Morgidox

In case of overdosage, discontinue medication, treat symptomatically and institute supportive measures. Dialysis does not alter serum half-life and thus would not be of benefit in treating cases of overdosage.

Doxycycline is a prescription medication used to treat certain bacterial infections and to prevent malaria infections. Doxycycline belongs to a group of drugs called tetracycline antibiotics, which prevent the growth and spread of certain bacteria by inhibiting protein production.

This medication comes in tablet, capsule, and oral suspension (liquid) forms, and is typically taken once or twice a day. The tablets and capsules should be taken with a glass of water, with or without food. However, taking doxycycline with milk or food may decrease the amount of medication absorbed from your stomach. Do not crush or break the delayed-release tablets or capsule.

Doxycycline also comes as a gel to be administered by a dentist in a clinic setting.

This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of doxycycline include nausea, sunlight sensitivity, and rash.  

Tell your doctor about all the medications you take including prescription and non-prescription medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• anticoagulants, or blood thinners
• penicillin antibiotics such as amoxicillin (Moxatag) and ampicillin
• antacids containing aluminum, calcium, magnesium, or iron
• bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol)
• barbiturates such as phenobarbital (Donnatal)
• carbamazepine (Tegretol)
• phenytoin (Dilantin)
• methoxyflurane (Penthrane)
• oral contraceptives

This is not a complete list of doxycycline drug interactions.  Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. 

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Doxycycline falls into category D. There is evidence of risk to the unborn baby based on studies in humans or adverse reaction data, but this medication may be given to a pregnant woman if her healthcare provider believes that its benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh any possible risks to her unborn baby.

You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to any tetracycline antibiotic.

Children younger than 8 years old should use doxycycline only in cases of severe or life-threatening conditions. This medicine can cause permanent yellowing or graying of the teeth in children

Using doxycycline during pregnancy could harm the unborn baby or cause permanent tooth discoloration later in the baby's life.

Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

Take doxycycline with a full glass of water. Drink plenty of liquids while you are taking doxycycline.

Most brands of doxycyline may be taken with food or milk if the medicine upsets your stomach. Different brands of doxycycline may have different instructions about taking them with or without food.

Take Oracea on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.

You may open a Doryx capsule or break up a Doryx tablet and sprinkle the medicine into a spoonful of applesauce to make swallowing easier. Swallow right away without chewing. Do not save the mixture for later use. Drink a full glass (8 ounces) of cool water right away.

Do not crush, break, or open a delayed-release capsule or tablet. Swallow the pill whole.

You may need to split the Acticlate tablet to get the correct dose. The tablet is scored so you can break it apart easily.

Measure liquid medicine with the dosing syringe provided, or with a special dose-measuring spoon or medicine cup. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

If you take doxycycline to prevent malaria: Start taking the medicine 1 or 2 days before entering an area where malaria is common. Continue taking the medicine every day during your stay and for at least 4 weeks after you leave the area. Use protective clothing, insect repellents, and mosquito netting around your bed to further prevent mosquito bites that could cause malaria.

Use this medicine for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely cleared. Skipping doses may also increase your risk of further infection that is resistant to antibiotics. Doxycycline will not treat a viral infection such as the flu or a common cold.

If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using doxycycline.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date on the label has passed. Using expired doxycycline can cause damage to your kidneys.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• severe stomach pain, diarrhea that is watery or bloody;

• throat irritation, trouble swallowing;

• chest pain, irregular heart rhythm, feeling short of breath;

• little or no urination;

• low white blood cell counts--fever, swollen glands, body aches, flu symptoms, weakness, pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding;

• increased pressure inside the skull--severe headaches, ringing in your ears, dizziness, nausea, vision problems, pain behind your eyes; or

• liver problems--loss of appetite, upper stomach pain, tiredness, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

• pancreas problems--severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, vomiting;

• severe skin reaction--fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Common side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting, upset stomach;

• mild diarrhea;

• skin rash or itching; or

• vaginal itching or discharge.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take this medicine. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Have your blood work checked if you are on Morgidox for a long time. Talk with your doctor.
• This medicine may affect certain lab tests. Tell all of your health care providers and lab workers that you take this medicine.
• Do not use longer than you have been told. A second infection may happen.
• Do not take more than what your doctor told you to take. Taking more than you are told may raise your chance of very bad side effects.
• Do not switch between different forms of Morgidox without first talking with the doctor.
• If you are taking warfarin, talk with your doctor. You may need to have your blood work checked more closely while you are taking it with this medicine.
• You may get sunburned more easily. Avoid sun, sunlamps, and tanning beds. Use sunscreen and wear clothing and eyewear that protects you from the sun.
• A very bad skin reaction (Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis) may happen. It can cause very bad health problems that may not go away, and sometimes death. Get medical help right away if you have signs like red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin (with or without fever); red or irritated eyes; or sores in your mouth, throat, nose, or eyes.
• Birth control pills and other hormone-based birth control may not work as well to prevent pregnancy. Use some other kind of birth control also like a condom when taking Morgidox.
• This medicine may cause a change in tooth color to yellow-gray-brown in children younger than 8 years old. If this change of tooth color happens, it will not go away. Talk with the doctor.
• Most of the time, this medicine is not for use in children younger than 8 years old. However, there may be times when these children may need to take Morgidox. Talk with the doctor.
• Change in tooth color has also happened in adults. This has gone back to normal after this medicine was stopped and teeth cleaning at a dentist's office. Talk with the doctor.
• This medicine may cause harm to the unborn baby if you take it while you are pregnant. If you are pregnant or you get pregnant while taking Morgidox, call your doctor right away.

Use this medicine as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

• To gain the most benefit, do not miss doses.
• Keep taking Morgidox (doxycycline tablets and capsules) as you have been told by your doctor or other health care provider, even if you feel well.
• Some drugs may need to be taken with food or on an empty stomach. For some drugs it does not matter. Check with your pharmacist about how to take this medicine.
• Drink lots of noncaffeine liquids unless told to drink less liquid by your doctor.
• Do not take bismuth (Pepto-Bismol®), calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, multivitamins with minerals, colestipol, cholestyramine, didanosine, or antacids within 2 hours of Morgidox.
• Take with a full glass of water.
• Do not lie down for at least 30 minutes after taking this medicine.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Take a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
• If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
• Do not take 2 doses at the same time or extra doses.

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:

• Not hungry.
• Upset stomach or throwing up.
• Loose stools (diarrhea).

These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.