Doxycycline Hyclate and acne

Last December I was also prescribed Doxycycline Hyclate 100mg for mild acne. I am 17. After a few weeks of taking it my acne appeared to have been getting better and I felt quite relieved. However, after about a month and a half of taking it, I woke up one morning with what felt like extreme heartburn. My stomach felt like there was a lump in it and in the middle of my chest where the esophagus and stomach connected, there was extreme pain whenever I swallowed anything. At first I thought this was just due to excessive acid in my stomach, but as it turned out it was the medicines reaction to a virus/cold I was getting -- the symptoms were nearly like an ulcer (which is what we initially thought). After stopping the medicine for about a month, I was fine and I started taking it again. Now it's been about the same duration of me taking it, and once again I feel as though I'm developing another case of what feels like extreme heartburn/an ulcer. Has anyone else had this problem?

My 12 yr old daughter has been taking Doxy for 1 1/2 months to clear her mild acne. I thought it was the wonder drug because after 3 weeks her skin looked so much better, BUT then her skin started declining again, I can see the acne coming back. She's been complaining of pretty bad stomach pain, nausea and dizziness. I have also noticed major mood swings. She is usually a very happy girl, but now she gets moody and anxious more often than not. She is highly allergic to Benzoyl Peroxide, so she can't use Proactive or any other product with the same ingredients. After reading this site I will stop giving her Doxy immediately! Has anybody found anything that works for acne?

Hi my name is M. and i have mild acne. I have been taking doxycycline for almost 1 week now. I started taking this med on June 1st until now. Well my concerns is that i wonder how long would i see the results from using doxycycline and if there would be any chances for me to be allergic to this med even after a week?

I am so glad I found this posting! Hi everyone my names Vanessa..I am 20 years old and was prescribed doxycycline for mild adult acne in Jan..5 months ago...and never knew how much the side effects change someones lives. Experienced: insomnia, nightmares, hot/cold spells, difficulty breathing, paranoid, swollen face and tongue, crying spells, severe mood swings, inability to concentrate, weakness, fatigue, suicidal, shakiness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, feeling outside of my body.....it wasn't until I started to stop drinking coffee and drinking loads of water and exercising..that I realized it was the doxycycline side effects. I would wake up have a good breakfast....and water....than take the pill and start to get blurred vision...shaky..feel depressed. and confused...than I would start drinking more water and trying to sweat (knowing that water flushes toxins out of your body and sweating) and by 2 ish? the side effects subsided...and I could see clear. Today my first day not taken the pill...and from what I read it takes a few weeks to get it completely out of your system. But I get a kick out of doctors who prescribe all of these medications to people thinking it cures things..not realizing that it really can disrupts someones lives who's sensitive to medication.

Been on Doxycycline 100mg twice daily for 1 month for ocular rosacea. Developed extremely itchy, bumpy, pink rash to my upper back, neck, now extending to sides of my cheeks. I thought it might be acne (never ever had in my 42 years) but after reading comments here might be more related to the doxycycline.

Hello, my son was on Doxycycline to treat his acne. What a horrible
medication. It damages everything in a teenager. I do not understand,
that a doctor is allowed to just give it away and do not even make further
test later again, at least some bloodwork!
My son has major problems with his stomach, blood in his stool and
headaches . He was checked for plenty of other things, until I found this
website. Thank you !!! Somebody needs to stop this company by making a profit from these horrible pills. This cannot continue this way!
Does anybody know, when the pain stops? He is not on this pill anymore since 2 months and his symptoms are still there. I will contact the company as well in this matter, but they may not even know.

My daughter was prescribed Doryx for mild acne- 150mg a day. At Track Meets she is complaining that she is dizzy (seeing black spots) after races. Now she says she has tingling in her hands and lips. They feel like they are on fire also. I had her stop the meds immediately and am waiting for the dermatologist to call back. If anyone had these symptoms how long does it take for them to go away?? email me: ******

Thank goodness I found this site! I have been on Doxy for about a week and yesterday my hands started getting cold prickles. Not like they were asleep, but stabbing cold prickles. Then today my hands are really sensitive to heat and cold. Still cold prickles and also burning in hands. Went for a bikeride and felt the same thing on my forehead. I also feel my neck tightening up, my lips are burning, my nose got sunburned and it feels on FIRE!
I had myself dying of some neuro disorder...only to find this site and it put me at ease! No more Doxy for me!
The funny thing is I switched to Doxy from some other antibiotic for acne because the other was making me crazy dizzy! Maybe I just live with my zits!

I was prescribed Doxy 100mg twice daily for 14d for a Mycoplasma pneumonia. Day 6 I started to get a bit dizzy and some changes in my vision, sort of having a hard time to focus but I just though it was symptoms of fatigue or just being hypochonric. From day 8 I started to get really depressed and felt that I was going to die and that everyone was leaving me. On day 10 I also started to get anxiety attacks and had extreme difficulties to concentrate on anything. By this time I also got tremor, weakness and tingling in my arms and severe neck pain. Throughout this time I was aware of the risk for benign intracranial hypertension, but I didn't get any headache or nausea until d 16, i.e. 2 days after I stopped the medication. I never had fever. I then dropped 6 pounds in a week and had a hard time eating. It is now 6 weeks since I stopped taking the medication. My pneumonia is totally gone. The depression/anxiety is almost gone although some social withdrawal and lack of initiative still remains. It's still a bit up and down but much better. My neck pain is still there but is also getting better and I only have minor tremor in my arms. The visual changes still persist but every now and then I feel like my old self again for a few hours/day. The whole episode have been, and still are, the worst experience of my life. I keep my fingers crossed that it will all go away over the next few weeks.

I am so glad I read about Doxycycline Hyclate first before taking it. My first visit with a Dermatologist and this is the medication she prescribed for my acne problem. After reading into it, it doesn't sound worth taking at all. It sounds like a killer pill! I am going to stick to my Benzoyl Peroxide.

I am so glad I found this site...have been on doxycycline for about a week and spent about 30 minutes in the sun...oops! my toes and knuckles on my hands feel like they are on fire constantly. They are red and swollen. They burn just sitting here! Is there anything that can be done to help? I quit taking the medication. I was on it for acne treatment, but decided I will live with it rather than deal with the pain of sunburned feet and hands!

Known Side Effects of Doxycycline: (source: drugs.com)

•severe headache, dizziness, blurred vision;
•fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
•severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;
•urinating less than usual or not at all;
•pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, fever, confusion or weakness;
•severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate;
•loss of appetite, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
•easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness.

Less serious side effects may include:
•swollen tongue, trouble swallowing;
•mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach upset;
•white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips;
•sores or swelling in your rectal or genital area; or
•vaginal itching or discharge.

Comparative Research Results:
SOURCE: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3684731 -- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550

“Results from both monitoring methods consistently indicated at least a 3-fold higher frequency of nausea or vomiting with doxycycline relative to the other antibiotics. Complaints of skin rash also were at least 4 times more frequent with doxycycline, depending on the particular sample.”

More: ******

There are all sorts of verified reported side effects, most of which were on the packing slip that came with my prescription. However, not all side effects are listed on the insert. I’ve come across depression and anxiety listed as side effects on other drug profiles for Doxycycline, so if they are among the symptoms you're experiencing, they very well may be due to the drug. My experience has served as a greaet reminder to research any pharmaceutical I put in my body so that I may make informed decisions.

Like many of you, apart from my current breakout from Doxy, I too experienced stomach upset, and, to a lesser degree, cranial pressure.

Be well. Cheers.

I thought i was going nuts in a matter of days. i figured i was just stressed out from work and how my lifestyles changed throughout this new year, but i'm only 18 life shouldn't be this way. I Started taking Doxy on March 4th for my acne, and for the first week i was fine, no side affects except for the feeling like there was something in my throat. but then as I continued into the second week, i would wake up fatigued and dehydrated; which stayed with me throughout the day. I started getting neck aches and in the lower back, all on top of a migraine that would come and go. All day i'd feel dizzy, fatigued, tired, disoriented, and thoughts that i'll never be healthy and i'd always feel this way would constantly go through my mind. I even went to my family physician because I thought had a pinched nerve in my neck which was giving me all this pain in my neck and the headaches. my doctor confirmed that i didn't have a pinched nerve so i continued to tell myself that im alright.... right? no news is good news.....right? It wasn't until today(march 17th) that i considered doxycycline hyclate to be a possible culprit. I realized something was very wrong when i couldn't even tell my dad what i was experiencing w/o getting emotional... for NO REASON!!!!! my dad looked up this "Doxy" and we stumbled across this helpful site filled with blogs about people taking the exact same medication with the exact same side affects. As much as i'd love to have a clear face, it's not worth messing up your mind. i took my morning dose today, but will not continue to take anymore of this "Doxycycling Hyclate" hopefully, with time, my mindset will return back to it's normal functioning. just THINK POSITIVE!!!!!!!

I started taking doxy for my acne but developed severe headaches about a week into treatment. At first, I thought it was because I was pretty stressed with college and not sleeping much but I noticed I would get a headache at about the same time after taking doxy everyday and now think I can't sleep because of it. I also wake up with tightness in my chest (couldn't sleep one night because it was so bad), I'm constantly dizzy, and just have the headache feeling that one gets when hungover. I'm so angry that these symptoms aren't in the side effects because I was blaming these symptoms on other things and would have stopped taking it earlier if I knew...I just hope that I get back to normal and don't have any permanent damage to my brain.

Please can anyone who has suffered anxiety/panic/depression/suicide on Doxy tell me how long after stopping taking it this went away???

I have taken an oral form of Doxycycline daily for at least a year.
Before, I thought such symptoms were relevant to a fluctuation of bodily chemicals during pubescent growth.
I am now sure otherwise.
During the time between when I was prescribed and today, I would never have known that these things were side effects of an antibiotic.
I'd wake up every morning, take a shower, and feel like I'd vomit if I kept standing. I laid down on my bed and realized I felt way too hot. I'd take off my shirt and lay down in front of my floor fan.......Now, every morning after I take a shower, I stand out in my back patio, 45 degrees, in only my boxers--completely comfortable for as long as whenever.
I have terrible sleep.
I stay up at night thinking too much about almost nothing.
Overwhelming self-conscious thoughts.
Overwhelming.
Sometimes I feel like I have to do simple things manually, instead such movements occurring normally, like auto-pilot.
Walking. A majority of the time I walk, its like my first steps:
bring left knee forward, put left heel down, bring right knee forward.....
Blinking.
Concentration.
Anxiety, paranoia, you name it--
I developed a smoking habit that numbed out all the stress.
I am not quite sure if I was addicted other the occasional crave of a cigarette, but...
Look,
every now and then, because my doxycycline came in the mail, I would have a week or two without it.
I think, antibiotic, right? Doesn't matter right? just like a Vitamin? just take it and whooosh its all good, it does what it does, helps my acne whatever--
during those periods without it, I felt distinguishibly happy and calm and I didn't even crave cigarettes.

As of now, I realize that those were not loony mood swings, and, a multitude of people suffer and have suffered from doxycycline.

I was prescribed Doxycycline Hyclate 100m for acne on January 20th 2009. Then, on February 6th, I took the medication at 11:00 only to wake up at 11:40pm with severe chest pains. I have never had anything wrong with me heath wise and the first thing that popped into my mind was the medicine. I went to the doctors the next day because the pain had become so severe and i could not eat or drink anything (even water) without feeling a sudden sharp pain. They did an x-ray and found nothing wrong. I was told it was probably anxiety and this medicine had nothing to do with the chest pains. I
went ahead and took it again last night only to still have chest pains so i decided to do research on this medicine and came to this where i found posts in which similar things were experienced upon taking the medication. I have just stopped taking the medication today and am hoping for the pains to go away.

I, like everyone else here, was SO RELIEVED to see that others experienced the same effects as me on doxy. It was prescribed to me for fairly minor acne, mainly cysts. It worked, but I have been taking it for a month and a half and I have NOT felt like myself for a month and a half. This drug is awful for mood swings!!!! I have never experienced this in my life, I was literally about to make an appointment with a psychologist to see if I was having some kind of an onset for bipolar disorder. I will never ever take this again, ever! I literally flipped out on people for no reason and would cry for NO reason, I never have been that way. My moods were up and down all through the day and all through the week, I thought it was extreme pms at first! If you start to experience this also, just know that this drug is not worth what it does to your mental health whatsoever! If anyone was even depressed about having acne, this doesn't clear it up enough anyway so you'll have a little less acne and more emotional crap to deal with! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT POSTED HERE!

I am so mad at my doctor! i feel like he knew about the mood swings and just opted not to mention it! my entire life my friends and family have joked about how im always laughing and smiling no matter what is going on. i am a VERY happy person....i was just prescribed doxycycline for my acne and have only been on it for a couple weeks. i thought i was possibly having a pms problem but it just continued after i was off my period, i am so easily irritated now i find that i cry over nothing and cant seem to get over anything.this morning i got in a huge fight with my dad and was more livid than i ever have been in my entire life all over nothing!! and when i say nothing i mean NOTHING.i screamed at him and left my house and told him i wasn't coming home and not to call me or talk to me and then i drove around crying angrily and hysterically for 3 hours.my dad is practically my best friend we never ever fight.ive been losing sleep and having depressing thoughts about life and where mine is going.i just started college and im bummed cuz the meds are effecting my grades already(or so i think they are) i feel physically incapable of getting up in the morning and i have a hard time keeping up in the easiest dance class ever.i always have thoughts about how screwed up EVERYTHING is and my mom and i myself noticed that in the last week every time i call her its to complain about something and i get all choked up about whatever im talking about.now after reading about all these other people having issues with the meds im pretty pissed that my doctor didn't give me any options.if u plan on going to the dermatologist for acne i would recommend mentioning what you've read about this drug before they waste your time and money.life is too short for this crap...seriously.

My son was prescribed this medication by his dermatologist to treat moderate acne. What he got was an ulcer of the esophagus. He had unbearable chest pains and had difficulty swallowing. He had to have a CT scan and a GI scope.

I've been on Doxy now for about 6 days for severe acne and haven't had any really bad side effects. I have experienced some nausea and learned very quickly how to take it. I was wondering if anyone experienced any arm pain while sleeping and especially after waking up. I've been waking up and my elbows, lower arms and hands just ache to high heaven. This is the only thing I've changed and I don't sleep on my arms.

I took doxycycline for a little acne on my back I would get when I worked out.
I am a fit healthy man of 48 years. People tell me I look late twenties early thirties. I have to tell you all my experience with this antibiotic has been a nightmare for me.

Stomach queasiness, severe stomach pain, dizziness, headaches, lower back pain, from no acne on face to small blisters and acne. Depression and panic attacks.

I went to my doctor and demanded my blood get checked for everything
from STD's to HIV. Everything came back negative and no answers other than I had a severe allergic reaction to the medication.

I took this medication for a month twice a day. I have been off for two months now and I am just now feeling better I can eat without feeling stomach queasiness. My face is getting better but still hoping it will return to normal.

I started taking Primadophlius and Ester-c to help build my immune system.

I haven't exercise yet because I am afraid to weaken my body. This drug really scared me. I sincerely hope all of you get better:-)

when I was in my early 20's i got a sever case of bad acne! I was prescribed 100mg of Doxy 2 times a day. Of course I learned very quickly to eat before having it. Other than that no side effects. I had flawless skin for about 2 years, at which point i had built up a tolerance to it. When I noticed a few pimples I went straight to my derm before it got out of hand. My derm switched me to minocycline and after about another year of perfect skin I got off of meds all together. I have great skin now, just use proactive and nothing else.

Well now my 14yr old has started breaking out..nothing topical worked, I want to protect her from all of the emotional damage that acne caused for me. Put her on doxy 100mg 2x a day. Shes been on it for about 2 weeks and it seems like the big ones went away but there is an over abundance of small ones now and they are flaring up. Is that normal..I don't remember this happening to me but it was so long ago. Does it get worse before it gets better? Anyone experience this?

My derm prescribed Doxycycline to me yesterday but after reading all the comments i am afraid to take it. I'm 23 years old and my acne is looking worse and worse as i get older and need to do something about it but do i put myself through this? Can anyone help me make up my mind?

I was on Doxy for a month and a half due to mild acne. For the first month, I felt fine, however when I went to refill, things became awful. Although I did not notice the nausea or tiredness (because I took it before going to bed), I began to feel episodes of dizziness, confusion, inability to concentrate, and anxiety. I continued taking it because I had not been informed that these might be side effects. Eventually I had 2 panic attacks where my legs shook uncontrollably, I felt I could not breath, became really cold and sweaty, had racing thoughts that I might die, and felt incredibly confused. The attacks really scared me to the point where I was afraid of having another one. When I went to the doctor, they ran blood tests, told me everything was alright, diagnosed me with panic disorder, and gave me medication. Even though I told them I was taking this medication, no one ever told me this might be side effects. I have never had any mental problems and am an upbeat, happy person. While taking this, I had severe anxiety and bouts of depression where I felt like crying for no reason. I was afraid to be alone, I was afraid to workout, and afraid to leave the house. I could not study and thought my entire life was spinning out of control. I've been off it for 2 days and am feeling much better. Anxiety has decreased and depressive episodes are also decreasing. There should be better research on these drugs to inform consumers!

i have been taking this medication too for acne. And same thing i feel nauseated and kinda dizzy feel like throwing up.

But i now know after few episodes of it that NEVER take it on empty stomach...make sure you eat something before taking it or eat something straight afterwards if taking on empty stomach.

I used to skip breakfast and take it first thing in morning and i felt real sick but now no more issues after figuring it out !!

Ok....I just took this pill 100mg this morning with a cup of coffee and sure enough, 25-30 min later....I got dizzy and extremely nauseated!! I even ate a slice of toast to try to calm my stomach, but nope, still felt sick and I chucked it all up!! Now last night around 9:30 and after dinner I took my first pill and felt absolutely fine?? Im still feeling a little weird right now so not sure if Im gonna continue or not??

I have a pretty severe form of cystic acne which I had a 9-month treatment for when i was 16. It went away completely after a course of accutane up until about 5 months ago when i started smoking cigarettes for the first time. within a few days, i had full blown acne again around my mouth. i'm 23 and its been literally six years of perfect skin i didn't even have to think about. i didn't realize it was the smoking until a month and a half ago. so i stopped, and the acne cut down drastically but not completely, so i went to the dermatologist for medication.

i was given doxycycline, 100mg twice a day. ive been taking it for a month and my skin is back to perfect however I feel like i'm forever feverish, i get extremely nauseated if i don't even enough to eat when i take it, and i get insane hot flashes within 30 mins of taking it. i'm basically sweating nonstop all day long everyday. i want to stop taking it but i don't want the acne to return. i cut down to one pill a day and already see some acne returning. i'm so glad i found this site -- none of the side effects ive seen listed include hot flashes or constant sweating. i also have pretty intense lower back pains

Hello, I started taking 100mgs twice a day three weeks ago for severe acne on my back and shoulders. (I am 40 have adult acne or back acne that never goes away) I just wanted to mention though that all of a sudden I noticed DEPRESSION and it took me awhile to realize that the Doxycycline was the only thing that was new. I have had bad depression before and am very familiar with it but it was completely gone. So, I am happy to see that maybe this med has caused others to get depression too. The nausea is nothing compared to mood disorders. My doctor said to stop taking it.

I have been taking doxycycline hyclate for acne for the past three weeks and find that I am now urinating a lot especially after intake of liquids and it seems as if I empty the same amount that I consume.This is really very annoying and inconvenient.

I have been on doxy for 2 weeks for acne. I am 44 and get cysts under my skin. Not noticeable to anyone but me really. Finally yesterday I realized that every morning I wake up extremely fatigued and a 1/2 lb heavier. I am somewhat of an athlete and watch my diet and found this very strange. I have dark circles under my eyes and this incredible bloated look and feeling unlike anything I have every experienced, It has to be the doxy because that is the only new thing I have introduced in to my system. Ugh. I have to stop taking it. I'll deal with the zits.

I am 21 years old and was prescribed this medication for "mild acne treatment." I have only been on this medication two days and already I am feel some side effects. My Dermatologist did not explain any side effects to me at all when prescribing this medication and gave me no instructions on even taking the medication. All he said was take one pill twice a day 1/2 hr - 1 hr after eating and thats all. I started feeling some symptoms this morning while at work. I got an upset stomach and started feeling extremely nauseous. I came home from work and immediately went to sleep. When I woke up, I felt even worse. I still feel nauseous and have upset stomach, but now I also have a loss of appetite, im tired, I feel weak and have no desire to do anything. I am debating still continuing this medication, since it is only for an acne treatment. I will probably continue for a few more days and if the side effects still persist, I will discontinue use. I had no idea why I all of a sudden felt this way, so decided to research a little. I am very glad I found this website, or else I would probably be wondering what the heck is going on. Thank you for all the posts about your side effects. Now I am aware of why I am feeling the way I am. Much appreciated...

taking this drug for acne and have gained approx 15lbs has anybody else had this problem Doxcycline 100mg capsules.

I've only been on Doxycycline Hyclate for 2 weeks - I am supposed to take it for 2 months to clear up my acne. The first side effect I experienced was the nausea/vomiting. I HAVE to eat something before I take it or it makes me throw up. I was sensitive to the sun, but the thing that was the most bothersome was the tingling in my feet & hands. When water touched them, they would tingle as if they were asleep. It was a very weird feeling. The worst side effect for me, though, are my mood swings. I get so angry I feel almost like I'm going to explode. I can't just drop it like I usually do - I just keep fighting & yelling - which is not like me. I've been saying things I don't mean & lashing out over stupid small things. I feel almost as if I'm going crazy. This is just the first 2 weeks, after reading this board, I'm wondering if it's even worth continuing. Supposedly, when this is prescribed for acne, most cases come back after you stop taking the pill. If it's going to come back anyways, I'd rather not put myself through this for 2 months...

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!!

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.

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!

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 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 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 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?

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 been on Doxycycline for about a year now, and have had side effects.

I have had hot flushes, abdominal pain, chest pain, extreme mood swings, anxiety, depression which lasted a few days at a time and have felt dizzy and exhausted alot (I had never gotten these symptoms before taking the anti-biotic). I didn't get any side-effects while starting doxy, but about 2 weeks after, they began. My symptoms are becoming worse, as well as waking up with a headache for the past 2 weeks everyday. My Dr says it's perfectly fine for me to continue, but the side effects are becoming too much.

Also, i take my doxy before bed, and not necessarily after eating, and they go down perfectly fine! I have no problems with it through the night. I take it in conjunction with my pill, and all is well.

After having a break from Doxy (I've had a 2 week break about twice in the year I have been on them), I have gotten a severe flu, which has had me in bed for about 4 weeks at a time.

But my acne has cleared immensely, everyone comments how clear my skin is now. In my opinion, it's worth the side-effects. My confidence has improved so much!