Doxycycline Hyclate side effects

Am on my second 3-week course of doxycycline for Lyme disease since the first go round didn't eradicate the infection. Have all the classic side effects mentioned, however the stomach ailments are GREATLY alleviated by taking a strong (70 billion parts per capsule) probiotic. Take it half way between the 2 doxycycline doses and although it isn't magic it does make a difference.
Although I have no appetite, I try to graze lightly on foods that appeal to me throughout the day and that seems to help with many of the horrific side effects.
Also, my MD suggested I take Aleve and NOT Ibuprofen for headaches since the Ibuprofen can cause a "headache" kickback (and causes stomach pain). Don't know if that's true, but the Aleve seems to help a little.
Worst side effects for me are utter exhaustion, dizziness, stomach pain, sore throat, and a head that hurts feels like it is filled with wet cotton. Also heart palpitations which may be part of the Lyme disease.
Hope some of this helps.

On doxycycline now for 3 weeks 100 mg twice per day. I can't stop yawning. I am so tired and it is difficult to concentrate.
Suppose to take the regimen for at least 6 weeks for chronic lyme disease. I skipped last night's dose. Although I am so tired I feel at night like I have a fever and do not sleep more than 6 hours.
-Lizydoo

I began Doxy in Sept of 2007. The first week into it I noticed the roof of my mouth felt strange, kind of rough and sore. I attributed it to the drug and figured it would go away once I was off of it. I began to get a very sore tongue which I attributed to candida....it was a little white too. I was on the drug for five weeks and the mouth symptoms never went away, just went on to become a chronic burning tongue and mouth. Scalded feelings in the mouth as though I had slurped boiling hot coffee. Also, noticed I began feeling very tired and melancholy on the drug....those symptoms have never really gone away. It's been nearly a year and I have tried multiple remedies for my mouth and nothing helps. Has anybody else had the burning and inflammation feeling in their oral cavity. It shows no outward signs.

I've been taking Doxy for only about a week now but since I've been taking it I have been experiencing a burning feeling in my stomach and extreme nausea. I came to this site today after throwing up my breakfast. Reading all these posts only to realize that Doxy not only caused my Nausea problem but problems in my relationship with my boyfriend! I had to apologize to him yesterday after blowing up (several times) crying for stupid reason and being extremely depressed. He thought I was unhappy with him and was about to break up but I told him that I thought my hormones were just not in synch. Now I realized that this drug caued my depression...eeesh! I am relieved to find out I am not crazy. I just got off the phone with him and he's relieved too. I'm going to continue my prescription because I only have a few more days left of it. I feel bad for those of you that were prescribed it for such a long period of time.

Taking this for "cellulites of the face" which I guess basically is a bacterial cyst on my chin that has caused an infection to go into my lymph nodes, which are all very swollen (even ones that I didn't know I had!). After taking 3 doses, we went to a water park for 8 hours (dumb move), and even putting SPF 50 on every 1/2 hour, my skin literally felt like it was melting off of my arms. And it was just my arms, no other part of my body. The second sunlight hit my arms, I immediately got this burning, tingly feeling. The morning after I was expecting to see that my arms were really burned, but they look fine. Other than that, so far I am just extremely tired.

Taking this for a sinus infection that wont go away. Waiting for results of cat scan. I have already tried taking Augmentim 3 times didn't work so not doxycline. The first 2 days was awful stomach issues. Burning in my stomach. The paper said take on empty stomach unless you cant take it so I started taking it right after my meal and much better. The nausea and burning and vomitting feeling went away after 3 days. So did the heartburn. But now I am EXTREME dizzy. While driving I feel out of it and tired and when I get home I start feeling the room spin and freak out so I lay down and then I am done for the night because I am just so dizzy and off balance. Today I got dressed for work and I was going to put on some higher shoes and couldn't balance myself so I stuck to flats. I only have 4 more days of this so I think I may stick it out. I just hope the dizziness goes away.

Hello Everyone,
I am 20 years old and taking doxy for acne. I have been on doxycycline for about a week now, and have been experiancing symptoms since pretty much the get go. I didn't put it together that these things were caused by Doxy until I started researching it. I would keep commenting at work how i felt like something was stuck in my throat, and how nauseous I was. I just thought I was getting sick, but it has continued. It also seems I am having symptoms of a yeast infection. I have never had one before, but it seems to all add up. I also got my eyebrows waxed today and i started bleeding from it, as this makes your skin very sensitive and painful. My skin is looking better already, and this is something that i have struggled with for awhile. I am going to stick with the meds for awhile, and see if the symptoms persist. Having clear skin is something that I have been dreaming of for a long time. haha. so yea I wish everyone the best of luck!!

I'm taking Doxycycline 100mg 5x/day. Started a little over 2 weeks ago for Chronic Lyme. I have a 4 month course to complete.
In the past 14 years after that tick got me I was the living dead, those with Chronic Lyme know what I mean. I have virtually the same side effects as everyone else here and wonder if it even matters how much you take a day. A lot of you have the same doses (100mg 2x/day) and the same degree of side effects as I do. My side effects are headaches or a pain in my right temple whenever I cough, severe itching EVERYWHERE, blisters on my hands from itching, burns on my skin wherever the sun shines on me (I live in Florida), vomiting daily some days worse than others, mood swings, crying for nothing, nausea almost constantly, gassy (both ends), I have a bladder infection that started 2 days ago that after reading this can be attributed to the Doxy, asthma symptoms are getting out of hand, I also have this odd swelling/pain over my liver/gall bladder area that's been coming and going, ears ring, noise bothers me and actually starts a headache, diarrhea the first week and constipation the second week, skin feels tight and there's noticeable swelling all over.

With that said I want to say that yes this is not one of the more pleasant drugs to be on however in my case if I don't get these bugs out of me I am going to die so would rather deal with side effects knowing these bugs are being killed and I will be off them someday unlike the Lyme I will have for eternity. Lyme people and other chronically ill people on these meds say this is called "herxing" and this comes and goes also. You feel really bad and then you feel good, then bad and then good again and so on. I started out on this drug keeping in mind that any sikness/side effect was telling me those bugs are dying so in a sense I almost welcome them.

Good luck everyone:)

I have been taking 100 mg Doxy for about 4 weeks, with 2 weeks left to go. I have experienced the sunburn, even with 50 SPF sunblock! I also have had the tingling feeling when I sweat or am exposed to water. I think this tingling is caused by sun exposure, though. I may not look burned but feel it. Right now I feel like I have acid reflux, almost constantly, like there is a tickle in my throat right under my sternum. No heartburn, just a little queasiness. I found out from this website that you shouldn't take it before you go to bed, which I have been doing, so I'll stop that. I've also been trying to take it without food but it causes my stomach to get upset. Is there any food anyone recommends for dealing with this? Does alcohol affect this?

6 weeks ago, I began taking Doryx 100 once a day for mild acne. 10 days into treatment, I started with what I thought was a yeast infection, feeling as if I was "on fire" in the vaginal area. I used a Monistat 3 and I felt no relief. I went in to a Take Care Clinic at Walgreens and the RN had me do a urine culture. It came back positive, I had a bladder infection. I was prescribed an antibiotic, Cipro 500, dosage of twice daily for 3 days. My symptoms persisted, some days worse than others. A few days later, I went in to my gyne office. The Dr. did a swab test and found no yeast. They took a urine culture and it was negative. She saw some redness and inflammation, but could not explain what it may be from. Perhaps a new soap, she questioned? She prescribed a cream (Lotrisone) to help with the inflammation, but the cream seemed to make the area burn even more. 2 weeks later, my symptoms dulled. However, I felt that there was still something wrong. I received an Rx for Diflucan, as if the symptoms might just be from a yeast infection this time? It's possible, I thought? Again, no relief in site and it's gotten worse. A week later, I go back into the gyne office and another Dr. tells me to try switching soaps again? What's wrong with this picture? I have NEVER had any type of issue in the past and now I am 6 weeks into this one? Doryx is the only thing new that my body has come in contact with. One of the side effects in the pamphlet was "vaginal irritation/discharge." According to the pharmacist, this may occur with prolong use (such as 6 months) of any antibiotic. Although Doryx has cleared up my acne, I have decided to discontinue its use. I am hoping that this cures my symptoms. Were these the side effects from the use of Doryx? I shall see.

Good grief. No wonder I'm so sick. This is only my third day on this med, and I'm nauseated and having hypoglycemic attacks. My dermatologist told me to take it on an empty stomach twice a day, which is hard for me because I'm hypoglycemic and get really ill when I don't eat.

And now this medication on top of it.

I swear she told me not to eat. I even have literature that she gave me that says "take on empty stomach, either one hour before eating or two hours after eating."

The backs of my hands burn and have red blotches...they burn if the sun even touches them (tough to do anything outdoors...michael jackson gloves, or what?)...they also burn when I run water over them. I'm taking 200mg twice daily for chronic lyme...and am toward the end of the second week of a three week protocol. After reading some of these comments and other allergic reactions elsewhere, I've taken my last dose about an hour ago...

(I love the sun, and am afraid I'm turning into some of those people you see with huge wrap around sunglasses and arab clothing...I want the beach, surf and sail...)

I find some of these posts interesting because it seems as if some folks either do not completely read the dosing instructions that come with all medications when they are picked up from a pharmacy or given by a doctor, or they just choose to ignore them. I have been on Doxy for six months for the treatment of Lyme and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It's been no picnic at times but I feel 100 times better than before I started it. When I started taking Doxy, I too didn't pay much attention to the dosing instructions and I learned the hard way with some uncomfortable side-effects. Here are a few recommendations from someone who has been taking this drug long-term. 1. You must eat! Eat a small snack (banana, crackers, fruit) before you take the drug. Do not take it with something that you know upsets your stomach, also do not take it with dairy or any supplements containing magnesium or iron. 2. After taking the drug, eat another small snack, same as in #1. Avoid any of the supplements or dairy listed above for at least two hours. 3. Imperative!!! Take a good probiotic regularly (30-50 billion cfu). Antibiotics are designed to kill stuff in your body. They do not distinguish between bad and good however. You need the probiotic to replace the good bacteria in your digestive tract, otherwise your body will not digest properly. I was constipated for quite some time before I figured this one out. 4. I saw a few other folks mention this one. Do not lay down immediately following taking the drug. Again, I learned the hard way, I had severe GERD for a time as well. 5. Avoid long-term sun exposure. This was the latest. My skin has always had some natural pigmentation in it for a white guy and I have not burned too easily. On the Doxy though, I found out that I burn extremely fast. I guess I will be under an umbrella at the beach in a few weeks. 6. Don't panic! This drug was made to fight infections/disease. Be prepared for some side-effects, but also don't be afraid to see your doctor if they are just unbearable. All people do not respond to medications in the same manner. What works for you or me might not work for someone else. I hope this information helps someone out there. I know it is incredibly frustrating when you are taking something to cure an illness and more things go wrong.

I was diagnosed with the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia.on 6/18/08 the doctor prescribed doxcycl hyc100mg two times daily for 7 days for me and by 6/21/08 I felt miserable and very itchy and red in the vagina and by then I knew it had to be a yeast infection. This was a good drug that worked for me but I wish the doctor would have told me one of the side effects was a yeast infection. I also did take it once on an empty stomach and also felt nausea and dizziness, some diarrhea, and a little stomach pain but when I felt it coming on I ate something immediately. I would advise this drug but take precautions and when taking it.

I have to take Doxy for 2 weeks twice a day. I have all the same side effects as everyone has listed here... very down and depressed, itchy pimple rash all over legs, face, neck, chest and back of shoulders, cold sores, severe headache, bloating, stomach pain, tiredness, lack of interest in anything, dry mouth, tingling toes and anxiety. Can't wait to finish the course, but am disappointed to read that the side effects carry on after stopping, does anyone know how long it takes for them to subside?

wow, quite worrying, was prescribed this for an infection after a womb biopsy, The stomach pains are awful,sharp every few minutes,nausea as well, i feel so ill, i am in bed i just cannot function,

I started taking Doxy 100 mg July 2007 for the first time. At first I didn't link my side effects to the pills but after a break from taking it and started up again I finally out two and two together. First, it upset my stomach BIG time immediately after starting on it. I felt bloated and everything I ate upset my stomach--as the result of this I lost about eight pounds from just not eating anymore. I even went to see a GI doctor about my stomach problems! Who recommended I eat more fiber and get more exercise (I told her about all the meds I was on)! I also got sudden and very severe headaches, but the worst side effect of all is the extreme mood swings I had. I think I was going crazy and this almost ended my marriage...all of a sudden I developed low self esteem, constantly thinking I was worthless, fighting with my husband over the stupidest things and even contemplating suicide during the worst spells. I couldn't figure out why the sudden change- at first I thought it was the tough Chicago winter, since I am originally from a much warmer climate, because by this time I had been on doxy for about five months.
I was prescribed the medication to help clear up moderate acne on my back and my dermatologist gave me the prescription for a year, but never said come see me in a month, two months, etc to see how you;re doing. I am so glad that I stopped taking it in February 2008 --- my moods suddenly got better, I was myself again, I started eating again, my GI problems disappeared...and then...in April I started taking it again because with summer coming up again I wanted my acne to clear up- BIG MISTAKE! Within days of starting again my stomach started being upset all the time regardless of what I ate. After the first month I was feeling depressed again, hating myself and not knowing why--this is when i finally figured it out...and decided to stop...I'd rather have pimples on my back than feel the way this medication make me feel, which is pretty much miserable!

I just started taking doxy-hyclate yesterday due to infection in my mouth. I don't have any side effects as of yet, but- hopefully I don't. By reading these blogs- I am slightly scared... I will continue.

Thanks,
Milwaukee WI

I am 19 year old male and was diagnosed with Epididymitis a couple of weeks ago. Prescribed 100mg Doxycycline HYC TB--taken twice daily for 10 days. Aside from the nausea and headaches, I have recently realized a tingling in my right calf. It has probably been feeling this way for about a week now. It feels numb and while there is no actual pain, it is quite uncomfortable
In addition, I recently developed a lump right under my right nipple. It's probably about an inch in diameter and feels as if it's a cyst.
Plus, Im not convinced my Epididymitis has totally gone away. There is still some very minor discomfort in that area.
Any similar side effects?

Death! horrible side effects why taking Doxycycline Hyclate! Everything everyone posted is absolutely true~ while is such drug allowed as a Rx if it can do more harm than good! Impossible to complete the Rx.

I'm not a person who usually has bad reactions to antibiotics but I've never been so miserable as I was taking this drug. I felt excruciating pain in my stomach all day, every day, while taking this medicine. I stopped taking it almost a week ago and I still feel like I have a big lump in my throat making it very painful to swallow. And the worst part is that it was prescribed to me "just in case", so I didn't even have to be taking it. Luckily as soon as my bloodwork came back negative for any bacterial infection things, they let me stop taking it, but like I said, I still feel ill and my throat is killing me.

Finally after a whole week of not eating because of the pain swallowing and the burning in my chest, I am able to eat again! Doctor gave me Omeprozole, 20mgs a day which calms acid, and it seems to be kicking in. They diagnosed Esophagitis, caused by the Doxycycline. I will never take anything again without reading the leaflet and considering alternative more natural remedies!!! Just wanted reassure anyone having problems after taking this - you will be able to eat and swallow it will take a good few days. I took advice to try take down only soft, gentle foods (was all I could do to eat a mouthful of mashed potato or scrambled eggs) and I drank lots of water. Thanks to everyone who showed support via this webpage. : )

Neaseau, fatigue, head aches, back and neck pain (neck pain after 5th day), moody, lack of focus, blurred vision, not good with dairy products (milk)...I don't have problem eating and i have not vomit. Still taking just to get rid of my Epididymitis. I still go to work everyday and still trying to focus of what I have to do.

Don't take Dox before going to bed. Take it with food. good luck.

Hi I am a doctor practicing in Harley Street.

I would first like to point out how useful these message boards are. Many of these side effects such as depression were clearly NOT picked up in drug trials/testing. This is because of the very nature of the side effect, in the way that it may go unnoticed to a degree or not feel like a typical side effect one would receive from acne treatment.

However, this said i have heard of such side effects previous to this forum. Just recently i had an appointment with a young boy of 15 who reported his own noticeable mood changes after 2 months of using the drug.

I would strongly recommend any current users to visit their GP to discuss alternate options as not accepting depression as a side effect can lead to disastrous consequences.

Please get in touch if you have any more concerns - ******

Dr Mohinder F.

I was recently prescribed this drug for mild acne, no advice was given to me about the possible side effects, or how best to take it (sitting up with plenty water) - it has given me severe chest pain, I am unable to swallow, I have cramps, and my last pill was 5 days ago! I only took it for a week. I am so shocked that they dish this out with such little care, yet it such a powerful drug, used for MALARIA!!! Will I ever feel normal and be able to eat properly again?

Im sorry that i didn't read this valuable information before starting this terrible anti biotics. I was prescribed doxy for mild acne, however after two weeks and a visit to the ER what i ended up with was chest pains and a very painful throat. Oh yes added to my panic. Well after two days the chest pains have subsided, but its still painful to swallow and eat. Does anyone know how long this feeling would last? Or whether I should see another doctor. Im hoping that it will get better since ive been off the meds now for about 2 days. Any advice is welcomed. To all who have suffered in someway over this nasty drug, hope you all feel better, and you're not in this alone, apparently we all have suffered in some way. Hope you all feel better soon

Good god. I had some long-named-not-quite-acne thing growing on my face around my nose and mouth and the cream prescribed didn't help so I got Doxy. Today, after having taken it for almost a month, I had the last-straw symptom appear. Blisters on my hands. I spent some time in the sun, with sun screen over what little wasn't covered but I guess the sun screen washed off my hands and where they were exposed is now blistering like I someone threw scalding water on me.

Other symptoms: At first I was nauseous and learned to take food first, then I had the burning hands, feet and face, and now this. I'm done. I'll let you know what horrible things I go through now that I'm going off.

I have been on 200mg per day for 7 months! Seems too long for anyone to be on an antibiotic, since antibiotics can deteriorate your gut and colon. However, I suffer from pemphigus vulgaris, which is an autoimmune blister disease, whereby the body no longer recognizes the skin as part of self and attacks it as an invader. The doxy will make me severely nauseous without food. I have experienced the burning from the inside out, tingling and new blisters from the sun because of the doxy. It has been a long run, I imagine the anxious, depressed emotions could be from the doxy, however I am unsure. Always feeling tired has been quite common. I tried to stop, especially if I were going to be in the sun, but the consequences were severe with new sores appearing from my pemphigus. So in my case apparently the benefit outweighs the risk, for now. I have noticed in my 6 month that my knees and hips are in pain. Is that a side effect of long term use of this medicine? Not that may be worthy of reconsideration, if it is responsible for joint and bone deterioration.

Severe headache, fatigue, diarrhea, and nausea, stomach pain that you wouldn't believe. I have common side-effects to most antibiotics so I wasn't worried at first but now that I have read all these posts I am getting pretty nervous. Last night I was back in the ER for the second time in three days because the lymph nodes and glands in my neck were swollen. The doctor gave me a CT scan and discovered that I had acute bilateral infections in my lymphnodes. An infection that I didn't have before I started taking the medication. This drug is horrible and I don't recommend it to anyone.

Jen
Washington State

I have been taking Doxy since 5/22/08 for mild acne had a couple spots on my shoulders and being the summer season just wanted my clear skin back , just yesterday I've notice my lips very dry and swollen but more so today than before, my hands tingle from lotions or just water kind of like when your foot falls asleep. it's weird, but my skin feels very dry and tight all over not very comfortable I don't think I will continue with the medication I mean I only had a couple bumps now I've got a all kinds of things going on but as I read below I'm not alone. funny thing is the shoulder bumps went away fast but a couple new ones popped up elsewhere go figure right? oh well nothings perfect I guess. I wonder how long before my lips go back to normal.

I took Doxy last summer for cystic acne. It worked fine and I didn't have any problems, and my skin cleared up nicely. I had some left over (bad, bad, I know but it hasn't yet expired!) so I started taking it again about 4 days ago. I noticed, almost immediately, severe tingling and burning in my fingers and hands and up into my arms when I am out in the sun and for hours afterwards. Also water (like washing my hands) makes the tingly feeling much worse. Weird, right? My two index fingers are bright red and any touch burns.

It's weird because last summer when I was on it I was out in the sun all the time with no problems at all.

I have been taking 100mg Doxy twice a day for a week now. I'm really glad I found this site because I have been exhausted and I couldn't figure out why. I now know it must be the Doxy. I am taking it for an acne infection. I had been on birth control pills plus spironolactone for over two years- the combination of those two things had totally cleared my skin- so I foolishly decided to go off the birth control and spironolactone thinking my skin would be fine... well two months later my face started breaking out and by the third month I had severe cystic acne on my previously flawless skin! SO the dermatologist put me back on birth control pills and spironolactone, but since that would take at least a month to start working, he also prescribed the Doxy to clear up the infection faster. (I'm providing all of these details in case anyone else is taking Doxy for acne) so I started the Doxy and I think it was by the 4th day or so that I started feeling really tired. I've taken a nap every day for the past few days, AND slept all night. I was going to the gym daily but I could only do half my time on the treadmill last time I went and I haven't gone in two days. I'm also depressed- two days ago I cried three times that one day, yesterday I cried once. I'm just feeling sorry for myself etc- depression for no reason whatsoever. I had been feeling really good about myself all last month- going to the gym, feeling happy & high form the exercise endorphins, finally losing weight, etc, so I know there is NO reason for this tiredness and depression now other than the doxy. Just thought I'd share this because reading all of these posts has really helped me to see that it is just the drug. I will try very hard to force myself to go the gym, even if I can only do half as much. Also, my skin is SLOWLY getting better, but still have another week to go I think. The dermatologist said to take doxy for a month, but I will plan to stop as soon as my skin is clear- hopefully just one more week or two at the most. When my skin is clear I'll take it for one or two more days just to make sure the infection gets totally knocked out, but then that's it, so hopefully I can take it at least one week less than prescribed.

About feeling sick and the sore throat/ "stuck in throat" feeling- I cant stress enough to take it with lots of water and food, standing up, and don't lie down! First of all about feeling sick- I thought I was going to throw up for HOURS one time when I didn't take it with food- horrible feeling!! But this is even worse- about 15 years ago I took doxy and had to go to the hospital because I couldn't breathe, couldn't swallow, and had a splitting migraine headache etc... it had gotten stuck in my esophagus and took days for the symptoms to subside. It took the doctors forever to figure out it was the doxy. You would think I'd never take it again after that, but I know the throat symptom happened from taking it with very little water right before I lay down to go to bed, because I remembered doing that- and I woke up the next day with all of those problems. I still get a little bit of a feeling that I can't swallow as well as I normally can, but it's not that bad- sort of like when you are trying not to cry and feeling "choked up" or with "a lump in your throat"- that kind of a feeling. I think others have described this too, and it's unfortunately normal, to an extent. If it is truly annoying it might be as bad as it got for me 15 years ago, and you should see a doctor because when it was truly stuck in my throat it got worse before it got better.

Hope this helps others.

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.

I have been on Doxy for 2 days now, 100mg 2x daily. I started noticing my face burning and I couldn't figure it out, neck up my head feels on fire. I found this site and now I feel a lot less worried, I think this burning (as if i have a fever on my head only!!!) is caused from this! Thanks guys.

What I am experiencing may or may not be the result of the doxycycline hyclate, but I suspect that it is after reading all of these posts. I took a 100MG doxycycline capsule about a week ago late at night ( to prevent Malaria), laid down, and I woke up to discover a sensation of something being stuck in my throat. That was about a week ago...since then it has progressively become harder to swallow and eat. I have experienced some tingling in my fingers, occasional bouts of nausea and discomfort/pressure in my chest that is very noticeable in my chest when I lie down. Also had severe chronic constipation subsequent to taking the pill, but this may not be related to the doxy, not sure.

I went to the doctor today-the PA ran all kind of tests-EKG, throat x-rays, blood, and urine and didn't see anything abnormal. I hope to find out what the problem is soon.

I was prescribed doxycycline 2xday for seven days. On the third day I started to feel very sick. However, it was not until the 5th/6th day that I began to suspect I was having a reaction to the antibiotic. I have never had a negative reaction to any medication ever. My symptoms started with severe nausea that lasted all day, and extreme tiredness. The symptoms continued to get worse....muscle aches, joint pains, elevated blood pressure, back & neck pains, unfocused vision, confusion, dizziness, loss of appetite, muscle tremors that woke me from sleep, depression, and anxiety. When I discussed with my doctor that I suspected it might be the medication I was dismissed and told I was developing a virus. They had prescribed this medication often with no problems. I decided to try to stick with it for two more days. That was the biggest mistake ever. I can't really describe what it did to my head, but all I could think about was that I was dying. I guess severe anxiety and paranoia. So, I finally stopped taking it.

It took three full days with no medication for my nausea and mental confusion to begin to subside. It took a few more days for most of the muscle and back pain to go away. It also took about seven days for the depression and most of the anxiety to quiet down. It is now 11 days with no medication and I still have diarrhea, and minor joint pain. I have also stopped drinking coffee because I an still a bit anxious. I have not really gotten back to my routine yet, and will probably hold off going to the gym until next week.

The most frustrating thing of all is that this medication was given to me as a preventative before a small surgery. All the symptoms I was supposed to be watching for I was having. I am sure this contributed to the anxiety.

At least most of the symptoms have gotten better, and I am hopeful that they will continue to improve. I have researched serum sickness and it says it can take 1-2 weeks for symptoms to subside, and up to several months in some cases.

Good luck to everyone.

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 have been taking dorxy 100 mg once a day along with a .3% differin cream for mild acne. I have been taking it for about five weeks now. I am twenty years old. At first it only upset my stomach so I took it with food/milk and that helped. But as time progresses, I feel as though my symptoms are getting worse. I constantly have a headache, I am sensitive to sunlight (I do not burn that easily, but bright lights irritate me), loud noises, light headed, sick to my stomach, dizzy, confused. I have severe back pain and pain in my wrists, ankles and especially in my knees. Thankfully my boyfriend has been dealing with what could also be side effects, I easily change moods, I am depressed, I suddenly cry over ridiculous immature situations, I am insecure and refuse to believe anyone that compliments me. I loose my temper easily and never feel like taking part in sexual activity with my boyfriend. I also feel paranoid and worried at times, I feel overly stressed. I do have a lot on my plate with my personal life but I have never acted this way about situations before.

Basically, being happy to crying in half a second, always feeling tired and lazy, no energy, and not being hungry then starving, and feeling sick and dizzy are basically making me wonder if this medicine is worth these side effects. I do not want to risk putting my baby in danger if I ever get pregnant a few years after taking this medication and from what I have read, it could have a life long effect on our bodies.

Although my acne has made me miserable all my life, and seeing the results of it clearing up so quickly makes me SO happy, I am hoping that eventually I will grow out of it. Because in all honesty, we are putting our bodies through so much, all just to have clear skin! Someone out there thinks you are beautiful, regardless of your acne. So I am probably going to talk to my Dr. and discontinue the doryx. I just can't take the side effects any longer. Besides, I read online that in most cases, after you stop taking Dorxy, the acne comes back. Sigh, I don't know guys! This is a tough situation for all of us.

Best of luck, take care everyone. :)

Does anyone have any water blisters or little pimples that are building from taking this medicine? I have them on my face, neck, chest, and back. Its awful. I've never had acne problems b4.

I didn't realize how many problems this med has caused for other people as well. I've been on Minocin for acne and Cipro for prostates in the past and never had any major side effects until taking Doxycycline. I've been on it for two weeks and have two more left for a prostate infection. My latest is an aching pain in my lower legs and tingling in my feet and toes. My main advice for this med would be 1) Take with a decent sized meal and 2) DO NOT lie down for at least one hour after taking or it could irritate your esophagus. I took it before bed the first couple of days and had some bad heartburn for a couple of days but it is gone for the most part now. I've also had the tightness in the face, throat, and chest. My advice there is to relax and take some deep breaths to eliminate any anxiety that could make it worse. If it doesn't go away or gets worse and you have trouble breathing or anything like that you may be having an allergic reaction. I'm definitely going to have a talk with my doctor for not warning me about all of these side effects before putting me on this crap for a month.

I have been taking Doxycycline for 10 days. I noticed on about the 4th day that any sun exposure was painful and also the hands tingling and even burning. But the weirdest of all is the effect water has on my hands. It will cause them to burn and will even turn red on the knuckles. This is painful.This scared me as the doctor didn't go over this with me and I am new to Doxycycline. Thank God today is my last day.

Had used it in the past without a problem. Then developed rash on abdomen, face, and scalp with single dose. Didn't make connection. Rash went away in a day or so. Used Doxy again three weeks later. Again, had severe rash plus some chest congestion with one dose.

I am experiencing a dull pain in my right leg. My leg also feels heavy and numb. Also I have right side abdominal pain that spreads to my lower back. I am on 100mg twice daily and I have only been on it for six days. I've called my doctor to see if I can spread out the dosage to once daily as I have five pills left. My prescription is only for a week.

I have been on Doxy now for about 6 weeks for a couple chronic infections. I have noticed it does make me sick to my stomach when I take it on an empty stomach. Well, about three days ago I started to feel like maybe I was having heartburn but it was a different feeling. I felt like I had food stuck in my esophagus and it hurt right at the end about where the breast bone ends and up in my throat. I felt like it was spasming and the pain would refer to my jaw. I have never had heartburn much and certainly nothing like this. I hurt all day long and the pain was worse when I ate or drank. Of course I was freaking out until I saw on this site that Doxy can cause damage and apparently a lot of pain. I think it was my fault though because I didn't always take it with a full glass of water and I often took it right before I went to bed and sometimes while I was still in bed. No one told me not to lay down after taking it or anything. The only info i got was a little explanation that it can cause an upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting so take it with some food if that occurs. Well, i would definitely recommend taking it with some food an apple or something and not before you go to bed, and drink a lot of water with it!!!
I have a Dr. apt next week but I am going to try not taking it for a few days to see if the pain lessens.

I was on Minocycline (a cousin to Doxycycline Hyclate) for years. I’m not sure how long exactly as I didn’t write down the date that I started, but I believe I have been on it around 3-4+ years. Well I went to a dermatologist and he instantly looked at the outer area of my arms (just above the elbow) and recognized I am suffering from skin discoloration, and prescribed Doxycycline, and told me to stop taking Minocycline right away. I also have this blue-gray skin discoloration on my back near my shoulder blades. I took my Minocycline for the next two weeks till the Doxycycline came in then stopped the minocycline, and started Doxycycline on Sunday. I take a 100mg pill twice daily with a meal, and thus far have had no issues. Keep in mind that I have been on Minocycline for the past 4 years or so and maybe I’ve been suffering similar side effects on that drug, thus I would be unable to see the difference with Minocycline’s cousin Doxycycline. I am pretty sure the first year or two that I was on Minocycline I was depressed (other things in life may have contributed to this depression, but now that I see all of these people saying they have had mood swings, I must state that I have had many more mood swings in recent years then I ever remember before being on these meds). I have also been extremely sleepy the past few years. I used to NEVER be able to fall asleep in public, but (I believe about the same time I started Minocycline) I gained the ability to sleep anywhere. Now I mean, anywhere. I can sleep even after I get anywhere between 6 and 14 hours of sleep. I have had approx 7-9 hours of sleep on average for the past 6 months, yet am always tired. I can’t remember the last time I haven’t been sleepy, and have had many doctor visits to attempt to discover the reason for this, but hadn’t read the side effects of Minocycline. I’ve still been pretty sleepy since Sunday, but I’ll hope that this Doxycycline isn’t as bad. Anyone else have a similar issue, where you used to be awake, but now you are always sleepy (wake up in the mornings a bit dizzy and confused), and have a hard time concentrating on one thing at a time?

Thought the tingling and severe burning was from Yoder's Good Health Receipe. But I've had all these herbs previously. Then researched side effects from Doxyclycline. Wow! I started with severe tingling on hands, which turned to burning. Spread to face, elbow area, knees and ankles. Is this normal? I've been miserable for 2 day. Minor sun exposure. Gees!

Mycobacterium Marinum Infection of the Skin, prescribed 100mg, twice a day for 6 plus weeks. Lumps showed up on my hair line at my neck. Ringing in my ear. Stopped the Doxy, after 1 week The ringing in the ear persists.

I have had the worst period of my life and a headache still, after being off of it for over a week. my stomach is also still messed up. how long does the side effects last?

Wow, I thought I was crazy and even thought I was pregnan! The symptoms of this stuff will drive anyone nuts. I have the gas, bloating, dizziness, nausea, lower abdominal cramps, EXTREME exhaustion, difficulty breathing, foggy in the head, pressure in the head/mild, constant headache, lack of interest in anything, loss of appetite, feeling sad and depressed, and an over-all feeling of not knowing myself. All this started on the beginning of the 3rd week of treatment. I really want my Acne to be gone because I am 41 and not loving the pizza face, but this stuff iss making me crazy! I'm drinking alot of herbal teas and juices to try and keep something in my stomach at all times because I don't eat much anymore. I hope that by the end of my 1st bottle, the weirdness, pains, and the feeling of having a vice grip on my head, will go away. If not, I'm calling it quits with this drug! Good luck all.

I have a severe eye infection going on 2 years+ Combo dry eye,blepratis etc.my eye glands are all stopped up!
Vanderbilt Eye Dr. Put me on this for 90 days, plus antibotic drops,
warm compresses, systane drops, I'm afraid of the side effects,
been on it 1 day, 100mg twice daily. I'm on Zyban for depression,Zyrtec for allergies, BP meds so
hopefully it won't effect me. I feel hyper,but seem un-able to focus.
Any help, other people with eye problems, please e-mail me.
Thanks, Sue