Demeclocycline Hydrochloride 150mg Capsules

Demeclocycline Hydrochloride Capsules contain the active substance Demeclocycline Hydrochloride. This is an antibiotic (kills bacteria) belonging to the tetracycline group of antibiotics. It is used to treat a wide range of infections caused by bacteria.

Some of these infections are:

• Severe acne
• Infections of the brain and liver caused by the bacteria Leptospira
• Infection caused by Brucella bacteria (brucellosis)
• Infections caused by Rickettsiae micro-organisms transmitted by lice, fleas, ticks and mites
• Infections of the sex organs and organs associated with urination (genito-urinary infections) such as an infection called chancroid, non-gonococcal urethritis
• Rare infections such as Tularaemia and bubonic plague. It may also be used to treat a rare condition in which a tumour of the pituitary gland in your brain causes the amount of sodium in your blood to be too low.

Always take Demeclocycline Hydrochloride Capsules exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

The following information is to give you an idea of the usual doses given to treat particular illnesses. Different doses may be prescribed and if this applies to you, discuss it with your doctor.

You should complete the course of capsules as prescribed by your doctor.

For most infections: a total of 4 capsules every day are needed. These can be taken as 2 capsules in the morning and 2 in the evening, or as 1 capsule four times a day.

For pneumonia: 2 capsules are usually taken three times a day.

For the treatment of low sodium in the blood: The starting dose is between 6 and 8 capsules each day, divided equally over the day. After a while this dose is reduced to between 4 and 6 capsules each day.

• Never take more capsules than the doctor has told you to. It will not help you get better any faster and could be harmful to you
• The capsules should be swallowed whole with plenty of water. You should take them while you are sitting or standing. Do not take them when you are lying down
• These capsules are best taken on an empty stomach. To make sure of this you should not eat a meal for at least an hour before, or for two hours after you need to take a dose. If you take them closer to a mealtime, there will be food in your stomach and they will not work as well. You should avoid large milky drinks during this time as well, although a small amount in tea or coffee doesn’t matter
• Some medicines and vitamin/mineral products can stop this medicine working properly if they are taken together. These include indigestion remedies (antacids) and vitamin/mineral products that contain iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium or aluminium in any form. If you need to take any of these while you are taking Demeclocycline Hydrochloride, you should take them at least an hour before or two hours after taking your Demeclocycline Hydrochloride dose.

If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Like all medicines, Demeclocycline Hydrochloride Capsules can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

All medicines can cause allergic reactions although serious allergic reactions are rare. Any sudden wheeziness, difficulty in breathing, swelling of the eyelids, face or lips, rash or itching (especially affecting your whole body) should be reported to a doctor immediately.

If you notice any of the following side effects, stop taking the medicine and talk to your doctor as soon as possible.

Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)

• wheezing or shortness of breath
• blistering or bleeding of the skin around the lips, eyes, mouth, nose and genitals. Also flu-like symptoms and fever. This may be something called ‘Stevens-Johnson syndrome’
• unusual bruising
• severe watery diarrhoea, unusually dark urine or a large increase or sudden decrease in the amount of urine, or a change in the frequency with which you need to pass water. You may become very thirsty and need to go to the toilet a lot more often than usual
• difficulty in swallowing
• weak feeling in your muscles
• severe chest pains, or severe pain in the stomach
• blurred vision, or a very bad headache that will not go away
• liver, kidney problems and disturbances of blood cells (shown by blood tests) have been reported, (symptoms of which include yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, sore throat, mouth ulcers, difficulty in passing urine, back pain).

Most of the other side effects that may occur are mild and can include:

• an upset stomach, feeling sick or being sick
• heartburn
• dizziness, disturbed hearing
• thrush (vaginal itch and discharge caused by fungal infection)
• increased sensitivity to the sun/sunlamps (possibly causing sunburn).

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the MHRA yellow card scheme website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

• Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
• Do not store above 25°C.

Blister Pack - Store in original package in order to protect from light and moisture.

Container/Bottle - Keep the container/bottle tightly closed in the outer carton in order to protect from light and moisture.

• Do not use after the expiry date. This date is printed on your pack. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.

Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.