How Doxycycline ruined my Life and what I did about it to be healthy again

How doxycycline ruined my life – Have you ever heard this before and wondered how come an antibiotic medication can ruin a person’s life?

You might be having an acne problem or any other bacterial infection, and doxycycline has been recommended for you, but you are not sure whether to use this medication because you have heard negative reviews about the medication and people described the drug as being awful for them.

Well, don’t worry, we will clarify your doubt and answer these questions for you here.

This post shows some reviews from past and present doxycycline users, how the drug affected them and how they cope with it to become hale and hearty again.

My article covers how this antibiotic can ruin your life, how to fight its side effects and how to recuperate optimally.

Firstly, what is this Doxycycline and how does it work?

Doxycycline is an antibiotic that is used to treat illnesses such as;

• Skin infections and diseases such as rosacea,
• Infections spread via sexual contact (STIs).
• additional uncommon infections.

When traveling overseas, it may also be used to prevent malaria.  Doxycycline is only accessible with a prescription.

It is available as capsules, pills, and tablets that dissolve in water (dispersible).

Doxycycline is used to treat bacterial infections throughout the body.

It is also used to treat pimples and abscesses produced by rosacea, which is sometimes known as acne rosacea or adult acne.

It is also used to prevent malaria and treat anthrax infection after probable exposure, as well as for other ailments recommended by your doctor.

Doxycycline belongs to the tetracycline antibiotics family of drugs.

It works by either killing or inhibiting the development of bacteria.

This medication, however, will not treat colds, flu, or other viral illnesses.

Many people choose to buy doxycycline online as a treatment option of certain viral infections. This medication is also prescribed by a doctor. 

This substance comes in the following dose forms:

• Suspension Powder
• Capsule
• Tablet
• Extended-Release Capsule
• Syrup
• Delayed-Release Tablet

How can this antibiotic drug – Doxycycline ruin your life?

To answer this, I will drop some reviews of this antibiotic from those who have used it so that you can see or read for yourself how Doxycycline can ruin your life.

And the following sub-headings after the review will further let you know how this drug can ruin your life because by reading their contents, you will know the side effects of this drug, what happens if you miss or overdose on it, and possible harmful interactions this medication has with other drugs, supplements, and substances you take in every. 

As well as also knowing the warnings, contradictions, and precautions to note when taking this antibiotic and if this drug can ruin your life if you ignore these instructions, or take it as you like or on a whim.

Doxycycline Antibiotic Review

Doxycycline has an average rating of 6.5 out of 10 from a total of 1,551 ratings on Drugs.com. 

51% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 26% reported a negative experience, but since we are only gonna focus on the negative experiences some people get when using this drug to the extent they said that doxycycline destroyed their life, I will drop four of their reviews so that you will read or see why they said that doxycycline ruined their life, and take a point from that.

The reviews;

• The first review is from Dee who took doxycycline for less than 1 month for bacterial infection: “I took doxycycline for 4 days. Then I felt dizzy, blurred vision, forgetful. Ended up in hospital because I felt like I was drunk!! I couldn't even remember going to ER. Couldn't walk, couldn't answer questions. They said this pill doesn't have a side effect like that. I beg to differ. I lost 2 days of memory because of this drug. They need more research.”
• The second review is from someone who took the drug for 6 months for bacterial infection: “I went to walk-in clinic for sinus infection. I was given this medication doxycycline for the 1st time. I will never get accept a prescription for it again. On antibiotics I usually I feel better in a day or 2. On doxycycline, it took at least a week before symptoms started to clear up. I have been tired and had a severe headache since I got the med. My body hurts and I still have the infection. I have taken the meds for 8 days. I am not taking the last 2 days, the pressure in my head is so bad I'm afraid it may give me a stroke. I have no idea why the walk in clinic gave me this medication if the side effects are so bad. But I took it, but never again.”
• The third review is from another person who took the drug for 4 months for Lyme disease: “I started feeling bad and went to the doctor and just happened to remember taking a tick off me so I asked them about it after bloodwork tested positive for Lyme and rocky mountain spotted fever. I have taken 2 rounds of doxycycline and still testing positive for it. I have now gotten to where all I want to do is sleep and my whole body hurts and is so weak that I literally cannot stand sometimes. I don't know what they will do next but already have diabetes and heart problems so I hope they figure something out soon. For anyone who thinks it is no big deal, this is completely different than just being tired, it's almost like being paralyzed. Even with all my other medical issues, I have always been able to push myself to go but I can't seem to do that with this. I'm afraid the longer I have it the more damage it's going to do.”
• The fourth and final review I will drop is from Sonja who has taken doxycycline for less than 1 month for Chlamydia infection: “Before taking doxycycline my symptoms were not really showing as much, but as soon as the third day hit, my symptoms got worse and now it’s more discharge and feeling very hot. I hope it works, I have to take it for 7 days twice and day and I’m on day 6.”

So all these reviews are negative reviews from doxycycline users who claimed that the side effects of this drug are capable of ruining your life if you continue to use it, and the drug is not worth the side effects it brings.

Side effects of doxycycline

Doxycycline, like many medications, has side effects, and knowing its side effects makes you see the potential or capability of this drug, whether it is capable of hampering your healthy living.

Typical side effects

The following are some of the most prevalent side effects of doxycycline:

• Headaches
• Feeling ill (nausea)
• Being ill (vomiting)
• Skin sensitivity to sunlight

Speak with a doctor or pharmacist if the coping advice does not help and the side effect continues to prevail or does not go away.

Severe side effects

• Peripheral neuropathy: If you are seriously allergic to any of the constituents of doxycycline, it can lead to brain damage by destroying the nerves of the brain.
• Bruising or bleeding: Bruising or bleeding that cannot be explained (including nosebleeds), a sore throat, a high fever, and feeling exhausted or generally sick are all significant side effects of doxycycline.
• Diarrhea: Diarrhea (perhaps with stomach pains) including blood or mucus. If your diarrhea lasts more than 4 days, see a doctor. 
• Ringing or buzzing in your ears.
• Pale poo and dark urine, as well as the whites of your eyes, becoming yellow or your skin turning yellow (though this may be less noticeable on brown or black skin) — may be symptoms of liver issues.
• Doxycycline has caused joint and muscular discomfort.
• Severe headaches, vomiting, and vision difficulties: These might be indicators of pressure around your brain (intracranial hypertension).
• A fingernail that begins to pull away from its base – could be a photo-onycholysis response to sunlight.
• A sore or swollen mouth, lips, or tongue severe stomach pain, with or without bloody diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting – these can be signs of pancreatitis difficulty.
• A sore throat, pain swallowing, acid reflux, a smaller appetite, or chest pain that worsens when you eat – can be signs of an inflamed food pipe (oesophagitis) or oesophageal ulcer.
• A severe allergic response: Doxycycline may cause severe allergic reactions in rare circumstances (anaphylaxis).
• This medication can cause serious side effects if used in conditions like pregnancy and breastfeeding or if taken with other medicines, herbal supplements, and substances that could interact negatively with it.

If you experience a skin rash that includes itching, red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin, wheezing, chest or throat tightness, or difficulty breathing or talking, contact your doctor right away or call your health-care provider.

If your mouth, face, lips, tongue, or neck begin to swell, you may be experiencing a severe allergic reaction and need rapid medical care.

If you observe any allergic reaction, stop using this drug and consult your doctor, or better, consult the physician/doctor that prescribed this drug for you.

What will happen if you miss a dose of doxycycline?

If you missed doses, the drug will lose effect.

If you forget to take a dosage of this medication, take it as soon as possible.

If your next dosage is approaching, omit the missing dose and resume your usual dosing regimen.

Do not take two doses.

What will happen if you overdose on doxycycline?

Side effects like increased nausea and diarrhea will happen.

The treatment of a doxycycline overdose is typically determined by how much medicine was taken and what adverse effects or odd symptoms were observed. 

The most frequent therapy for doxycycline overdose is supportive, which means that the symptoms of the overdose are addressed.

Consult your doctor immediately if you have overdosed on this medication.

What will happen when you misuse doxycycline?

This is a no-brainer.

If you misuse medications like antibiotics, then you are signing up for the complications or side effects of this misuse, because drugs like doxycycline are only to be used strictly based on a doctor’s prescriptions. 

Some of the side effects you might incur could be serious and life-threatening, as I have outlined such side effects above in this post, and they are certain conditions you might be in that you should never take this drug at all, and also certain things you should never take this drug in combination with. 

So, therefore, never misuse this medication, and always make sure to consult your doctor before taking medications like this.

Drug Interactions

Although some drugs should never be taken together, two separate medicines may be used together even if an interaction occurs.

In certain circumstances, your doctor may wish to adjust the dosage or take additional measures. 

Your healthcare practitioner must know if you are taking any of the medications mentioned below while taking this drug.

The interactions listed below were chosen for their potential relevance and are not meant to be exhaustive.

Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this drug or may adjust some of the medications you are already taking.

It is not suggested to use this medication with any of the following medications. 

• Acitretin
• Amoxicillin
• Ampicillin
• Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C)
• Bacampicillin
• Bexarotene
• Live Cholera Vaccine
• Cloxacillin
• Desogestrel
• Dicloxacillin
• Dienogest
• Drospirenone
• Estradiol
• Estradiol Ethinyl Estradiol
• Ethynodiol
• Etretinate
• Gestodene
• Isotretinoin
• Levonorgestrel
• Sulfate of Magnesium
• Mestranol
• Methicillin
• Methotrexate
• Methoxyflurane
• Nafcillin
• Nomegestrol
• Norethindrone
• Norgestimate
• Norgestrel
• Oxacillin
• G-penicillin
• G-penicillin Benzathine
• G-penicillin Procaine
• V Penicillin
• Piperacillin
• Pivampicillin
• Porfimer
• Sultamicillin
• Temocillin
• Tretinoin

Combining this medicine in conjunction with any of the following medications may raise your risk of certain adverse effects, but using both treatments may be the best option for you.

If both medications are given simultaneously, your doctor may adjust the dosage or frequency with which you take one or both of them.

Combining this doxycycline with any of the following medications is normally not advised, but may be necessary for certain instances.

If both medications are given simultaneously, your doctor may adjust the dosage or frequency with which you take one or both of them.

• Basic Aluminum Carbonate
• Hydrated aluminum
• Phosphate of Aluminum
• Bismuth Subsalicylate Aminolevulinic Acid
• Calcium
• Dihydroxyaluminum Aminoacetate
• Dihydroxyaluminum Carbonate of Soda
• Iron sMagaldrate
• Carbonate of Magnesium
• Magnesium Hydroxide
• Magnesium Oxide
• Trisilicate of Magnesium
• RifampinRifapentine

The above substances react negatively to doxycycline, so consult your doctor on what to do.

Interactions with Others

Specific drugs should not be taken at or around the time of eating food, or while consuming certain kinds of food, since interactions may occur.

Using alcohol or smoking while taking some medications may also result in interactions.

Discuss with your doctor the use of your medication with food, drink, or cigarettes.

Other Medical Issues

Other medical issues may interfere with the usage of this medication.

Make careful to inform your doctor if you have any other medical issues, particularly:

• Asthma—Vibramycin® syrup includes sodium metabisulfite, which may trigger adverse and even fatal responses in asthma sufferers.
• Use with care if you have diarrhea or intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri), or a history of vaginal candidiasis (yeast) infections. This might aggravate the situation.

Please take caution if you have kidney issues.

Because the drug is removed from the body more slowly, the effects may be amplified.

Consult your doctor before use.

Warnings, Contraindications, and Precautions to take note of when taking Doxycycline

When selecting whether to take a drug, the dangers must be balanced against the benefits.

You and your doctor will make this choice.

The following factors should be noted while using this medication:

Allergies

Inform your doctor if you have ever had an unusual or adverse response to this or any other medications.

Inform your doctor if you have any additional allergies to foods, colors, preservatives, or animals.

When purchasing non-prescription goods, carefully read the label or package contents.

Pediatric 

Doxycycline may cause permanent tooth discoloration and impede bone development.

Unless otherwise ordered by the child's doctor, this drug should not be given to children aged 8 and under (save for the treatment of inhalational anthrax or rickettsia infection).

Geriatric

Appropriate investigations have not shown any geriatric-specific issues that would restrict doxycycline's utility in the elderly.

However, senior individuals are more likely to have renal, liver, or cardiac issues, which may need care and a dosage change for doxycycline patients.

Breastfeeding

There have been no good studies on women to determine baby risk when this medicine is used during nursing.

Before using this drug during nursing, weigh the possible advantages against the potential hazards.

Using this medication while pregnant may be harmful to your unborn child.

To avoid becoming pregnant, use an effective type of birth control.

Inform your doctor straight away if you believe you have gotten pregnant while taking this medication.

Other things to look out for

• This medication may cause your skin, nails, eyes, teeth, gums, or scars to darken. If you have any concerns, see your doctor.
• Doxycycline may induce diarrhea, which can be severe in certain situations. It might happen two months or more after you stop using this medication. Do not use any diarrhea medicine without first consulting your doctor. Diarrhea medications may make diarrhea worse or prolong its duration. If you have any doubts about this, or if mild diarrhea persists or worsens, see your doctor.
• While using doxycycline, birth control pills containing estrogen may not function effectively. Use different types of birth control to avoid becoming pregnant. Condoms, a diaphragm, or contraceptive foam or jelly are examples of these.
• Doxycycline may make your skin more susceptible to sunlight than usual. Even brief exposure to sunlight might result in skin rash, irritation, redness or other skin discoloration, or a serious sunburn.

When you first start using this medication:

• If possible, avoid direct sunlight between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Wear appropriate protective clothing, especially a hat. Wear sunglasses as well. Use a sunscreen product with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Some individuals, particularly those with fair skin, may need a cream with a higher SPF level. To protect your lips, use sunblock lipstick with an SPF of at least 15. Do not use sunlight, tanning bed, or tanning booth. Consult your doctor if you have serious sun sensitivity.
• This medication may cause severe skin responses, including drug reactions with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms. If you experience blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or a skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, fever or chills, cough, sore throat, swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin, or yellow skin or eyes while using this medicine, contact your doctor right away.
• This medication may induce elevated intracranial pressure (intracranial hypertension). Women of reproductive age who are overweight or have a history of intracranial hypertension are more prone to experience this. If you get a headache, blurred vision, or changes in your eyesight, call your doctor straight away.
• If you get a fever, rash, joint discomfort, or fatigue, call your doctor right away. These might be signs of an autoimmune disorder, in which the body fights itself.
• You should avoid using antacids containing aluminum, calcium, or magnesium, as well as any product containing iron, such as vitamin or mineral supplements.
• If you are using this medication to prevent malaria, take special precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Protective clothes, mosquito netting or screens, and insect repellent are all recommended.
• Inform the medical practitioner in charge of any medical testing that you are taking this medication. This medication may affect the findings of some tests.

Other medications should not be taken unless they have been discussed with your doctor.

This covers prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medications, as well as herbal and vitamin supplements.

Common treatments to treat the side effects of doxycycline and whether you should take them or not

Common treatments are;

• If there is any loss of consciousness or if doxycycline was combined with other drugs, charcoal may be used as a therapy. This is a chemical that binds to excess medicine and allows it to be excreted from the body. 
• A gastric lavage, often known as a stomach pump, may be required. A liquid is pushed down the esophagus and into the stomach through a tube inserted via the nose or mouth. The liquid, along with any stomach contents, is then suctioned or siphoned out of the body. 
• Dialysis is often used to treat overdoses because it purifies the blood. Dialysis, on the other hand, will not eliminate doxycycline from circulation. 

Other supportive therapies for a doxycycline overdose include:

• Intravenous fluids, assist the body to reestablish fluid balance and reduce the number of drugs in the circulation.
• Monitoring vital signs
• Doctors recommend medicine to assist with nausea. You are given intravenous fluids to reduce the danger of dehydration caused by diarrhea, as well as a probiotic. Your gastrointestinal system will return to normal with the aid of a probiotic.

All the above treatments are functional, so if you are suffering from the side effects of doxycycline, consult your doctor to know which will be most beneficial to you.

Why would someone take doxycycline long-term?

Long-term doxycycline usage (more than 3 months) has not been extensively explored.

Because lower doses of doxycycline and minocycline (a related tetracycline) are frequently used for extended periods to treat acne, it has been presumed that long-term use of doxycycline at an adult dose of 100 mg/day is safe.

However, it is not recommended to use this medicine over four months.

How can anyone notice the side effects of drugs like Doxycycline before it was too late?

Firstly, observe for any allergic reactions, and even though it is one you notice, consult your doctor immediately.

Before taking this drug, ask your doctor for early signs to observe that should intricate you stopping this medication usage. 

I have outlined the side effects to look out for in this article above, so please make sure you read up. 

Are there any alternatives to Doxycycline that are safer?

Safer alternatives to Doxycycline include the following;

• Minocycline.
• Azithromycin.
• Erythromycin (topical)

Other medications are available to treat your condition.

Some may be more appropriate for you than others.

Consult your doctor about other medication options that may be suitable for you.

How Doxycycline ruined my life and what I did about it to become better and well again

I am sorry that I cannot cite my personal experience with this medication because I have never used this medication in my life, but I have gone through Doxycycline customers’ reviews and seen why those with negative reviews said doxycycline ruined their life.

I have posted some of their reviews on this post above, so you can check their reviews and see why they said doxycycline ruined their life.

But I am not going through how doxycycline ruined my life reviews again, but rather I want to let you know now how to become better and well again.

To get better and well again, please read through this article, because I have given info on how to cope and fight the devastating and health-hampering side effects, as they are treatments available (check the section of 'Common treatments to treat the side effects of doxycycline and whether you should take them or not' in this article).

Now the first thing you have to do on your way to getting better is total abstinence from the drug since it is well established that the drug is harmful to your health. 

Then after that, you consult your doctor to start engaging on the recommended treatment available.

The truth about Doxycycline – Is this drug safe? | Is it worth the risks

In case you might be wondering; “Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me?”

Well, it is a general norm and a must to know that antibiotics are very powerful drugs, and so one must never abuse them!

If not, it could lead to serious complications and even death.

After reading through this article, they are lessons to be learned.

Doxycycline is a useful drug that is effective in treatments that doctors/physicians are still recommending to their patients up till now for the treatments of bacterial infections and certain infections. 

But doxycycline is only harmful when not taken as recommended. You should only use this drug if only you have to.

Use this drug when prescribed by your doctor because not all groups of people are qualified to take this drug because they might be in a certain condition you might be in and taking doxycycline is very harmful to your health. 

There are also certain substances you take into your body that when taken alongside doxycycline are deemed dangerous.

So all these detrimental side effects can be avoided if you know when not to take this drug or if it is okay for you, and how to properly take it.

Always consult your doctor when using medications that you purchase OTC or to be always on the safe side, always make sure to use prescribed medications only.

Frequently Asked Questions about Doxycycline

Can doxycycline damage be permanent?

Doxycycline may cause permanent tooth discoloration and impede bone development.

Unless advised by the child's doctor, this drug should not be given to children aged 8 and under (save for the treatment of inhalational anthrax or rickettsia infection).

How long does it take your body to get rid of doxycycline?

Doxycycline's elimination half-life ranges from 16 to 22 hours (for healthy adults).

This is the time it takes your body to drop plasma levels by half.

It normally takes 5.5 times the elimination half-life (hours) for a medication to be entirely removed from your system.

Who should not take doxycycline?

If you are allergic to any tetracycline antibiotic, do not use doxycycline.

Doxycycline should be used in children under the age of eight only in severe or life-threatening disorders.

This medication might cause irreversible yellowing or gray of the teeth in youngsters.

Will acne return after discontinuing doxycycline?

Acne treatment drugs operate by decreasing oil and germs and keeping pores free of dead skin cells.

However, acne medicines do not affect the way your skin acts.

When therapy is interrupted, the pores get clogged again, and outbreaks recur.

What happens if you stop taking doxycycline?

Even if you feel better, keep taking doxycycline until the course is finished.

If you discontinue your therapy too soon, the infection may resurface, or you may no longer be protected against malaria.

Can doxycycline make you tired?

This medication does not make you drowsy.

Is doxycycline used to treat COVID-19?

Despite a lack of evidence from clinical studies, doxycycline is often used in the community to treat COVID-19 respiratory symptoms.

Is it possible to develop doxycycline resistance?

Doxycycline, like other antibiotics, is sensitive to organisms that evolve resistance.

There is evidence that this has already happened in contexts where the medicine is extensively used, such as acne therapy.

This implies that its usage for certain illnesses may be reduced or replaced by other medications in the future.

Why is my skin becoming worse when taking doxycycline?

The official response.

When individuals use doxycycline for acne, the acne sometimes becomes worse before it gets better; this is known as the "purging phase."

Does doxycycline make you suicidal?

Since 2004, the FDA has received 16 reports of completed suicides caused by doxycycline, 18 complaints of suicidal thoughts, and 17 reports of suicide attempts.

If this drug is misused, it can make one suicidal

Can doxycycline create mental problems?

The research discovered that 91 of almost 6,000 complaints of doxycycline-related adverse effects were psychosis or hallucinations.

And doxycycline was not the only drug associated with abrupt and severe psychological problems: at least 14 others indicated an elevated risk of these as well.

Can doxycycline induce psychosis?

Penicillins, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, cephalosporins, and doxycycline were among the fifteen antibiotics linked to an increased risk of psychosis.

Our findings imply that psychosis is a possible side effect of antibiotic therapy, although the risks differ depending on the drug.

Do antibiotics make you emotionally unstable?

Antibiotics are seldom thought to contribute to anxiety or depression.

Quinolone-type antibiotics (Levaquin, Cipro, Floxin, Noroxin, Tequin) may cause agitation, disorientation, dizziness, depression, or even psychosis.

Prednisone is infamous for causing sleeplessness, melancholy, and mood changes.

How long is it safe to be on doxycycline?

Four months. However, do not utilize the medication for more than four months.

Odudu Abasi

I Am odudu abasi a top-notch and experienced freelance writer, virtual assistant, graphics designer and a computer techie who is adept in content writing, copywriting, article writing, academic writing, journal writing, blog posts, seminar presentations, SEO contents, proofreading, plagiarism/AI checking, editing webpage contents/write-ups and WordPress management.

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