Editorial note: In 1962, Sylvia Plath committed suicide a week after going on phenelzine, an antidepressant. She had two young children, making her death close to inexplicable – unless the medication she was put on disturbed the balance of her mind. But what does ‘disturb the balance of your mind’ mean?
In this account, another Sylvia put on doxycycline gives one of the best accounts there is of how easy it can be to slip away. Several weeks ago a RxISK story outlined the data linking doxycycline to suicide. This account is certain to make that data seem much more terrifying.
Sylvia’s story
I am 33 years old and have had mild acne for 19 years. I have tried topical solutions, which tend to calm things down during treatment. Once stopped, the acne always returns. Feeling quite sensitive about my skin, I went back to see my GP.
She suggested doxycycline tablets. I had heard that particular tablets for skin problems could make you feel depressed and suicidal. I mentioned this to my doctor in the hope that she would tell me that the drug she was prescribing would not cause this. She did. I happily took the prescription to the chemist. The pharmacist then dispensed a loading dose of 200mg and a three month supply of 100mg tablets, one to be taken daily.
I began the course feeling hopeful. The tablets did seem to be an effective treatment for the acne, although I noticed a change in how I was feeling. Initially this was not a problem, I felt good. Apart from a nagging headache and some nausea, I felt subtly disinhibited; freer in general. I actually found this quite liberating. This lasted for 3 days, at which point I started to notice that my mood was fluctuating quite quickly. I felt great one minute and extremely irritable the next. My tolerance for stress was decreasing rapidly. It would take one comment to switch my mood and I would become withdrawn and feel like screaming to be left alone. I would visit family feeling bright and upbeat but very shortly end up sitting in a completely separate room trying to calm down before making an excuse to leave. It’s only in retrospect that I can see that this was odd behaviour. Outwardly, I think I must have just appeared quieter, duller. Inwardly, I felt frustrated and angry. Although I can be quite sensitive under usual circumstances, this was heightened way beyond this. I did feel that it could have escalated further, had I continued with the medication.
Struggling to make the connection
Family members felt the need to speak to me, specifically to ask how I was feeling. Apparently I had been acting ‘oddly’, they used the words ‘withdrawn’ and ‘down’. These descriptions puzzled me as I had felt that I had swung to and fro from happy to angry, but did not have the insight to see that I was feeling low in mood, as they were describing it. Although under normal circumstances I would connect the two things together, under the influence of doxycycline, it seems that I could not make those connections. Looking back, I felt somewhat disconnected from external events and overly concerned, even locked into internal thoughts. These thoughts turned in to viciously negative ruminations, which made me feel anxious and unhappy.
It was after 3 days of the treatment that I began to notice that I was feeling anxious, escalating as the days and treatment went on. I was worrying about things that I would not usually worry about. I felt an increased heart rate; I could feel my heart thumping in my chest when I lay in bed, silly thoughts whirling through my head most of the night. Unsurprisingly, I found it difficult to sleep. Whilst I was searching for a solution to all my perceived problems, an idea literally popped into my head. I felt relief for the moment that I thought I would carry out this idea; to commit suicide, to kill myself. I brushed this aside as a non-solution and carried on being unable to sleep; obsessing over minor issues that just a second ago I had thought were worthy of ending my life over. At this point I could not see that this was absurd.
I continued taking the doxycycline, feeling quite pleased with its effect on my skin. Over the next few days I continued to feel anxious almost constantly, the feel good moments had gone. I was thinking more and more of that absurd solution to all of my problems that seemed to just get worse and worse. I would be driving in my car, at any time of day and suddenly think…I could just crash my car. The words repeated themselves in my mind for the remainder of the journey. I was struggling to not give in. By this time I had found some stories about others taking doxycycline, with disastrous results that ended in suicide.
Selfish and ‘disconnected’
Even then, I felt like there needed to be some deliberation about stopping the drug; it was working as a treatment for the acne. I felt like I couldn’t quite grasp the reality of the situation, I was somewhat removed. I would like to think that if I was to choose to end my life that I would not try to take other lives with me. Crashing my car would likely cause other injury or fatalities. Looking back, this seems like a very selfish and ‘disconnected’ thought to have.
In the end, I bargained with myself. I would stop taking the tablets to see if I ‘felt’ better. I could always re-start to cure the acne. Even though acne makes me feel sensitive about the way I look, I can’t ever imagine wanting to take the risk of death in the hope that it could be cured. I think this is another example of how I experienced feeling disconnected.
I gradually started to feel more like me as the days without Doxycycline went by. After 2 weeks I felt much better. After the first few days the impulsive suicidal thoughts had stopped, although I continued to feel anxious and ruminate about things. This reduced in intensity over the 2 weeks until I just felt my kind of normal again.
One of the lucky ones?
I did get the sense that the tablets had affected my hormones in some way. I can compare how I felt then to symptoms of PMT and my cycle had been set off course by 11 days. This may sound circumstantial but this is less than rare in my case; it has never happened to me before. These 11 days were days that came after I had stopped the tablets, so at first I did not think it was related. I searched the internet for things that could be the cause; I found quite a few cases implicating doxycycline in women with the same problem. This strengthened my suspicion that the effect may have been, at least in part, hormonal. The whole experience has deterred me from taking medications in future. It’s frightening to think that a tablet I take for acne can make me want to take my own life. It’s even more frightening that I nearly didn’t make the connection.
The experience wasn’t fatal in my case, but others haven’t been so lucky.
gill says
Good to hear how uncontrollable thoughts of suicide brought on by medicines can be halted if the connection is made between the medicines and the person concerned.
I feel it also has a lot to do with a person’s own personal make-up, as to how resilient they are.
Wouldn’t it be better if Doctors were able to say ‘be careful’ with drugs and to point out they are capable of causing thoughts as severe as suicide rather than just saying – ‘don’t worry this drug is safe’ and there is no evidence to show otherwise?
Surely it is better to err on the side of caution and to make patients more self aware- rather than a Doctor be afraid of scare mongering?
Kirsty says
I disagree about the resilience comment. It’s a chemical effect on your body. I consider myself happy, strong and resilient, I took these pills for anti malarials for only 2 days and had the same anxiety, sleeplessness etc. So I stopped.
Helen says
Me too. I took it as an anti malarial and to be honest if I knew what the outcome would be I would never have done it. I am still suffering two years on and I only took them for a month or so. High anxiety rules my life and I feel like I am living in a bubble. Everyone else seems to have fun but I am on the outside. I changed jobs as a result because I put it all down to stress at work. But it isn’t I could always cope before and I was on the go all the time and enjoyed my time off. It has ruined my life and now my relationship with my family is starting to suffer.
I am fearful of taking any drugs now. I just don’t trust them.
Suzanne says
It is a terrible drug I will never take it again been in hospital twice this week my anxiety is so bad I’m afraid been of it four days now I’ve taken this before but the dr said try it again never again just hope it all passes soon can’t control my feelings
Helen says
Suzann I have the same symptoms as you I suffer from anxiety and take medication for it. Last week I contracted a chest infection and was given doxycycline . My anxiety has been off the scale panic attacks thinking I’m going to die and also suicidal thoughts. Terrible drug I have stopped it now my psychiatrist says it should get better now.
Danielle says
I was on the medication and it caused my anxiety to be sky high, I haven’t slept in over a week after stopping, It has made me feel claustrophobic, in my home, in my shower, and even going to the bathroom since my toilet is in a very enclosed space, brought on fear of death and scared of the dark? I have never been scared of the dark and it all started around the same time I started taking it.
Ashley says
I started taking these pills awhile back for my acne ,the worst decision of my life – my skin cleared up so fast in the first few days and I was very happy – as I continued taking them I started to feel my mood change ,I never really suffered from anxiety and I never had issues with my sleep – during the first month of using it my stress tolerance was very low -I had issue with my sleep and I had terrible anxiety to the point of getting panic attack – but I also could not make the connection at first . The second month of using the pills I started to retrace to find the problem and started to research the pills and I found similar people with the same side effects – and I immediately stopped thinking the pills – I informed the specialist about my side effects and I was told to come in for a second consultation which I had to pay for and told them that I would think about it but in honesty I didn’t have the money – This pills really ruined my life – my gf left me recently because she wants to start a family but I’m so scared because of the side effects I’m still having after not using this pills for almost +- 3 months – I have a job where I need to focus and I work shifts and I have been taking leave days on my nights shifts because I can’t even sleep at night so what the hell am I going to do coming out of work in the mornings – I feel like suing this doctor because I was never told about any side effects – I really don’t know what to do – I am suffering form not being able to sleep
Andrew says
So now that you’ve destroyed your gut bacteria you need to re-populate it in the possibility that you’ve contracted a fungal infection like Candida albicans is pretty high given that Doxy kills bacteria and not fungus. The first thing you do is get a high-quality omega-3 and take it every day a brand like Nordic naturals makes good omega-3 that doesn’t taste like fish. Fungus impairs your macrophages which swallow and digest pathogens, omega-3 counters this.
Next remove all dairy from your diet and start on a Paleo diet. Sugar and lactose are preferred food of fungus and pathogens.
You can also add probiotic fiber like inulin to help encourage building back good bacteria.
Remove all omega six fatty acids from your diet or have so many of them as you can. They are pro inflammatory.
This should be a good starting point.
chris says
Plath’s first documented suicide attempt occured in 1953 in which she took her mother’s
sleeping pills and laid in a crawl space under her house. She was reported missing then found under her mother’s house three days later The biggest predictor in completed suicide is a previous suicide attempt. At that point, she felt unaccomplished in her writing career. Her father died when she was eight. Parental death death during childhood is statitically correlated with
depression. Her mind was unbalanced long before she took the Doxcycline. Correllation does not equal causation. Also, she’d been on the antidepressant a few days, not a week.
Alledgedly, she was despondent, as her husband was cheating on her. Supposedly, she was
under watch by caretakers, as her melancholy was so severe it was felt her life was in
danger. Her suicide seemed planned, not an act of impulse, as she sealed the doors of
the children’s room to protect them from asphyxiation when she stuck her head far in the oven.
She also had plans to go to the UK to visit Dr. Katherine Dalton, who brought what was then
called Premenstual Tension. Now, in academia the studies of her writing shows the
cyclical pattern of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Dr. Dalton brought the condition into
the public eye, but her progesterone treatments have proven suspect. Progesterone surges
premenstually. Having had PMDD I could not tolerate either natural progesterone nor
progestin. Plath was most prolific the year before her death.
Her son commited suicide showing a strong genetic component. Her daughter struggled with
PMDD.
Certainly antidepressants can cause suicidal ideation, but sources state she was in a precarious mental state, prior to the AD. Plus, AD’s generally take more than three days to kick in.
Considering Plath’s mental health history blaming medication for her suicide seems suspect.
Yes, one should carefully research meds, but the above piece with the sensationalistic headings
proves predjudice in blaming her long time precarious mental state on drugs.
As her husband philandered this creative woman could have felt constricted by the role of
mother/writer. Writing meant everything to her, and concentration falters during
despondency.
Therefore, given Plath’s history her suicide hardly came as a shock.
Regarding her written experience
Dr. David Healy says
Chris
Sylvia Plath certainly had a lot of other things going on. A range of pills can trigger suicide in people whether or not they have other things going on. In this case she got her medication in the UK. The doctor didn’t think she was an acute risk. She committed suicide roughly a week later. Anything from 24 hours later to several weeks later are all consistent with the effects of the drugs.
Do we know the drugs caused it? No. The evidence we have is that all things being equal when present the drug are more likely to be linked to suicide in cases like this than not – there is an excess of suicidal acts in people entered into depression trials in the active treatment arm compared to the placebo arm.
I hope I haven’t confused things here. Sylvia in this story is a fictitious name. Sylvia Plath was given phenelzine.
David
Joy says
I think this information about docycycline should be made very public,particularly in universities where young suicide is increasing..I know it’s not always the cause but I feel it needs more exposure..
I am a very level person..never suffered from depression but last year I was prescribed this as I had a bad chest infection..like the case history Sylvia,I had the most strange suicidal thoughts popping into my head from nowhere..I thought they might be caused by fever from the infection..
I didn’t associate these thoughts with docycline for a few days but,it was so out of character for me that I looked up possible side effects on the Internet and immediately stopped taking them..
I still had the fever but the weird thoughts of how I could commit suicide vanished ..
It made me wonder as my ex husband had been on tetracycline for years and he shot himself in 2001.. I’ll never know if there was a connection..
I went back to the doctor and recounted my experiences..he told me I had imagined it..I know I didnt..
I am 69
How can we highlight this side effect?
Dr. David Healy says
Joy
We are launching a rxisk akathisia page and anthem tomorrow – spreading this link far and wide would be useful.
https://rxisk.org/akathisia/
David
Kathleen Young says
I also took these pills , prescribed or sinus, I got violently @ couldn’t stand up with heart palpitations
Sylvia Voss says
What a shocking doctor to say you imagined it ? That’s the arrogance of. many MP. I had one prescribe antidepressants for sleep saying it would help my past depression. Take 1 before bed and I feel great the next day. I did just that. I felt numb and fuzzy headed. I couldn’t focus driving feeling vague I told myself, I’m sitting duck waiting for any car to smash into me. Looked up the packet mile long warning; Do not use heavy machinery. Dr told me she didn’t want to argue with me re if a car is heavy machinery and why she didn’t warn me about it. No, no, no accountability just move along and stop thinking for yourself !!
chris says
It was confusing, but you straightened out the seperate Sylvias. I do need new glasses.
The off label usage of 2nd generation neuroleptics , as an adjunct treatment for depression is disturbing. A friend complained of a massive weight gain. I asked what meds she was taking to find Zyprexa on the list. I showed her an article revealing the side effects of Zyprexa to increased weight gain. The article stated the increased risk of
diabetes being linked to Zyprexa.
I read of Dr. Healy’s work in “The New York Times.,” for exposing the link between suicide and
antidepressants, years ago. Now a black box warning appears on AD link to youth suicide.
Biig Pharma is slick. I understand the newest ploy by Big Pharma is to employ certain
physicians to lecture to groups of physicians since the wooing of doctors with various perks
has been publicaly exposed. I’ve seen seen a doctor give me a Big Pharma sample then, as if by rote, write a prescription for that exact drug. My GP brother in law’s office has a policy of not
seeing pharmaceutical reps, which is rare and admirable.
Alledgedly, the reasoning behind the suicide/AD link is in the very early weeks, prior to the AD
full antidepressant efficacy, one’s increased energy levels could cause one attempt suicide.
However, AD can induce mania or increase anxiety. I also understand the studies don’t show nuch difference between a placebo or an AD, percentage wise.
Sorry for the confusion regarding Sylvia
.
chris says
Thank you you clarifying the dual Sylvias, Dr. Healy.
On Behalf of Lori says
I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease at the beginning of the month and was given a prescription for 100mg tablets of Doxycycline for 21 days, twice a day. I was feeling ill from the Lyme but after taking the medication for four days I began feeling even worse. Not just a sick feeling but weird feeling. My eyes were not working right, almost like I couldn’t focus them. My head has felt strange too. It is as though I am in a constant fog or something with a tight/tense band around it and down the back. I just do not feel like myself. I have had this off balance feeling where I am not really dizzy but almost. I called my doctor to report how I felt and was told that I needed to take the medication anyway. My stomach has been messed up as well. I have had anxiety, heart palpitations, and real trouble sleeping. This medication is bad. I want to feel like myself again, not a zombie whose brain is in a fog. I took my last tablet today. I have no idea if it took care of my Lyme Disease, but I will NEVER take doxycycline ever again. I found a website where many other people have had these same reactions. The list of side affects needs to be more extensive as to what this medication has the capability of doing. Or it simply should be done away with all together.
babe says
I took doxycline for 2 weeks 100 mg 2 x a day for lyme, and have been of it for 4 weeks and feel so sick still, digestive problems, weird feelings, feel suicidal, sick feeling, tightness in throat, chest, stiffness in back, legs, and the list goes on. I also took Mepron for co-infection of babesiosis, and took azithromycin all with the doxycline. The doctors stick up for each other, and said I needed it all. Well, now I am not myself, feel I will never be normal again, and just want to die. On top of all of this, I was already depressed having lost my husband to a lethal cancer. So, why go on?
Susan Strickland says
I also took Doxycycline for Lyme, and experienced very severe side effects in terms of really severe nausea (retching so violently it was terrifying) dizziness (so that I had to instantly lie flat on my back for hours till I could move again) and such extreme sensitivity that my face and hands got very badly burnt (not at all like ‘sunburn’ but more like being fried – so that my skin was bright red, and cracked, and bleeding and so painful I could not sleep) and this wasn’t even in bright sunshine, but in mid winter, in the rain, after going outside for only 10 minutes, with gloves and scarves and hats on all the time to try and protect me!- my hands even ‘burnt’ with leather gloves on, covered in wounds, and my nose was permanently red and cracked and scarred so that I looked really weird..
But what I want to say is that these symptoms were specific to me taking Doxycycline – I have never experienced the skin sensitivity before or after, with any other kind of medication; or the same kinds of nausea and dizziness I did taking Doxycycline. But though I did also experience various psychological side effects, including the depressive/suicidal phases taking Doxycycline, I HAVE experienced them (and to a greater degree) taking other antibiotics and herbal anti-microbials since then, and in fact to a much more severe degree. As far as I can see these suicidal states (almost like strong physical impulses rather than logical consideration of options – an overwhelming desire to die not just an idea) are ‘herxes’ caused by the chemical effects not so much of the medication taken than its effects on the bacteria and other pathogens they are attacking – all to do with the release of cytokines, and especially quinolone it seems to me ….
Ashley says
I’ve been on Doxycycline 100mg twice a day for a week and a half now. The past 3 nights, every night, like clockwork I start to get the worst headache of my life. I used to get maybe 1 headache every other month that was treatable by asprin. Now I feel like there is a tight band around my forehead and back of my head. the only way to get ride of it is to go to sleep. I have to no suicidable thoughts, I do however get the worst upset stomach every morning when I wake up to the point of wanting to vomit. I avoid dairy and eat a small something when I take my dose but I still can’t shake the feeling. I don’t know if I can take a whole month of this! I’ve never had this reaction to any other antibiotic!
Mel says
Hi hope u are feeling better now. I am taking it my last day of it, cause me sleepless nights ,headaches ,n joint pain and head feels cloudy. Heart palpitations . I don’t eat diary and.take withe 90 billion probiotics organic . Would not reccomend this drug either .
Anonymous says
I’m 38. Was prescribed Doxycycline last year and the pill. Fir my acne. I almost took an overdose after about 6 months of taking both medication to fix my skin. Had prepared my suicide over a week. Had picked the day. Everything was clear about what I was to do. But I had an intervention at the last minuet. I stopped taking the medication and the suicidal thoughts went away.
A year later and still desperate to fix my acne problem. I tried the antibiotic again. Hoping it wouldn’t have the same effect. I ran out about a week ago and couldn’t afford to get a new prescription. Within 2 days of not taking it. I have been hit with intense suicidal thoughts and disppear. I had disturbed sleeps the first 3 nights. It’s been a week now. The thoughts are subsiding but I have lost motivation and can hardly get out of bed. I realised it had to be the drug because the thoughts were so strong and out of character. I’ve tried to control them with much difficulty.
Row says
My son (19 yrs old) was on Doxy for about 5 weeks (for acne) & has had fitful nights of sleep in about 4 of those weeks, w/ the last 4 or 5 days w/ NO SLEEP what-so-ever! He called the dermatologist who prescribed him this & the nurse stated that “Dr. Von-whoever has never had a patient that has been prescribed Doxy have insomnia.”…..ummmm, well, there’s always a 1st time & guess what? This is it! We went to the ER yesterday, because of him not sleeping & suicidal thoughts & was told by the ER Dr to stop taking Doxy immediately. Last night was his 1st night of actually getting some decent rest…..ER Dr advised to take Benadryl, which he did. My advice to anyone prescribed this medication is to do some serious research. We have done our research, after the fact, & will take everything found to this so-called Dr./dermatologist, as well as ER report & just see what is said to that “never had a patient w/ insomnia” bit……again, my advice is DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION!!!!!
Brad says
Wow..
I’ve been on
…doxycycline 100 mil twice a day now for 5 days.. I swear I almost killed my self because of anxiety and depression..
I Just threw them away..
Thank GOD FOR THIS WEBSITE
OMG OMF OMG OMG
I AM TOTALLY FREAKED OUT
shyam dussa says
Doxycycline is a killer drug… I took for two weeks and felt like bipolar disorser mania…. I wld never take antibiotics again widout my doc prescription…..
Danielle says
I am bipolar and it heightened my sleepless nights, anxiety, fear of dying, scared of the dark, I stopped on the 3rd as I was to take it for 3 months for rosacea and I haven’t slept since then. I have a panic attack every time I go to lie down.
Anshuma says
Hi all,I have been taking doxycycline for twelve days and stopped it slowly by taking alternately for two days and then three days and then stopped completely. Since then I have been facing issues falling asleep and staying asleep. I am not able to sleep for more than 5 hours and have weird dreams. I have anxiety symptoms as well. I started blaming my protein powder intake which I doubled just around the time I stopped doxy. I want to know how long these symptoms last. I took doxy 100mg once a day for around twelve days. I am in dilemma if my sleeplessness and difficulty falling asleep is due to doxy or too much protein(which I hv completely stopped now).
Dr. David Healy says
There can be a withdrawal syndrome from doxy – no one knows much about this – how long it lasts for instance.
DH
Anshuma says
What do u mean by withdrawal syndrome of doxy? I’m having anxiety attacks and shivering while lying down and unable to sleep. Called up a doctor friend of mine to check if these are withdrawal symptoms but he denied and even his senior doctor did.
Danielle says
I stopped on the 3rd and the anxiety, etc and I haven’t slept since. Restless, can’t sleep, panic attacks every time I go to lie down.
Anshuma says
Hi David,
Thank you for replying. I consulted my doctor friend who says doxy doesnt cause any such withdrawal symptoms n its just something else. I am due my appointment with my derma who prescribed this to me. Confused whether I should consult a derma or a gp.
Dr. David Healy says
I#m not surprised your doctor isn’t aware of a withdrawal syndrome. Most people have no very obvious problems but some do. What you do when doctors disagree is only something you can decide
DH
Anonymous says
I have had the worst experience on Doxycycline – Having taken it for just under 4 weeks, I woke up with a burning chest pain and breathing difficulty. This developed in to a inflamed esophagos where I was unable to eat and swallow anything, even water, without serious pain. My breathing was hugely affected which in turn meant I wan unable to do much and was constantly exhausted. I heard that doxycycline caused chest issues so I decided to stop taking it.. However, the worst was to come – A few days after I stopped taking I began to experience blurred vision and visual disturbances (No crazy hallucinations, but things were moving slightly, which was still scary) I also felt extremely out of my body and had rushing pins and needles pain up and down my body, at one point I was unable to breathe, shaking and unable to swallow. These symptoms continued on and off every few days for the next 2 weeks or so.. But they did get less intense and further in between. I have experience feeling completely back to normal, but have had feelings of bad anxiety and hypochondria on and off now and also brain fog. This is one month on from taking this drug. It is a really small percentage of people that this happens too, but it doesn’t make it any better as they are extremely scary side affects and makes people feel as though they are crazy! So happy that I found this thread as I felt completely a lone with these symptoms. It’s important to stay positive and to remember that these symptoms will slowly leave your body – THEY WILL DEFINITELY GO.. but they may take time. It is a slow process for me but I am definitely getting there and feeling much better than I have before. Hang in there!
Cesar says
Hello i was on doxy for 14 days. I have anxiety, depression and insomnia. It has been about a month and a half and I still get waves of this. Are you at 100% now?
Nat says
Wow. A light bulb just came on in my head tonight and something clicked, I finally considered a link between my depressive mood and the 100mg doxy I’ve been taking.
This article has 100% described how I’ve been feeling and I’ve had such a huge sense of relief to feel I’m not alone in this!!! I stopped the doxy to see if my skin would stay better, for two weeks. My skin got terrible again but my mood – wow, after taking doxy for a month, I hadn’t felt myself or completely happy until now!! I was so upbeat and outgoing and felt no anxiety at all. It was so liberating to feel like that again. Went back on the doxy to give one last try and sorting my skin out…its been just over a week now and I can already feel my mood dropping. Friends and boyfriend have talked to me about depression and anti depression and wondering what’s wrong with me. I feel like crying at every little comment someone makes, I’ve picked arguments I wouldn’t usually, and have felt so withdrawn and low about myself.
After reading this I’m going to the doctor tomorrow to discuss it all. Thank you so much for helping me reaffirm my thoughts on doxy!!!
Jap says
Neuropsychiatric Outcomes After Mefloquine Exposure Among U.S. Military Service Members. 2017 Jan 11
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28077744
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5239685/
—–
DISCUSSION
In comparison to doxycycline recipients in the nondeployed cohort, mefloquine recipients were at a statistically significant lower risk for adjustment disorder, insomnia, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, vertigo, and PTSD. The reason for this finding is not completely understood.
—–
Common antibiotic may help to prevent or treat PTSD. 4 April 2017
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0417/040417-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-antibiotic-ptsd
[https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/headlines/0417/050417-antibiotics-ptsd]
Blocking human fear memory with the matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor doxycycline. 2017 Apr 4
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28373691
https://www.nature.com/mp/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/mp201765a.html
Scientists find common antibiotic could prevent or treat PTSD. Apr 4, 2017
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-ptsd-antibiotic-idUSKBN1760HV
Doxycycline increases neurogenesis and reduces microglia in the adult hippocampus. 2013 Jul 25
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23898238
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3722480/
http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2013.00131/full
Doxycycline 40ppm = 15mg/kg/day(Oral)
= blood-level 50ng/mL (Antibiotic Administration in the Drinking Water of Mice https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4128569/)
Doxycycline exerted neuroprotective activity by enhancing the activation of neuropeptide GPCR PAC1.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26700245
Doxycycline 0.001 – 0.1mg/kg/day treat amnesia. (Dose dependency)
Jap says
Minocycline
Population scale data reveals the antidepressant effects of ketamine and other therapeutics approved for non-psychiatric indications.
Published online:03 May 2017
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-01590-x
—–
Abstract
Further, the Inverse-Frequency Analysis methodology provides robust statistical support for the antidepressant action of other currently approved therapeutics including diclofenac and minocycline.
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Minocycline exacerbates apoptotic neurodegeneration induced by the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 in the early postnatal mouse brain. 2016 Oct
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26482736
Microglia Activation and Schizophrenia: Lessons From the Effects of Minocycline on Postnatal Neurogenesis, Neuronal Survival and Synaptic Pruning. 2017 May (Schizophr Bull.)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27352782
https://academic.oup.com/schizophreniabulletin/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/schbul/sbw088
—–
Abstract
Inhibition of microglia activation by minocycline was shown to induce extensive neuronal cell death and to impair subventricular zone (SVZ) neurogenesis and synaptic pruning in the early postnatal and adolescent rodent brain, respectively. These deleterious effects contrast with the neuroprotective actions of minocycline at adult stages. They are of potential importance for schizophrenia, since minocycline triggers similar pro-apoptotic effects in the developing brain as NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonists, known to induce long-term schizophrenia-like abnormalities.
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Jap says
Low Dose of Antibiotic Offers Potential Treatment for Parkinson’s, Study Suggests
[https://www.biosciencetechnology.com/news/2017/05/low-dose-antibiotic-offers-potential-treatment-parkinsons-study-suggests]
Bonnie says
I’m so angry right now. My 12 year old was prescribed Doxycycline for her acne last month. She just told me last night that she has been hearing the voice of a “mean lady” in her head telling her she is a failure and to kill herself. I’m grateful that I immediately questioned the side effects of the medication and that you have shared your stories. WHY DIDN’T WE GET A WARNING??? I could have been monitoring her or better yet not put her on the medication at all. How many teen suicides are linked to this? They sure are quick to prescribe it for acne. How can we change this? For any concerned, we are having her see a mental health pro ASAP.
Dr. David Healy says
Seeing a mental health pro may not help. They will likely deny a link.
DH
Tony Carter says
49 year old male, recently diagnosed with RMSF. Given Doxy 100mg 2x day. Here is my list of issues after 10 days.
-insomnia
-fatigue
-severe hopelessness
-headaches, headaches, more headaches
-nausea
-vertigo
-copious acid reflux
Was supposed to stay in it for 2 weeks. Not an option. Stopped after 10 days, as of today. Have not felt like the same person since I started on it. Will he discussing different options with my NP on Monday.
Wouldn’t wish the way I’ve been feeling on my worst enemy.
Cindy says
I was also given 100 mg 2x day and have experienced the following after taking the drug for 5 days:
-headaches
-nausea
-loss of appetite
-feeling depressed
I was supposed to be on it for 10 days for my sudden acne breakout but I have decided to stop after 7 days. It’s just not helping me. I have now stopped for 2 days and have yet to shake the side effects yet. Hope this will go away soon.
Cindy says
I am 44 years old and female. My dermatologist placed me on a 10 day course of Doxycycline for my sudden acne outbreak. I was on 200 mg per day. The Doxycycline did not not really help with my acne. I started getting depressed after taking Doxycycline for 5 days. I didn’t have any suicidal thoughts though, but felt depressed, and I was having some mild headaches and then felt nausea and then loss of appetite. I know I was hungry but I don’t feel like eating anything. Its the most terrible feeling!
I stopped taking Doxycycline after 7 days. It’s just not helping me at all and I will be seeing my dermatologist to talk to her about this issue.
Lucia says
Took Doxy last month for 7 days…i feel crazy! Imnsonnia, heartburn, brain confusion, severe dizziness, itchyness, joint pain and flu like symptoms. I mean a month and i get waves still….will it ever go away? I am frustrated and upset, I want to live normally. Took a million tests and all (thankfully) are negative…what helps? I’m going nuts…I need to get better for my little child 😫 HELP!!!
Alaond says
I had nearly the exact same expireince down to every detail. I’ve been taking a 75 mg dosage for about 6-8 months. I found myself stressing about stuff that there was no reason to stress over. I was too scared to check my school grades even though I knew I had a 4.0. I was close to getting my lisense, and several times I’ve thought “what if I just crashed my car.” I lay in bed at night thinking there’s something wrong with me which only made my anxiety worse. I spent days without leaving my house was irritated by my friends and family at times. I also noticed loss of appetite and weight loss.
Cat York says
My daughter was on a round of Prednisone (Prednisone) to relieve a severe case of hives. Coming off of it, she started feeling heat at the base of her neck, headache, and swelling in her joints. Another doctor in the same practice prescribed Doxycycline as a way to preemptively treat an infection – his thinking being maybe she had been bitten by something or contracted a bacterial infection. She was still on benedryl, Zyrtec, and Zantac to keep the hives away and he knew this, but said there would be no interaction. A week into the Doxy, she started experiencing euphoria. I should have taken her off everything then, but the hives had been incredibly severe and her original GP had said she might experience anxiety or rapid thoughts from the steroids, even coming off of them, so I figured it was just a side effect of the steroid use and we continued the regimen with the Doxycycline and allergy meds. I wish I hadn’t now, but our thinking was that euphoric thought and increased OCD behavior wasn’t as bad as hives that had landed her in the clinic several times in two weeks. She leveled out and seemed okay, finished her round of Doxycycline and weened herself off the allergy meds over a few days. The fourth day after she stopped taking Doxycycline, she had a psychotic episode. She started hallucinating at school. Teachers and friends called me telling me she was making no sense and was behaving oddly. I picked her up and she kept telling me I was “in on the joke”. It took an hour or so to convince her there wasn’t a joke and everyone was worried about her. Once she became lucid, she started crying hysterically, realized she had imagined, heard, seen, things that hadn’t happened, and crashed hard- suicidal thoughts and remorse/guilt (apparently she had been confrontational with a friend and a teacher). That was 3 days ago. She’s since stabilized and doesn’t want to talk about it. She has a severe sore throat now, so the hives, everything … may have just been a virus. We are nearing the month marker of various meds and symptoms. She’s slept fine for 2 nights and seems 100% back to normal today except for the sore throat.
We do have to obtain a Neuro Psych report to start a case file, to rule out schizophrenia long term.
My daughter is 17 years old. She is a straight A student and a leader in clubs and sports. She’s an accomplished violist. She’s a sweet girl with good friends who has never done drugs or touched alcohol. She doesn’t even like when I have a second glass of wine. The worst thing she’s done in her life is stay up too late to study. I cannot believe I’m taking her in for a psychiatric evaluation on Monday. I’m positive the drugs triggered these events, but I’m so worried we have increased the chance of long term psychiatric effects.
dyana Scarano says
having. Been prescribed dixoclcline i was feeling vwry indecisive. A d bery anxious.horrible anxiety plaged meand i could. Not shake thisho rrible anxiety.Now im very upset to be reading many people had the same bad experience with this dtug! i dont even remember .reading. This in the info paper.Why r nt we told about this side effect?It has been disasterous .for me!
Terry whittenham says
Took doxy for two days never again have been dizzy since yesterday back pain feeling really fatigued when you read this Don’t take this med I think doctors should make people aware how bad this drug can be never again
Jac says
My son(14) was put on low dose doxycycline for 3 months then had a few weeks not taking. Then back in for another 3 months.
He’s been off them for 3 weeks and in this time has fallen into depression , feeling overwhelmed, and has mentioned taking his life. The last few days have been really dark. He just wants to sleep, he’s barely eating and not doing any of his usual things he does for entertainment. We feel lost…
I suddenly just thought today, did these dark feelings start up around the time he stopped taking the doxy.
Then I googled and miraculously stumbled upon this page. I’m scared… not sure where this is going. I’m going to fight like he** for my son.
Aly says
How long did it take everyone to get better from this. Ive experienced every symptom and also shivering that almost feels like tremors . Never in my life have i felt anxiety or depression thia bad and my vision has gotten so bad . Its been 6 weeks off doxy and i still feel horrible 🙁
Anthony says
Are you still feeling like this? I’ve been off doxy for two months now and still experience horrible anxiety and physical symptoms associated with it. I just want to be normal again.
Jay says
I recently finished my 28 day treatment , and have been having all these side affects you guys speak off , I recommend to try to make sure you’re happy and laugh , also workout workout try to stay busy until the side affects clear up ,however long it takes , it’s hard of course but anything helps in this case ,I for one will never retake this again
Anonymous says
I took Doxycycline in 2014 while traveling through India as an anti-malarial. It completely changed who I am as a person. 7 years on and I still deal with anxiety. If I knew the impact this drug would have on my life, I would never have touched it.
During my travels, I started to experience vertigo, extreme anxiety and depersonalization after only 5 days taking Doxycycline. It all began on the 5th day when out of nowhere I had a panic attack. I had no idea what I had just experienced, having never had one before. From then I was completely disconnected from myself. I felt like I had no control over my own thoughts and actions. It was like I was stuck underwater, or in a fog. I stopped taking Doxy a few days later when a quick Google search revealed anxiety as a side effect. After I discontinued use, I continued to have panic attacks and feel disassociated for weeks after taking it and didn’t feel like myself until months later. It was like being trapped in state of constant fear. My life felt like a bad acid trip.
I thought I had had a psychotic breakdown and was never going to recover. My Drs denied my symptoms and my therapist explained that what I had described was symptoms of PTSD, but I didn’t have PTSD and therefore couldn’t possibly be feeling what I was describing.
I felt so alone, scared and lost. I knew that it was the doxycycline that had triggered the anxiety and depersonalization disorder, but I couldn’t get the support of any medical professionals. Naturally, I have lost all faith in Drs.
Although I now manage my anxiety fairly well and live a normal and happy life, I am still recovering from the trauma of my experiences with this drug.
I am so glad that these side effects are slowly being revealed. Trust in what you’re feeling, you know you’re body better than anyone. It will get better.
Mary says
Good to know I’m not crazy! I’ve taken 7 day doses of doxy for sinus infections several times over the years. I thought I was nuts when I felt different at the end of each prescription. But this time is the WORST! My lower back hurts, headaches constantly, very depressed/ some suicidal thoughts, trouble sleeping,very irritable all the time, mood swings so bad I’m constantly verbally fighting with friends/family/ coworkers. It takes every ounce of the little overall energy I have to get out of Bed to do anything. I haven’t taken anymore out of this last dose for a few weeks and this time around I can’t seem to shake the symptoms. Big pharma this drug needs to go. It causes too many similar issues in too many people to be a rare effect (and it’s not just in our heads). Some symptoms are getting a little less intense but it’s taking longer than before. It definitely seems to have long term effects on mood and physical issue’s (back/joint pain,headaches, low pain tolerance). I will never take this drug or any tetracyclines again! I’m fearing telling my doctor about this because i fear I’ll be told its all in my head and I know it’s not. But I can’t handle much more of these symptoms. It’s affecting my life negatively. So much as feel my job and my relationships with loved ones are severely strained (I’m late for work constantly due to lack of motivation/pain & fighting with people around me for no good reason). My life is falling apart because of an antibiotic. Most doctors will back up big pharma for the payday. What should I do?
Dr. David Healy says
You tell them you’re allergic to doxycycline and any antibiotic that ends in cycline although doxy is probably the worst. You also say you’re allergic to fluoroquinolones.
You don’t let them persuade you that you are depressed and here take an SSRI. Doxycycline is causing you problems because it is an SSRI.
D
FT says
I was prescribed a low dose Doxycycline three months ago to treat inflammation in the skin. Since beginning treatment I have experienced numerous spells of crippling, debilitating anxiety which last about a week, and intense, urgent suicidal thoughts. I have no history of anxiety, depression, or mental illness. The anxiety manifests as obsessive rumination on negative thoughts, during which it occurs to me that the only satisfying solution would be to run immediately to the nearest bridge and jump off…
I truly hated myself in these spells and could not stand to be in my own company, and felt that I needed immediate relief via suicide.
After making the link between these thoughts and doxy, I discontinued the treatment 9 days ago. I have been seeing a therapist, practicing meditation, and taking herbal supplements to try and gently keep everything under control while I wait for the doxy to leave my system. I still have some residual jitters but I am starting to feel like myself again.
Jae'Shawn says
I was on doxy for an infection , 2 pills a day for 7 days , the first 2 days gave me minor headaches and I thought it was just part of the process , within the 3rd day the headaches became annoying and I made the decision to stop the medication all together because it wasn’t worth it . The next day out of Nowhere I began getting super dizzy , shaking , sweating , nauseous , couldn’t stand , think , breathe & felt like I wanted to throw up my insides but couldn’t , the exact same day I went to urgent care and was told there was nothing wrong with me . Passing days it was still hard to breathe , went back to the doctors multiple times for multiple tests and still saying nothing was wrong. I’m at home feeling and thinking that I could just die at any moment or if I went to sleep so it was hard to even lay down , felt hopeless , didn’t wanna eat , vision started messing up , burning skin , mood swings, weakness , digestion and ibs issues & have been having random pains throughout my body some days I’d feel like I was better then the next day a whole new set of problems . So many other issues have came into my life because of this medicine and I just wish I could feel normal again . That shìt is hell and the doctors will swear to you that it’s not that . Currently some of the problems have eased while some are still the same and new ones even occur . I just say try your best to stay positive through the pain & push through the thunder & rain
Jasmin says
My son was prescribed Doxycycline for his acne a few months ago. He experienced the same side effects: He had terrible mood swings, cannot sleep, complained of heart palpitations, and had extreme anxiety with bad panic attacks and suicidal thoughts which brought him to Emergency twice. The second time, he did self-harm. He was taking 100mg twice a day. He stopped taking it when he developed rashes after two weeks on it. The Dr. who saw him advised him to resume the medication after the rashes subside but we decided that he’d stop fearing he’ll get the same reactions again. At that time we have not made the connection between those symptoms with the medication but looking back, he only all of sudden had those symptoms after he started taking the medication. My son is only 14 years old. He is off it for two months now but he is still not back to his old self. I hope this medication has not completely messed up my son’s mental health.
Michelle says
Took these pills (doxycycline) for 3-days before stopping for an UTI. Strong urge to end my life with no real reason, almost an idyllic solution to no real problem, weird. I made the connection quickly because I had experienced almost identical feelings before with meds: recently Lexapro and another anti-depressant that I took 15 or more years ago. There is a debate saying that it is the depression that the medication is treating that is causing the suicidal ideation, I’ve had medical professionals argue with me that my symptoms were not possible, that I am too old (30-40’s at the time), and that only adolescents can suffer from such thoughts. But I know that if I start suddenly feeling suicidal I take a look at what has recently changed, and if it is a medication, supplement, topical I stop it and watch my symptoms. In all three instances that I had suicidal ideation before, the feelings went away. When medical professionals convinced me that it could not be the medication, I would start again with the same result – that is a pretty clear correlation to me. I always give myself 3 days for those feelings to subside (something has always changed enough that I was okay with not following through on the thoughts of self-harm), and if the urge becomes unbearable I tell someone close to me that I am struggling. I used to try to keep it to myself in the past, but it is easier sharing that burden. I try to avoid all medication now, because if I don’t have suicidal ideation because of a drug, I am almost certainly experiencing some other unwanted side-effect. Not worth it. Listen to your body and what it is trying to tell you. Don’t let medical professionals bully you.
Leah says
Thanks god I found this article. I was prescribed due to an inflammation, and have been taking the pills twice a day for the past three days. Pretty scary how it switched my mood to being barely normal, to overthinking that all around me was bad, wrong, that I was gonna die for any reason, I woke up in the middle of the night shaking with fear, panic, insane… DO NOT take it.
amaan says
please,any who is using doxy wheather on doctor precption please dont use it. on taking doxy 3 days i have an intention of suicide i had use it for more than two week and after leaving these medicine even 14 days pass away i feel anxiety nervoussness confusion withdraw from society if i if approch to these website earlier this could save me from this harmful medicine now praying to god every day so it can get normal again
Elizabeth Gow says
I’m 75 and had sinus surgery in late November. I developed a post op infection in January, probably viral flu, and was given over the phone a doxycycline prescription for a week after amoxyll hadn’t worked. Terrible mistake!!
What I thought was infection worsening (with chills, pain, cramp and anxiety) led me to think I then had labyrinthitis and so needed more of the same.
Last week, after 5 days on100g Doxycycline, I woke up with terror and palpitations and knew it was not me! Yesterday I finally got to see a nurse practitioner who was great. She stopped the doxycycline, gave me thrush medication but found my BP was sky high. It was down this morning and I hope decent sleep returns soon. I thank God for the website
Felecia says
My 13 year old daughter was prescribed Doxycycline on December 19, 2023 for her acne. We filled the prescription that day and she started the antibiotic that night. Today, December 22, 2023, she was so upset crying hysterically for a pet that she lost a few months ago. She was telling me that she misses him so much and that she just wants to kill herself so she can be with him again. I get her to calm down a little later and she tells me that she has been feeling really sad and having thoughts of killing herself. This is completely unlike her so I ask her when this started and she tells me a couple days ago. I started researching and came across this page 🙁
I cannot believe that this drug has affected so many people in the same way! I also cannot believe that suicidal thoughts are NOT listed on the side effects that can happen! I went over them and there is NOTHING about it!!!! This makes me so angry! I am usually the type that tries to AVOID all pharma meds but my daughter has been suffering with acne for a couple years now, so I figured we could try something for her. This was a mistake! If you are reading this and haven’t tried it yet, DO NOT TRY IT!!!!!!!!!!!