Doxycycline Hyclate and lyme disease

I've been taking doxy for lyme disease. tomorrow nov.2 is my last day of a 30 day cycle. my dizziness is gone, but still getting rapid heartbeat, and feel very weak..does any one feel better after their done with doxy or has any one fully recovered ?? please post reply...

sorry forget to mention. any recovery from Lyme disease?

Hello friends, thanks for posting all this information about Doxy and Lyme disease that makes me feel I’m not alone here, I finished my 21 day treatment for Lyme disease yesterday, but after completed the treatment I feel so weak, tired and little dizzy I have not energy left, I m wonder it’s part of the side effects, and still in my system. I hope these symptoms go away soon and be normal again. The joint pain seems to get little better or maybe it’s too soon to tell.
Has anyone gone through all these? Thank you friends and we are not alone out there…

i was diagnosed with Lyme disease and was prescribed doxycycl hyc 100mg for 30 days the doctor told me take with food so i take it with breakfast and dinner..one pill twice a day. the first two days i felt great everything was going away but on the third day everything was coming back dizziness,fatigue,tired,blurred vision,rapid heart beat..the doctor specifically told me to take with food or i will get severe stomach cramps and nausea with food and a large glass of water after i take it no nausea or cramping.. but I've been also getting a tingling feeling in my feet and hands has anyone else felt the same? he also said to stay out of the sun or u will burn easily..

I've now taken 12 days of 21 day course of treatment. After struggling with acid reflux, nausea, etc., I thought I'd share some things that I found that helped me tolerate it better in hopes it may help others.

I take a pill as soon as I get up and then another as soon as I get home from work - 5:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. I drink a good 4-6 oz. before I take the pill and another 8-10 after swallowing the pill. I try not to eat any later than 2 hours before going to bed, which has dramatically reduced and mostly eliminated the acid reflux.

I've been following the instructions to the letter - not eating 2 hours before or 1 hour after taking the pill and no dairy for 2 hours in hopes it would give maximum absorption to get rid of the Lyme Disease. However, I've found that by keeping something on my stomach during the times I can eat, my nausea has also been lessened. I was really struggling with nausea about 45 minutes after taking the pill, but have found increasing the water to the levels indicated above helped reduce the nausea.

All that said, I'm feeling some fatigue, am a bit lightheaded and my stomach is bloated and a bit tender. Still, it's not nearly as bad as some of you are reporting and while I wondered at Day 4 if I could complete all 21, I'm now hopeful I'll be able to make it. I will, however, be doing a happy dance when I take the last of the pills next Friday. Good luck to all - hope maybe something I've suggested may help someone!

I've been prescribed 100 mg. of Doxycycline Hyclate twice a day for 21 days for Lyme Disease. I was tested to rule that and rheumatoid arthritis out because of hand pain - and I don't know who was more surprised when I tested positive - my doctor or me. Any symptoms I had, including the hand pain, I attributed to the aging process (51/female).

Took the first pill in the later evening on a Friday and waited the 30 minutes before going to bed (instructions said not to lay down for 30 min.). I woke up in the middle of the night with terrible acid reflux, which I've never had. I found it difficult to time taking pill after not eating for 2 hours and waiting 1 hour afterward - never realized how often I ate small snacks. Same thing the next two nights - I also had heartburn, which is rare for me.

I realized it would be far easier if I took the pill immediately after rising and as soon as I came home from work. That has greatly reduced the heartburn and eliminated the acid reflux.

I am fully committed to taking the pill to have the best results in eliminating the bacteria from Lyme Disease, so I'm taking it exactly as prescribed on an empty stomach. This is causing some stomach upset and nausea, which is the worst in the hour after I take the pill while I wait until I can eat - especially in the last 15 minutes, when I feel on the verge of vomiting. I try to keep myself busy, but even without looking a clock, I can tell where I am in the hour. I am hopeful that by taking the meds on an empty stomach, I'll get maximum absorption - but it's been a struggle for me.

One other discovery I've made is that the nausea is less the rest of the day if I eat - and carbs seem to be what is most appealing. I'm far more easily nauseated during the entire day, some days more than others. I feel some fatigue, but nothing that is so severe I'm not able to function and go to work. I feel bloated and my stomach just vaguely hurts, so I'm trying to wear loose clothing.

I'm finding this drug therapy a bit difficult, as I felt pretty well beforehand. My doctor has recommended I give this my best effort, as it is the "go to" drug for Lyme Disease, but has said if I can't handle it, she will give me an alternative. I am trying to stick this out, partly out of determination and silly pride, but also because I am allergic to a lot of drugs and since I seem to be able to tolerate it, albeit with some discomfort, I figure I should suck it up. I have a little bit of the tingling, am occasionally feeling a little flushed - usually when I'm highly nauseated (which is a typical reaction for me), but nothing horribly bothersome.

I'm hoping I don't develop the sleeplessness, anxiety or depression that many of you have reported, as I feel terrible for you. That would become a deal breaker for me.

Unless it's my imagination, my hand pain is reducing and some achiness I just figured was normal has been lessening. If this was the result of Lyme Disease and I can get rid of that, this (hopefully) temporary discomfort will be worth it. Good luck to all.

The weight gain is horrible and the headaches are happening daily. I feel really tired and achy all day and restless during sleep. I have Lyme disease and not sure if these symptoms are from the drug or from the disease itself but I'm pretty sure the weight gain is from water retention caused by the Doxycycline. I hope this will go away after my 21 days is up.

Took Doxy for 2 years for Lyme and Babesia. Never had a problem with it. I stopped taking it for 8 months, then the Lyme disease symptoms returned. So I started back up on it. I noticed migrating pain in all of my joints...even every toe. I stopped taking it for a week and the joint pain pretty much resolved. I started it up again and sure enough, joint pain returned mainly in my knees and hands. Constant cracking of my thumbs, knees, toes,elbows. It also caused my tendons to become very tight and sore in my right hand. Making it hard to hold my dog's leash or open a door knob. Whether it was a bad herxheimer reaction or just my body deciding it was sick of this drug......I may never know.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I was on doxycycline for three weeks because the doctor believed I had Lyme disease due to the slight headache, mild fever, and aching joints that I was experiencing. I was fine for the first few days, but then I began to develop some unusual symptoms. The symptoms fluctuated day to day, but I was never free from one or more of these symptoms: severe headache, chills, night sweats, tingling in my arms, weakness in my legs, ear ache, numbness in my face (especially my eyes and lips), anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain in my eyes, and neck, and stiffness in my jaw. At the end of three weeks, I seemed to have more Lyme symptoms than before I began the medication. My Lyme test was negative, but with my continuing symptoms my doctor recommended that I take the medicine for ten more days, and retest for Lyme. The first day back on the medicine I was sicker than ever. I waited it out because the doctor insisted that it was the best thing to do. I finished the medicine, and the effects were less intense. My second Lyme test was negative. I am being tested for Fifth's disease (my son was ill with it just as I began to experience my swelling joints - a condition that can not be treated, uggh). I seem to get worse if I don't drink all day and night - a lot of water is needed, all the time. The effects also increase when I go to bed, recline on the couch, allow myself to become nervous about my condition, or over work myself through the day. I was at the pediatrician with my son yesterday, and mentioned my problem, wondering how long it could take to get the medicine out of my system. She told me it could be as long as a few months. It's been two weeks since I took my last pill.

I was diagnosed on June 13, 2009 with cellulite. I had a bump and rash on my right elbow and was given 2 antibiotics for it. After 3 days and no results form the antibiotics I went to my primary doctor who told me it was lyme disease because with lyme disease the rash goes away from the heart. I had no other symptoms from it and no bulls eye and the blood tests were negative. I was put on dioxycycline for 21 days and on the 19th day I missed a dose and took another one 6 hours later and then another one another 6 hours later and developed itchiness all over my body. I called my dr. who told me that with only 2 pills left and being on for 20 days I can stop the dioxycycline. OK great! a few days later still itching and he told me to take Zyrtec symptomatically as needed. Still no rash anywhere on my body. OK, so I am on Zyrtec and 2 weeks later I develop a tash on my face. I go to dermatologist and he says it is just acne and gives me tetracycline and erythromycin and call him in 2 weeks. I don't know if I am having an allergic reaction or not and decide to go to another dermatologist who tells me it is an allergic reaction and gives me xyzal for itching and corticosteroid for face and tells me I have high histamine levels. I then go to an allergist and he tells me he thinks its just acne from shaving using electric razor and use erythromycin but NOT to take tetracycline just in case I am allergic to antibiotics. I then go a different dermatologist who tells me I have folliculitis/acne and to take Keflax and a sulfate cream to use. A week and 1/2 after my face is OK with the rash down considerable and I am able to shave again. 4 days into the KEflax I develop a rash on both my elbows. I go to my primary and he says it is contact dermatitis but to take blood test and stool sampler to see about possible infection from antibiotics that destroyed good antibodies. It may be that my good antibodies are not strong enough so continue with yogurt and we will see. I am today having a sore throat, diarrhea and little stuffy nose so who knows what is going on. Also, I am 37 year old male who has nt been the same since going on doxycycline for supposed lyme disease-
I will post again when dr. gives me blood results and stool results.

today is my first day off doxycycline. i was prescribed 100mg twice a day for 14 days for lyme disease which it got rid of. i already had some nausea and fatigue from the lyme , but this drug is wicked. while taking the drug i have had heartburn even with the glass of water, extreme nausea( lost 6 pounds in a week and a half) having to force myself to eat, depression with spells of wanting to cry and not wanting to go out and be active or talk to anyone which is unusual for me, and no appetite at all , seeing this site is a big relief for me , but how long does it take to make these side effects go away ( that the doctor says rarely happen) and any suggestions for helping them go away?

Hey people, I'm glad that I found this posting myself! I've battled depression/anxiety for the past couple of years but thought I had gotten. Then I was Rx'd doxy 100mg twice a day for my cornea in my eye not working based on a clogged gland. Since I've been taking it I have been sick to my stomach (OK I new that was coming) and have had hot flashes and sensitivity to light (didn't see that but OK), and yesterday I felt totally detached from rational thinking. I felt nervous all day, was a bit light headed, and battled a bad case of depressive thinking. Today has been a bit better but I worry about this feeling returning. I need to continue taking the meds for I need to be able to see clearly. Has anyone else felt 'nervous w/hot flashes' while on doxy? I'm also taking fish oil omega-3 but it hasn't ever affected me like that.

After 10 days of taking Doxycycline Hyclate for Lyme Disease, I noticed a rash on both my forearms. I learned that this a side effect due to increased sensitivity to sun. Within a few more days it looked like a bad sunburn and started to itch intensely. I found that mixing a paste of good old baking soda and water and putting it on my arms stopped the itch almost immediately. I'm taking the last pill today (hooray) and am assuming that the rash will fade away. If anybody else has had this, I'd like to know how long it takes for the rash to disappear once the antibiotic is out of one's system.

I have been taking Doxycycl 100 Mgt twice a day for 9 days. I'm experiencing some nausea..what I didn't expect is the extreme fatigue and dizziness. I tested positive for Lyme disease and definitely want to get over that.

Not sure what to do..is this is a normal side effect of the drug? Should I contact the doctor? Don't know what to do?..
I have had other allergic reactions to Cipro and Biaxin (but I know there are a different class of drug. I seem to do better when I eat and drink a lot of water throughout the day. JFJ 7/25/09

I thought my dose of 100 mg. twice daily was bad but my distant cousin has lyme disease in Pennsylvania and said she was on 600 mg. I love eating yogurt during the day and will miss it around the times I really need it.

It seems that everyone is having similar symptoms. I have been on Doxy for about 14 days now and I'm feeling worse every day. I am on it because i had been bitten by a tick and contracted Lyme disease. I don't know much about the disease but it has me freaked out. I started taking the antibiotic 2 weeks after being bitten; losing my balance and almost falling to the ground. I also had a couple of dizzy spells after eating. I seemed to feel a little bit better the first week of taking it but started feeling the side effects. It started out with the occasional dizzy spell then came the exhaustion, anxiety, depression, lower back aches, soreness in the back of my eyes, stiff neck, headache in the back of my head, flu like shivers, racing heart, and complete body aches. I also found out the hard way not to go out into the sun while on Doxy. Felt like the tops of my hands were being pricked with a million needles and burning. I wish I could stop taking the drug and be done, but I am already scared about the outcome of the Lyme disease. I hope I can feel normal again soon.

Started on Doxy 200mg every 12 hours for Lyme Disease about 7 days ago and have had painful pins and needles sensation in my hands - on and off since about day 4. The top of the hands seem most affected and any exposure to water (and the resulting evaporative cooling) causes elevated sensation for about 1-2 hours. Any exposure to sun causes a painful sunburn-like sensation. I will be staying out of the sun and hope the pins and needles will go away soon.

To everyone out there that has issues with doxycycline...
Now i fully understand the old saying that nothing is free in life.

I got it for lyme disease 7 days ago, and it was one of the free prescripts from my grocery store (great i thought). Little did i know how powerful this stuff can be. For the last week i have basically had severe headaches and wanted to give up on life. I didn't want to work out, didn't want to go to work, had chest pains, muscle spasms, and DEEP DEPRESSION....
now i know why this is free, because after it gets you so depressed, they figure your doctor will put you on something to get you out of depression, a money making drug. This is probably the meds talking still (i stopped yesterday after what felt like a complete and utter mental breakdown). Regardless of my silly conspiracy theory, i am glad i stopped taking it, and i hope that i start feeling like myself again.

I was taking doxycycline for a lesion on my face. I started to have tingling of my feet and fingers but did not associate it with the medication. I only used the doxycycline for two weeks. The tingling in my feet lasted for almost 5 weeks.

Several months later I went on Doxycycline because I thought I had lyme disease. After being on the Doxy for one week I started up with burning sensations of my hands and feet. Puffy, red hands...burning on different parts of my body. My Md said it was anxiety! An immunologist said it was peripheral nueropothy from drinking too much!!! I knew both diagnosis were bogis....then I started to research doxy and came upon this site...thank God. I finished the month of the Doxy. I have been off the med now for two months and the symptoms are finally starting to subside.
I can remember waking up one night and my entire chest felt like it was on fire. Wearing shoes was so painful that I wore slippers to work...I was a burning tingling mess and I am convinced it was the doxycyline.

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

I just started taking Doxycycline for Lyme disease and feel worse than I did before I had it. After taking a couple of pills, I vomited. Now I feel nausea, still have a high temperature, and have no taste for food. I am going to my doctor to see if there is another antibiotic out there to take. This one is horrible!

I have been treated with Doxycycline 100 MG twice for Lyme disease. Lyme presents with many of the same side effects as described here in this post so who knows which is causing what? Something like Abbot and Costello, who's on 1st. Anyway, the Lyme is frightening and if this is what it takes to get rid of the infection, so be it-I will deal with the side effects if I am convinced it is working. The problem is that I have no way of knowing. Has anyone else had Lyme and experienced the same.

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: ******

I was recently prescribed Doxy for Lyme disease. From the time I took my first dose until now, 3 days later, I have had horrible cramping. Similar to menstrual cramps, but worse. I also have a constant headache, though I'm not sure if the headache is caused my the meds or the Lyme disease itself. I have found I absolutely can NOT take this medication on an empty stomach. I drink the recommended amount of water and eat a few crackers when I take it. Seems to take the edge off a bit. I currently take a prescription medication for GERD, but I have been having the worst heartburn ever. Not so sure if I will be able to deal with 18 more days on this medication. I will probably call my doctor first thing Monday morning to see what my options are.

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

February 22nd
2009
My side effects (Charles Clark)
3:00pm

It started with diarrhea after a couple days treatment. Then my hand muscles starting to contract on there own. Then I started having high blood pressure up to 212/118 and high heart rate and anxiety beginning to set in. My wife wanted to take me to the hospital but I refused to go (I wish I had. They might have taken me off Doxy then, but no, I was still taking it). I then started having problems breathing (like something was stopping me. Not like hyperventilating). My wife called the doctor and she said to stop the Doxy and come in. At the visit, she gave me meds for high blood pressure and ordered a heart monitor and stress test as she believed my problem was more likely with my heart. I didn't start the blood pressure medications as I needed to have the tests done in a week and a half. I had a panic attack before the stress test. There was a patient there who stated her granddaughter had developed panic attacks after she had taken Doxy for Lymes disease. What a coincidence. That weekend my blood pressure and anxiety increased and my wife called the doctor. They convinced me to start the blood pressure medicine as all of this might be caused by High Blood Pressure. I returned to the doctor 4 days later and she took more blood work as well as tested for Lymes disease again. Everything was normal and NO lymes disease. So what was causing all of these problems. That night when I came home from the Doctors I started feeling like someone just sprayed me like you spray a wasp/bee. I started to shake and twitch inside like I was dying I could feel my stomach convulsing and getting cold. Now at this point I had been off Doxycycline for a few days. My wife called the doctors emergency line and they called in a prescription for Xanex. I took it and it put be out. I woke up the next day feeling like I was on a bad rollercoaster ride going over the edge and trying to climbing out of my skin. I was unable to even take care of myself at this point. I started getting muscle twitches all over my body. I could not control my thoughts and had a hard time talking; my skin was so hypersensitive to the touch or movement. The only way I could deal with it was just lay down and not move. I felt like was going to die. More symptoms came: my middle finger on my left hand went numb; I was so nauseated I had a hard time eating; depression set in with sever panic attacks/anxiety, ears ringing, slight pain in my chest like I was having a heart attack and was becoming bed ridden and afraid of everything at this point. That next week I returned to the doctor and she noted how it seemed a struggle for me to walk into the office. She felt that I should begin meds to decrease the anxiety that was paralyzing me. She suggested seeing a psychiatrist and stated that if I got worse my wife should take me to the emergency and be admitted to the mental health program. So I began to take Paxil as well (I hate medications, but I was desperate). I was terrified that I might have side affects from these meds and I couldn't be alone and I was afraid to go anywhere, afraid I would have an attack or worse, stop breathing all together. I was terrified and my family was getting very worried about me and unsure what to do. Thanks to my best friend, my wife, and my family for taking care of me. If it were not for them, I would not know what to do. My dear mom even came in from Virginia to help take care of me. I can not express my thanks enough to my family! I have been off the drug now for almost seven weeks now and all my side effects are slowly, very slowly, dissipating. How come the Doctors don't know about this? Thank GOD for this site and the ones that took the time to post there experience with this drug! THANKS EVERYONE GOD BLESS YOU!

P.S. please reply on what you did to get rid of the side effects, how long did it take for them to go away and did your Doctor believe that the Doxycycline caused them. because I can't find a Doctor that thinks the Doxycycline can have these side effects.

Hey there,
I have been taking Doxy now for almost 10 days for Erlichia. (a form of lyme disease) It is a strong drug! I take 100mg twice a day. I get terrible diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea. Starting yesterday after being on it for nine days I started getting really bad heartburn, indigestion. I only got heartburn when I was pregnant so I know it's the Doxy. I didn't eat anything out of the ordinary, It kept me up all last night. Thank god tomorrow I take my last pill. I read a lot of posts and feel so sorry for the people having panic attacks and depression. It really makes it difficult for us to take something that is suppose to make us better, but can is actually making us feel sicker!!

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 prescribed Doxycycline 1 dose twice a day for 2 weeks because of my lyme disease diagnosis. I am now at the end of the 2 weeks. For the first 9 days I felt pretty good. Lyme Disease symptoms were almost gone and my energy was very high. Now I am in a zoned out haze and I urinate like crazy. Whatever I drink just runs right through me. I feel tired and kind of achy. The craziest thing is the frequent urinating. I suppose I could have a urinary tract infection. This medication is messed up.

I started this antibiotic because of symptoms my ER physician thought paralleled those of lyme disease... At first I had mild to severe nausea... which was assisted with the intake of a meal or snack. Those symptoms I could deal with... that and a wonderful yeast infection that occurred around the fifth day. The side affects that became unruly, were those of confusion, panic, paranoia (I became extremely jealous/thought my partner wanted to leave me/ and felt un-trusting of just about anyone near - people mocking me, wanting to avoid me, unloved me), and had random bouts of crying - which affected my libido tremendously.... one moment I was in the mood.. the next I wanted to be held in a fetal position and cry. I finished the 14 day regiment about three days ago, however I still have some side effects remaining... I still have panicky thoughts.. almost flash backs of past anxieties... as though I am relieving them again... and paranoia... that people are talking about me, or scheming. I can understand these behaviors if they were pertinently normal.. and a justified part of my general existence... however, I am generally a stable, upbeat and cheerful individual with normal reactions to stress... being that the only time I act reasonably irrational is around my period, where I feel fat and uncomfortable. The panic and rage I felt on this medication was coupled with insane thoughts and neurosis.

I do not recommend this to sensitive individuals.... or any one who is prone to medication side effects.... truly an awful experience... glad there is a support group. Still waiting to return back to normal.

Have been on med for two weeks for confirmed case of Lyme Disease. It being August, I spent a good deal of time in the sun. Even with constant application of 50 spf sunblock, ended up burned. Hands and feet, especially. After that initial (horrible) sunburn went away, have stayed inside. Somehow, yesterday my nose became very red. Ho ho ho. My lips are also burned, strangely, and seemed to have swollen to Angelina Jolie proportions... worried will continue to swell to Bubba Gump size. Will be interesting when I meet my eighth grade students for the first time tomorrow. As for nausea, not so bad. All in all, I'd much rather suffer these symptoms than continue the excruciating joint pain of the Lyme.

I started Doxycycline Hyclate several days ago (100 mg 2x daily) as part of 3 week regimen to treat Lyme Disease. I have had some stomach upset, a generally reduced appetite, and cottonmouth... but by far and large the biggest effect has been this overwhelming exhaustion.

Went to bad at 9:30 last night and woke up at 9:00 am this morning but could not drag myself outta bed until almost noon. Its now the middle of the afternoon and I feel like a complete zombie. Spacy and unmotivated, my head might as well be made of wood and can't pull it together to even take a shower yet.

I am a real outdoors guy and keep up a busy routine of work and exercise. Another 2 and a half weeks of this is gonna drive me nuts. I guess it is better than having Lyme, but does it get any easier?

I took this medication as a malarial prevention whilst traveling through India.
Never EVER again. My boyfriend had suffered from depression in the past and we had heard bad things about Larium in relation to anxiety and insomnia so we specifically asked our doctor for the malarial tablets with the least amount of side effects associated with that kind of stuff. He reassured us that there was no record of Doxcycline ever having caused those sorts of effects.
So off we went- we followed the instructions exactly and began our trip.
A week or so into India I began to notice shortness of breath and stomach pain- I put it down to typical India travelers upset and thought no more about it. A bit later I began to suffer moments of anxiety that were really out of character ( I've never suffered from anxiety or depression). I'm very well traveled ( I work in the travel industry and have traveled extensively in the Americas, Africa, Australasia and se Asia) and so although this was my first trip to India- i knew my anxiety had nothing to do with India itself. ( people kept telling me this but I loved India)
It came to a head on a overnight bus from Goa to Hampi- I was feeling really anxious, sweating and clammy, I couldn't sleep and my breathing was really tight. Eventually I had a full blown panic attack that was almost like a out of body experience- I couldn't see and I couldn't breath. The whole bus had to stop ( embarrassing!) at 3am in the morning. Eventually I managed to get back on and make it to the next town ( although not as far as Hampi) so we could take stock.
I was petrified and had no idea whatsoever what was going on. It never occurred to me it could be the malaria tablets as we had been so clear and our doctor so confident they didn't have these kinds of side effects.
I was worried about being on buses, trains even planes again since I didn't know what caused the attacks and I was terrified another one would happen. I had no valium or any other sort of thing that might have helped. In the end we had to cut our trip short and make it back to Mumbai - In Mumbai I suffered from another two panic attacks- one where I could see the walls closing in in our cheap hotel room. Shortness of breath, tightness all through my body, hysteria, blurry vision - it was awful! And also this ongoing pain and upset in my stomach.
I ended up cutting short a RTW trip that my boyfriend and I had been saving for for over a year and coming home to Australia 2 months early.
It was devastating and I still had no idea what was causing it. Finally a friend said her doctor had mentioned sleeplessness and anxiety as a rare side effect of this drug when she was taking it for some problems to do with vaginal bleeding and spotting. I started searching on the internet and was amazed to find loads of sights with people experiencing heaps of the side effects that I'd been told were never a problem with this drug!
Obviously Malaria is really serious but if I had been properly informed I could have made the decision to come off the drugs and look at alternate medication. For now - Im taking the risk of no malaria tablets at all for my next couple of trips (to Borneo- so not a major risk anyway) and will actually research much harder before taking anything again!

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 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.

hi,
i have been on 100 mgs twice daily for bulls eye rash. i am awaiting initial lab results.
anyhow in the morning or whenever my stomach is empty.(told to take on empty stomach via enclosed pamphlet courtesy of pharmacy) The nausea takes over i try to get a piece of toast down it is agonizing! then when the nausea calms down, i them have burping problems the rest of the day also having slight boughs of dizziness. i want to quit after 9 days. i am really not eating because of the discomfort. these are my synopsis of issues with this med.
cc

I started taking Doxycycline on Jan 22, 2007 for Lyme Disease. I usually get nausea and/or vomiting with most antibiotics so I try and take precautions. The first day I took it I had nausea, headache, dizziness and a feeling of being "out of it". by the 3rd day the dizziness and the feeling of being "out of it" was gone but after I took it in the morning within 1/2 hour I started feeling severe esophagus pain. It's not like heartburn because it's right below my rib cage. That night I started noticing feeling like there was a lump in my throat. By the next morning the lump felt like a huge knot. Now, It hurts every time I swallow, the esophagus pain never ends. Last night I spent the night crying feeling like everything was hopeless. I thought it was just because I've been dealing with the pain from Lyme and now the pain from the medicine now that I read this message board, I wonder if the hopeless, despondent feeling is from this medication. I have 2 more weeks on this I don't think I can take it that long. I haven't eaten anything because it hurts to swallow and it burns. I cry all the time. I did not read that depression was a side effect but it seems a lot of people are experiencing the exact same symptoms. I don't know how some people have been on it so long. Just the thought of taking another is depressing me beyond belief.

Took only one Doxy, caused tremendous stomach pain. Subsided as day went on and felt ok. Went to bed and slept only a short time, awoke because of nightmares, hallucination type nightmares, very scary. I have checked around nightmares w/doxy are common. Very exhausted today will not take again until I hear from Md. Taking for Lyme Disease & I know symptoms can increase (herxing), but I believe this was side effect related.

I took Doxy for 1 month to treat Lyme disease. It was awful. I can't imagine taking this long-term. I had many of the side-effects already mentioned but two I haven't seen are dandruff and metallic taste in my mouth which totally ruined drinking water. Both of these effects eventually went away after abx stopped. The fuzzy-thinking was dangerous. One evening, about an hour after taking it, when this symptom was the worst, I was climbing off my boat and somehow tripped myself and fell onto the dock. I still don't understand what I did to make myself fall. Just very spacey. I sprained some ribs. So be careful right after taking this drug. Now I'm trying a long-term use of the Peruvian herb Samento, as I believe the Lyme bacteria is gone but can't prove it. So this is my safeguard approach. Best wishes to all.

I had encephalitis or meningitis (not sure) last September. Anyway, I got a PICC line and had doxycycline running through it for nearly two months. Two weeks ago I was in terrible pain and was in the hospital because I developed blood clots in my arm and the causticity of the doxy burned the veins and surrounding tissue in my chest. I have never known a worse agony and misery. My veins were all constricted in defense mode. I read on the internet that doxy should never be given through a PICC line long term. I'm so angry with my doctor for letting this happen to me. I have Lyme disease and have suffered immensely with it for five years, but this took the cake. I HATE antibiotics!

I took 300mg of doxycycline a day for three weeks because I had Lyme Disease. It made my stomach upset but if I found if I ate a few saltine crackers with the pills it took care of the nausea. I also noticed that I became very anxious at times while on the medication. I have been off of the antibiotics now for six days and I still have a painful swollen rash on my hands. I work outside and was exposed to the sun while on Doxy and got the standard sun rash we all know about. What I don't understand is why it is getting worse now, even though I am off the antibiotics. It is so bad that I have been lathering my hands in neospirin and wrapping them with gauze to try and heal them faster, but it doesn't seem to be working.

I started taking the pill 2 weeks ago for ance problems. I have experienced severe nausea, and an extreme burning sensation in the sun! I also have chest pains. my acne doesnt seem to be getting too much better.The nausea is sometimes unbearable! We'll see what happens when i keep taking it.

I have been on Doxycycline for two weeks for Lyme disease. I stopped three days ago. While on it I felt very depressed and moody, as well as tired and nauseous. Last night I woke up with the sensation that my whole body was on fire, my back especially. My face itches as well and I am no longer even on the drug.

I've been taking Doxy for a week now (100mg 2x daily) for epididomytis. The second day of taking the med I woke up with terrible heartburn. I thought that the med burned a hole in my lower esophagus from from taking the med late the night before. I have had nausia once for a few hours, though the worst side-effect is the terrible chest pain as I swallow or take deep breaths. It feels like I am swallowing a golf ball and it is stuck about 3/4 of the way down. Occasionally it feels like it is trying to come back up. I too have had some excess gas. I hope this stuff really works without causing long term side effects.

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

Have been taking 200mg Doxycycline for Lyme disease now for almost 4 months, definately eat before taking as it does cause you to be sick. I have a weird tingling in my lips, am always thirsty and tired.

Some of you may well have Lyme disease. Sounds like Herxheimer reactions in many of you. Basically it is a worsening/onset of symptoms, after taking antibiotics.
As Lyme spirochaetes die off, Toxins are released causing myriad symptoms. Then when you quit taking, symptoms remain, as Lyme disease needs many weeks/months of AB treatment to kill. Also take pineapple juice and acidophylus supplements/yogurt, for digestive issues. Totally quit alcohol and sugar.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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