretinoin
• Warfarin
• Oral contraceptives
• Barbiturates such as phenobarbital
• Phenytoin or carbamazepine for the treatment of seizures
• Bismuth subsalicylate
• Supplements containing aluminium, bismuth, calcium, magnesium, iron or zinc

How will I know if Vibramycin is working?

You will start to see improvements within a few days for most infections, but you must complete the course of treatment. If you do not start to feel better after 3 days, speak to your doctor or pharmacist for medical advice.

If you are prescribed Vibramycin for the prevention of malaria, you will not feel any changes. Continue taking Vibramycin as prescribed for 4 weeks after leaving the malaria area.

Can Vibramycin stain teeth?

Vibramycin can stick to calcium in growing bones and teeth causing them to stain. This only happens in growing bones and is why doxycycline is not normally given to children, or to pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Is there a herbal Vibramycin?

No. Herbal Vibramycin does not exist. If you have been marketed such a formulation, it may be fake.

Can women use Vibramycin?

Women can normally take Vibramycin, but it not recommended when women are pregnant or breastfeeding. Doxycycline may pass into breast milk affecting bone and tooth development in a nursing infant.

Should I avoid any particular food or drink when taking Vibramycin?

You can eat and drink normally when taking Vibramycin as long as you avoid alcohol.

Alternatives to Vibramycin

Alternatives for the treatment of Malaria include Malarone.

References

• Doxycycline: antibiotic to treat bacterial infections – NHS
• Doxycycline: MedlinePlus Drug Information
• Doxycycline Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing – WebMD