doxycycline

What is the most important information I should know about doxycycline?

Do not use this medicine if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby or cause permanent tooth discoloration later in life.

Doxycycline can make birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about using a non hormone method of birth control (such as a condom, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy while using doxycycline.

You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to doxycycline or to other tetracycline antibiotics such as demeclocycline (Declomycin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Solodyn, Vectrin), or tetracycline (Brodspec, Panmycin, Sumycin, Tetracap).

Before taking doxycycline, tell your doctor if you have liver disease, kidney disease, asthma, or if you are allergic to sulfites.

Drink plenty of liquids while you are taking doxycycline.

Children should not use doxycycline. Doxycycline can cause permanent yellowing or graying of the teeth in children younger than 8 years old.

Take this medication for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely cleared. Skipping doses may also increase your risk of further infection that is resistant to antibiotics.

What is doxycycline?

Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic. It fights bacteria in the body.

Doxycycline is used to treat many different bacterial infections, such as urinary tract infections, acne, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, periodontitis (gum disease), and others.

Doxycycline is also used to treat blemishes, bumps, and acne-like lesions caused by rosacea. Doxycycline will not treat facial redness caused by rosacea.

Doxycycline may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking doxycycline?

You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to doxycycline or to other tetracycline antibiotics such as demeclocycline (Declomycin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Solodyn, Vectrin), or tetracycline (Brodspec, Panmycin, Sumycin, Tetracap).

To make sure you can safely take doxycycline, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

• liver disease;
• kidney disease; or
• asthma or sulfite allergy.

If you are using doxycycline to treat gonorrhea, your doctor may test you to make sure you do not also have syphilis, another sexually transmitted disease.

FDA pregnancy category D. Do not use doxycycline if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby or cause permanent tooth discoloration later in life. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment.

Doxycycline can make birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about using a non hormone method of birth control (such as a condom, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy while using doxycycline.

Doxycycline passes into breast milk and may affect bone and tooth development in a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are taking doxycycline.

Children should not use doxycycline. Doxycycline can cause permanent yellowing or graying of the teeth in children younger than 8 years old.

How should I take doxycycline?

Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Take doxycycline with a full glass of water. Drink plenty of liquids while you are taking doxycycline.

Different brands of doxycycline may have different instructions about taking them with or without food.

Most brands of doxycyline may be taken with food or milk if the medicine upsets your stomach.

Take Oracea or Periostat on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.

You may open a Doryx capsule or break up a Doryx tablet and sprinkle the medicine into a spoonful of applesauce to make swallowing easier. Swallow right away without chewing. Do not save the mixture for later use. Drink a full glass (8 ounces) of cool water right away.

Do not crush, break, or open a delayed-release capsule. Swallow the pill whole. Breaking or opening the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time. The enteric coated pill has a special coating to protect your stomach. Breaking the pill will damage this coating.

Measure liquid medicine with a special dose measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

Take this medication for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely cleared. Skipping doses may also increase your risk of further infection that is resistant to antibiotics. Doxycycline will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using doxycycline. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date on the label has passed. Using expired doxycycline can cause damage to your kidneys.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

What should I avoid while taking doxycycline?

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or bloody, stop taking doxycycline and call your doctor. Do not use anti-diarrhea medicine unless your doctor tells you to.

Avoid exposure to sunlight or tanning beds. Doxycycline can make you sunburn more easily. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) when you are outdoors.

Do not take iron supplements, multivitamins, calcium supplements, antacids, or laxatives within 2 hours before or after taking doxycycline.

What are the possible side effects of doxycycline?

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.

Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• severe headache, dizziness, blurred vision;
• fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, swollen glands, rash or itching, joint pain, or general ill feeling;
• urinating less than usual or not at all;
• diarrhea that is watery or bloody
• 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
• severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Less serious side effects may include:

• mild nausea, mild diarrhea;
• upset stomach;
• mild skin rash or itching; or
• vaginal itching or discharge.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect doxycycline?

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

• cholesterol-lowering medications such as cholestyramine (Prevalite, Questran) or colestipol (Colestid);
• isotretinoin (Accutane);
• tretinoin (Renova, Retin-A, Vesanoid);
• an antacid such as Tums, Rolaids, Milk of Magnesia, Maalox, and others;
• a product that contains bismuth subsalicylate such as Pepto-Bismol;
• minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and over-the-counter vitamin and mineral supplements;
• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven); or
• a penicillin antibiotic such as amoxicillin (Amoxil, Augmentin, Dispermox, Moxatag), ampicillin (Principen, Unasyn), dicloxacillin (Dycill, Dynapen), oxacillin (Bactocill), or penicillin (Bicillin L-A, PC Pen VK, Pfizerpen).

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with doxycycline. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about doxycycline.