Blemix

Warning!

- This medicine may reduce your ability to drive or operate machinery safely. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medicine affects you and you are sure it won't affect your performance.
- Slight blue/black/grey staining of the skin, teeth, nails, inside of mouth, eyes, tears, breast milk or sweat has sometimes been reported with this medicine. This can occur at any time but is more common during long-term treatment. Any skin or mouth staining usually disappears a few months after stopping treatment, but staining in other parts of the body, although less common, may persist. A persistent muddy-brown skin stain has also been reported, particularly in sun-exposed areas of skin. Consult your doctor without delay if you notice any staining so your treatment can be reviewed.
- If treatment with this medicine is continued for longer than 6 months, then your doctor should ask to see you regularly, usually every three months, to monitor for possible side effects on the liver or a condition called systemic lupus erythmatosus.
- Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, it is important that you finish the prescribed course of this antibiotic medicine, even if you feel better or it seems the infection has cleared up. Stopping the course early increases the chance that the infection will come back and that the bacteria will grow resistant to the antibiotic.
- Broad-spectrum antibiotics can sometimes cause diarrhoea. If you experience diarrhoea that becomes severe or persistent or contains blood or mucus, either during or after taking this medicine, you should consult your doctor immediately.
- This medicine should be swallowed whole with plenty of water while you are sitting or standing. This is to prevent the medicine irritating the throat. Avoid taking a dose just before going to bed.
- Consult your doctor if you get a severe persistant headache, or double or blurred vision while taking this medicine.

Use with caution in

- Abnormal muscle weakness
- Decreased liver function
- Long-term inflammation of skin and some internal organs (systemic lupus erythematosus)
- People taking medicines that may have side effects on the liver
- Severely decreased kidney function

Not to be used in

- Allergy to other tetracycline antibiotics, eg doxycycline, minocycline
- Breastfeeding
- Children under 12 years of age
- Kidney failure
- Pregnancy

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

- This medicine should not be used during pregnancy as it may be harmful to the unborn baby. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
- Significant amounts of this medicine may pass into breast milk. It should not be used by breastfeeding mothers. Discuss this with your doctor.

Label warnings

- Do not take iron preparations or indigestion remedies at the same time of day as this medication.
- Take at regular intervals. Complete the prescribed course unless otherwise directed.