Doxycycline and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 5)

• kat...
• November 5, 2016

For Acne "I had been having bad breakouts for about a year, but after 2 months on doxycycline, my skin was completely clear! I took it for 6 months. Although the side effects were not good. I had been having bad headaches for about 5 months (same timeframe as I had been taking doxycycline for) and finally went to the doctor to find out if doxycycline had affected the fluid in my brain, causing swelling of the optic nerve. I was told this was a very, very rare side effect of the doxycycline. Did wonders for my skin, though!"

• Dai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 26, 2020

For Bacterial Infection "I started day one today/yesterday. I took one pill of 100 mg at 1 pm, and about 30 minutes later, I felt like I needed to puke, but it went away about 10 minutes later. Then around 5-6, I got a huge headache, but it lasted maybe 30 minutes. I had to set my alarm for 1 am to take it again. I had an immediate feeling of feeling like I was going to puke my brains out and shaking, maybe because I’m freezing under a blanket or because I can’t lay down for 30 minutes. Not the harshest side effects, but I should be doing a review around day 7, but it’s 1 am, I’m bored and I’ll forget all the symptoms by day 7, so here’s how it’s working out for me so far."

• lis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 4, 2014

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "I took 2 doses. The first had no side effects. The second brought extreme nausea. It's the first time I vomited in 30+ years, including when I had food poisoning. This was followed by dizziness and headache, though those could have been from all the retching. I discontinued it."

• All...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 1, 2021

For Bacterial Infection "Horrible. I will NEVER take this again. I was hesitant to even start, but everyone told me it would be fine, so I did. I took 2 doses for a post-cyst excision damage control type thing, and I am not taking my third to seventh doses. EXTREME nausea. I’m on the couch trying to keep it in as I type, and this is ALMOST A DAY after my last dose. This is a BAD medicine. Also caused intracranial pressure with headaches and fatigue. I just cannot do this medicine. I have never felt so queasy in my life. I will be taking cephalexin, my less harsh go-to, whenever I need this type of thing again. It may work, but I promise there are better-tolerated alternatives. Ask for them. Not this."

• Lin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 8, 2021

For Pneumonia "Got pneumonia after a surgery and was prescribed Doxy 100 mg 2 x daily. Did everything I was supposed to. By day 4, I was experiencing a mild headache, what felt like sinus pressure, but by day 6, a full-on drunk feeling. Very dizzy and hard to focus. I feel like my infection is gone, but was directed to stop the antibiotic because of side effects."

• Can...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 17, 2017

Doxycycline for Acne "I've been on for one week now, 75mg a day for 3 months. I have, for the most part, always had clear skin all of my life with an occasional pimple. I'm 27, and just this year I've been breaking out, cystic acne out of nowhere. I finally went to the dermatologist after everything else failed. Like I said, it's been a week, and I can tell you this medicine is tricky. I have some side effects: abdominal pain, severe headaches, a couple others, but I see such a difference! The stuff stuck in my skin is coming out, it's not drying my skin like tretinoin did. I've never been on medicine like this, so I take it at night before bed to avoid feeling some of the symptoms. Avoid the sun and any drinking when on this, it will make you vomit!"

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 28, 2021

For Chlamydia Infection "Started taking doxycycline today, 1st pill this morning and had to rush for the toilet, but after, was feeling fine all day long! Until my 2nd tablet in the evening, wow, what a different experience, I suffer badly with anxiety, and this has me feeling very weird, and reading these do not help at all! Pains, headaches, severe acid reflux, racing thoughts, panic attacks, just lying in bed trying to relax now, horrible drug, just praying it works after these 7 days of hell! 100% lesson has been learned here."

• Non...
• August 16, 2019

For Urinary Tract Infection "I was given Macrobid first for the presence of strep B in a urine culture. On the third pill, I felt flu-like, so I stopped. I was then prescribed a single dose of Monurol (fosfomycin), but the flu symptoms and pain in my back/kidney area continued. Then I was given doxycycline. Things just went downhill. I thought I was experiencing a kidney infection, a gallbladder problem infection, or even hepatitis A! I experienced a throbbing headache, all-over body flu symptoms, numbness and weakness in my hand, and pain in my ankles and hamstring. Went to the ER; organs fine; blood fine; urine not readable after taking too many antibiotics. Stopped the drug after this. I am incapacitated in bed with total weakness, shaking, and abdominal pain. I have to fly tomorrow. Praying I can make it. Antibiotics either kill you or the infection. It’s a gamble every time."

• Sus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 13, 2022

For Bronchitis "I took this while taking a very strong steroid, and the steroid gave me terrible anxiety during and after. I thought it was all over and had a few days left of the doxycycline, and honestly, I don’t know how anyone can stand taking that medication. It gave me a ton of anxiety during and after that I had at first attributed to the steroid. It also gave me a headache while it worked its way out of my system. I will, however, say that I got better, and I was the sickest I had ever been with acute sinusitis, acute bronchitis, and suspected Covid but with a negative test."

• Rae...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 2, 2022

For Bacterial Infection "I’m scared of this little pill. I’m on day 5, and I’m miserable. The first day I took it, I got in the shower, and about 30 minutes later, I was all of a sudden super hot, worst stomach pains ever, and nausea. I got sick and threw up all of the medication. I thought maybe this happened because I took it on an empty stomach like it says to do on the bottle, so the next day I attempted again. The 2nd day I made sure I ate and washed it down well with water. Again, I had stomach pains, but even worse, because this time it wouldn’t come back up. I was so miserable that I sat over the toilet for an hour trying to make myself puke. The pain lasted about 2 hours before it went away. Other side effects I’ve been having are diarrhea, headaches, and insomnia for some reason. Now at this point, I just prepare myself for the worst before taking this antibiotic. I’m finishing my course, but this is the last time I’ll ever use these."

• 18...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 15, 2016

For Acne "I'm an eighteen-year-old female, and I started taking these 100 mg doxycycline monohydrate pills only four days ago because they worked great for my brothers. I've been taking them with tons of water and food. They seem to work so far, but I've been waking up with terrible migraine-like headaches and confusion. I'm usually an early riser and a morning person, but these make me feel really nauseated. I don't recommend them for anyone who gets migraines like I do."

• Mic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 1, 2021

For Bacterial Infection "Not the drug for me. First time I took it for a suspected infection, and it made me feel so sick I was bedridden for over a week. About 5 days in, and I couldn't stop vomiting. 10 years later, I was prescribed it for a possible infection that I had no symptoms of. 3 days in, and I could barely get out of bed, and when I forced myself to get up, I passed out within the hour with a weird head pressure. Great drug for those it helps, but intolerable for me."

• Bet...
• October 1, 2017

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "I am taking doxy (capsules) along with clarithromycin for almost 2 months now because of a skin infection. The first day I took the cocktail (had to take both twice a day), I got a headache so strong that I couldn’t put my head on the pillow. I asked the dr, and [s]he told me to take the doxy alone to see if there were any changes. As I started to take it alone, I did not feel the headaches anymore, so I incorporated the clarithromycin but with a two-hour difference. In my second month, the pharmacist gave me tablets instead of capsules, and I cannot stand them! Not alone or with the clarithromycin whatsoever. Headaches are horrible! Stop taking them. I’m not really sure if it was because of the change from capsules to tablets, though."

• Chi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 2, 2020

For Chlamydia Infection "Remember not to lay down after taking doxycycline. Take it with a drink and a meal. Day 5 of this treatment. Good so far. No problems except for a slight headache after taking two too soon together. I still just want to hurry up, finish them, and get checked again."

• Aem...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 31, 2020

For Bacterial Infection "The doctor prescribed doxycycline for sinusitis after amoxicillin didn't help. I'm taking 100 mg twice daily, and it is making me nauseous, and daily headaches are the norm. So, I am slightly convinced the sinusitis hasn't completely cleared up, but I have one more day until I am done with doxy!"

• Cha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 3, 2020

For Prostatitis "Taking this medicine for six days now for possible prostatitis and feel I can't take it anymore due to severe side effects. 24-hour/day diarrhea is the worst I've ever had. Felt quite bloated and cramped with general abdominal pain. Also had a few headaches, which I never have, and had flu-like symptoms after day four. Also had difficulty concentrating with some dizziness. Food had no taste, except for sweeter foods like juice. Wake up at night every hour or so to pee and feel very thirsty. No way could I go to work or travel while taking this drug. I can usually tough out most any drug side effect, but the general feelings of despair and even suicidal thoughts scare me. Will be calling the pharmacist today for advice."

• Mad...
• October 13, 2019

For Chlamydia Infection "I was having severe abdominal pains, loss of appetite, weight loss, and prolonged diarrhea, and I initially thought it was my IBS, which did play a part in it. But I also got tested for chlamydia, thrush, and gonorrhea, and chlamydia came back positive, but the others were negative. The docs prescribed me doxycycline, and within a day, my belly ache cleared up, and since then, I noticed a change in my appetite and had zero pain in my belly. I have 2 days left, and I have experienced some side effects like headaches, nausea, and skin sensitivity. Although my discharge is still there, the medication is clearing it up."

• kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 22, 2018

For Acne "This does slightly help my acne, but the side effects are not worth it at all. It gives me the worst headaches, and my stomach hurts so bad that I cry. I've even, on multiple occasions, thrown up directly after I took the pill. I had to take it with a full glass of water and very specific foods, it was like every day was a guessing game of how bad it would make me feel. I know people who have had worse side effects than me, which is terrifying."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 2, 2022

For Chlamydia Infection "Was prescribed this for an STI infection. I combed through all the reviews on here and was terrified it would be the worst thing in the world. Do not let these reviews scare you! I am on day 4, and honestly, my side effects have only been headaches, which are very manageable. I failed to eat within an hour of taking dose 3, and that’s when I got nauseous… like super nauseous. Just make sure to take it with food, and you will be totally fine. I was asymptomatic, so I have no reference on how fast it started working on clearing up symptoms. So far, everything has been fine and minimal side effects. I will be retested at week 3 per dr's orders to see if treatment was effective. Please do yourself a favor and don’t read all these worst-case scenario reviews and scare yourself. Just follow instructions from your dr and make sure to eat right when you take the pills."

• Ros...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 22, 2022

For Chlamydia Infection "I just took my first dose this morning and was super anxious about taking it. I waited a few days before finally accepting that I needed to take it or things could get worse. I took it at around 8:30 a.m. and ate some food right before taking it, drank a lot of water throughout the day, and have had no issues so far aside from my regular anxiety. No stomach pain, headache, or anything! I am asymptomatic, so I don’t know if I’ll be able to tell how it works, but I'll have my retest in a few weeks and update at the end of this week as to how it affected me, if at all! Don’t be scared! I worked myself up for no reason! I'm taking it 2 times a day for 7 days!"

• NoV...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 18, 2021

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "Took a 7-day course for an infection I got on the outside of my nose after having a nose vein removal by laser (tech didn't do it right, resulting in 4 ulcers-never go to anyone but an M.D.! Lesson learned). I was very hesitant to take this due to all the risks and reviews, but I'm so glad I did. My nose has almost completely cleared in the 7 days of dosing. The only side effect I had was a headache. I took it religiously with 2 pieces of toast or a PB&J, and never laid down for an hour after taking. No stomach issues at all. I'm super grateful for this drug and very happy I stuck with it! The only reason I rated it an 8 is because of the headaches, which were more of a nuisance than anything. But also because I had to avoid calcium (per the insert), and this meant skipping vitamins because I'd forget to take them in the middle of the day. But I guess this is my problem, not doxy :)"

• Ann...
• August 25, 2021

For Bacterial Infection "There are better antibiotics you can order. The side effects of this antibiotic are horrible. You can't wait for day 3 to feel better, but now you're nauseous and have a headache. You live in Las Vegas in August and can't be out in the sun to do what you need to for a week. I will make sure I don't take this antibiotic again, too many side effects."

• Can...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2021

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "I’ve been on 100 mg of doxycycline a day for almost 30 days now, it’s for perioral dermatitis, which was not going away. I take it right after dinner every night, drink lots of water before bed, and also eat yogurt with added probiotics every morning. I’m constantly nauseous and almost always have a mild headache, unfortunately, but PD is such a nightmare I will continue taking doxycycline until I’m out. I almost forgot to take a pill one night, so I had it right before bed, and what a big mistake! I had heartburn for 24 hrs afterward and was more nauseous and had a worse headache. So be careful! I can’t imagine taking this on an empty stomach. My skin currently looks amazing, so hopefully, my PD stays away after this, I sure don’t want to feel this awful for a month again."

• Fem...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 1, 2019

For Chlamydia Infection "Was quite a shock to be tested positive for chlamydia. Went to the clinic, they prescribed me this medication, doxycycline, to take twice a day, in the morning and evening. Was advised not to drink milk, as milk somehow mixes with the medicine and can stop it from working, so I haven’t drunk milk or tea, anything involving a lot of milk, for 7 days! At the beginning, felt a lot of nausea but never threw up. It made me feel quite tired, with little energy and some joint pain. Also, slight feelings of headaches, but I made sure I took medicine with a full glass of water, and it helps a lot to eat straight after taking the medicine to line your stomach! Your body will start adjusting. I hope that it’s cleared the infection. Haven’t been retested again yet."

• Bet...
• June 22, 2019

For Chlamydia Infection "First day on doxycycline, and seems okay so far, taken 100 mg got another to go today for 7 days. Only really had some nausea, but nothing too bad, and a bit of a headache. I’ve taken it 10 minutes after food and plenty of water, that seems to really help."