Demeclocycline Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Demeclocycline Tablet (demeclocycline hydrochloride) is a tetracycline antibiotic derived from a mutant strain of Streptomyces aureofaciens bacteria. It is used to treat many different bacterial infections, including tick-borne illnesses, certain sexually transmitted infections, respiratory and eye infections, and severe acne. It works by stopping susceptible bacteria from making the proteins they need to multiply.

What is Demeclocycline Tablet

Demeclocycline is an antibiotic that comes from a mutant strain of Streptomyces aureofaciens bacteria. It is used to treat many different bacterial infections.

Demeclocycline Tablet uses

• Infections from tick bites, including Rickettsial diseases (such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, typhus fever, Q fever, rickettsialpox)
• Certain sexually transmitted infections, including gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia infections
• Respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis, pneumonia, or sinusitis, including those caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenzae
• Certain eye infections such as trachoma and inclusion conjunctivitis
• Severe acne (as an adjunctive therapy)
• Plague
• Cholera
• Anthrax
• Infections spread from animals, such as bartonellosis and brucellosis
• Infections when penicillin cannot be used
• Urinary tract infections and intestinal infections
• Acute intestinal amebiasis (as a useful adjunct to amebicides)

Benefits of Demeclocycline Tablet

• Treats infections caused by many types of bacteria, including some that cause serious illnesses like plague, cholera, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Can be used as an alternative when penicillin cannot be given
• Provides broad tetracycline antibacterial activity

How Demeclocycline Tablet works

Demeclocycline works by stopping certain bacteria from making the proteins they need to survive, which keeps the bacteria from multiplying.

Demeclocycline Tablet dosage

Take on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. Do not take with milk or other dairy products unless your doctor tells you to. Avoid taking iron supplements, multivitamins, calcium supplements, antacids, or laxatives around the same time as this medicine, since they can reduce how much of the drug your body absorbs.

Keep taking this medicine even if your symptoms improve quickly; stopping early can make the infection come back or become resistant to treatment. This medicine will not treat a viral infection such as the flu or a common cold. Treatment is usually continued for a short time after your symptoms and fever have gone away.

Drink plenty of fluids with this medicine and avoid lying down right after taking it, to reduce irritation of the swallowing tube. This medicine is not for use in children younger than 8 years old unless no safer antibiotic will work.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, but skip it if it is almost time for your next dose; do not take two doses at once.

Available forms and strengths

• Oral tablet (150 mg)
• Oral tablet (300 mg)

Side effects of Demeclocycline Tablet

Common

• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Rash
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Darkened skin color
• Swollen tongue, trouble swallowing
• Vaginal itching or discharge

Serious

• Permanent discoloration of teeth to yellow, gray, or brown, and possible effects on tooth enamel, if used during tooth development (second half of pregnancy through age 8)
• Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (watery or bloody stools, severe stomach cramps, fever), which can happen even up to two months after stopping the medicine
• Increased pressure around the brain (pseudotumor cerebri) with severe headache, ringing in the ears, dizziness, nausea, or vision changes
• Severe sunburn-like skin reaction (photosensitivity) with blistering or swelling after sun or UV light exposure
• Severe allergic reactions, including trouble breathing, racing heart, fever, swollen lymph nodes, swelling of the face/lips/mouth/tongue/throat, hives, or fainting
• Diabetes insipidus symptoms such as severe thirst, urinating much more than usual, pale urine, dehydration, weakness, and muscle pains
• Kidney problems such as swelling, urinating less, feeling tired or short of breath
• Low blood cell counts causing fever, chills, tiredness, confusion, mouth sores, skin sores, easy bruising, unusual bleeding, pale skin, cold hands and feet, or feeling light-headed
• Liver or pancreas problems such as loss of appetite, upper stomach pain, tiredness, nausea or vomiting, fast heart rate, dark urine, or yellowing of the skin or eyes
• Severe skin reactions with fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, or a red/purple rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling

Warnings and precautions

• This medicine can harm an unborn baby if taken during pregnancy.
• Using this type of medicine while teeth are developing (second half of pregnancy, infancy, and childhood up to age 8) can cause permanent yellow-gray-brown discoloration of the teeth and may affect enamel growth.
• Skin can become very sensitive to sunlight and ultraviolet light, which can cause severe burns on exposed skin.
• Long-term use can cause a condition with excess thirst, excess urination, and weakness, related to effects on the kidneys.
• This medicine, like nearly all antibiotics, can cause a serious diarrhea illness due to overgrowth of C. difficile bacteria in the gut, which can range from mild to life-threatening.
• This medicine can increase pressure around the brain, causing headache and blurred vision; this is more of a concern in adults, and bulging soft spots on the head can occur in infants.
• This medicine should not be used during pregnancy because it can harm the developing baby, including bone growth problems and permanent tooth discoloration later in life.
• This medicine passes into breast milk and may affect bone and tooth development in a nursing baby. Talk to your doctor about whether to stop breastfeeding or stop the medicine.
• This medicine should be used carefully in people with kidney problems. Your doctor may need to lower your dose or extend the time between doses.
• This medicine should be used carefully in people with liver problems. Your doctor may need to lower your dose or extend the time between doses.
• It is not known for certain if alcohol affects this medicine, but heavy drinking can weaken your immune response and may increase your risk of dizziness while taking it.
• This medicine can affect your alertness or coordination. Do not drive or do activities that need alertness until you know how it affects you.

Storage

• Store at room temperature, between 68 F to 77 F (20 C to 25 C)
• It can be exposed to temperatures between 59 F to 86 F (15 C to 30 C) for shorter periods of time, such as when transporting it
• Store in a cool, dry place
• Protect from light
• Keep the bottle tightly closed when not in use
• Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date on the label has passed
• Keep out of the reach of children

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency help right away if you have signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of your face or throat.
• Call your doctor right away if you have severe stomach pain or watery or bloody diarrhea, even if it happens months after your last dose.
• Call your doctor right away if you have new or worsening cough, fever, or trouble breathing.
• Call your doctor right away if you have painful swallowing or vomit blood, and avoid lying down right after taking this medicine.
• Call your doctor right away if you notice signs of kidney problems, such as swelling, urinating less, feeling tired, or shortness of breath.
• Call your doctor right away if you have signs of low blood cell counts, such as fever, chills, tiredness, confusion, mouth sores, skin sores, easy bruising, unusual bleeding, pale skin, cold hands and feet, or feeling light-headed.
• Call your doctor right away if you have signs of increased pressure inside the skull, such as severe headaches, ringing in your ears, dizziness, nausea, vision problems, or pain behind your eyes.
• Call your doctor right away if you have signs of liver or pancreas problems, such as loss of appetite, upper stomach pain, tiredness, nausea or vomiting, fast heart rate, dark urine, or yellowing of skin or eyes.
• If your child using this medicine is younger than 8 years old, call your healthcare provider right away.
• Stop taking this medicine and call your healthcare provider right away if you notice any sign of a severe sunburn-like skin reaction.
• Stop taking this medicine and call your healthcare provider right away if you have symptoms of increased pressure around the brain, such as dizziness, nausea and vomiting, severe headache, or vision changes.

Alternatives

• Doxycycline
• Minocycline
• Tetracycline