Doxycycline

Description

Doxycycline is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections in the body. This includes urinary tract infections, eye infections as well as intestinal infections. The antibiotic is also used to treat a number of skin infections.

How It Works

As an antibiotic, doxycycline works by fighting the bacteria in your body. The drug has the ability block bacterial growth in the body. This enables the drug to prevent the illness from deteriorating into a worse condition.

Uses

The main use of the medication is its ability to treat bacterial infections, especially the ones that result in acne. It is used to treat a variety of infections including intestinal infections, chlamydia, gonorrhea, periodontitis and urinary tract infections. Doxycycline is also used to treat acne, blemishes and bumps caused a result of rosacea. Certain forms of doxycycline are used to treat infections caused by lice, mites and ticks. The drug is effective in treating malaria too.

Dosage

It is best to take the drug on an empty stomach, preferably 1 or 2 hours before your meal. If you experience a stomach upset, you can take the drug with food or milk. However, do know that consuming the drug with food can reduce its effectiveness to a significant extent. If you are using the drug to prevent malaria, the drug should only be taken once a day. If any of your other medications contain aluminum, calcium magnesium or iron, make sure to take doxycycline at least 2 or 3 hours before consuming your other medications. This can eliminate the occurrence of a possible chemical interaction between these medications.

The dosage is usually prescribed by your healthcare provider. It is determined by your health condition, treatment response and body weight. If you are taking the medication in its liquid form, do not forget to use a proper measuring device.

Side Effects

Listed below are some adverse health effects that you may or may not experience over the course of the treatment.

 Chest pain
 Confusion
 Severe stomach pain
 Troubled breathing
 Changes in vision
 Easy bruising or bleeding

At the event of such symptoms, do not hesitate to contact your physician immediately.

Precautions

Adhering to the precautionary methods below will help you to avoid the adverse health implications of the drug.

 Do not take any other types of antibiotics along with doxycycline.

 Inform your physician if you are consuming any iron supplements or multivitamins.

 This drug can result in sunburns very easily. So, avoid unnecessary roaming in outdoors and use sunscreen often.

Self-Care

This medication will work best when it is maintained at a constant level in your body. Thus, you need to take the drug at well-spaced intervals. Moreover, do not skip or miss a dose. If you accidently forgot to take your dose, take it as soon as you remember. Never double your dose in order to compensate for a missed one.

You must not use the drug to treat any kind of viral infections. Doxycycline is an antibiotic medication and thus is only useful in treating bacterial infections. Thus, do not use it to treat the flu or common cold. Misusing the medication can decrease its effectiveness to a significant extent. Therefore, consult your physician before you make any changes to the prescription.