How Long Do Doxycycline Side Effects Last?
Medically reviewed by Lindsay Cook, PharmD
Doxycycline is a type of antibiotic (called a tetracycline) for treating certain bacterial infections. Its brand names include Doryx, Vibramycin, and Doxy.
Doxycycline, like many antibiotics, can cause certain side effects. These side effects sometimes include upset stomach, skin rashes, or light sensitivity, among others. Usually, side effects from doxycycline can last for as little as a few days up to a few weeks, depending on the length of treatment and dosing.
This article will cover what you should know about taking doxycycline and how long to expect side effects to last.
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What Is Doxycycline?
Doxycycline is a common tetracycline antibiotic for treating an array of bacterial infections, such as:
Eye infections
Lung infections
Preventive treatment if you are traveling to an area that has many cases of malaria, a type of disorder transmitted by mosquitoes
Unlike other antibiotics, tetracyclines like doxycycline don’t kill bacteria but stop them from replicating in the body by blocking the formation of certain proteins.
When taking doxycycline, it is important to take the medication for as many days as your healthcare provider prescribes. Certain infections may require more treatment days as opposed to others.
How much you take will depend on your age and your reason for taking it. Typically, adults will take 200 milligrams (mg) on the first day of treatment, followed by 100 mg once or twice daily, depending on the severity of the infection. Children will have their dosing based on weight if they are less than 100 pounds, whereas children over 100 pounds will have adult dosing.
Doxycycline only works for bacterial infections. It cannot treat viral infections.
Side Effects of Doxycycline
More common doxycycline side effects can include:
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Skin rashes
Headaches
Throat irritation
More serious side effects can include:
Sensitivity to the sun, or photosensitivity, which can show up as a sunburn-like reaction
Diarrhea caused by the Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) bacteria
Nails lifting at the nail plate, also known as photo-onycholysis
Development of serious infections
Changes in your blood, kidney function, or thyroid
Side Effects in Children
When using doxycycline in children, it is important to discuss the risks to your child’s teeth with their healthcare provider. Doxycycline use in children under 8, whose teeth are still developing, can result in tooth staining. This may change their teeth to a yellow-gray-brown color. However, this is more likely to occur with long-term use (for more than 21 days) or repeated short courses.
Additionally, taking doxycycline while pregnant can affect the fetus, causing color changes in the teeth after birth.
Long-Term Side Effects
You should not take doxycycline for longer than prescribed by your healthcare provider. Depending on your infection, you may take doxycycline for longer periods.
Studies have suggested that the use of doxycycline longer-term (eight weeks) is generally safe in adults, with some mild side effects.
However, long-term use of more than 21 days of doxycycline in children under 8 has been linked to permanent teeth discoloration. For this reason, only use doxycycline in severe cases when other alternative therapies aren't available.
If you are nursing, you should keep your doxycycline course to less than 21 days and avoid repeat treatment. Breastfeeding while taking doxycycline for long periods can lead to teeth staining in the infant. Other negative side effects in the infant can include rash and diarrhea.
If you are planning on taking doxycycline for longer-term uses, such as the treatment of acne, you may need to take routine blood tests. Certain side effects, such as kidney damage and changes in your blood concentration, have been reported.
How Long Do Side Effects Last
Usually, side effects felt from doxycycline, such as upset stomach or diarrhea, can resolve within a few days after you stop taking the medication. More serious symptoms, such as photosensitivity, can take longer to go away, sometimes up to a week after you stop taking the medication.
If you begin to develop diarrhea or bloody stool months after stopping doxycycline and your diet has remained the same, let your healthcare provider know. This could be a more serious complication known as C. difficile.
How to Cope With Side Effects
In some cases, you can manage mild side effects from doxycycline on your own:
Upset stomach or nausea: Taking doxycycline with food or milk may help reduce the amount of irritation in your stomach. Do not take doxycycline at the same time as calcium-containing foods or antacid tablets because that can cause doxycycline not to work in the body.
Photosensitivity: Try to avoid staying in direct sunlight for too long. Wearing sunscreen with long-sleeved clothing and hats can prevent more irritation to your skin. If you start to develop rashes, let your healthcare provider know. They may want you to stop taking your medication. If your nails begin to lift from their nail plates, it may also be a reaction from the sun and doxycycline, whereby your nails are sensitive to light, causing them to lift. Usually, when you stop taking doxycycline, your body will no longer be as sensitive to sunlight, and you should see a new nail growing in afterward.
Throat irritation: Making sure you drink a full glass of water after taking your dose may help reduce some of the irritation and burning in your throat. You can also break the capsule and sprinkle it over soft foods like applesauce to make it easier to swallow. However, do not crush the granules in the capsule as you pour it on your food. Doing so will reduce how well the medication works.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
In many cases, your side effects will be mild, or you may have no side effects at all. However, it's important to know when you should seek advice from your healthcare provider about medication-related side effects.
See your healthcare provider:
if you have stopped taking doxycycline and still have diarrhea. This can be a rare but serious infection called C. difficile, which can cause painful cramping and serious diarrhea that requires additional antibiotics to treat.
if you develop a rash that doesn't get better after you stop taking doxycycline.
if you have completed your recommended treatment with doxycycline and still don't feel better. Treatment with a different antibiotic may be necessary.
Summary
When taken properly, doxycycline can help treat bacterial infections.
Some side effects like upset stomach or nausea will go away soon after you finish your treatment. There are also things you can do to lessen them, such as taking your dose with food. Other side effects, like sun sensitivity, should resolve about one week after treatment.
You may need to see a healthcare provider if certain side effects continue after stopping treatment. Diarrhea that continues after doxycycline treatment should be addressed because this could be C. difficile, a potentially severe bacterial infection caused by the antibiotic.
Always contact your healthcare provider if you start to feel worse or your infection has not resolved after completing your antibiotics.
Read the original article on Verywell Health.
