Does Doxycycline Cause Anxiety (& how?)

In this brief guide, we will discuss “does doxycycline cause anxiety” and some other information about this medication, as well as what it is used for.

Does doxycycline cause anxiety?

Doxycycline can cause anxiety on occasion as well as other psychiatric problems like Depression.

Doxycycline has been known to cause anxiety in individuals particularly prone to feeling abnormal mood states.

Anxiety is one of the symptoms caused by doxycycline that needs immediate medical attention as it causes physical symptoms of its own, which can mimic some side effects of doxycycline.

Side Effects of doxycycline

Doxycycline can cause some side effects apart from anxiety, which is discussed below.

Some physical effects of Doxycycline include symptoms like gastrointestinal problems mainly consisting of heartburn, nausea, and vomiting, which can also be mistaken for anxiety sometimes, as these are some of the major symptoms of generalized as well as other kinds of anxiety disorders.

In order to reduce symptoms caused by doxycycline, one can try to take it with food and avoid lying down immediately after taking it.

Doxycycline can also cause photosensitivity, which is defined as the increased risk of sunburn.

This symptom can be reduced by using sunscreen with a highly effective sun protection factor and other protective measures like covering up well when going out and using umbrellas etc.

In addition to anxiety and depression and the other physical symptoms mentioned above, Doxycycline can also cause gut inflammation, the medical name for which is Colitis, peeling skin illnesses, headache, confusion, or dizziness, an odd ringing in the ears, muscle and joint pain and liver problems.

What is doxycycline?

You may not know what doxycycline is used for. Doxycycline is a commonly used antibiotic that is used often to treat a wide range of infections.

It is also a widely used anti-malarial drug and it is usually a practitioner’s first choice for prevention of malaria in people going abroad or people suspected of having malaria or a malaria-like illness.

What is Doxycycline used for?

Doxycycline is used widely for malaria and prevention of malaria, an illness caused by mosquito bites and especially common in developing countries.

In addition, a study researching the relationship between suicidal ideation and doxycycline also reports on the other uses of doxycycline.

This article says that Doxycycline has been used since 1967.

It has been widely used to treat urinary and respiratory tract infections, periodontitis, which means gum disease, pelvic inflammatory disease, acne, and other inflammatory skin conditions and as prevention against malaria, as mentioned before.

When to call the doctor?

While some side effects are commonly occurring, some other side effects of doxycycline can be life-threatening or grievous, and for these one needs to go to the doctor right away.

Drugs.com, a leading web page with information about almost all kinds of drugs available in the market, list a number of side effects that require immediate medical attention.

Some of these threatening doxycycline side effects are listed below.

·       If you have any symptoms of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin. These can be with or without a fever, and may or may not include wheezing; trouble breathing or swallowing, tightness in the chest or throat; or talking; unusual hoarseness in the throat, or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.

·       Any symptoms of liver abnormalities like feeling tired, not hungry, dark urine, upset stomach or stomach pain (although stomach issues alone may just be the normal side effects of Doxycycline, throwing up, light-colored stools or yellow skin or eyes.

·       If you have any symptoms of a pancreas related problem (pancreatitis) which can be very bad stomach pain, intense back pain, or a too upset stomach or nausea and vomiting.

·       Chest pain or a feeling of pressure or a rapid heartbeat.

·       Inability to pass urine or a significant change in urine output.

·       Fever, chills, or sore throat; any unexplained bruising or bleeding; or feeling very tired or weak.

·       Throat irritation of any kind or trouble talking or unusual hoarseness while talking

·       Trouble swallowing or a choking sensation

·       Muscle or joint pain, other kinds of intense aches and pains

·       Rapid breathing

·       Flushing.

·       Intense dizziness or passing out, fainting

·       Change in skin color may even be in patches

·       Swollen glands, particularly around the neck

·       Vaginal itching or discharge.

·       Diarrhea is another common side effect that needs attention right away else one can become severely dehydrated.

·       Increased cerebral pressure has been seen with this medicine as well, but it Is one of the rarer symptoms. Indications of this problem include a very intense headache that tends to get worse when you lie down and feel better when you sit up, nausea, ringing in the ears, and appetite loss.

In addition to the ones mentioned above, make sure you contact a doctor if you are not feeling hungry, have an upset stomach, or are throwing up and have diarrhea.

Indications and contraindications of doxycycline (Who can take it?)

It is important to know if you are in a physical and mental condition to take doxycycline as not everyone can.

Doctors will usually ask you if you have any allergies to antibiotics before prescribing this or any other medication.

Make sure you give the doctor an accurate and full medical history as that can be a huge factor in whether they give you this medication or not, and if you are not suitable for it can cause some serious side effects, some of which can be irreversible as well.

Doxycycline is okay to be taken by adults and children over 12 years old.

If you are pregnant or are breastfeeding, Doxycycline will not be prescribed to you as it can interfere seriously with these things, so make sure you inform the doctor if there is any chance at all that you might be pregnant.

Doxycycline is also not suitable for some people due to their physical conditions. So to ensure that you don’t have any of these problems and that this medicine is safe for you, do not forget to tell your doctor if you have:

·       Ever had an allergic reaction to doxycycline or any other antibiotics in the past

·       A history of kidney-related problems

·       A history of liver problems, including jaundice at any point

·       Myasthenia gravis which is an illness that causes severe muscle rigidity and deterioration

·       Lupus, which is an autoimmune disease

·       Ever had an inflamed food pipe, a condition also known as oesophagitis

In addition, make sure to inform your doctor if you have high cerebral pressure (Intracranial pressure) or any problems with your heart.

Furthermore make sure to mention if you are already suffering from any psychiatric conditions like anxiety or depression as it has been studied extensively that doxycycline can make these worse, and has even been shown to cause suicidal ideation in those having a particular genome that contributes to depression.

Lastly, always make sure to tell your doctor whatever medication you are taking or any health or protein supplements you are on, as these significantly affect what medication is prescribed to you.

The last point applies to any doctor and any medicine, not just doxycycline.

How to take doxycycline effectively?

Make sure to always swallow your doxycycline capsule or tablet whole, and ensure that you always and have it with a full glass of water, rather than just enough water to make sure you have swallowed the pill, as most people tend to do.

For the above point, a medium-sized glass, or around 200 ml water is supposed to be a full glass of water.

According to the manufacturers, doxycycline can be taken with or without food, however, to be absolutely certain that you do not feel sick or experience the side effects, make sure you have it with food.

Another important thing is to take doxycycline while you’re in an upright position, and not lying down or leaning against something.

Acceptable positions can be sitting, standing, or walking.

This works to ensure that the medicine does not irritate your food pipe or stomach, and does not cause any further gastrointestinal problems.

Also make sure you take all the other medicines given with doxycycline as and when the doctor has asked you to take them, as these medicines are supposed to help with any side effects that may happen with doxycycline.

These medicines will likely contain something to keep your stomach healthy, and maybe some painkillers in case you experience any painful symptoms as a consequence of the doxycycline.

What if I miss a dose of doxycycline?

If you for some reason miss a dose, do not worry, just try to take it as soon as you remember.

In case it is already time for the next dose and you have just remembered that you missed one, just leave the missed dose and take your next dose as per usual.

Always make sure you do not take 2 doses at the same time.

Also, never take an extra dose in case you forgot one to make up for it, as it can cause major side effects.

If you find that you tend to forget doses often, start setting an alarm as a reminder.

How to deal with anxiety caused by doxycycline?

In case you are experiencing anxiety after taking doxycycline, but cannot reach a doctor just yet, try doing deep breathing exercises, or listening to some calming music. There are some great apps and podcasts that seek to help people experiencing anxiety.

Try to remind yourself that this is just happening because of the medication and that it will go away very soon, as soon as you stop taking the medication.

Try talking to someone you are comfortable with, a family member or a friend, tell them how you are feeling and what you may be fearing.

Chances are they will be able to alleviate some of the fear, and you might fell better after speaking to them.

Another thing you can do is go online and check out some message boards of people who have also experienced these problems.

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we discussed “does doxycycline cause anxiety” and some other information about this medication, as well as what it is used for. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or comments you may have.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s): Does doxycycline cause anxiety?

Citations:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3888527/

https://www.drugs.com/answers/doxycycline-anyone-felt-anxiety-feeling-withdrawn-3410728.html