Vibramycin is an antibiotic. Antibiotics are drugs made from bacteria. As medicines, they are used to combat diseases that are caused by pathogens. They start the process of antibiosis, in which living cells suppress the vital activity of other living cells. As a result, not only infectious agents can suffer, but also body tissues. This principle of action causes an ambiguous attitude toward these drugs, but often it is the only way to defeat a disease.
This medication has a bacteriostatic effect. Its antibacterial effect is achieved by inhibiting protein synthesis. Thus, Vibramycin is prescribed for diseases of the lower respiratory tract caused by Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenza, Klebsiella pneumonia, and other susceptible strains. It can also be prescribed for pneumonia caused by mycoplasma pneumonia and for chronic bronchitis as well as sinusitis.
Infections caused by Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus faecalis, and similar bacteria are successfully targeted with this antibiotic. It can also help with various sexually transmitted diseases. Doctors can also suggest using Vibramycin for acne if antibiotic treatment is needed. These are just a few health issues that Vibramycin can help with.
Vibramycin is not only used to treat health problems, but it can also be taken as a preventative measure for Japanese river fever, traveler’s diarrhea, leptospirosis, and malaria. Malaria prophylaxis should be carried out in accordance with current practice because of the potential for resistance to develop. In clinical practice, this drug is also used as an accompanying medication in cases of severe acne, yersiniosis, actinomycosis, and Lyme disease. As you can see, Vibramycin is a wide-spectrum antibiotic but the good sides of this medication go hand in hand with some unpleasant side effects that we will review next.
Side effects
Benign increase in intracranial pressure (decreased appetite, vomiting, headache, papilledema), as well as toxic effects on the central nervous system (dizziness or unsteadiness), were seen during the Vibramycin treatment course
Nausea, constipation or diarrhea, glossitis, dysphagia, esophagitis, gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulceration, and enterocolitis are the side effects related to the digestive system. Allergic reactions to the components of the drug included maculopapular rash, pruritus, skin flushing, angioedema, anaphylactoid reactions, and drug lupus erythematosus.
Hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and eosinophilia are also some of the undesired effects of this medication. Other side effects included photosensitivity, superinfection, persistent discoloration of tooth enamel, inflammation in the anogenital area of the perineum, candidiasis (vaginitis, glossitis, stomatitis, proctitis), and dysbacteriosis.
Dosages of Vibramycin
As with many drugs, especially if they are not sold over the counter, the dosage and the duration of therapy depend on the diagnosis and condition of the sick individual and should be determined by the attending physician. The most common dosage is 100 mg and 200 mg for more serious cases taken once a day, but it can be as low as 40 mg.
The dosages for kids over 12 are calculated for each patient individually based on their weight and the cause behind their illness. Most antibiotics are taken for 5 to 7 days and 2 days after the symptoms have disappeared.
Usage instructions
The absorption rate of doxycycline, the active substance of Vibramycin, is very high with oral administration. Studies show that it differs from other tetracyclines, so one can eat food, including milk (which is a no-no for other tetracyclines) at the same time the pill was taken without hindering the treatment process.
The drug is often used in the form of a suspension, which is obtained by adding a small amount of water to the tablet. The suspension should be drunk while sitting or standing, long before bedtime, to reduce the risk of developing irritation or ulcers in the esophagus. If irritation of the esophagus occurs, it is recommended to combine it with food intake.
The usual adult dose for acute infections is two 100 mg doses or one 200 mg dose on the first day, then 100 mg per day on subsequent days. For severe cases, a high dose of 200 mg per day is prescribed for the entire period of treatment.
Taking more than required may lead to a higher chance of experiencing adverse effects. As with any antibiotic, you should continue to take the medication for 24-48 hours after the disappearance of the symptoms and fever. This will ensure that all the infectious bacteria are fully defeated. After all, one needs only a few left to have the disease fire back up.
For individuals over 12 years of age with a body weight of up to 100 pounds, the typical dose on the first day of the treatment course is 2 mg/lb of body weight. It can be used all at once or split into two doses. On subsequent days, the dose is 1 mg/lb of body weight (for 1 or 2 doses) for more severe infectious diseases, up to 2 mg/lb of body weight can be prescribed. If the weight exceeds 100 pounds, one would use the usual adult dose.
These dosages are just for informational purposes. The use of the drug for the treatment of individual infections, the dosage, and the duration depends on the diagnosis and should be determined by the attending physician.
Pricing of Vibramycin
Although it is hard to find a brand name for Vibramycin in Canada, the pharmacies propose prices around $340-350 for 100 pills with a 100mg dosage. One can also buy a generic version of the same medication and pay only $80-100 for the same amount of pills with the same dosage. This greatly explains the shortage of brand products on the market.
The generic version of Vibramycin in the United States is sold for around the same price as in Canada. The price for brand-name medication runs higher at around $150-200 for 100 pills with a 100mg dosage.
Overdose
Alcohol may decrease the half-life of doxycycline, which in turn can increase the risk of overdose. Acute antibiotic overdose is rare, though. In case of overdose, one should stop taking Vibramycin. Gastric lavage and maintenance therapy should be carried out as soon as possible.
It is worth noting that dialysis does not affect the serum half-life, so it is not effective in overdose treatment.
Precautions of Vibramycin
Vibramycin can be used by adults and individuals over the age of twelve. It is also not prohibited for use if one has diabetes. This medication, though, should not be used for the treatment of any diseases if you are pregnant or lactating. Individuals with allergies should use Vibramycin with caution.
As with any medication, you should let your doctor know about any current medications you are taking. This is necessary to prevent any undesired drug interactions that can not only slow down your treatment process but also put your health and life at risk.
Several cases of pregnancy and bleeding have been reported with the simultaneous use of Vibramycin and oral contraceptives. When prescribing Vibramycin, it must be taken into account that one can end up with permanent teeth being discolored or having enamel hypoplasia.
FAQ
What types of Vibramycin are available?
Vibraycin is sold in capsules, as lyophilisate for solution for intravenous administration, as well as coated tablets. The medical specialist who will be prescribing this medication will determine which form of this medication will be best for your case. You will typically see Vibramycin sold in the strength of 50 mg or 100 mg.
Is Vibramycin sold over the counter?
This medication is sold only to people who have a doctor’s prescription. For this, you need to make an appointment with your family doctor or any other specialist depending on your health problem. In some cases, it is possible to get a prescription online.
How to reduce long-term costs?
There are multiple ways to cut your medication costs. First of all, you can buy a generic version of Vibramycin – Doxycycline. A generic drug is a copy of the medicine that matches the original in terms of the amount of active substance, safety, effect on the body, quality, characteristics, and purpose.
When a new drug is invented, it is researched and tested for a long time, and then a patent is issued. When the document expires, other companies also get the right to produce similar medicines – generics. The invention of a new drug, the process of its testing, clinical trials, and registration takes a long time. Sometimes it can take 10-15 years until the first package goes on sale. This process is economically expensive, so the original drug is often expensive, while generic versions are sold at a fraction of that price.
You can also check out different brick-and-mortar as well as online pharmacies. It is also often worth considering shipping medicine to the United States from Canada as the pricing difference can be significant.
Why is Vibramycin so powerful?
As you saw a long list of illnesses this medication is used to treat, you might wonder how it does this. Although there are a lot of wide-spectrum antibiotics nowadays, Vibramycin is special. Its active ingredient is able to get deep into the individual’s tissues, ending up right inside the cells. Once in the cell, it can kill intracellular organisms that most antibiotics cannot even reach.
How quickly will I see the Vibramycin effect?
Vibramycin starts working in as little as 2 hours after you swallow the pillow and even faster if you have it injected. Unfortunately, this does not mean that the disease symptoms will go away right then. It typically takes one to two days for the person to see any effect at all. Please keep in mind that you need to continue to take this medication as prescribed by the medical specialist even after all the symptoms go away to ensure that they do not come back.