Overview

Other brand names of Doxycycline are Doryx, Doryx MPC, and Articulate. The medication comes in 3 various forms; suspension, tablet, and capsule. In some cases, medical experts prepare Doxycycline as an injection solution.

What Is Doxycycline?

Doxycycline is an oral medication that is a prescription-only drug, and it is popularly known as Doryx, Doryx MPC, and Acticlate. It is likewise available and sold as a generic drug. Generic type drugs are priced much lesser than the branded ones, and they may not be as potent as the branded version. 

Doxycycline medications are also available in either delayed-release or immediate-release form. It is also available as a capsule and as an injectable solution. The injectable solution is administered only by a health care expert.

Side Effects

Like any other medication, Doxycycline can result in some side effects. The side effects can range from the common to the most severe side effects. 

Common Doxycycline Side Effects

More common side effects of the drug Doxycycline Hyalite include any of the following:

• Skin rashes
• Appetite loss
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Sensitivity to the sun
• Teeth discoloration (can go away with dental visit and cleaning, and after the drug has been stopped from use.)
• Hives
• Sensitivity to the sun

These common side effects of Doxycycline can go away after a couple of days or weeks. These side effects are characterized as mild and temporary. If they happen to become more severe and won’t go away, ask your doctor or pharmacist for assistance. Doxycycline does not cause any drowsiness to the user. 

Doxycycline Serious Side Effects

If you experience any serious side effects from Doxycycline use, you have to seek medical attention immediately. Call your doctor or healthcare provider if you feel any life-endangering symptoms such as:

1. When you experience high blood pressure symptoms like:

• Headaches
• Loss of vision
• Blurry vision
• Double vision

2. Irritated esophagus or aggravated ulcer in the esophagus, which can happen when you take the medication anytime near bedtime. The symptoms are:

• Chest pain
• Burning pain in the chest 
• Difficulty breathing

3. Symptoms of pancreatitis such as:

• Fever
• Pain the abdomen
• Pain in the upper abdomen when you move your back or worsening pain after eating

4. Serious skin infections, with symptoms such as:

• Skin peeling
• Blisters
• Small purple coloured skin rashes or spots

5. Diarrhea induced by antibiotic use. The symptoms are:

• Blood in diarrhea
• Severe diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Stomach pain
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Dehydration

6. Anemia symptoms:

• Lightheadedness
• Fatigue

Important Warnings To Consider

Severe Skin Allergies or Infection Warnings

The drug doxycycline can result in some serious skin allergies and or infections. It can include diseases like the Stevens-Johnson syndrome, DRESS or drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, and toxic epidermal necrolysis. The symptoms can consist of peeling of the skin, skin blisters, small purple spots, or skin rashes. Call your doctor right away if you have these symptoms.

Intracranial Hypertension Warnings

The drug can lead to inter-cranial hypertension, and also high blood pressure within the skull. The patient will experience symptoms like blurry vision, double vision, headaches, and loss of sight. Immediately let your health care provider know when you experience these symptoms. You will also feel some swelling inside the eyes when this happens. Childbearing women who are obese or overweight are at a higher risk for this. 

Change of Color of Tooth Warnings

The drug can lead to permanent tooth discolouration, especially if used by kids who are in their tooth development stage. It includes eight-year-old children and below. The tooth can discolour from white to brown, yellow, or gray.

Antibiotic Induced Diarrhea Warnings

Doxycycline use can cause diarrhea. It can be mild to severe kinds of diarrhea. It can also be caused by some infection in the colon. It can lead to death if left unattended. For those who had severe or persistent diarrhea, contact your doctor right away. They will recommend stopping the treatment using doxycycline.

Dosage and Administration

This dosage and administration guide are for oral doxycycline tablets. Your dosage, drug use, and how often you should use it depends on your:

• Age
• Severeness of condition
• Condition to be treated
• Preexisting medical conditions
• How you react to the initial dose

This guide does not include all health conditions that your physician may have prescribed the use of doxycycline for. You should ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions: 

Infection Dosage

For adults aged 18-64 years old:

Two hundred milligrams on the initial day of treatment. To be taken 100 milligrams after every 12 hour-interval. Followed by 100 milligrams each day. For more serious infections, 100 milligrams every 12 hours or as recommended by the physician.

For kids aged 0-7 years old:

It has not been established if this medication is safe for use by kids who are below eight years old

For senior citizen aged 65 years old and older:

The physician can start to lower the dose or follow a different dosing schedule. This will help you from keeping up with the drug and avoid immediate build up in the body.

Malaria Dosage

For adults aged 18-64 years old:

Dosage is 100 milligrams every day. Start treatment one to two days before you go to a malaria-infested location. Continue the treatment for four more weeks after you leave the area known to have malaria.

Drug Interactions

Since some medicines must not be used together in the first place, there are cases when two different medications can be used together, notwithstanding any risk of interaction. In this case, the physician will have to make a modification on the dosage and follow some other precautionary measures.

When you are taking this medication, it is crucial that your medical doctor know if you are taking any of the drugs provided below. The following have been chosen based on their potential significance and are not rendered all-inclusive. Using this medicine is not suggested. Your physician will not allow you to use doxycycline if you use this drug: Acitretin. 

The use of doxycycline with the drugs listed here is not recommended. If these medicines are prescribed with doxycycline, the physician can change the dose or adjust how often you use one of these medications:

• Penicillin G
• Penicillin G Benzathine
• Penicillin G Procaine
• Penicillin V
• Piperacillin
• Pivampicillin
• Sultamicillin
• Temocillin
• Methicillin
• Amoxicillin
• Ampicillin
• Dicloxacillin
• Etretinate
• Isotretinoin
• Ascorbic Acid
• Bacampicillin
• Methotrexate
• Methoxyflurane
• Nafcillin
• Oxacillin
• Bexarotene
• Cholera Vaccine, Live
• Cloxacillin
• Tretinoin

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medications are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Iron
• MagaldrateMagnesium Oxide
• Magnesium Trisilicate
• Rifampin
• Rifapentine
• Aluminum Carbonate, Basic
• Aluminum Hydroxide
• Bismuth Subsalicylate
• Calcium
• Dihydroxyaluminum Aminoacetate
• Dihydroxyaluminum Sodium Carbonate
• Aluminum Phosphate
• Aminolevulinic Acid
• Magnesium Carbonate
• Magnesium Hydroxide

Other Interactions

Certain drugs must not be used together with or around the same time of consuming foods or certain food types as interactions can happen. The use of tobacco or alcohol with certain drugs can also lead to some interactions. Ask your doctor regarding the proper use of your medication with certain foods, tobacco, or alcohol.

Warnings and Precautions

You must take these into careful consideration as you intend to take doxycycline tablet.

Overall

• Take this medication with or without food
• You can cut the tablet in half but never crush it. You can break it or sprinkle into apple sauce. Avoid chewing the tablet.
• Take medicine immediately without delay.

Proper Storage

• Keep away from direct sunlight
• Keep away from children
• Don’t store in cold, moist, or damp areas. 
• Store in room temperature 20-25 degrees celsius.

Travel

As you travel, important considerations are as follows:

• Airport x-ray won’t harm your tablet’s potency.
• Keep in your handcart bag.
• Always bring the original prescription labeled packaging or box with you.
• Do not leave in your car compartment where it can get extremely hot or cold. 

Overdose and Contraindications

There are particular medications that you must not use or some food or specific food types you should stay away from as interactions can happen. If you use tobacco or alcohol with your other medications, remember that interactions can occur. Ask your doctor or health care professional if you use doxycycline with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

If you experience overdose with doxycycline or any drugs, do not delay, and ask for immediate medical assistance.