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Doxycycline Side Effects
Common doxycycline side effects include diarrhea, skin reaction to sunlight, or unexplained rash. While these side effects may require no medical attention, if you experience more serious problems, such as watery diarrhea or fever, stop taking the antibiotic and notify your healthcare provider immediately. Less than 1 percent of people taking it experience rare doxycycline side effects, such as liver damage, allergic reaction, or vision changes.
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with doxycycline. However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate doxycycline quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or are easily treated by you or a healthcare professional.
(The doxycycline side effects discussed below are not a complete list of reported side effects. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list with you.)
Doxycycline has been studied extensively in clinical trials, with thousands of people worldwide having been evaluated. In these studies, side effects are always documented. The most common side effects of doxycycline include but are not limited to:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Indigestion and heartburn
- Vomiting
- Skin reaction to sunlight (photosensitivity)
- Loss of appetite.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD