You should not take doxycycline if you are allergic to any tetracycline antibiotic.
Children younger than 8 years old should use doxycycline only in cases of severe or life-threatening conditions. This medicine can cause permanent yellowing or graying of the teeth in children.
Using doxycycline during pregnancy could harm the unborn baby or cause permanent tooth discoloration later in the baby's life.
Before taking this medicine
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to doxycycline or other tetracycline antibiotics such as demeclocycline, minocycline, tetracycline, or tigecycline.
To make sure doxycycline is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
liver disease;
kidney disease;
asthma or sulfite allergy;
increased pressure inside your skull; or
if you also take isotretinoin, seizure medicine, or a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin).
If you are using doxycycline to treat chlamydia, your doctor may test you to make sure you do not also have gonorrhea, another sexually transmitted disease.
Taking this medicine during pregnancy may affect tooth and bone development in the unborn baby. Taking doxycycline during the last half of pregnancy can cause permanent tooth discoloration later in the baby's life. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you become pregnant while using this medicine.
Doxycycline can make birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about using a non-hormonal birth control (condom, diaphragm with spermicide) to prevent pregnancy.
Doxycycline can pass into breast milk and may affect bone and tooth development in a nursing infant. The extent of absorption is unknown. Do not breastfeed while you are taking this medicine.
Children should not use this medicine. Doxycycline can cause permanent yellowing or graying of the teeth in children younger than 8 years old.
Children should use doxycycline only in cases of severe or life-threatening conditions such as anthrax or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. The benefit of treating a serious condition may outweigh any risks to the child's tooth development.
