Doxycycline – Safe Remedy for Your Health Disorders
Starting from the discovery of antibiotics, they have become a vital part of the modern-day life. Antibiotics have simplified the life of people making it easier to overcome bacterial infections of different origin. One of such antibiotics is Doxycycline. It allows fighting bacteria in the human body and makes the process of recovery a lot easier. Today, Doxycycline can be purchased at virtually any pharmacy, both land-based and online. However, just like any other drug, this medication has its own specifics of use, which should be considered before purchasing and using this medicine. Read on to find out more.
What Is Doxycycline?
This antibiotic belongs to the category of tetracycline antibiotic medicines that are intended to fight the bacteria in the human body and preventing them from spreading and growing inside the body system. As such, Doxycycline is used for the treatment of different infections provoked by bacteria. It is most commonly prescribed to manage the next conditions:
- Acne;
- Intestinal infections;
- Chest diseases;
- Eye infections;
- Sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia;
- Infectious diseases affecting the urinary tract;
- Infections caused by lice;
- Gum infections like periodontitis, etc.
Among others, it is prescribed to treat various blemishes, spots, and bumps that appear on the skin as a result of the growth of bacteria called rosacea. However, it is not supposed to treat the redness of face provoked by these bacteria. Certain forms of this antibiotic are also used for preventive purposes against such diseases as malaria. Doxycycline is available in different forms, but the most popular one is tablets for oral use. Tablets are available under different trademarks like Doryx and Acticlate among others. The medicine may also be sold in the form of capsules and suspensions for oral use. Injections of this drug may also be prescribed by your healthcare provider if your condition requires urgent medical help. Besides, oral tablets of Doxycycline are used to prevent various infectious diseases. As such, this antibiotic proves to be an effective remedy for a wide range of health conditions.
Doxycycline is commonly prescribed to patients suffering from severe acne. It is sometimes taken as a more effective and less harmful alternative to one more drug that has a greater number of side effects – Minocycline. Even though in recent years this issue has been debated about, this medicine is still effectively used to treat facial acne despite the appearance of other solutions.
Warnings and Precautions
Before taking Doxycycline, you should learn more about its contraindications. Keep in mind that this drug should be taken according to your doctor’s prescription. Your doctor might recommend that you follow these tips:
- If you use Doxycycline in a wrong way or if you take it to treat infectious diseases provoked by other types of microorganisms such as viruses, it may lead to the development of drug resistance. That is why it is important to use this drug only for the purposes listed above and in the right doses. Each time you use this antibiotic, it kills the bacteria, both good and bad ones. Resistant bacteria, however, will develop further and multiply, so that the infection itself will not be fully manageable;
- It is also necessary to realize that the use of antibiotics such as Doxycycline changes the way your body functions. Along with killing hazardous bacteria, Doxycycline may also decrease the number of beneficial bacteria in the body system. This may lead to the development of a new infection or diarrhea caused by the use of an antibiotic;
- If you are taking birth control tablets for the period of treatment with Doxycycline, they may work less effectively. If you are using contraceptives orally, you might need to take extra measures for birth control;
- Before using Doxycycline, it is advisable to inform your physician whether you are going to have any surgery, including a dental one. Your doctor should also be aware of other disorders you suffer from at the moment such as liver and kidney disease as well as diabetes. The latter is explained by the fact that Doxycycline may change the levels of sugar in the urine. Inform your physician before you change your dietary habits or let him/her know about your treatment course of diabetes;
- Do not take Doxycycline if you find yourself allergic to any type of tetracycline antibiotics. It may be dangerous for your health to use this drug in case you have an allergic reaction to any of its components;
- Children aged less than 8 should take Doxycycline only in cases of emergency or in life-threatening situations. That is because this medication may provoke permanent yellowing or darkening of teeth in young children;
- It is not advisable to use this drug during pregnancy because it can do harm to an unborn child or provoke permanent discoloration of teeth in the child’s later years of life.
Mechanism of Action
Doxycycline is commonly used to manage bacterial infections like sexually transmitted ones or chest diseases among others. It is used as part of a complex therapy, which means you might also need to use other therapeutic measures for the period of treatment. As a drug belonging to the class of tetracyclines, Doxycycline works similarly to other drugs of this category. It is often used to manage similar conditions just because it has almost the same mechanism of action.
It works by preventing the bacteria from developing and growing inside the body. This is achieved due to the blockage of bacterial protein produced in the body. The active ingredient of the drug binds to particular units of the protein, which allows preventing its further growth. As a result, your infection is gradually treated until complete recovery is achieved.
Side Effects
The tablets of Doxycycline for oral use can provoke serious and mild side effects. Some of the most common ones include the following symptoms:
- Absence of appetite;
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Other digestive problems like diarrhea;
- Skin rash or hives;
- Sun sensitivity;
- Temporary discoloration of teeth in adults (this symptom disappears after cleaning teeth at the dentist’s and stopping the treatment course).
If the above-mentioned symptoms are not severe, they are supposed to go away over a short period of time or within two weeks at a maximum. If they do not seem to disappear, call your physician and ask him/her for advice. Besides, this medicine may provoke drowsiness, which is why it may be dangerous to operate machinery or drive while you are under the effect of the drug.
As for more serious side effects, you should call an emergency if you observe any life-threatening symptoms. Serious side effects of Doxycycline may include the following conditions:
- Diarrhea caused by the use of antibiotics. Its symptoms include bloody diarrhea, stomach ache, fever, dehydration, the absence of appetite and loss of weight;
- Elevated blood pressure. Its symptoms include headache, impaired vision or loss of eyesight;
- Irritation of ulcers in the esophagus. The symptoms include burning sensations in your chest or pain in the lung area;
- Anemia;
- Severe skin reactions such as blisters or peeling as well as skin rash;
- Pancreatitis. The symptoms include pain in the upper stomach that gets worse after eating.
In case you have any of these symptoms, make sure you seek medical attention immediately and let your doctor know about your condition.
Recommended Dosage
Doxycycline is available in the form of tablets, liquid, and capsules. Your doctor may also inject it if your condition requires urgent measures. Tablets have different strengths varying from 50 to 150 mg. It is advisable to follow these recommendations when using Doxycycline:
- If you take delayed-release capsules, do not crush or break them before use;
- If you take Doxycycline for oral use, use it with a glass of water;
- As a rule, adults are prescribed with a dose of 200 mg at the start of treatment. This dosage is usually divided into two doses taken every 12 hours. After you take your initial dose, you’ll be required to use a maintenance dosage of 100 mg a day for up to 10 days;
- If you have a serious infection such as chronic condition or other severe illness, your physician might recommend that you take 100 mg of the drug every 12 hours. In some cases, you may be required to take higher doses, such as 300 mg a day for up to 10 days.
Can You Buy Doxycycline Online?
Just like any other medicine, Doxycycline is available not only at land-based pharmacies but also online. The appearance of online pharmacies has made it easier to obtain the necessary medications with little effort. With just a few clicks, you can order Doxycycline in any form and strength, so that you no longer have to wait for your turn in long lines at the pharmacy. Instead, you can easily purchase this medicine online at the drugstore of your choice. Moreover, prices at online drugstores are far more attractive than those offered by traditional pharmacies.