minocycline
Minocycline is an antibiotic that treats many types of bacterial infections, including urinary tract infections (UTIs) and sinus infections. It's also used to treat acne when medications that are applied onto the skin aren't working well. Some common side effects include headache, feeling tired, and dizziness. Minocycline can also stain children's teeth and make you more like to get a sunburn.
What is Minocycline?
What is Minocycline used for?
- Moderate-to-severe acne
- Respiratory tract infections, including in the nose, throat, and lungs
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like chlamydia, gonorrhea, chancroid, and syphilis
- Skin infections
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Rickettsial infections (usually from ticks, fleas, or mites), such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and typhus fever
- Other infections such as anthrax, plague, cholera, and more. Minocycline can be used to treat many other less common infections not listed here.
How Minocycline works
Minocycline is a tetracycline antibiotic. It prevents bacteria from making certain proteins, which stops them from multiplying and spreading in your body. For acne, minocycline lowers the amount of the P. acnes bacteria that live naturally on your skin. This can help lessen inflammation and acne.
Drug facts
Side effects of Minocycline
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
For extended-release form:
- Headache (23%)
- Feeling tired (9%)
- Dizziness (9%)
- Itching (5%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Drowsiness
- Joint or muscle pain
- General discomfort
- Spinning sensation
- Hives
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Dry mouth
- Changes in mood
Minocycline serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Severe allergic reaction: trouble breathing; hives; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Severe skin reactions: rash, blisters, red skin
- Severe diarrhea
- High pressure in the brain: headache, dizziness, blurred vision, swelling inside eye, vision changes, double vision, vision loss
More on Minocycline side effects
The following Minocycline side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Incidence not known
Black, tarry stools
blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
blood in the urine or stools
blurred or double vision
bulging soft spot on the head of an infant
chest pain, possibly moving to the left arm, neck, or shoulder
confusion
dizziness or lightheadedness
fast heartbeat
general feeling of discomfort or illness
general tiredness and weakness
joint or muscle pain
large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
loss of appetite
nausea or vomiting
red skin lesions, often with a purple center
severe headache
severe stomach pain
sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
troubled breathing
unusual bleeding or bruising
upper right abdominal or stomach pain
yellow eyes and skin
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Less common
Continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears
difficulty with moving
hearing loss
hives or welts
muscle stiffness
redness of the skin
sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
Incidence not known
discoloration of the tooth
increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight
indigestion
severe sunburn
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Minocycline
Pros
- Works well against certain types of acne
- A good alternative for some infections if you're allergic to penicillin
- Can take with or without food
- Might have a lower risk of infectious diarrhea than other antibiotics
- Available as a lower-cost generic
Cons
- Can make you get sunburns easier
- Can stain children's teeth during tooth development
- Interacts with blood thinners and birth control pills
- Not recommended if you're pregnant or breastfeeding
- Not available as an oral liquid
Pharmacist tips for Minocycline
- You can take minocycline with or without food. Taking it with food can help prevent the medication from irritating your esophagus (the pipe that moves food and medications down into your stomach). Drinking plenty of fluids with your dose and staying in an upright position for a while after taking each dose can also help prevent this problem.
- Minocycline capsules and tablets should be swallowed whole, with the exception of Minolira tablets. Minolira tablets can be broken on the scored line if needed.
- Finish all of the minocycline your healthcare provider prescribed for you, even if you start to feel better. Stopping minocycline too soon can cause your infection to come back and be harder to treat.
- When you first start minocycline treatment, you might feel dizzy or faint, which can affect your focus and sense of balance. This side effect typically gets better with time and then goes away after you've stopped treatment. Be careful driving or performing tasks that require concentration until you know how minocycline makes you feel.
- Minocycline makes your skin more sensitive to the sun, which means you might get sunburns very easily. Make sure to avoid sun exposure and tanning beds. Protect your skin by wearing a wide-brimmed hat. Also use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 when you go outside, even on overcast days and during the winter.
- Take your dose of minocycline at least 3 hours before or after any antacids, supplements, or vitamins containing magnesium, aluminum, iron, or calcium. These products can interfere with how well minocycline gets absorbed into the body.
- Minocycline interacts with blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin). Be sure to let the provider who prescribes your blood thinner know if you have to take this antibiotic so they can follow up with you more often.
- Whether you're male or female, talk to your provider if you're thinking of having a child before taking minocycline since it could cause harm to babies.
Common questions about Minocycline
Yes. If you have an allergy to penicillin, it's possible that your provider prescribed minocycline as an alternative to penicillin-type antibiotics. Minocycline isn't related to penicillins. It's a tetracycline, which is a different class of antibiotic. Make sure to discuss your full medical history, including any allergic reactions you've had, with your healthcare provider.
When using minocycline to treat an infection, most people will start to feel better after 2 or 3 days. Some types of infections need more than just a few days of medication, so you might not feel the effects quite as quickly. Be sure to finish all of your medication even if you feel like you don't need it anymore. Otherwise, your infection could come back again and be harder to treat.
Many factors will determine how quickly minocycline will work to treat your acne, including how severe your acne was when you started taking it. For most people, it takes several weeks to see improvements in their skin. Some people taking extended-release minocycline for acne saw clearer skin after 4 weeks of daily use during clinical studies. However, most people saw the full benefit at 12 weeks. Follow up with your provider regularly to discuss whether minocycline is working for your acne.
Tetracycline antibiotics like minocycline can sometimes make your skin and nails darker. This effect can happen even if you haven't been taking minocycline for very long. The same thing can happen to other parts of the body as well, including the eyes, inside the mouth, and even some internal organs. This side effect isn't harmful, but it's important to be aware that it might happen while you're taking minocycline. If you're concerned about this potential side effect, follow up with your provider for more information.
Yes, minocycline can make certain birth control pills work less well to prevent pregnancy. Talk with your provider about a second form of birth control that you can use during treatment with minocycline. Discuss when it's safe to rely on your birth control pills again.
Minocycline isn't known to interact with alcohol. However, alcohol can weaken your immune system, so it's best to avoid it until you've recovered from your infection. Additionally, both alcohol and minocycline could potentially cause liver damage. Speak with your provider about your drinking habits during your treatment with minocycline.
Not quite. Both minocycline and doxycycline (Vibramycin, Doryx, Oracea) belong to the same class of antibiotics called tetracycline antibiotics, but they aren't the same medication. These two antibiotics are both used to treat acne and a variety of bacterial infections. Experts don't recommend one over the other for the treatment of acne since they appear to work just as well as each other. When they're taken by mouth, both medications are available as tablets and capsules. Doxycycline is also available as an oral liquid, which might be better for those who have trouble swallowing pills.
It's not recommended to take minocycline during pregnancy because of the risks of harm to unborn babies. There are reports of this medication causing birth defects in humans, as well as bone problems in unborn babies during animal studies. It can also cause problems with later tooth development (e.g., strength, yellow-gray-brown color) when taken during the last half of pregnancy. If you become pregnant while taking minocycline, stop taking it and contact your provider right away.
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Risks and warnings for Minocycline
Minocycline can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Harm to unborn babies
Minocycline can cause harm to unborn babies, such as abnormal bone development. Whether you're male or female, it's not recommended to take this medication if you're trying to have a child. Keep in mind that minocycline can cause some birth control pills to work less well, so it's recommended to use a second birth control method during treatment. If you become pregnant while taking minocycline, stop taking the medication and call your provider.
Color changes to teeth in babies and children
- Risk factors: Females in the last half of their pregnancy | Children age 8 or younger | Using minocycline for a long time or multiple times
Tetracycline antibiotics like minocycline can affect the teeth when they're still growing in young children. Usually, the teeth will permanently turn a yellow, gray, or brown color. Though rare, the teeth might not grow to be as strong because the enamel is also affected. This side effect can also happen to an unborn baby if the mother takes minocycline during the second half of her pregnancy. More generally, side effects affecting the teeth are more common during long-term use of minocycline, but can also happen after short courses.
Infectious diarrhea
- Risk factors: Use of multiple antibiotics | Long-term use of antibiotics | Older age | Recent hospital stay | People with weakened immune systems | Previous infection from or known exposure to Clostridioides difficile
Antibiotics, including minocycline, can cause infectious diarrhea known as Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (commonly known as C. diff). This sometimes happens because antibiotics get rid of the good bacteria in your gut, leading to growth of other bacteria like C. diff. C. diff diarrhea is very contagious and can lead to life-threatening dehydration. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have loose or watery stools, fever, stomach pain and cramps, nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite.
Severe allergic and skin reactions
In some rare cases, people have developed serious, potentially life-threatening allergic or skin reactions after starting minocycline. Get medical help right away if you notice you have trouble breathing, swelling, a new rash, a rash with a fever, unexplained blisters, or new sores inside your mouth.
Kidney and liver damage
- Risk factors: History of kidney or liver problems
Sometimes, minocycline can harm the kidneys, especially if you already have kidney problems. Although rare, minocycline can also cause liver damage that can sometimes lead to liver failure. Contact your provider right away if you notice a dark urine, a change in urination, stomach pain, or yellowing of your skin or whites of your eyes.
High pressure in the brain
- Risk factors: Females who are of childbearing age and are either overweight or have history of high pressure in the brain | Also taking isotretinoin
Some people who took tetracycline antibiotics like minocycline reported developing high pressure in the brain, or a condition called intracranial hypertension. The risk is higher if you're also taking another acne medication called isotretinoin since it's known to cause this problem. Signs and symptoms of high pressure in the brain usually go away after you stop taking minocycline, but it can cause permanent vision problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you experience a headache and changes in your eyesight, including blurry vision, double vision, or vision loss.
Darker tissue
Minocycline can make your skin and nails darker. This effect can happen even if you haven't been taking minocycline for very long. The same thing can happen to other parts of the body as well, including the eyes, inside the mouth, and even some internal organs. These color changes usually aren't harmful. But, if this happens, check in with your provider to make sure it isn't a sign of other health problems.
New infection
- Risk factors: Using minocycline for a long period of time
It's possible to get a new infection from fungi or bacteria that can't be treated with minocycline after using the medication for a while. Don't use minocycline longer than prescribed. Let your provider know if you notice symptoms of a new infection or if the original symptoms don't get any better after using minocycline.
Autoimmune problems
Using tetracycline antibiotics like minocycline might be linked to autoimmune problems, particularly in people using the medication for acne for a long time. These problems can include inflammation of the liver or blood vessels, fever, rash, joint pain, or general discomfort. If you notice these symptoms after taking minocycline for a while, stop the medication and check in with your provider.
Minocycline dosage
Typical dosage for Minocycline
-
Adults: Your dose will depend on the reason why you're taking minocycline. For most infections, the typical dose is 200 mg by mouth for one time, then 100 mg by mouth every 12 hours. Another dosing option is 100 mg or 200 mg by mouth for one time, then 50 mg by mouth 4 times a day.
-
Children over 8 years old: Your child's provider will calculate their dose based on their body weight. The typical dose is 4 mg/kg of weight (up to 200 mg per dose) by mouth for one time, then 2 mg/kg of weight(up to 100 mg per dose) by mouth every 12 hours.
-
Extended-release tablets (Solodyn, Minolira) or capsules (Ximino) for acne only (ages 12 years and older): Your dose will be based on your body weight. The typical dose is 1 mg/kg of weight by mouth once daily for 12 weeks.
Minocycline is also available as an intravenous (IV) injection that's given by a healthcare provider.
Interactions between Minocycline and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Amoxicillin
- Ampicillin
- Atazanavir
- Bacampicillin
- Bexarotene
- Cholera Vaccine, Live
- Cloxacillin
- Desogestrel
- Dicloxacillin
- Dienogest
- Digoxin
- Drospirenone
- Estradiol
- Ethinyl Estradiol
- Ethynodiol
- Etretinate
- Gestodene
- Isotretinoin
- Levonorgestrel
- Mestranol
- Methicillin
- Methoxyflurane
- Nafcillin
- Nomegestrol
- Norethindrone
- Norgestimate
- Norgestrel
- Oxacillin
- Penicillin G
- Penicillin G Benzathine
- Penicillin G Procaine
- Penicillin V
- Piperacillin
- Pivampicillin
- Porfimer
- Sultamicillin
- Temocillin
- Tretinoin
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Aluminum Carbonate, Basic
- Aluminum Hydroxide
- Aluminum Phosphate
- Aminolevulinic Acid
- Calcium
- Dihydroxyaluminum Aminoacetate
- Dihydroxyaluminum Sodium Carbonate
- Iron
- Magaldrate
- Magnesium Carbonate
- Magnesium Hydroxide
- Magnesium Oxide
- Magnesium Trisilicate
- Vitamin A
How much does Minocycline cost?
$20.29
What are alternatives to Minocycline?
Doxycycline hyclate is used to prevent malaria due to the parasite Plasmodium falciparum and to treat many different infections caused by bacteria. Some examples include:
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