Minocycline and Swelling: What Users Say

• GR2...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 13, 2020

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I have been taking minocycline for my RA since mid-July after I met with a rheumatologist who wanted me to take Plaquenil and methotrexate, I freaked out. I was not able to lift my arms up and had feet inflammation. 90% is gone now. I just have knee inflammation under the patella. I hope it all heals 100%-the sooner the better. I started taking 100 mg pulse M W F. Now I can take it M-Thursday. I want to walk and run again. I wish it were faster. Anyone with minocycline RA success, please post your dosage and any guidance so I can beat the rest of this RA."

• ros...
• March 19, 2011

Minocycline for Rosacea "I was given Solodyn for 3 months as part of a study. Within 3 days, I saw a big difference. I was mainly looking to get rid of the red hue on my face since birth. I soon discovered that I had inflammation of my facial skin that was soon gone. My facial skin took on a whole new texture, and what few tiny pimples I would get no longer existed. I have been without it for 2 months now, and my face has returned to its original state. The rosacea on my collarbone/upper chest has not returned. I would recommend this to anyone who asked. Hoping to start doxycycline soon and get similar results."

• Anonymous
• March 16, 2010

For Rosacea "I had a severe allergic reaction after using it for 2 weeks. I first noticed my lips swelling and then I broke out in big welts. I also had the worst choking feeling ever. The itching was unreal. I went back to the doctor, and she put me on prednisone yesterday. The itching has gotten worse. I am thinking that I may be having an allergic reaction to this also. I will be back at the doctor's office as soon as she opens."

• MJa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2019

For Acne "This medicine is horrible. I do not recommend this at all. My first week of taking this medication for my mild acne was cool, my skin even started to look a little different, but going into my second week, I noticed I was starting to itch everywhere and I was really, really tired and not myself. So I thought that it was normal or from something I ate or something. Then a day or two later, I started getting hives all over my body in different places every day, which is the worst itching ever. Benadryl wasn’t even working for me. My hands started to swell and my body became sore, and I woke up one morning and my eyes were swollen. I have had a bad allergic reaction to this medicine, and I wouldn’t put this medicine on my worst enemy! I have been off of this medicine for three days now, and I'm still going through this, the bad definitely outweighs the good with this medicine."

• Dt9...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 20, 2018

For Acne "Started the medication, and it worked really well, my skin cleared, and my face brightened up. But I had really bad stomach pain when I took the medicine and had headaches as well. About 3 weeks in of taking the medicine, I broke out in hives, I also had swelling in my hands and feet, and my lips became swollen to 3 times their size. The medicine worked great but caused me a terrible reaction."

• Gan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 23, 2019

For Acne "My doctor prescribed me Minocycline 100 mg to treat acne, and after taking it for 2 weeks, I broke out in hives with inflammation and itchiness all over my body. I stopped taking the next pill immediately and called my doctor, who then prescribed me Prednisone 100 mg for 6 days. I took my 1st pill within 12 hours from when I first noticed the rash on my knuckles. I will never recommend this medication to anyone! The itchiness did not let me sleep for 2 nights, and symptoms could have been worse and serious if I didn’t take the right step immediately at the right time!"

• Wil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 16, 2017

For Acne "My daughter started taking minocycline 3 years ago at 14 for her acne. It worked well enough until she began having severe muscle and joint pain. We had no reason to blame the minocycline. A rheumatologist diagnosed drug-induced lupus. Even after stopping the minocycline and starting naproxen for the inflammation (so bad that she could barely sit down, raise her arms above her head, or even walk), she got worse. An MRI with injected dye revealed severe muscle inflammation, and the doctor has put her on prednisone 40 mg for a month, tapering to 30 and eventually off it. The prednisone helped her within hours. It may take a year for her to recover."

• Kje...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2014

For Acne "I was on minocycline for 7 days when I began rapidly breaking out in hives. I have had to go to both urgent care and the ER to find relief via EpiPen. Words cannot express how much pain I am in from these hives and swelling. The medicine did clear up my skin, but the hives and pain were bad. Doctors say to expect hives and continued reaction for upwards of two weeks."

• Man...
• October 10, 2019

For Acne "I was prescribed this medicine for mild acne. I was on it for a week and a half. After a few days on minocycline, I began to get side effects of being very itchy on my legs especially. The itching spread to my feet, arms, and back. After a week, it began to turn into hives, and I woke up with a swollen eye. I went to the ER, and they gave me an IV shot of a steroid and Benadryl. I was prescribed steroids and Zyrtec. I stopped the minocycline, and the itching has let up, but the hives are still randomly around my body. My eye got better, but after getting a shower, it swelled again, so it must be very sensitive to the water. It seems this medicine either works wonders or causes horrible side effects. I wish I would have read up more about it before taking it."

• K12...
• October 13, 2017

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "I was prescribed minocycline to treat a skin condition called Confluent and Reticulated Papillomatosis (CARP), and its results were devastating. I was outside at work one day after about three weeks of taking minocycline, and I felt faint. Then, a few days later, I noticed bumps on my forehead, which later spread to my arms and legs. I went to the doctor, and they gave me a shot of steroids, which made me think it would clear up my skin. Within the next days, the bumps turned into a full-blown rash all over my body, and my face had swollen up as well. A few days later, I got a biopsy done and learned I had developed a condition called Dress syndrome as a result of a severe allergic reaction to minocycline. A month after the biopsy, I'm still recovering with the use of steroids. Beware of this drug."

• gia...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2017

For Acne "I was hesitant to take this because of the mixed reviews, but gave it a try for my horrible acne, and within a day noticed it started working. I didn't have any side effects, and my face started to purge (giant pimples forming), and my skin was getting worse, so I knew it was pushing everything out of my face to start clearing my skin. A week later, I woke up extremely itchy on my neck, scalp, chest, back, shoulders, feet, hands, basically everywhere, and I had broken out in hives. I took a Benadryl. Then at midnight, it happened again but worse. My neck was swelling up, and the hives were the color of a tomato, and I was insanely itchy. If I didn't take a ton of Benadryl, I would've had to go to the ER. Happened today again. No longer taking them."

• Anonymous
• February 23, 2017

Minocycline for Acne "I've had acne since I was 12 years old. During high school, it was particularly bad, so I went on Proactiv, which was awful! Don't ever go on it. Anyway, about my second year into college, my acne got pretty bad again, so I went to the derm over the summer. In fall, I got put on Solodyn, Acezone, and adapalene with a benzepro wash. I have been on this for over two months, and I still get acne. I currently have a bandaid on my face covering up a cyst I popped last night. The reason I didn't give it a zero is because I do think it has helped with the inflammation and reducing the number of pimples, but I want clear skin, not just less acne. Long story short, Solodyn is okay, but it will not clear up your skin."

• Rea...
• September 19, 2015

For Acne "I have been taking minocycline for at least 2 weeks, and after two weeks, I broke out in hives. I noticed the hives because it started on my fingers with swelling and itching, and then moved up on my arms. I had to go to the emergency room and get medicine for the swelling and itching to go down. I do not recommend this medication."

• bob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 6, 2020

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "Minocycline sucks. I took it for 2 weeks, then got swelling, itchy, red lumps and blisters all over my body, and my fingers and arms were swelling. I stopped the medicine and took Benadryl, and it is slowly improving. Now it is almost a week after, but there are still blisters. Do NOT take this."

• Amb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 4, 2015

For Acne "I took minocycline for my mild acne for about 2 weeks with no problems. I was very happy with my results. Until I started experiencing hives. The first day they showed up on my hips, then when I woke up the next morning, they were all over my body on my waist, back, knees, elbows, hands, and even a couple on my face. They itch and hurt so bad. When they showed up on my feet, I couldn't walk. I couldn't get up to go eat, my sister had to come to my room to get me dinner. My hands became swollen and puffy, with hives all over, I can barely write. I stayed in bed the majority of the day. My doctor prescribed me Benadryl and Prednisone, which helped because I woke up this morning with some improvement. I don't recommend minocycline."

• Amb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 4, 2015

For Acne "I took minocycline for my mild acne for about 2 weeks with no problems. I was very happy with my results. Until I started experiencing hives. The first day they showed up on my hips, then when I woke up the next morning, they were all over my body on my waist, back, knees, elbows, hands, and even a couple on my face. They itch and hurt so bad. When they showed up on my feet, I couldn't walk. I couldn't get up to go eat, my sister had to come to my room to get me dinner. My hands became swollen and puffy, with hives all over, I can barely write. I stayed in bed the majority of the day. My doctor prescribed me Benadryl and Prednisone, which helped because I woke up this morning with some improvement. I don't recommend minocycline."

• Bet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 12, 2021

For Bullous Pemphigoid "I have recently been diagnosed with bullous pemphigoid. Have pemphigoid on the soles of my feet. I am successfully using minocycline. So far, it has seemed to reduce some swelling, but in addition, I am using topical steroid prescription cortisone creams, like fluocinonide. My activities are definitely limited because of this ailment."

• Ami...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 3, 2018

For Acne "I took Minocycline for exactly 15 days. At first, I only got intense headaches. After taking the pills for 10 days, I told my mom that the pills made me feel uncomfortable (I had severe headaches and stomach pain). My mom suggested that I should keep taking them. On December 31, I noticed my hands swelling up. I put ice on it, yet it stayed the same. On New Year's, my neck, wrist, knees, elbows, and shoulders were swollen and red. I went to the hospital, and they gave me a shot of Benadryl. It worked for a few hours, yet on January 2, I got more hives and swelling. I bought liquid Benadryl, and I take it every 4-6 hours. Today is January 3, and I still have hives and swelling. The Minocycline didn’t even help my acne, it made it worse."

• Tm9...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 6, 2019

For Acne "DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION. I was prescribed minocycline by my dermatologist for my acne, and I had a horrible, life-threatening reaction. I went into anaphylactic shock (the first reaction to anything I've ever had in my life), fell, hit my head, and nearly died in the ambulance, and would have if my parents hadn't called when they did. I was pretty much lifeless two months after from all of the medication and steroids I was put on afterward to get healthy again. There are so many other options for acne, do not do this to yourself unless you want to die and wake up with new hives and swelling body parts for weeks."

• Sho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2020

For Acne "After stopping the medication, my face was covered in inflamed acne, and it got worse than when I first started the medication."