Doxycycline for Rosacea User Reviews (Page 3)

• ton...
• July 26, 2009

"Here's the issue, my rosacea abated for the most part while using doxycycline monohydrate 100 mg twice daily. The major issue is that I started retaining fluid for no apparent reason (went to doctor, kidney and endocrinology specialists), and after stopping this drug, the swelling went down remarkably (> 15 lb loss in 4 days). This is a significant problem with other antibiotics also, Levaquin, Ciprofloxacin, etc. Even if a limited number of users have this, it is significant. I hope that reading this helps someone else, I suffered for almost 2 years."

• 4ev...
• July 4, 2011

Doxycycline "I suffer from moderate acne exacerbated by dermatillomania (skin picking). This product has been the most effective treatment I have used. Since I'm 52, that means I've tried almost every prescription or OTC product. My skin has healed and I have no further breakouts."

• Bob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 27, 2019

"I had mild rosacea on my nose and cheeks. Mainly the former, which was bright red and inflamed with broken veins starting to show over a few-month period. I rarely had pustules, though. I tried out doxy 100, and initially for 5 or so days, things got worse, but then things calmed down. Nose still got red, but not as much, and the damage subsided, i.e., you no longer saw broken red veins (the old damage remained). This was just over a 30-day period. So not perfect, but it seemed to have an anti-inflammatory and antibiotic effect. I didn't want to be on antibiotics for too long, so I stopped (I just treated it as a trial to assess whether antibiotics/anti-inflammatories would work). Sadly, once off, within a few days, everything started coming back, and now, a week or so later, I'm right back to the previous state. I'm now trying out metronidazole."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 9, 2018

"Have the type 2 rosacea on my nose and cheeks. Took 100 mg once a day for 6 weeks over a year ago, which cleared all the spots, then was prescribed Soolantra to keep the spots at bay and clonidine for the background redness. I found Soolantra works up to a point but have had recurrent breakouts of spots, and it seems to have become less effective over time. Now back to 100 mg a day doxy, and now after a week, the spots have gone. Clonidine has worked well for flushing and redness. Be extra careful to cover up with sunblock when taking doxycycline."

• str...
• June 25, 2011

Doxycycline "I started using Oracea about four months ago, and it has been good for the most part. But it seems like my face is starting to break out again, and I have noticed that my teeth seem dull or a little yellow."

• Fan...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 22, 2020

Doxycycline "I've had rosacea for several years, it is much worse in between seasons. Tried the Oracea, and it works. Tried the generic, works too, but the Oracea works for me without the bloatiness or weight gain. Some side effects, such as diarrhea, but only temporary. It also helped with extreme dryness of the eye. Ophthalmologist said that both could be related and to get back on the doxy, which I did, and it helps. Extreme grittiness in the eye is also worse in between seasons and when it's windy. However, I never heard of ocular rosacea, and I will look into this. Thanks."

• cle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 25, 2020

Doxycycline "I've been taking Oracea 40 mg for 7 weeks now out of 8. My skin is less inflamed, and my papulopustular rosacea is almost gone. I still have redness, but it is definitely less. Week 1 and 2 were horrible, but thereafter it got better and better. So don't stop even if it seems to get worse when you start taking it, or call your doctor for advice. I am also using metronidazole cream 1% (also for the 7 weeks), and the combination is working really well for me. Now I just hope that it continues to improve, but I give it a 10/10 for the 2 months without rosacea skin!!"

• jen...
• July 21, 2011

Doxycycline "Oracea works for the most part. My skin has improved, but I still suffer from an upset stomach at times as one of the side effects. I have been using Oracea for about one year, and it has helped my skin clear up and has helped prevent the huge lumps from overtaking my face."

• Cau...
• October 6, 2009

"Doxycycline worked very well and very quickly for me. I noticed results within a week, and after using it for a few weeks, my skin was completely cleared up! Good deal, right? Not quite! I continued to take this medication for over a year. Suddenly, I began to have a hacking cough immediately followed by vomiting. (Coughing so hard I would vomit.) I couldn't figure it out. I began to get very sick. Couldn't eat and then couldn't even function on a daily basis. I became so sick, in fact, that I was hospitalized. I was taken off the medication, and voila! The 'draining' in my throat subsided, the cough stopped, the vomiting stopped. So be cautious!"

• AJa...
• September 22, 2019

"The doxycycline has been a great blessing for me. I take it and also use a mild cream called Cleocin and Desowen 120 mg. The antibiotic and the cream are a patch made in heaven for my face. My face used to get pustules, and red, and look a hot mess, but now it's clear. I'm very thankful. I would highly recommend doxycycline."

• Ree...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 22, 2019

"One 50 mg doxycycline capsule caused severe hives the size of baseballs on my lower legs, with raised blisters in the middle. It also gave me a severe sore throat. My upper body ached terribly, and my chest felt tight. I still have an aching in the top of my back and shoulders, and it is 5 days later. The welts are starting to go away today. This was a terrible experience for me, and I never took more than one."

• Gav...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 31, 2022

"Been dealing with rosacea for years, tried metronidazole cream (Rozex) and did keep it at bay for a while, but then just got worse. Sent photos to the doctor and they prescribed me Efracea (doxycycline) 40 mg tablets and Soolantra cream. Used them for 3 months, and I have to say the best thing. It's been 6 months since I stopped the medication and haven't had any symptoms since. I'm from the UK, so I had this prescription on the NHS."

• Ban...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 4, 2019

"Cleared up my face but left me with a rash on my chest and back, flu-like symptoms, tingling hands, and sun sensitivity. Good ol' Tetracycline never did this to me, and now it is no longer available through Kaiser :/"

• Flo...
• April 13, 2015

Doxycycline "I used to have terrible acne on my skin, and so I went to my dermatologist, and he prescribed this. I used it for about half a year, and my acne was starting to clear up. Although, I recommend wearing lots of sunscreen during the summer because you will get facial sunburns. But oddly enough, while using Oracea, I started to experience moderate heart palpitations, panic attacks, and anxiety, and so I stopped using Oracea immediately. I am not sure that I recommend this to everyone."

• ali...
• April 29, 2013

"I have just started taking this medicine, which I have used before for anti-malaria! I had no idea it was for rosacea. What I'm most surprised about on this discussion forum is how expensive it is. I live in France, where prescriptions are free because health care is paid through your taxes. Meaning - if a medicine costs $1 or $30, it's still free, making it accessible to everyone with skin conditions."

• Tha...
• April 30, 2010

"I was working with a close friend installing a line to an ice-maker in my home when he asked what the rash on my face was. After a little bit of a cussing match, I knew it was not acne. I had done pre-med before switching to teaching and diagnosed myself with rosacea. I dealt with it for about 5 years when, of all people, my ophthalmologist asked if my face was always dry and red...whoa. Well, I said yes, and I hated it. He said, 'Want to fix it?' What more could I say? 2 to 3 days in on Doxycycline and I was clear-skinned again. The only minus is that it does upset my stomach, but I just found out about eating first and sitting up for 30 minutes. I had been taking it before bedtime, well after dinner. Now I take it right after dinner with water. Voila."

• Col...
• November 26, 2015

Doxycycline "Good, no side effects, other than depression. Finally found a way to control acne. Once the doctor's coupon ended, so did my prescription, and the depressed feeling of a drug company playing, 'got you hooked, now pay up,' began. College student that cannot afford hundreds of dollars a month to stay on it. College insurance and family insurance do not cover the doctor's recommended treatment drug."

• Gig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 23, 2021

"This is the absolute only thing that works on my rosacea. And it works fast. Even after one dose, I can see clearing. I have been on Accutane (worked but took 2 months with terrible side effects) and every other topical treatment available. I take 50 mg 2 times a day for a flare. It does affect my stomach a bit as I have IBS, but I’m willing to deal with it for clear skin."

• Sta...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 4, 2017

Doxycycline "I have tried low-dose doxycycline and Periostat to treat ocular rosacea, but both cause me to have a severe headache that does not go away. Only Oracea, unfortunately, with time-release doxycycline, keeps the dosage constant enough to avoid headaches. However, I no longer have pain and a feeling of 'grittiness' in my eyes. Insurance covers some of the cost (generic)."

• Mik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2021

"Starting in January of 2021, I began to get what I thought was acne on both sides of my upper cheeks below the eyes and on the nose. The right cheek was particularly bad with pimples under and beside my eyes. Thinking it was acne, I took everything OTC I could for the last year. Those OTC creams only made it worse, which made me suspect it wasn’t acne but something else. Finally, a week ago, I realized it had gotten so bad and was bleeding and swelling worse than ever before. I decided to go to a dermatologist. He diagnosed me with rosacea and prescribed 100 mg of this twice a day. Not kidding that after one single pill, taken that night for the first time, the problem had cleared up completely by morning. I continue to take it because I don’t want a repeat breakout, but I was amazed by the results coming that quickly and felt the need to share. Only downside is that taking it without food burns my stomach. With food, though, it’s harmless."

• Loo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 4, 2018

"I'll start out by saying that I have “the worst case of rosacea” my doctor has ever seen, like, she took pictures of my face. So if this works, it will be a miracle. I tried doxy about a year ago but didn’t have the money to pay for it after 4 weeks. There was a little bit of improvement, but nothing major. She put me on it again about a week ago, so we will see. I do know that if I take it on an empty stomach, I will throw up."

• Anonymous
• November 17, 2009

"After having blotchy rosy cheeks for a couple of months, I developed little white blisters in the blotchy areas. My dermatologist confirmed it was rosacea and prescribed doxycycline hyclate. In about three days of the one-pill-a-day 100 mg dose, my rosacea completely cleared up. You shouldn't take it on an empty stomach. But it is fine after a meal or dinner."

• Emi...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 26, 2015

"I had no side effects, and this is the best thing for my rosacea. I have subtype I and II (of very small papules), and this got rid of the papules completely and brought the inflammation and redness down, and I believe it also keeps me from flushing as intensely. I take this continuously now for over a year. The only bad part of this drug is that the slow release kind used for rosacea (called Aprillon in Canada and Oracea in the U.S.) is VERY expensive (works out to about $1.50 a day). To me, it's worth it, it works that well."

• ajc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 24, 2015

"I'm giving this a 5 because I'm sure it is effective. I just want to warn people about how common esophagitis is with this medicine. My derm gave me this two weeks ago, and I'm feeling like death. I can barely swallow any liquids. I was only able to get a couple hundred calories yesterday. I felt like going to the ER, but there really isn't much they can do for you. You just have to let it run its course. It may take two weeks to get back to normal. You don't appreciate being able to eat and drink and swallow until it hurts like one of the worst pains in my life to do so. Major chest pain. I can't express how awful this is to deal with."

• Mrs...
• April 6, 2017

"I have been taking 20 mg of doxycycline for 2 months now, one in the morning, one at bedtime. If anything, I think it has made me worse. I wake up to wash my face, and it looks like I have a couple of welts on my cheeks. And the redness persists."