Experiences with
Lymecycline

About lymecycline

Lymecycline is an antibiotic. It's used mainly for spots (acne).

Lymecycline is only available on prescription. It comes as capsules that you swallow.

For acne, it's usual to take lymecycline once a day.
Common side effects are feeling sick (nausea), stomach pain, diarrhoea and headaches. But these tend to be mild and short-lived.
You can drink alcohol while taking lymecycline.
Lymecycline is not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Lymecycline is not suitable for children under the age of 12 years. It can build up in growing teeth and permanently stain them.
The brand name for lymecycline is Tetralysal 300.

Lymecycline can be taken by adults and children over the age of 12 years.

Lymecycline isn't suitable for some people. To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you:

have ever had an allergic reaction to lymecycline or any other medicine in the past
have kidney problems
are pregnant or breastfeeding
have liver problems
have an autoimmune disease called lupus
have myasthenia gravis - a rare muscle-weakening disease

For acne, it's usual to take 1 capsule of lymecycline once a day, usually in the morning. Each capsule contains 408mg of lymecycline.

When you take it for other infections, follow your doctor or pharmacist's instructions.

Swallow the capsule whole, along with a glassful of water (a medium-sized glass - 200ml).

You can take this medicine with or without food. But you're less likely to feel sick if you have it with food.

Carry on taking this medicine until the course is completed, even if you feel better.

If you stop your treatment early, your problem could come back.

If you forget to take your medicine, take it as soon as you remember, unless it's nearly time for your next dose.

In this case, just leave out the missed dose and take your next dose as normal.

Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one. And never take 2 doses at the same time.

If you forget doses often, you could set an alarm to remind you.

You can also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to remember your medicines.

Taking an extra dose of lymecycline by accident is unlikely to cause any harm.

Speak to your pharmacist or doctor if you're worried or you take more than 1 extra dose.

Like all medicines, lymecycline can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.

These common side effects happen in more than 1 in 100 people.

Keep taking the medicine, but tell your doctor if the side effects bother you or don't go away:

Serious side effects are rare.

Stop taking lymecycline and call a doctor straight away if you get:

pale poo with dark pee, yellow skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow (this can be a warning sign of liver problems)
your skin becomes very sensitive to the sun

It's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to lymecycline.

These are not all the side effects of lymecycline.

For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.

You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme.

What to do about:

feeling sick - try taking lymecycline with or after food to see if that helps ease your symptoms. It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food while you're taking this medicine.
stomach pain - try to rest and relax. Putting a heat pad or covered hot water bottle on your stomach may also help. If you're in a lot of pain, speak to your pharmacist or doctor.
diarrhoea - drink plenty of water or other fluids to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.
headaches - make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Do not drink too much alcohol. Everyday painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, are safe to take with lymecycline.