I just took one expired minocin (tetracycline) tablet by mistake...?

Question

Just visited a new dermatologist today, he prescribed me a topical cream and gave me some samples of a tetracycline called Minocin.

The problem: The 5 tablet sample bottle I took has a june 2008 expiration date, and about 30 minutes after taking the tablet i looked up the medication online to see what I was taking, saw dire warnings about how expired Minocin and other tetracyclines can cause severe kidney damage, decided to look at my sample bottles for some reason just to check, and saw the worst. "Discard 06/08." I got my candy *** to the bathroom, stuck a toothbrush in my mouth and spit up about 5 times, but I could not get the pill that I could see. My chest hurting and unable to hurl anymore, I am eating as much as I can (I guess to mess up the rate of absorbtion) and here typing. Is 3 months something to really stress about? What should I say to my doc when I call tomorrow as i am sure the brutal verbal waylay I am planning will help neither me nor my chances at genuine treatment for acne. This is such a nightmare what have you my yahoo brethren have to say?

Answer 1

You are stressing yourself out for no reason.  I don't think ONE pill will do any damage.

Answer 2

Although I am no doctor, I think you are worrying too much. The date is just on there so people don't sue. It's probably fine. Calm down just a little. If anything anxiety makes your body worse. If you continue to be worried you will actually become sick, not because of the medication, but because of your nerves. Psychological distress can make you feel sick. Ask the doctor he knows best. And by the way spitting up is not going to help anything.

Answer 3

Tetracycline is one of the drugs that can have very serious effects if taken after expiration, however one tablet that is only three months expired is probably nothing to stress out about.

I would however be sure to point this out to your Doctor, they made a very serious mistake.

Answer 4

Before you get all wack-o on your doctor, call your pharmacist.  My sister is a doctor, and she advised me that if I had any drug questions, to call my pharmacist.

It is their job to be up on medicines...and there are some exceptions about expired medicines, but my pharmacist did tell me once that most drugs are good for up to a year past the expiration date.

You DO need to ask the doctor, however, if those pills can stain your teeth!  I took tetracycline as a 13-year old, for acne, and I wound up with permanently-stained yellow teeth.  It can cause that effect in children. (Under 18)

The topical solution worked well for me--I wound up taking it because the pills made me so sick to my stomach.  The dr. never even warned me about the teeth discoloration....I read it somewhere, and by then, it had already occurred.