Let's take a minute to talk about your medication.

This is minocycline. It is an antibiotic that treats infections caused by bacteria. It cannot treat infections caused by viruses, like the common cold. 

You should take this medicine exactly as your doctor tells you to. You should swallow the capsule or tablet whole with a full glass of water. Make sure to finish the full course of treatment, or the infection could return and be hard to treat.   

Most people tolerate this medicine well. Common side effects include dizziness and feeling tired. You should wait until you know how this medicine affects you before you do activities that require you to be alert, like driving. This medicine can also make your skin sensitive to sunlight. You should protect your skin with sunscreen and protective clothing. Also, you should not use tanning beds or sunlamps. If these or other side effects become reasons you want to stop taking this medicine, please talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

As with any medicine, rare but serious side effects could occur. You should read the Patient Information Sheet to know which symptoms to watch for and when to report changes. As with any antibiotic, diarrhea can occur. You should call your doctor if diarrhea is severe, if it lasts for more than 2 days, or if it contains blood.

Minocycline can harm unborn babies. Women should check with their doctors before becoming pregnant and before breastfeeding. 

Minocycline can interact with other medicines. You should always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking other medicines. 

For best results with minocycline, be sure to finish the full course of treatment. Also, tell your doctor if your condition does not improve in a few days, or if it gets worse instead of better.