Tetralysal (lymecycline)

Tetralysal is a treatment for spots and pimples associated with whiteheads and blackheads.

Buy Tetralysal (lymecycline) online

Please complete a free consultation online in order to purchase Lymecycline. The consultation is quick and easy, and the doctor will contact you via your patient dashboard if more information is required. Once approved, the medication is sent for next day delivery.

What is Tetralysal?

Tetralysal contains the active ingredient lymecycline, which is a tetracycline antibiotic medicine. Lymecycline attacks the bacterium called Propionibacterium acnes that is a major cause of spots and pimples. Lymecycline readily passes through the cell membrane of the bacterium where it inhibits protein synthesis thereby preventing bacterial cell growth and replication. Tetralysal can also be a treatment option for other bacterial infections.

How to use Tetralysal

Tetralysal is a hard gelatine capsule that is swallowed whole with plenty of water. Each Tetralysal 300 mg capsule is equivalent to 408 mg of lymecycline.

Your doctor will inform you of how you should exactly take this medicine. For the treatment of acne, the usual dosage is one 300 mg per day for at least 8 weeks. Other infections may have different dosage requirements. You should know that acne is slow to respond to antibiotic treatment and that the full course of capsules should be completed. Stopping too early could result in worsening or return of the problem. Because of the risks to kidney and/or liver function, do not use Tetralysal capsules that are passed their expiry date and have the regular blood tests that are requested by your doctor if your treatment is prolonged.

Take the capsule at about the same time daily. Seek medical advice if you have taken too many capsules. Forgotten capsules should be taken when remembered unless it is nearly time for the next dose when it should be missed entirely. The next dose should be taken as usual (it must not be twice the prescribed dose).

Who can use Tetralysal?

Tetralysal is for adults, older people, and children aged 12 years or older. It must not be taken by younger children (particularly children younger than 8 years) or pregnant and breastfeeding women. This is because Tetralysal may affect the normal growth and development of teeth and cause discoloration of tooth enamel.

Tetralysal should not be used if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to lymecycline, other tetracycline antibiotics, or to any of the other of the medicine's ingredients. People who have ever had kidney disease, or have impaired kidney or liver function, systemic lupus erythematosus, or myasthenia gravis should notify their doctor before taking Tetralysal. Exposure to direct sunlight or artificial sunlight (e.g. from sunbeds) should be avoided as it may cause skin discomfort.

Caution is advised if you take other medicines as well as Tetralysal, so mention all your current or recent medicines to your doctor. You must not take some medicines when taking Tetralysal. These include the antibiotic penicillin (its action is affected by Tetralysal), methoxyflurane (risk of death from kidney toxicity), and oral retinoids (for skin conditions) or products containing 10 000 IU/day or more of vitamin A (for acne). Also mention blood thinners, diuretics and other acne treatments. Certain medicines interact with Tetralysal affecting this medicine's action and so should be taken 2 hours before/after taking Tetralysal. These include antacids (for indigestion) or supplements containing calcium, zinc, magnesium, aluminium, or iron; medicines healing ulcers, or quinapril (for high blood pressure).

Tetralysal side effects

Immediately stop taking Tetralysal and see your doctor if you experience swelling of the face, tongue and throat, breathing difficulties, skin blisters or peeling, hives, mouth or genital/anal lesions, visual disturbances, or severe/persistent headaches.

Nausea, diarrhoea, stomach ache, and headaches are common when taking Tetralysal. Other side effects may include dizziness, fever, vomiting, gut inflammation, liver inflammation (hepatitis), yellowish eyes or skin (jaundice), changes in blood test results, skin sensitivity to sunlight, and increased brain pressure. Some side effects of Tetralysal may occur with any of the tetracycline antibiotics. Additional to some of the above, these include problems swallowing, pancreas inflammation, liver damage, genital, anal or colon infection, teeth discolouration, and permanent visual loss.

Reviewed by: Dr Loraine Haslam MBBS, DRCOG, DFSRH, LoC SDI, LoC IUT, MRCGP
GMC registration number: 4524038
Date: 16 August 2022
Next review: 15 August 2024
All UK registered doctors can have their registration checked on
The Medical Register at the GMC website.

Information Leaflet

Source and further information

Download Tetralysal Patient Information Leaflet