Tick bite symptoms and conditions

Last month, I went to see a dermatologist as a result of being bitten by bugs while staying in a motel. The doctor looked at the bites and one particular bite on my right arm, which he said was a tick bite. For that bite, the doctor prescribed to me a drug called Doxycycline HYC for Lyme Disease that I had to take for 30 days. Number one, I hate taking drugs and I have never taken any medication for that long a period of time, except for the Centrum multi vitamin I take on a daily basis.

I went back to the doctor's office earlier this month showing him more bites on my back and a rash on my right leg, the latter of which he said was an allergic reaction to the drug prescribed. He said Doxycycline HYC was the drug that is used to treat Lyme Disease and that I had to finish the course.

On Wednesday of last week, I had four pills left when I noticed a slight change in my vision. I took the pills Wednesday and Thursday and was done with them on Thursday to finish the course. By Saturday, my vision was very blurry and I only have one eye. I wear safety glasses to protect that eye with no prescription in the lenses.

On Saturday, I walked over to the pharmacy and the pharmacist printed out a report on that drug and there is an indication – along with many other side effects – citing blurry vision. On Sunday, I spoke with the doctor's colleague, who asked me whether I was also having headaches while taking that drug. I told the colleague I was having headaches but that I was taking Tylenol when the headaches occurred. The colleague not only told me I could have been prescribed another drug (which I was surprised to hear but would it have mattered anyhow because I only had four pills left) but he also said that my vision will get better but it will take time. I really wish I knew in what time frame my vision will come back because the colleague also mentioned that I may have to see a neurologist and I am wondering because of that statement if something happened in my brain during the times I was getting the headaches that could have affected my vision.

Then I was talking to a nurse friend yesterday concerning the blurry vision – which is still blurry since Saturday of last week – and she asked me if I have diabetes. I told her I do not have diabetes but she said blurry vision is associated with diabetes and that I could lose my sight.

I cannot believe all that has happened as a result of taking that Doxycycline HYC. I also went to have an eye exam and the eye doctor scheduled an appointment for October 8 to see me again to see if the vision clears up on its own. He said if it does not, I must now start to wear prescription lenses. But I am really skeptical about waiting that long because every day I wake up, my vision seems to be getting blurrier and blurrier. I am blown away about all of this -- all as a result of taking that drug. And I have to sit very close to the computer screen in order to see to type anything.

Because my nurse friend was talking about diabetes being associated with the blurry vision, I also went searching about that yesterday and found this statement:

"The use of antibiotics can affect blood glucose levels, at times contributing to elevations and in some cases a decrease in blood glucose levels, depending on the antibiotic used, as well as individual response. Antibiotics are also used for the treatment of infections, which often contribute to elevations in blood glucose, in and of themselves. In the case of Lyme disease the relapsing cyclic activity of the Borreila spirochete, may also contribute to times of elevations in blood glucose, due to the increased presence of infectious organisms during periods of such activity. It is important to discuss your blood glucose response to treatment with your Doctor, as improved blood glucose control during times of treatment
for any infectious state, helps the body put up a better fight."

I am stuck in my apartment scared to death and very, very, very depressed about this blurry vision. Moreover, I unable to drive to the locations I need to get to for my job because not only is it hazardous for me to drive on a consistent basis, but my bills are coming due and no way of paying them.

I have been taking Doxycycline Hyclate 100mg twice a day for 6 days for a tick bite infection. I've developed a rash on the palm of my left hand. It doesn't itch, but burns a little. My doctor says it's not an allergic reaction. I need to get rid of my illness, and the rash really doesn't bother me that much. What I fear are what internal side effects I might be having from reacting to the medicine.

Until yesterday, I took 14 days of a 4 week prescription of 100 mg twice a day doxycycline for a tick bite rash. I rarely take any medication. The first week I just had mild side affects. Late in the second week I started to notice that I was becoming increasing anxious for no apparent reason. Even after hard exercise the anxiety seemed to be persistent as if an impending panic attack. Yet, I had no external reason to explain the anxiety.

After two additional days the anxiety seemed to keep ramping up and I began to get very dizzy when I moved suddenly or bent down to pick up items from the floor. The pressure behind my eyes also feel like it was increasing. I was afraid my blood pressure was spiking but in actuality it was probably either cranial pressure or simply an fight or flight anxiety response. I also experience some pretty vivid dreams.

I finally searched online and found no official symptom of anxiety for doxycycline but found people complaining about it unofficially. I spoke with my pharmacist who also said she had no listing of anxiety as a known symptom for the drug. She suggested I stop taking it and see if my symptom subside.

It has been 24 hours since my last dose and the anxiety has reduced substantially but not completely. I feel like I have a hang over today but otherwise I do feel an immediate improvement. I am still a little dizzy but not like yesterday.

Like all drugs, you should be very cognizant of how the drug affects your body - even if a physician tells you otherwise because only you can really tell and everyone has different bio-chemistry which reacts in different ways to different drug compounds.

Hi there everyone. I started taking Doxy 8 days ago, and my side effects with it are......dizziness, headaches, anxiety, panic attacks, stomach upset really bad, I have to eat something before I take it. Really bad and scary feelings flash over me, eyes get blurry at times. Filling really tired, and exhausted. Prickly feelings in my hands, and sometimes in my arms. I don't want to take this anymore, I have called my doctor but no respond yet from them. She gave me 10 more days worth to take, I got a tick bite 15 days ago and this is why they gave it to me, they wanted to cover me for lyme disease or any other disease that I might get with tick bites. Thanks for reading. Take care

I've been on Yaz for about two years. I stopped at one point, because it makes me miserable, but wasn't menstruating after six months (and definitely not pregnant) so my doctor convinced me the Yaz would make me better. Who knows - maybe it just takes more than six months for the 'brain fog" side effect to go away, but I agreed to go back on it. I exercise daily, and I've always been a healthy eater and still am during the day, but after this pill I just want to shove junk food in my face all night or anytime something is stressing me. On Yaz, the wind blowing the wrong way can stress me. Still exercising, but gluttonous, I've gained 20 lbs. I don't remember what having a sex drive feels like, and I've lost all ability to be a patient and upbeat person. I have a B12 deficiency from the pill, and possibly vitamin D as well...the D is fun, because occasionally the joints in my feet and hands swell up, eliminating my ability to function normally, and I get hives. Thanks, Bayer!!

I had to take Doxycycline for 3 weeks last August when a tick bite I had developed the classic "bulls eye"... a sign of Lyme disease. Everything went well for the first 10 days then I started getting kind of nervous and couldn't sleep well at night. I was constantly starving, really ravenous and had to eat constantly otherwise the nausea got worse. I was glad when I was finally able to stop taking the meds, BUT then after 24 hours I became depressed and really fuzzy in my head and disoriented. This lasted for another 2-4 days. I'm feeling much better now, but I have noticed that I'm just a lot more sensitive to other stimulants...coffee, sugar, alcohol, chocolate. I know I have a few other allergies, hay fever, food allergies etc. I was just wondering, does anyone else out there who has had a negative reaction to doxy have any other allergies or intolerances, or asthma? How much sugar, either in the form of sweets or alcohol do you usually consume? Daily, weekly, monthly...none at all? Feedback would be greatly appreciated. I would like to get to the root of this problem.

Wow! Seems as if I'm one of many, many folks with Doxycycline issues. Was prescribed it for symptoms arising from a bad tick bite. Now, in my 5th day of a 10-day course, I have the crushing exhaustion, the mild nausea, the sudden hot flashes and sweats (I didn't even get those during an unmedicated menopause), the aches, the muzzy, on-another-planet head symptoms. I'm thinking that the side effects are better than, say, Lyme or Tularemia – but whew! This has been a stark realization that even if you're a "good patient", even if you read everything that's given to you in connection with a drug, you're still not getting even half the story. And doctors in this managed care world certainly aren't going to tell us. Thanks to everyone who has shared info on this site!

I am having tingling burning sensation in my feet, legs and hands and arms. My blood pressure was not improving on 5 mg so I upped it to 10 and those symptoms are much worse. The tingling sensation goes all the way up my left arm and up above my knees on my legs.

I have tried to take the Lisinipril before and stopped for these same reasons. My doctor does not seem to think that it is due to the Lisinipril. so I tried it again and the burning, burning sensation is driving me crazy and keeping me awake. I have to get up and stand in cold water for a while to get some relief.

I have not read about anyone with the same symptoms. Does anyone out there have these symptoms??

I was prescribed doxycycline for possible lyme disease as a precautionary measure after a tick bite followed by a rash and fever. I took only two doses, and since, have been so completely nauseous, it's difficult to function. I've had terrible acid reflux and get the shakes and horrible stomach pain if I don't eat immediately when I feel hungry. My stomach aches constantly and I haven't had a bowel movement for a week. It has been 5 days since I took the last dose.

Nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, acid stomach, dry mouth, dry throat, tight breathing.

I'm taking 200 mg doxycycline, twice a day. I'm 6 weeks into a 9 week regimen for suspected but unconfirmed lyme disease (no memory of tick bite and no positive tests), and in conjunction with permanent Ceftin 500 mg twice daily as a prophylactic against strep which triggered an apparent and ongoing Rheumatic Fever. (I think my doctor is more confused than I am.)

I've gotten nausea and acid stomach, but both of these are lessened if I drink a large glass of water with the doxycycline. 200 mg can be hard to keep down.

I vomited once but only after taking it with other medicines which my doctor assured me wouldn't interfere. So I spaced them apart by 2 hours and started eating some food prior to the doxycycline, and the result was no more nausea or vomiting, and a much easier time.

Headache & dizziness are reduced when I take the doxycycline with food, and then it seems not to hit me as fast or as hard, and so I tolerate it much better.

At first I thought the doxycylline was helping relieve some kind of bronchial infection, but it was actually just drying out my mucus membranes. Now I wake up early with dry mouth, dry throat, and even my lungs get dry which is causing mild difficulty breathing. The bronchitis I thought it was helping was actually not an infection but an autoimmune symptom of the Rheumatic Fever, and it wasn't really helping with that, it just made it drier. Now instead of coughing up fluid, I get this unproductive dry pain when I cough, and my cough sometimes tastes like blood. I feel the dry pain in my lungs all the time now. I'd rather have the fluid.

3 weeks left on this regimen, which seems like an eternity, but I'll try to stay the course since I want to rule out lyme disease. All these high-dose powerful antibiotics and doctors don't even know what I have. They don't seem to be helping me much.

I started doxy about a week ago..100mg twice a day for a bullseye rash after a tick bite. My hands feel hot and tingely...like burning sensation...is that common????

I took doxcycline for aprox. 12 days due to a definite tick bite. I had a very nasty bullseye on my upper leg. Even though the blood test showed negative - the bullseye rash was evident, & doxycycline was prescribed as the better, stonger medicine for treating Lymes disease. the symptoms that I was having were spuratic in the beginning. (3rd - 4th) day, - slight hot & cold feeling as I slept @ night resembling a slight fever, which was uncomfortably noticeable.
Some nausea also. On the 10th - 12th days I had an irritating thin skinned feeling in my hands - washing my hands with cool water would give an icy glow to my hands as well as a cool breze or wind an my hands; super sensitive discomfort. Also while sleeping with my hands under the blankets - I would feel the sensation as if my hands were glowing hot. My lips felt a sight burning also. In addition to those symptoms, I felt as though I was developing sort of a head cold with headache & my eyes hurt. Fatigue was evident. The doctor said to stop the medicine; & that 10 days of doxycycline was enough time to combat the Lymes.

I was precribed doxycycline for 10 days after a tick bite (prophylaxis for Lyme disease). Developed serious nausea on day two, followed by continuous low grade nausea. Complete loss of appetite, and terrible fatigue. Developed low level chest pains and tightening of chest on day 6. Chest pain increased through day 7 and is now approaching acute level. I'm not taking any more of this stuff - calling doctor in the morning.

I have developed very uncomfortable and excessive gas, nausea, whitened skin, and uncomfort when eat any dairy product.
Im taking it to prevent limes desease from a tick bite.
errrr...I hate ticks