Doxycycline was created relatively long ago, has been used for a long time, so many microorganisms have become resistant to this antibiotic. Nevertheless, this drug is prescribed quite often. An instruction is presented to your attention that will help you better understand why and when doxycycline is prescribed. The description will be brief enough, although there are many areas of application for this medicine.
In general, the spectrum of its effects is very wide. What is doxycycline prescribed for? The instruction recommends using it in the treatment of various bacterial infections. The long list has bacterial pneumonia, Lyme disease, acne, infections of the urinary system and reproductive system, carbuncles. It is also prescribed for the prevention of malaria. The drug itself belongs to the class of tetracycline antibiotics (the name reflects the chemical structure of drugs of this type). Doxycycline inhibits the growth and spread of bacteria. It is powerless against most colds and flu because tetracyclines are unable to act on viruses.
How is doxycycline usually prescribed? How to take this drug? Tablets are taken once or twice a day. Be sure to drink the described medicine with a full glass of water. If you notice that the stomach started to hurt from him, you can take the product with milk or food. Be sure to let your doctor know about such facts. According to the latest data of foreign researchers, milk or food can worsen the absorption of the drug, so most often in such cases they either change the drug or change the amount of the prescribed medicine.
If you drink doxycycline for malaria prophylaxis, you should start taking it 1-2 days before traveling to a country where it is likely to get malaria. You should continue to drink the antibiotic for four weeks after returning from a state where you can get malaria. Although the specific dates will be specified by the doctor who prescribes doxycycline to you. The instruction does not recommend taking the drug for more than 4 months, although this period, according to many doctors, is too long.
Before you start taking, if necessary, inform your doctor that:
- Have you ever had an allergy to antibiotics or any other medicines?
- you drink antacids, blood thinners, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, penicillin or any vitamins. This information will be important in determining potential drug interactions;
- you are prescribed calcium, iron compounds, or laxatives with magnesium. The fact is that any metals (in the chemical sense) significantly reduce the effectiveness of this drug;
- you have diabetes or kidney and liver diseases;
- Are you planning a pregnancy, or are already pregnant or breastfeeding.
Be sure to protect your skin with a special cream or wear closed clothing, doxycycline makes the skin more vulnerable to direct sunlight.
If you are taking doxycycline to prevent infection with malaria, remember that this remedy alone is not enough, you also need to protect yourself from potential mosquito bites with repellents and nets, and try to stay in rooms protected from mosquito carriers of pathogens.
Small children under 8 years of age are not prescribed doxycycline. The instruction states that this affects the health of children's teeth. Exceptions are very rare and always under the responsibility of the attending physician.
What are the side effects of doxycycline? The instruction informs that the recipient may develop diarrhea, itching in the vagina or rectum, and mouth sores. A doctor must be consulted if you notice visual impairment, severe headache, swelling or skin rashes, as well as if the whites of the eyes turn yellow.
Doxycycline should be stored at room temperature and low humidity.