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 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 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:
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.