Doxycycline Hyclate and diarrhea

Diarrhea! Only one dose taken and after reading these experiences I am puffing myself up to make it through the next seven days. Wow, I am a bit freaked out, but I am scared not to take the rest of this Doxycycline now that I've already started. I was told to take it to avoid a possible infection from my surgery.

Which would be worse?! I had the foresight at least to pick up a probiotic on the way home and will take it at a measured time away from my antibiotic dose. I hope it helps. I am also eating a full meal before taking the Doxycycline. I will report back on any continuing or additional symptoms and whether I feel the probiotic was at all effective in lessening the drug's side effects. It may be difficult to distinguish the side effects of my surgery from the medicine, so I will attempt to be discerning. To illustrate: I am dizzy and tired, but either could be the cause of these effects.

To anyone else taking or about to take Doxycycline - ask your doctor if this drug is mandatory or if another, less toxic, drug will suffice. Doxycycline is a heavy duty antibiotic and therefore it is bound to make the human body quite ill as it works it "magic". Take care (and a quality probiotic)!

I can't even get up to go to church. I feel so weak and so sick. I have been off this awful stuff for 2 days and still feel so ill, I can't function. i just want to throw up. I have no support and no help whatsoever. How can this be happening. Will I make it through this horrific feeling. I can't do anything, not even eat. My whole body feels like someone has punched it all over. I don't know if I can hang in there. Please post, post, post.

This medication is deadly! I was prescribed 100mg twice a day for 2 weeks for a supposed pelvic infection (don't know yet if that's actually what I have - personally I don't think so). I took it for 6 and a half days (equals 13 pills) and when I found this website and read people's experiences I immediately quit. I experienced some mild nausea the first few days but didn't relate it to the Doxycycline. Then I noticed I was having more bowel movements than normal (5 in one day). I thought maybe I was eating too much fiber as I had increased my intact recently. Then on the 6th evening everything fell apart. I was panicking for no apparent reason; it was just washing over me in waves. My heart was racing and felt like it was going to pound right out of my chest. I barely slept that night because every time I drifted off I startled awake with my heart racing. My body felt weird but I don't know how to explain it; my feet were tingly. The next morning I got hit with diarrhea (I'm usually constipated). Then that whole day I was sobbing on and off throughout the day. I felt like I had hit rock bottom. I wanted to die but was trying to fight these thoughts. I thought I was going to go crazy and start screaming. That was yesterday. I did not take my evening dose then and today have not taken my morning dose and will never take it again. I managed to sleep during the night although my whole body was super tense. Today I am doing better already but am very nauseous. My stomach & back hurt a bit but I am not sure if it is because of the Doxycycline or not, because I have been having a lot of health problems lately. Looking back on the last week, I can see the other side effects I was having which included being really cold (which is totally unlike me and it's summer), occasional ringing in my ears, burning in my abdomen, mild headaches, dry lips, trembling, my face feels hot...I can't remember everything. The panic & depression was the worst. Don't take anti-anxiety meds or antidepressants to combat this. I have been on them and they make things worse -- withdrawal can take months and is hell-like. Just get off the Doxycycline.

Firstly, I'm so glad I found this website as it helped me out immensely. I had been taking Doxycycline Hyclate for a STD (seven day course of 2 x's 100mg capsules a day). I started the treated with no discomfort at all but about four days in I started getting really bad diarrhea and stomach pains.

It's been three days now since I have finished the treatment and I'm still getting diarrhea tho not as bad as it was. Never again shall I take this antibiotic! And I would advice others to ask for a different antibiotic (if possible), as this one will result in you needing at least 1 or 2 weeks of Uni/work etc.

D. from England, UK.

Hi, just wanted to give all an update....day 8 off the Doxy, by the end of the 6th day off the doxy, I began to get a clear head again....I would feel great, then all of a sudden a fog would come over me for about 5 minutes with ear ringing, and go away....this happened about 3-5 times...my left arm and left side of my face felt hot, but i did not have a fever....thats when I knew the doxy was leaving my system...day 7 i felt fine, but went into a slump...laid in bed for about 12 hours, I think this was due to still having no appetite and barely eating for 3 weeks, I lost a bunch of weight . I felt mentally clear finally, the bout of depression that the doxy put me in was lifting, but still felt physically weak. Today, I woke up feeling fine, ate a croissant for breakfast, forced 4 sliders down for lunch, and finally was able to eat some dinner. The good part is that another user on this board was kind enough to mail me letting me know that she went through the exact same side effects, and assured me that they would subside with time, especially the loss of appetite and depression/anxiety...takes about 2-3 weeks off the meds for everything to start getting back to normal....She also told me that the doxy has a very long half life...so it does stay in the system awhile....but im starting to feel slight improvements as the days go by...the bad news...i don't think the doxy cured everything. Im considering taking ionic silver instead of any more antibiotics....one other caution...beware of Levaquin...I was on this at first for 5 days along with the doxy, and that drug truly is (in my opinion) dangerous. I read some of the side effects people were having, including myself and was horrified....I thought something was weird when my middle finger on my left hand went numb for a day, left hand was warm, right hand was ICE COLD, sudden and sharp pains in the back, like I pulled a muscle, that left me unable to move for a few days, and severe diarrhea. Anyways, please feel free to mail me if you have any questions....support is the most important thing a person can have because of the fear and anxiety these drugs put you through.

Thank God for this site. I thought it was just my sensitivity and exaggeration. I've been on Doxy for 2 1/2 weeks for IBS. Immediately I was nauseated. The instructions were firm in saying to take on an empty stomach, otherwise it wouldn't absorb correctly. None of the side effects websites mention dizziness and extreme exhaustion. I thought it was just me, as I've been so lightheaded and so tired I can hardly function. I want to sleep all the time, but when I try to, it's off and on. I'm up during the night. But when I get up in the morning I feel like I haven't had any sleep. Afternoon naps don't help at all. Nothing, and I mean, nothing, looks or tastes good. I feel like throwing up all the time. I can't stand the sight of certain foods, and don't want to cook because it will make me woozy. I think it's making my already diarrhea worse. I mustn't forget the abdominal cramping.

I was given Doxycycline to prevent infection from an HSG procedure. I took one the night before the procedure, two the day of and one the morning after. So total of 4 capsules of 100mg each. I'm supposed to take the full course, which is 6 capsules, but I'm going to stop now. After the 4th capsule I started having bad stomach cramps, a bit of nausea and severe diarrhea. I know the risks of not completing the course but I'm not going through these stomach pains again. No more Doxy for me! I have a similar bad reaction years ago to an antibiotic called Augmentin. I guess I have to avoid those 2 kinds of antibiotics in the future. After reading all the posts, I can't believe they still prescribe Doxy to people. It seems horrible.

Began taking doxy 6 days ago for infected cut on my face. It worked great on the infection. However, the side effects are killing me. The first 3 days I had sore areas in my mouth, tongue, and one side of my throat, as well as congestion and cold-like symptoms. These are all listed as side effects. Also listed are stomach upset, diarrhea, and muscle aches, which I've had as well. It seems to make my GERD a little worse, but I'm careful not to lie down for an hour after taking it.

While the mouth & throat pain has cleared, the muscle aches are nearly unbearable. About 2 hours after taking the doxy I am almost floored with fatigue. At the same time diarrhea starts and menstrual spotting starts as well. On top of all that I'm finding myself more anxious, depressed, and physically exhausted. It's overwhelming.

My husband took doxy a month ago for epididymitis. He had serious mood issues, upset stomach, and sensitivity to heat as well as sun. He took his pills with food (he wasn't told not to) so his side effects were less severe, but I suspect it's because he wasn't absorbing as much of the medication.

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.

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.

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 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.

I took Adoxa for six months, and was so happy my skin cleared up, that it took me longer than it should have to come to terms with the other side effects. I took 200 mg/2x/day. I have experienced many, if not all of the things listed here: nausea, diarrhea, depression, all early on. I too stopped menstruating after several weeks of being on it. What has been more disturbing to me are the after-effects. I stopped taking Adoxa nearly two mos ago, and have been on hormones (progesterone, I am only 33) for the last several months to restore, but to no avail. I have had massive bloating, water retention, constipation, and my doctors believe they are all inter-related to taking this drug for so long. It has taken trips to countless doctors to even get to that conclusion. Unfortunately, I do not have a great solution for recovery. Has anyone else experienced this? My GI has had me taking Florastor (a probiotic, at any drugstore but you HAVE to ask for it-$40 and kept behind the counter) and thinks it will take at least another month to see benefit. My doctors said next they will treat for IBS but wanted to see if the effects would reverse themselves first.

Hi !

I took doxycycline for fever. My doctor prescribed 100mg twice a day for 7 days. I took for a day and half and I started experiencing cramps in upper stomach. I could not bear the feeling. I called the doctor and explained to her my symptoms. She asked to get off it immediately. I have stopped doxycycline. It has been one full day since I stopped it but I am having diarrhea and cramps haven't gone either. I don't know when it will completely go away. The funny part is the fever left me and I know it wasn't these tabs that made me feel better but doxycycline has given me other problems to worry about now!!

I had taken doxy some time ago for acne (which i saw no improvement after 1-2month so stopped taking it) and then my doctor prescribed it to me again for an infection. I took a pill two times a day for 10 days. After the first 2-3 days I experienced the same symptoms as user CTLAKIN (Oct 6th) where my stomach would burn RIGHT below my rib cage. It was a horrible pain. I also had cramps on my sides (not sure if it was related to the doxy) and had diarrhea a few days after the burning started.

I have been on doxy for 4 days for MRSA Staph infection, experiencing diarrhea, slight nausea,itching legs and insomnia.

hi!! my doctor prescribed me 100mg doxycyclin for 4 days, as i was to go through my HSG procedure.
i started getting diarrhea after that( thats common for me with anitbiotics). its been a week and i still have diarrhea.
is it common??? its not very severe diarrhea either.can someone please tell me if its common??
appreciate it
thanx

For people having stomach problems: There is a brand name of doxycycline called "Doryx" that is enteric coated so that it goes through the stomach and dissolves in the intestine instead, so that it doesn't cause stomach symptoms. Ask your doctor to switch to "Doryx".

With regard to diarrhea, I would recommend going to your local health food/supplement shop and picking up a probiotic like acidophilus in the refrigerated section (or perhaps a combination product with different probiotics). This will help to replenish "friendly" bacteria in the intestinal tract and prevent diarrhea if you take it at least twice daily. Just be sure to take it far away from your doxy dose.

With regard to thrush and yeast overgrowth, ask your doctor for some Nystatin. Nystatin is a very, very non-toxic anti-fungal with virtually no side effects most of the time. It is not absorbed from the intestinal tract. It is used to clear yeasts like candida from the mouth and digestive tract. It comes in both tablets and powder. If purchased in tabs, be sure to chew the tablets and swish the contents around in the mouth before swallowing.

I'm definitely glad I found this website. I've been taking doxy 100 2x a day for epididimytis. I thought I was the only one going through this. I felt my symptoms were not being experienced by others. I have been freaking out thinking I might have something more severe, but it might just be side effects.

I've been experiencing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of hunger, fevers/night sweats, losing focus, light sensitive, itchy legs, dry throat, pains in abdomen, insomnia, depression, crying episodes, disinterested, paranoia, and suicidal at times.

I never knew a drug like this can have such terrible side effects. I fear going to bed every night because of what goes through my head. Finding this site will bring me some peace for what I'm going through.

Have been on Doxycycline 100 mg - 2 x day, for only 2 day's and feel terrible. Headache, joint's ache, severe diarrhea (dark watery squirts), stomach cramps, dizzy, nausea, and I am freezeing in 70 degree sunshine! This suck's. I thought med's were supposed to help you feel better! I think I prefer the illness over the cure.

Was prescribed this drug for 1 month following surgery to counteract infection. Caused intermittent diarrhea which became a real problem at times. Seemed to make my skin much more greasy which caused a zitty rash all over my chest, back, forehead and my lower legs. I have been feeling a bit down recently, which may be due to the drug or a feeling of reduced happiness caused by the side effects. Thank goodness I have just finished the course!

Nausea is a big side effect heavy vomitting also accurs and diareah

I have experienced the following during the time of taking the course: nervousness, rash pops in the skin that disappears in hours, headaches, skin changes color.
One day after taking the full course: weakness, drowsiness, diarrhea, sinus FLU

Vomiting if taken without food. A general slighty nauseated feeling during the day. Lack of an appetite. Diarrhea every morning. To add to it an odd full feeling in my esophogus, makes it difficult swollowing at times.

Diahrrea. Very Terrible. Been having this experience even after I took this two weeks ago. Its been very uncomfortable. How can I have the diarhhea stop? Ive been goin to the toilet so frequently.

I've experienced diarrhea and enterocolitis