Drug Uses

DOXYCYCLINE is a tetracycline antibiotic. It is used to treat many kinds of infections, like dental, skin, respiratory, and urinary tract infections. It also treats acne, Lyme disease, malaria, and certain sexually transmitted infections. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

How To Use

Take this medicine by mouth with a full glass of water. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Do not crush or chew. It is best to take this medicine without food, but if it upsets your stomach take it with food. Take your medicine at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed. Take all of your medicine as directed even if you think you’re are better. Do not skip doses or stop your medicine early. Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed. While this drug may be prescribed for children as young as 8 years old for selected conditions, precautions do apply.

Possible Side Effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using doxycycline and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
• 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.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur.

Precautions

As with other antibiotics, treatment with doxycycline may result in a growth of bacteria that do not respond to Doryx and can cause a secondary infection. An overgrowth of certain bacteria in the colon could cause mild to severe—and rarely, life-threatening—diarrhea. If you develop this symptom, call your doctor immediately. Bulging foreheads in infants and headaches in adults have occurred. These symptoms disappeared when doxycycline was discontinued. You may become more sensitive to sunlight while taking doxycycline. Be careful if you are going out in the sun or using a sunlamp. If you develop a skin rash, notify your doctor immediately. Doxycycline syrup (Vibramycin) contains a sulfite that may cause allergic reactions in certain people. This reaction happens more frequently to people with asthma. Birth control pills that contain estrogen may not be as effective while you are taking tetracycline drugs. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you should use another form of birth control while taking doxycycline. This medicine should not be used during pregnancy. Tetracycline can damage developing teeth during the last half of pregnancy. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, inform your doctor immediately. Tetracyclines such as doxycycline appear in breast milk and can affect a nursing infant. If Doryx is essential to your health, your doctor may advise you to discontinue breastfeeding until your treatment is finished.

Overdose

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Missed dose

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Storage

Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F). Protect from light. Keep container tightly closed. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date. Taking this medicine after the expiration date can make you seriously ill. Keep out of the reach of children.