Doxycycline Oral Capsule

Doxycycline oral tablet is a prescription drug that’s available as the brand-name drugs Acticlate, Doryx, and Vibra-Tabs. It’s also available as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less. In some cases, they may not be available in every strength or form as the brand-name version.

The tablets are available in immediate-release and delayed-release forms. Doxycycline is also available in an oral capsule, an oral solution, and a solution for injection, which is only given by a healthcare provider.

Why it's used

Doxycycline is used to treat bacterial infections. These can include some sexually transmitted diseases, skin infections, eye infections, respiratory infections, and more. It is also used as an add-on treatment for severe acne and to prevent malaria in people who plan to travel to areas with certain strains of malaria.

This drug may be used as part of a combination therapy. This means you may need to take it with other medications.

How it works

Doxycycline belongs to a class of drugs called tetracyclines. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.

This drug works by blocking a bacterial protein from being made. It does this by binding to certain units of the protein. This stops the protein from growing and treats your infection.

Doxycycline oral tablet comes with several warnings.

Allergy warning

Doxycycline can cause a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms can include:

• trouble breathing
• swelling of your throat or tongue

If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Don’t take this drug again if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to it or other tetracyclines. Taking it again could be fatal (cause death).

Food interaction warning

Foods that contain calcium may block the amount of this drug that’s absorbed by your body. This means it may not work as well to treat your condition. Some foods that are high in calcium include milk and cheese. If you eat or drink these items, do so at least one hour before taking this drug or one hour after taking this drug.

Warnings for people with certain health conditions

For women of childbearing age who are overweight: You have a higher risk of high blood pressure inside of your skull from this drug. Ask your doctor if this drug is right for you.

For people with history of intracranial hypertension: You have a higher risk of high blood pressure inside of your skull from this drug. Ask your doctor if this drug is right for you.

For pregnant women: Doxycycline is a category D pregnancy drug. That means two things:

• Research in humans has shown adverse effects to the fetus when the mother takes the drug.
• This drug should only be used during pregnancy in serious cases where it's needed to treat a dangerous condition in the mother.

Talk to your doctor if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Ask your doctor to tell you about the specific risk to the pregnancy. This drug should only be used if the potential risk to the pregnancy is acceptable given the drug’s potential benefit. Call your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking this drug.

For women who are breastfeeding: Doxycycline passes into breast milk and may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. Talk to your doctor if you breastfeed your child. You may need to decide whether to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this medication.

For seniors: The kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, more of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This raises your risk of side effects.

For children: This drug may cause tooth discoloration at the time teeth are developing.

This drug should not be used in children who are 8 years of age or younger unless the potential benefit outweighs the risk. In these children, its use is recommended for the treatment of severe or life-threatening conditions such as anthrax or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and when no other treatments are available or have been shown to work.

Doxycycline oral tablet is used for short-term treatment. It comes with serious risks if you don’t take it as prescribed.

If you stop taking the drug suddenly or don’t take it at all: Your infection will likely not go away. If you’re taking it for malaria prevention, you won’t be protected against certain infections. This may be fatal.

If you miss doses or don’t take the drug on schedule: Your medication may not work as well or may stop working completely. You may feel better before you finish your course of treatment, but you should keep taking your medication as directed. Skipping doses or failing to complete the full course of treatment may reduce how well your treatment works. It may also cause antibiotic resistance. This means that your infection won’t respond to doxycycline or other antibiotics in the future.

If you take too much: You could have dangerous levels of the drug in your body and experience more side effects. If you think you’ve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor or local poison control center. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

What to do if you miss a dose: Take your dose as soon as you remember. If you remember just a few hours before your next scheduled dose, take only one dose. Never try to catch up by taking two doses at once. Doing so could result in dangerous side effects.

How to tell if the drug is working: Your symptoms may start to improve and you may feel better.

Keep these considerations in mind if your doctor prescribes doxycycline oral tablet for you.

General

• You can take this drug with or without food
• You can cut the oral tablet, but do not crush it. If you can’t swallow the delayed-release tablet whole, you can break it up and sprinkle it onto applesauce. Take the mixture right away and swallow without chewing it.

Storage

• Store this drug at room temperature between 69°F and 77°F (20°C and 25°C).
• Keep this drug away from light.
• Don’t store this medication in moist or damp areas, such as bathrooms.

Travel

When traveling with your medication:

• Always carry your medication with you. When flying, never put it into a checked bag. Keep it in your carry-on bag.
• Don’t worry about airport x-ray machines. They can’t hurt your medication.
• You may need to show airport staff the pharmacy label for your medication. Always carry the original prescription-labeled box with you.
• Don’t put this medication in your car’s glove compartment or leave it in the car. Be sure to avoid doing this when the weather is very hot or very cold.

Sun sensitivity

This drug can make your skin more sensitive to the sun and increase your risk of sunburn. Avoid the sun if you can. If you can’t, be sure to apply sunscreen and wear protective clothing.

Insurance

Many insurance companies require a prior authorization for this drug. This means your doctor may need to get approval from your insurance company before your insurance company will pay for the prescription.