Before taking minocycline, precautions and warnings for the drug should be reviewed to minimize the risk of side effects and to ensure a safe treatment process. People who should avoid minocycline include women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, people who are allergic to the drug, and those who have liver or kidney failure. Minocycline precautions and warnings also extend to possible side effects, such as skin reaction, lightheadedness, or dizziness.
Minocycline: What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
You should talk to your healthcare provider prior to taking
minocycline if you:
- Have liver disease or liver failure
- Have kidney disease or kidney failure
- Are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
- Are breastfeeding
- Have any allergies to medications
- Will be having any surgery.
Also tell your healthcare provider about all other medicines you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Specific Minocycline Precautions and Warnings
Precautions and warnings to be aware of prior to taking minocycline include the following:
- Minocycline can interact with certain medications (see Minocycline Drug Interactions).
- Minocycline can decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.
- Minocycline is considered pregnancy Category D drug. This means that it has been studied in pregnant women, and there is significant risk to an unborn baby. However, there may be extreme circumstances under which the use of minocycline may justify the risk. Discuss the safety with your healthcare provider before using minocycline if you are pregnant.
- If you have severe liver disease, your healthcare provider may either give you a lower dose than normal or not prescribe the drug at all.
- If you are nursing, it is known that minocycline passes through breast milk. Therefore, if you are taking minocycline, it is recommended that you stop nursing.
- Taking minocycline during pregnancy or giving it to children under the age of 8 may cause permanent discoloring of the teeth in children.
- Minocycline may cause pseudomembranous colitis (severe diarrhea). If you experience such symptoms, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
- Minocycline may cause pseudotumor cerebri, which is a condition that causes high pressures inside the brain. This condition commonly causes headaches, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. In most cases, the symptoms improve when minocycline is stopped.
- While taking antibiotics such as minocycline, other infections have been known to occur (for example, vaginal yeast infections). If you notice symptoms unrelated to your original condition, talk to your healthcare provider.
- Antibiotics such as minocycline have been known to cause increased pressure in the skull. This side effect usually stops when the antibiotic is discontinued. If you notice this, talk to your healthcare provider.
- Minocycline can cause ulcers and pain in your esophagus. Drinking plenty of fluids while you are taking minocycline may help prevent these side effects.
- Skin reactions that resemble serious sunburns may occur if you are exposed to sunlight while taking minocycline. Try to avoid unnecessary sunlight exposure while taking this antibiotic. If sunlight exposure is unavoidable, cover as much of your skin as possible (long sleeves, long pants, and a hat), and use a sunscreen with a rating of SPF 45 or higher.
- Some people on minocycline may experience lightheadedness, dizziness, or a spinning sensation (vertigo). If you experience any of these symptoms, you should not drive or operate heavy machinery.
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