What is Doxycycline?
Doxycycline belongs to a class of antibiotics called tetracyclines and works by inhibiting the growth of bacteria. It is an antibiotic medication commonly used to treat bacterial infections.
Doxycycline is an antibiotic that fights many kinds of infections, including those in the lungs, bladder, skin, and eyes, and even some sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea. It comes in pills, capsules, or liquid forms and is usually taken by mouth.
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Get A Second OpinionUses of Doxycycline
Doxycycline is used in the treatment of
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Itching
- Sore throat
- Swollen tongue
- Dry mouth
- Anxiety
- Backpain
- Changes in skin colour
Serious Doxycycline side effects are
- Headache
- Blurred vision
- Hives
- Skin redness
- Breathlessness
- Swelling of eyes, face and throat
- Unusual bleeding
- Joint pain
- Chest pain
- Discoloration of adult teeth
If you experience serious symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. If you have any adverse reactions to Doxycycline, avoid it.
Who should avoid using Doxycycline?
Doxycycline may not be suitable for everyone. Individuals with certain conditions should avoid using. Some conditions include:
- Lupus
- Hypertension
- High pressure in skulls
- Double vision
- Yeast infection
- Stomach surgery
- Asthma
- Kidney or Liver Disease
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding: Doxycycline may harm fetal bone development and can pass into breast milk, posing risks to infants.
Precautions:
- Tell Your Doctor: Let your doctor know about all the medications, vitamins, and supplements you take.
- Birth Control: Doxycycline might make birth control pills less effective, so be careful if you depend on them.
- Sun Protection: Doxycycline increases sun sensitivity. Use sunscreen and reduce sun exposure.
- Malaria Prevention: Doxycycline alone doesn't protect against malaria. Use mosquito nets and repellents in malaria-prone areas.
How to get rid of side effects?
General instructions to avoid side effects
- Follow the Doctor's instructions carefully
- Stray hydrated
- Adjust Dosage or Timing
- Do not skip the dose
- Protect your skin using sunscreen with a high SPF
- Use probiotics
- Keep track of your symptoms
- Take with meal
Everyone reacts differently to medications, so what works for one person may not work for another. Always follow your doctor's advice.
How to Take Doxycycline?
Doxycycline comes in various forms, including tablets, capsules, and syrup.
- Tablets are typically taken once or twice a day.
- Capsules: Swallow them without splitting or crushing them.
- Syrup: Shake the Doxycycline syrup before consumption.
- Timing with Food: If you experience stomach pain when taking it on an empty stomach, consider taking it after a meal.
- For Malaria prevention:
Begin taking doxycycline tablets 1 or 2 days before travelling to areas with a risk of malaria. - Treatment Duration:
Typically taken once or twice daily for 7-14 days. - Initial Dose:
- For adults, the usual initial dose is 200mg on the first day.
- Alternatively, divide the initial dose into 100mg every 12 hours if preferred.
Forms of Doxycycline
Doxycycline comes in different forms
- Tablets- 50mg, 75mg, 100mg and 150mg
- Delayed-release capsules- 40mg
- Syrup- 50mg/ 5ml (Tablespoon)
- Oral suspension- 25mg/5ml
Missed Dose:
- Missing one or two doses of Doxycycline has no significant effect.
- Skipped doses generally do not pose a problem.
- However, for some medications, missing doses may impact effectiveness.
- Follow your doctor's advice regarding missed doses; they may recommend taking the missed dose as soon as possible.
Overdose:
- Accidental overdose can occur.
- Taking more than the prescribed amount of Doxycycline can lead to harmful effects on bodily functions.
- Overdose of any medication can result in a medical emergency.
Doxycycline Warnings:
Don’t take this drug if you have
- Kidney Disease
- Liver Disease
- Stomach surgery
- Allergic Reactions
Storage:
- Protect from heat, air, and light to prevent damage and harmful effects.
- Store in a safe place, out of children's reach, at room temperature (68ºF to 77ºF / 20ºC to 25ºC).
Doxycycline vs Tetracycline
| Doxycycline | Tetracycline |
|---|---|
| Doxycycline are used for curing different types of infections which include respiratory tract infections | Tetracycline are used to cure different types of bacteria. |
| Side effects of Doxycycline are diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting. | Side effects of tetracycline are rash, vomiting, dizziness and headache |
| Doxycycline tablets are taken once or twice daily for 7-14 days | Tetracycline tablets are taken once or twice daily for 7-14 days. |
| Doxycycline cannot be taken with other medicines which have the presence of aluminium, magnesium and calcium | Tetracycline cannot be taken with penicillin. |
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Book an AppointmentFrequently Asked Questions
Some common side effects of doxycycline are abdominal pain, decreased appetite, diarrhea, headache, joint pain, blurred vision, and increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight.
Doxycyclines are used to kill Escherichia coli infections, Enterobacter aerogenes and Shigella species infection.
Avoid the use of iron supplements, multivitamins, calcium supplements and laxatives 2 hours before taking doxycycline.
Yes, doxycycline is good for sinus infections. The tablets should be taken for 5-7 days for acute sinusitis and for 6 weeks for chronic sinusitis.
It's generally not recommended to use expired medication as it may not be as effective or safe. Always check the expiration date on the packaging and dispose of any expired medication properly.
Doxycycline is not related to penicillin, so it's generally safe for people with penicillin allergies. However, if you have a history of severe allergic reactions, it's essential to inform your doctor before starting treatment.
