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Depression From Doxycycline?

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Posted 1/12/2011 1:22 PM (GMT -8)
I am a 23 year old male I recently was sick for about a week with chest infection/flu like symptoms. I went to the doctor and was prescribed doxycyline 100mg two a day. The day I began the medicine within 2-3 hours of the dose I began to experience a loss of interest in everything and corresponding anxiety. At the time I did not tie this with the medicine and assumed it was from being sick at home for a week. The depression and anxiety quickly increased with complete loss of appetite which has never happened for me before until by day 5, thoughts of  began to enter my mind. This is something that is completely out of the ordinary I love my life and friends and family and have no reason whatsoever to have thoughts like this.

I went to see a psychiatrist who basically told me to wait it out. Because it was so sudden, she said it could have been some kind of drug interaction/ side effect which is what I had already thought since I have no reason to be depressed especially so suddenly. Later that day I looked up doxycycline and depression on the web and found quite a few stories that fit mine and I then realized how the symptoms corresponded perfectly with the doxy. I didn't take my dose that night and immediately thought I started feeling better and I ate half a pizza that night!

But now it is the middle of day two and although the symptoms seem to have decreased alot I am still having alot of anxiety and haven't regained my happiness. The last week has easily been the worst of my life and I continually worry that it isn't going to get better. I've found a few stories on this site about the same issues but I was wondering if anyone here has similar experiences and if anyone could provide some insight on how long this might take me to get over? This is incredibly debilitating and I don't want to feel hopeless anymore!

Post Edited By Moderator (getting by) : 1/12/2011 2:49:29 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/12/2011 1:51 PM (GMT -8)
Hi mcs669,

I have read about this happening to others. But I have never experienced it myself. I truly hope that you start feeling better. I would hate to think that this could be permanent. I think in a few days that the anxiety will go away also. Just keep in mind if you have to ever take the doxy again that this might happen.

I did have to edit one word out of your post that we aren't suppose to discuss on this forum. I am sorry for what you have been through. Let us know how you are doing.

Oh, welcome to the forum. I am really glad that you have decided to join us.

Take care,

Hugs, Karen
Posted 1/12/2011 3:50 PM (GMT -8)
Hello there,

I answered this very same thread in the A & P forum and I also did the same edit as Karen.

Do check for responses in A & P also.

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 1/13/2011 11:48 AM (GMT -8)
Please does anyone have a response to this I am really having trouble I've lost all hope and interest in life. It seems as if it's getting worse and all triggered by a stupid antibiotic! I just don't know what to do anymore. I walk around with knots in my stomach all day and I have nothing that I look forward to anymore.

I've got an appointment with my doctor tomorrow but I don't know what to do if this doesn't get better soon...
Posted 1/13/2011 11:59 AM (GMT -8)
Just hang in there until tomorrow. You can get through this. And you will. I have faith in that. But I know it is hard, and you might have to work on keeping yourself calm. Do you do any meditation? If so, this is the time to do it. Maybe even take a nap, knowing that soon you will be feeling better. Keep your mind busy if you can. Read some self help books or something of interest.

Know that we are here for you. Keep posting.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 1/13/2011 12:09 PM (GMT -8)
I think some kind of meditation would help just to stop my mind from spiraling but I've never done it before. Do you have any good tips?
Posted 1/13/2011 1:05 PM (GMT -8)
Oh yes,

Just for now, find a comfortable postition. Sitting indian style on the bed is how I do it. Or when I am going to sleep. But you have to picture in your mind, all the muscles from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. Start either at the top or at the bottom. Gradually picture each muscle relaxing. If you can't do that, tighten the muscle up. Then let it relax. Then you know how it feels. This is a good way to start. But go all the way from one end of your body to the other and relax each muscle. Eventually you are focusing on your relaxation instead of other things. Later on you use what is called a "mantra". That is a word that means nothing to you. Four to six syllables. As you say the word in your mind, take a breath in on one syllable, and let the air out on the next. My word is ummnellyom. It means nothing to me, and focussing on nothing is what our goal is. If you have anymore questions, just ask. You can also go on the internet and learn more, or get a good book on it. There are different ways to do it, but this is mine, and I probably forgot something, so I will probably post more. But in the end you want to learn to focus on your breathing and clear your mind. Good luck!!!

Hugs, Karen
Posted 7/31/2011 6:21 PM (GMT -8)
With response to the thread on doxycycline and depression, I feel compelled to issue a serious warning to anyone who does not respond well to this drug. I will write in greater detail soon but for now just tell you that our beautiful 19 year old son committed suicide on the 6th day of a 100mg per day dose (which he was taking for a bit of perioral dermatitis). He was a happy and much adored young man from a very loving, solid family. He was very intelligent, athletic and laid back. He was not an A type personality, and had never suffered depression. On the morning of the 6th day this boy (with the strong friendships and 3 very close older brothers) ate a large breakfast, was searching for his cricket whites for the afternoon's game and then took an irreversible course of action quite contrary to who he was. The medication must have impacted detrimentally with fatal consequences. The coroner is investigating the matter.
Please trust your own instincts. This drug obviously has very bad side effects for some people.
Posted 8/1/2011 5:21 AM (GMT -8)
Bereft,

First of all, I am truly sorry for your loss. Secondly, welcome to the forum.

This is some very important information that you shared and I thank you for it. I am terribly sorry for your loss.

You must be devastated at this time. And it took a lot of courage to post this. Thank you.

Gentle hugs, Karen
Posted 8/2/2011 9:18 PM (GMT -8)
@Bereft, I am so, so sorry to hear of you loss. :(

This is my first post. I have dealt with depression and anxiety off and on for over 10 years and I was doing great for a long time until I started taking Doxycyline for acne. Within 2 days I was having full blown panic attacks even though everything in my life is going fine and nothing to trigger the anxiety or depression. I got back on Lexapro about a week after the Doxy but continued to take it because it was not a listed side effect and I didn't think that an antibiotic could cause this.

I kept slipping further into depression and I've had a panic attack EVERY single day since.. I started thinking back and realized it all started with the Doxy. It has been a month and a half that I've been like this and I'm scared I will never get better. Lexapro has ALWAYS worked for me within a few days and now it's doing nothing for me and I've been taking it over a month. I've told 2 doctors about my experience with the doxy and they immediately dismissed that it could have been caused by that. I was prescribed Buspar but that made me even worse so I switched back to the Lexapro hoping somehow it will kick in.

I've missed tons of work and when I do go my performance is so bad I'm scared I'm going to lose my job. I can't focus on anything and keep going into the bathroom to cry constantly. I was sent home last week after a sever panic attack at work and haven't been back since. I am attempting to make it through the day tomorrow.

I have a wonderful life and family and a beautiful 8 year old son and a good job and everything a girl could want but nomatter how much I keep telling myself how fortunate I am it doesn't take this hopeless feeling away.

Please, anyone who has got through this, please let me know how long it took after the Doxy to start feeling better?? I stopped taking it a few weeks ago.
Posted 8/3/2011 2:55 AM (GMT -8)
It may take six to eight weeks for the lexapro to reach it's full effect. It is probably fighting the symptoms form the doxy at this time. Be patient,. but keep in contact with your doc if you don't feel better soon. He may want to try something else.

Good luck with this. I am sorry that the doxy made you depressed.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 4/16/2012 12:19 PM (GMT -8)
I am concerned for my daughter who has been on Doxy for at least 6mos. now. She is complaining of hopelessness & inability to stay focused in school. We were thinking it's the pressure of Jr. year. Though that is hard in and of itself, what I am reading on here seems to make sense with her feelings of depression. We are going to stop the MEDs tonight & are going to her pediatrician tomorrow.

Can anyone add anything? This has been a difficult time for our family.

Heartbroken mom :(
Posted 4/17/2012 3:58 AM (GMT -8)
Sashagrace,

Welcome to the depression forum. I don't have a lot of answers, but there may be others who do. I hope that your daughter gets better from this. Don't know if stopping will cause a reverse. I hope so. Keep posting and know that we all care about you and your daughter. I hope she gets better soon.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 1/19/2023 2:07 PM (GMT -8)
Hi. I read your post about how you felt after a course of doxycycline. I too feel the exact same way right now. It's been about 2 months since I stopped taking it and I feel like crap. Did you ever overcome this and if so how long and what did you do to get back to normal again. Please help.
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