Precautions

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Do not use this medicine if you are also using methoxyflurane (Penthrane®) or have used disulfiram (Antabuse®) in the last 2 weeks. Do not drink alcohol and other products containing propylene glycol while you are using this medicine and for at least 3 days after your last dose.

If your condition does not improve or if it becomes worse, check with your doctor.

Using this medicine while you are pregnant, especially during the second and later part of a pregnancy, can harm your unborn baby. Birth control pills may not work as well to prevent pregnancy when used with this medicine. Use an effective form of birth control (eg, condoms, spermicide) to keep from getting pregnant. If you think you have become pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor right away.

Metronidazole may cause some people to become dizzy, clumsy, or trouble seeing clearly.

Children or teenagers who have or who are recovering from chickenpox or influenza should not use this medicines unless directed by the child's doctor. If nausea or vomiting occurs after using this medicine, check with the child's doctor right away.

Tetracycline may cause your skin to be more sensitive to sunlight than it is normally. Exposure to sunlight, even for brief periods of time, may cause a skin rash, itching, redness or other discoloration of the skin, or a severe sunburn. When you begin taking tetracycline:

  • Stay out of direct sunlight, especially between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., if possible.
  • Wear protective clothing, including a hat. Also, wear sunglasses.
  • Apply a sunblock product that has a skin protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Some patients may require a product with a higher SPF, especially if they have a fair complexion. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.
  • Apply a sunblock lipstick that has an SPF of at least 15 to protect your lips.
  • Do not use a sunlamp or tanning bed or booth.

You may still be more sensitive to sunlight or sunlamps for 2 weeks to several months or more after stopping tetracycline. If you have a severe reaction, check with your doctor.

Bismuth subsalicylate may cause your tongue to become a darker color or even black. It may also make your stools (bowel movements) black. This is only temporary and will not hurt you. Your tongue and stools will go back to normal when you stop using this medicine. Ask your doctor about this if you have any concerns.

Check with your doctor right away if you start to have a stiff neck, drowsiness, fever, severe headache, nausea, vomiting, painful eye movements, or eye sensitivity to light. These could be symptoms of a serious condition called aseptic meningitis.

Check with your doctor right away if you are having burning, numbness, tingling, or painful sensations in the arms, hands, legs, or feet. These could be symptoms of a condition called peripheral neuropathy.

This medicine lowers the number of some types of blood cells in your body. Because of this, you may bleed or get infections more easily. Avoid people who are sick. Wash your hands often. Stay away from rough sports or other situations where you could be bruised, cut, or injured. Brush and floss your teeth gently. Be careful when using sharp objects, including razors and fingernail clippers.

Serious skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have black, tarry stools, blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, chest pain, chills, cough, diarrhea, fever, itching, joint or muscle pain, painful or difficult urination, red irritated eyes, red skin lesions, severe acne or skin rash, sore throat, sores or ulcers on the skin, swollen glands, unusual bleeding or bruising, or unusual tiredness or weakness while you are using this medicine.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions. Check with your doctor right away if you have feeling of warmth, itching, redness of the face, neck, arms and occasionally, upper chest, or redness of the skin.

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect the results of certain medical tests (eg, x-rays).

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or non-prescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Portions of this document last updated: March 01, 2024

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