Doxycycline Injection (patient information)

IMPORTANT WARNING
Doxycycline should not be taken by children under 8 years of age or women who are pregnant or breast-feeding.

About your treatment
Your doctor has ordered doxycycline, an antibiotic, to help treat your infection. The drug will be added to an intravenous fluid that will drip through a needle or catheter placed in your vein for 1-4 hours, one or two times a day.

Doxycycline eliminates bacteria that cause many kinds of infections including Lyme disease, pneumonia, and urinary tract, skin, bone, and rectal infections. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. The length of treatment depends on how your infection and symptoms respond to the medication.

Precautions
Before administering doxycycline:


 * tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to doxycycline, tetracycline, minocycline, or any other drugs.
 * tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially antacids, anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin), barbiturates, carbamazepine (Tegretol), penicillin, phenytoin (Dilantin), and vitamins. Doxycycline decreases the effectiveness of some oral contraceptives; use another form of birth control while taking this drug.
 * tell your doctor if you have or have ever had diabetes or kidney or liver disease.
 * tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking doxycycline, call your doctor immediately. Doxycycline can harm the fetus.
 * you should plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Doxycycline may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.
 * you should know that this drug may cause a false positive with some tests that are used to measure sugar in your blood. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a product that can be used safely.

Administering your medication
Before you administer doxycycline, look at the solution closely. It should be clear and free of floating material. Gently squeeze the bag or observe the solution container to make sure there are no leaks. Do not use the solution if it is discolored, if it contains particles, or if the bag or container leaks. Use a new solution, but show the damaged one to your health care provider.

It is important that you use your medication exactly as directed. Do not stop your therapy on your own for any reason because your infection could worsen and result in hospitalization. Do not change your dosing schedule without talking to your health care provider. Your health care provider may tell you to stop your infusion if you have a mechanical problem (such as a blockage in the tubing, needle, or catheter); if you have to stop an infusion, call your health care provider immediately so your therapy can continue.

Minor side effects
Doxycycline may cause side effects. Tell your health care provider if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:


 * upset stomach
 * diarrhea
 * stomach pain
 * itching of the rectum or vagina
 * sore mouth or tongue
 * headache
 * loss of appetite

Severe side effects
If you experience either of the following symptoms, call your health care provider immediately:


 * skin rash
 * yellowing of the skin or eyes

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Storing your medication
Your health care provider probably will give you a several-day supply of doxycycline at a time. You will be told to store it in the refrigerator or freezer. Take your next dose from the refrigerator 1 hour before using it; place it in a clean, dry area to allow it to warm to room temperature. If you are told to store additional doxycycline in the freezer, always move a 24-hour supply to the refrigerator for the next day's use. Do not refreeze medications.

Store your medication only as directed. Make sure you understand what you need to store your medication properly.

Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you are not using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of reach of children. Your health care provider will tell you how to throw away used needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid accidental injury.

In case of emergency/overdose
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Signs of infection
If you are receiving doxycycline in your vein or under your skin, you need to know the symptoms of a catheter-related infection (an infection where the needle enters your vein or skin). If you experience any of these effects near your intravenous catheter, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:


 * tenderness
 * warmth
 * irritation
 * drainage
 * redness
 * swelling
 * pain

Brand names

 * Doxy 100®
 * Doxy 200®
 * Vibramycin® Hyclate
 * Vibramycin® Hyclate Intravenous