RxISK says Doxycycline causes Suicide
There have been several reports to RxISK of young men committing suicide on doxycycline. This led us to investigate further. The evidence seems clear – doxycycline can cause someone to commit suicide. We have no idea how often this happens but that it happens is certain.
Given for a skin rash
The first report came from a mother in Australia who reported the death of her teenage son, who had been put on doxycycline for a minor dermatitis affecting his face. RxISK.org takes people through a causality algorithm to establish whether there is a link between their treatment and the adverse event. This algorithm expands on standard causality algorithms in the field such as the Naranjo algorithm. It gives a RxISK score. In this case the algorithm generated a score of 6 which points to a likely link between the treatment and the adverse event.
One of the goals behind RxISK is to get the person involved or a concerned family member to take a RxISK report to a doctor, pharmacist or someone else to get a conversation going and to intervene early. In this case, it is too late to prevent an injury but there are important conversations that families still need to have with their doctor or others. If there is agreement between doctor and the family member or the healthcare team that the drug has caused a problem in this case, this is the best evidence there is that the drug likely did cause the problem.
In this case the doctor had been consulted before the RxISK report had been written. The doctor had already written to the Australian drugs regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Although her letter did not blame the drug, it offered no other explanation for this death other than the effect of the drug. Her question was ‘did the TGA have any evidence doxycycline could cause suicide?’
In fact the true RxISK score in this case should probably have been a great deal higher than the 6 reported here that pointed to a likely link. It should have been 9 or greater, which points strongly to a link. The reason it should have been higher is that several years beforehand, this young man’s elder brother had also been prescribed doxycycline as an anti-malarial pill. He stopped the drug after experiencing a lot of anxiety, insomnia and feeling ‘not right’.
The family did not make the connection between an anti-malarial drug one son had and the treatment for dermatitis another was put on some years later. If we take this earlier reaction into account, we have evidence for a challenge, de-challenge and re-challenge which would make for compelling evidence for a link between the treatment and the adverse event.
Challenge, de-challenge and re-challenge offers the kind of conclusive evidence for causality that many of us once applied to Christmas tree lightbulbs. Attempts to start the Christmas tree lights after they have been put away for a year often failed. Until the recent replacement of bulbs by LEDs, the next step was to unscrew each bulb in turn and if the lights came on when a particular bulb was unscrewed and went off again when that bulb was screwed back in this was taken as conclusive evidence that this bulb was the cause of the problem.
Challenge, de-challenge and re-challenge operates the same way and it appears very clear in the case of this family.
TGA response
In response to the letter from the family doctor, Dr Hammett of the TGA noted that there had been no reports of completed suicides in Australia, other than this young man’s case. He conceded that there had been 15 or so reports of anxiety reactions. He also noted that there was nothing in the academic literature worldwide suggesting that this drug causes suicide.
This is a standard regulatory response to any questions like this from a doctor, or journalist, or family member. The first point is that regulators will never say a drug has caused a problem. They are still prepared to say that in the case of a limbless baby that the thalidomide its mother was on might have prevented a miscarriage rather than caused limblessness. When a young person hangs themselves on an SSRI, it is commonly because they are troubled by thoughts of self-harm and test their feelings out by putting their head in a noose which unfortunately can press on the carotid bodies on either side of their neck, cause them to slip out of consciousness and hang themselves in a manner that leaves them almost kneeling. In these cases regulators might raise the possibility that this is auto-erotic asphyxiation gone wrong.
The second thing a regulator will do is contain their search within national boundaries. Had the regulators in this case broadened the search out beyond Australia they would have found compelling evidence from the FDA database on RxISK.org. FDA have 16 reports of completed suicides on doxycycline since 2004, 18 reports of suicidal ideation and 17 reports of suicide attempts. Of the 16 suicides, 3 come from Australia.
Other resources
Had the TGA gone further they might have found a petition on Change.org Doxycycline Causes Suicide in Teens that was put in place by Tara McCarthy after the death of her son Damien. Over 3,800 people have signed up to this requesting that the drug be more appropriately labelled.
On another information site making FDA data on adverse events available, eHealthMe.com, under the heading of suicide attempt there are 111 reports of suicide attempts from the FDA database. The difference in the number of reports between here and RxISK stems primarily from the fact that eHealthMe somewhat confusingly also includes data on doxycycline where doxycycline is not the only drug in the mix. In the case of someone given doxycycline for acne, and also given Roaccutane which is well known to cause suicide, eHealthMe files the event under doxycycline making it difficult to get a clear picture.
Two compelling cases
But aside from the figures, there is more compelling evidence that turns up on Google. Here are two narrative reports that appear uncomplicated by secondary drug intake.
A Mr Davies reported:
“I am a 42 year old male father of two. I started taking Doryx pills for a ruptured cyst several months ago and it did reduce the size and swelling. I have never thought about suicide before but within a few weeks of starting this medicine I have had the idea just pop into my head. I am not sure why – I am healthy and well-off and have a great relationship with my children and friends. I stopped taking the medicine for several months and have not had any ‘thoughts’ since.
Recently I began taking it again after checking the side effects and not finding depression or suicidal tendencies among them. After a couple of days back on it I again started having these thoughts. This prompted me to query Doryx plus suicide on Google and I found this page and a few others that mention others having similar experiences”.
RxISK aims at being the natural home for narratives like this and putting a megaphone in the hands of people who have experiences like this by giving them data on other cases but also engaging them with their doctor, pharmacist or local healthcare community.
A woman called Carrie also reports that:
“My 14 year old daughter just attempted suicide after several months on doxycycline for acne. She now says she has had suicidal ideation since shortly after starting the medication several months ago. Her dose of doxycycline was doubled a few weeks before her suicide attempt. She herself says she was not sad, she had no other signs of depression and does not understand why she felt compelled to kill herself. She gets good grades, is involved with clubs and friends and demonstrates appropriate affection. The timing with doxycycline is just too coincidental to not be connected.”
And more
My personal interest in the issue of doxycycline and suicide was stimulated in the first instance by a colleague who reported very similar reactions. He took doxycycline for malaria prophylaxis when visiting South America some years ago. He noticed that he became anxious and irritable and had a change in personality. He did not connect this change to the drug at the time. He began to suspect the drug when he returned to the UK and stopped taking it.
A year later he visited China and again took doxycycline for malaria prophylaxis. When the same reaction happened a second time he was very clear that the doxycycline was causing the problem. Again the problem cleared up once he was in a position to stop the treatment.
Another report was filed with RxISK on yet another young man, who in this instance was put on doxycycline for mild acne. He took a first course in a low dose for over a year. He later reported to his parents that he had not liked its effects and felt better off it. This looks far more clear retrospectively than it looked at the time to his family. Six months later he went back on doxycycline but this time round was accidentally placed on double the dose and some weeks later committed suicide. His mother compiled a RxISK report but ended up with a much lower score than she should have for two reasons. One was because she was unaware of comparable reactions elsewhere.
The second was she filed the report to indicate her son had not increased the dose when in fact he had. She was right that the package was still labelled doxycycline 50 mg but in fact the pharmacist has accidentally dispensed 100 mg tablets. The aggravation of a problem with an increase in dose is almost as conclusive as the Christmas tree light bulb effect.
Doxycycline and suicide
There is a compelling case that doxycycline can cause people to commit suicide.
At RxISK we are interested in any ideas anyone has as to the mechanism through which it causes suicides. In addition to any other problems doxycylcine may cause, we welcome other reports of suicidal or violent reactions or other strange behaviors linked to it. We are particularly interested in what your experience is like from the inside if anything like this has happened to you.
We are equally interested in any comments about why doxycycline cannot cause suicide and how someone might be mistaken into thinking that it could.
Reporting to RxISK
This story makes clear why report to RxISK.
Reporting to companies alone is pointless. They will bin, distort or degrade even compelling reports to the status of anecdotes.
Reporting to regulators alone, or companies and regulators alone, is also pointless. Regulators will never attempt to establish whether the drug did cause a problem in your case. There is nothing any regulator will ever do to help explain anything to a family or an affected individual. Their job is to regulate the wording of advertisements not to look after the public health in general or get involved in your case in particular.
(We would welcome any reports from anyone who has had anything useful back from a regulator).
The ideal is to report to RxISK and use a RxISK report to engage your doctor in the issue. If both you and your doctor think the drug has caused the problem, regardless of what companies or regulators might say, there is a chance of a successful intervention in a developing problem or getting closure after an injury has happened but there is also the possibility of mobilizing people to make treatment safer. Your doctor can give you more support than anyone. But equally, do not underestimate how much you can do for your doctor – your case may take her back to kind of ideals that brought her into medicine in the first place.
For more about doxycycline, see Suicide is Painless: Sylvia’s Story.
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If this really checks out (and it sure looks solid) someone needs to warn the young men and women of the United States military. And fast. Up until 2009, U.S. troops were routinely given mefloquine (Lariam) to prevent malaria. That drug has a terrible reputation, well-deserved, for inducing violence, suicide and psychotic symptoms which in some people may persist for months or years after stopping. As of 2009, the Defense Department, finally giving in to the avalanche of evidence, switched their drug of choice for malaria prevention. To doxycycline.
Elspeth Ritchie, former lieutenant colonel and DoD’s leading psychiatrist in the field, presided over the mass dosing of soldiers with Lariam for most of the 2000’s. Now, however, she is endeavoring to present the drug as somewhat of a scapegoat. She’s due to lecture at the upcoming American Psychiatric Association convention in May on the psychiatric side effects of two drugs she’s prepared to admit could play a role in military suicides: mefloquine, which is seldom used anymore, and steroids, whose use by active-duty troops is often illicit.
Ritchie has speculated in Time magazine’s Battlefield blog that the massacre of Afghan civilians carried out by Sgt. Robert Bales in 2012 was due to mefloquine intoxication. But it’s far more likely Robert Bales would have been given doxycycline, not mefloquine in Afghanistan in 2011-2012. In 2011, the Army gave doxycycline to 151,802 soldiers, compared to only 1,780 soldiers who received mefloquine. Meanwhile, the role of multiple antidepressants, antipsychotics, sleep aids and painkillers continues unexamined. Add doxycycline to the list of medications that soldiers and their families need to watch out for.
Much of my information here comes from the progressive online magazine Truthout – which seems well-sourced on this:
http://truth-out.org/news/item/8624-former-guantanamo-psychiatrist-promotes-dubious-drug-theory-on-afghan-killings
Please read our petition and the updates I listed my concern about the use of doxy in the military and the rise in active duty suicides.
http://www.change.org/petitions/doxycycline-causes-suicide-in-teens
My son is one of the you g men mentioned above. I also questioned and mentioned the use of Doxy in US Military and the rise of active duty suicides.
Please read Damein’s story and sign and share our petition.
http://www.change.org/petitions/doxycycline-causes-suicide-in-teens
I’m so sorry for your loss. I completely agree with the study and the data that was presented. I’m currently on doxy for lymes disease treatment and have a history of mental illness. I’m on medication for it which has been working amazing but since starting doxy 6 days ago, my depression as well as random suicidal thoughts have gotten worse. I think this medication needs to be further researched and a cautionary label should be on the RX for people.
I think the Rxisk score will vary from person to person simply because some people are likely to ‘play’down certain effects they have experienced-which is why the score may need to be higher than how it first appears on a report.
I speak from experience – the report I submitted didnot sound as serious as in fact it was – Only now several months after the event am I actually determining the ‘damage’ my side effect had or potentially could have had- if I hadn’t caught it in time and delivered myself for help. I feel the Rxisk score could well have been alot higher- but I suppose the main thing is I reported it.
I am very interested in this, and the wider purpose of RxISK. However, it is important to capture the reason the drug is given, alongside the drug itself. For instance, doxycycline is prescribed both as an antibiotic and for malaria prophylaxis in the military. The risk associated with use in military personnel who may be exposed to traumatic situations is fundamentally different from antibiotic use, and the potential for suicidality will also vary. Incidentally, doxycycline is also used for acne, and here again there is an enhanced risk of suicide among such patients. I am not dismissing the evidence at all, merely pointing out how the information can be better gathered and used. I am sure that there are many side effects which are under-reported and we should encourage more thorough feedback; but do tie it in with the drug’s use.
I personally have been taking this pill day to day and I have been noticing the effects I have been receiving from this medication. I fell as though I am less anxious and depressed when I do not take it which I got from being off and on the pill many times throughout the past four years. I took the pill today and I have decided to stop.
I was prescribed Doxycline for a respiratory infection. Almost immediately I had serious depression evidenced by weeping, a feeling of sadness, general anxiety as well as nausea.
I will not take this drug again.
It made me suicidal I was crying loss of taste I will never take it again
April,
Are you feeling better after taking the Doxycycline? Please contact me michelle0316@icloud.com if you need someone to talk to about this.
Hi! Did this resolve? How are you feeling ?
Maria,
Not yet. If you want to talk you can email me michelle0316@icloud.com
I’ve been in healthcare for 25 years and have cared for a number of people over that time who have been prescribed doxycycline for infection control. Just as there is no scientific evidence presented in any of the above articles and comments, I too will give anecdotal evidence. NONE of the people I cared for developed depression or attempted suicide that I can recall. In the instances listed above I note many are incomplete personal testimonials from parents. What parent is going to admit their child was not perfect? How many times do we hear of someone committing or attempting suicide and their family and friends are perplexed because everything appeared to be fine? We just have seen L’ren Scott commit suicide by hanging herself. Mick Jagger and all her aquaintances were shocked even though it was well known she was having serious Relationship,financial and business problems. I understand the pain and guilt associated with the death of a loved one, especially a child. But in an effort to place blame for the actions of the deceased on anyone BUT the deceased, are these allegations that doxycycline “caused” their suicides legitimate? I have never known a thought to actually kill someone. I’m unsure how a medication is physically capable of loading a gun and firing it. Or hold a knife and slit a wrist. Or tie a noose and force it over a persons head. Or cram other pills down a persons throat. In other words, each individual who attempted or committed suicide had to take a series physical actions to perform the act. No where have I heard in the anecdotal evidence that the individuals were otherwise mentally impaired by using the medication. Since their mental status did not appear to be affected adversely, their actions should still have been able to be controlled by themselves. Why then no call for assistance to those nearby? Why no questions to Doctors, family members or others about these strange new thoughts? In fact, I have heard no anecdotal evidence AT ALL that explains why there has been made a definitive link between taking doxy and suicide much less establishing causality. In no case of suicide EVER has the culprit been the item used to commit it. Inanimate objects are incapable of jumping up and performing an action which would lead to the death of a person. It is ALWAYS the person who performs the action and thus it is the person who is responsible for their own death. This is sad and unfortunate. But it is NOT a reason for people to blame anyone but the individual for their actions. Individual accountability for ones actions has been downplayed in this country for decades. The willingness for people to blame every bad event in their lives on anything but themselves has come into vogue currently. The desire to have rights without responsibilities is seductive because accepting personal accountability is difficult and opens oneself up to recriminations and consequences. Who wants to accept consequences that are negative? However that is exactly what needs to be done here.
I’m a mental health nurse in New Zealand near to having prescribing rights. I have no idea of the pharmacodynamics & how it may impact the central nervous system however our national medicines authority notes depression & anxiety as uncommon side effects of doxycycline. I found this out after seeking this info out due to increasing flat affect, consistent low mood and loss of appetite. I will be stopping the medication as I suspect I am experiencing these as side effects. Doxycycline will not ’cause’ suicide however if it precipitates a major depressive episode then it can be linked to a suicide.
As with other extreme side effects in medicines, depression/anxiety/suicidal thoughts may be rare in Doxycycline. Your attitude and closed mind exemplifies the ‘I haven’t seen or heard of this so it must be you’ wall that many patients come up against. You say that: ‘The willingness for people to blame every bad event in their lives on anything but themselves has come into vogue currently’. Well, the willingness to blame the individual for something, when in actual fact they were mentally healthy before taking a medication has been in ‘vogue’ a good deal longer.
Just because a side affect isn’t officially documented, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. The pharmaceutical companies rule with an iron fist. They will fight tooth and nail to avoid losing sales. Due to this and many other factors, it takes a long time for a rare side affect to become officially recognised. If you have been in healthcare for 25 years and are still unaware of how seriously some medications can seriously alter a persons personality then I wouldn’t want you treating me.
Well said, Mike and a big thank you!
How dare you decide people are making this stuff up! I never feel like this. This drug has caused me to feel extreme anxiety and hoplessnes. It is the WORST feeling of anything I’ve ever experinced! I am patiently waiting for 5 days, to get it out of my brain. I used to work at a mental health facility. I was a secretary for a psychiatrist. Most people don’t make this stuff up in order to have something to blame. This is very real and so are most mental disorders! So called, health professionials, like you, treating others like their making this up because they have never heard of it before are the cause of certain people to lose hope and commit suicide! That’s why I’m on this thread. Everyone was nice at my clinic until I insisted that this drug is causing mental side-effects. So if you are not in the majority, you aren’t really experiencing this horrific side-effect? You couldn’t be more wrong! You are in the wrong profession!
Hi Karen currently going through hell after taking 100mg twice a day for 12 days been off it for two weeks. Still feel hopless and intrusive thoughts. Did you get any better? Hope to hear from you soon.
Hi – I noticed your post is pretty old but was hoping you could tell me if your still off and if you feel better now. My 13 yr old son started taking this in May and we had him in the hospital a few days ago – he’s been researching best way to commit suicide. He’s was happy bright & talented no obvious reasons for him to feel this way! He ran out about 2 weeks ago so hoping his cloud will lift soon.
Karen,
Same here. My son, age 13 has been off of it for 1.5 months and still has severe depression. Did your son have or admit to depression prior to taking the Doxycycline? Just starting to research issues. I also think that over usage of being online drives them further down this path. What are your thoughts? Are you bringing him to a Psychiatrist? This is my next step, but want to research more, just to educate myself. There is not enough data for their age, is what I am seeing. He was taking low dosage 75 Mg, once daily.
I Chris I have been talking this antibiotics for 6 months I was toaly mess up but with a proper diet and a lots of probiotics I’m finally starting to get better! It will pass you have to believe! !
Hi Claudio! I know this was a long time ago, but I want to know if you are feeling better? And how long did it take you?
I too am interested in how long it took you to recover. Despite what Paul above said, my son felt the affects of Doxy and I am very grateful for finding this online before it was too late. He has since stopped and feels significantly better after just one week but I do worry about long term side effects. I am beating myself up here for allowing him to take this at the recommendation of a Dermatologist.
” The willingness for people to blame every bad event in their lives on anything but themselves has come into vogue currently.”
Lol fuck you. I’m perfectly happy and love my life and have been fucking suicidal literally when I started taking this pill.
Thank you, that’s what I wanted to write. How are you doing now? How long did you take this and how long did it take you to feel better?
*discussion of suicidal thoughts/mental illness below*
I was on Doxy for about 2 months. I became increasingly paranoid, felt intense anxiety and developed severe symptoms of OCD. The feelings I experienced were horrific. I felt like I was having some kind of nervous breakdown.
My brain became compulsive. I had music constantly playing in my head (an earworm) and my thoughts would race. I became terrified that I would never have peace in my brain again, and for the first time in my life seriously contemplated shooting myself in the head to get some ‘quiet’. I honestly felt like I would never have a quiet moment again.
I also suffered from morbid intrusive thoughts and images. I became afraid of hurting myself and others, even though I’ve never self harmed or seriously harmed anyone in my life before.
I am now off the Doxy and my symptoms are settling down. I am now able to sleep in my own room alone, and am not having nightly panic attacks. The whole experience was terrifying and because of it I have now developed triggers. Seeing or hearing discussion of things such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychosis etc make me feel ill, as these were the mental illnesses I was convinced I had developed.
I wish I had been warned by my Dr that there was a possibility for these symptoms. I suffered depression as a teenager and feel that I was possibly more susceptible due to this. I wish my history had been taken into account before I was prescribed such a terrible drug for me.
I suffered through all of this because I have hormone related pimple breakouts. A nightmare, over achieving clear skin.
My 15 year old daughter started taking 100 mg doxycycline twice daily for acne last summer. After about two months of taking the drug I noticed that my normally type A perfectionist child was becoming even more obsessive and fatalistic. She kept talking about how hopeless everything was and how she was a big disappointment to everyone around her. She obsessed over being a failure and despaired over every decision. This kid with a great sense of humor stopped laughing and seemed unable to experience any joy in her life. The only change in her life/routine I could identify was the doxy (which didn’t seem to be working anyway). I took her off the doxy and within two weeks she began to act like her old self. She laughed more, slept better, started to look forward to things, and began to have friends over again. Incidentally my younger daughter was also on doxy for acne and she never seemed to experience any difficulties from the drug. She is a more laid back kid and not as intense as her older sister. Neither one of them have taken the drug since last fall and I have no intentions of putting them back on it ever again. I hope this is helpful.
Was given doxycline for kidney problem after bad food poisoning. First day or 2felt washed out still very ill from kidney problem then by the 3rd or 4th day started feeling really bad deep inside felt like someone had ripped my personality and all the joy out of my body… felt like there was no point to anything and no point living. I saw my local surgery nurse who new as soon as i told her the drugs nane – she new what problems this has caused to other patients including suicidal tendancy idealisation…. its incredulous that the full side effects are not being shared with the general public.
My dad was on and off doxycycline for 7 year the last couple months before his suicide my dad had a reaction to it and went to the er and was told he is allergic to it but his doctor told him to keep taking it and take benadryl with it .Day we before my dad took his life he was vomiting and had very bad stomach pain he was also very anxious and obsessing over stuff he normally wouldnt .The day of my dad went to my daughters game and came home and eat lunch with in minutes of my mom coming home my dad started acting weird .he then went and go his gun and told my mom he was going to kill him self .my dad never in a million years would say that .My mom tried her best to stop him but she couldnt he ran out side and took his life in front of my mom .My dad was a very sensitive person and he had zero emotion to him when he took his life not even one tear in his eye .I wouldnt have ever been able to put the puzzle together if it wasnt for tara sharing her story about her son .Because of her my family can have closer .My dad passed away march15,2014 .Im not trying to blame anyone and We dont want anything but a little warning on the bottle cause maybe if it did my dad would have known to stop taking it and call his doctor
i had the worst side effects to doxy. dizziness, nausea, head pressure, anxiety.the worst thing ever. was on it for 2 weeks. it took a week to come out of my system.alot of it was in my head too. doctor told me to relax and get it out of my head.i took panadol every 6 hours and meditated as well.good luck coming off this horrid drug
i had the worst side effects to doxy. dizziness, nausea, head pressure, anxiety.the worst thing ever. was on it for 2 weeks. it took a week to come out of my system.alot of it was in my head too. doctor told me to relax and get it out of my head.i took panadol every 6 hours and meditated as well.good luck coming off this horrid drug
this medication has messed my mind up, words can not explain how i feel. I really wish there was a warning on the bottle.
Messed my mind up pretty bad too. Been off it for about two weeks, how are you feeling these days? Hope to hear from you soon.
Any feedback would be great on how you are doing now. Email me at imcamon10@hotmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon.
I’ve only taken 3 of these damn tablets and it’s made my anxiety so bad that I’m ticking every 5 minutes in bed. This has been happening now for the last 2 nights. I’m suffering with my anxiety and depression anyway as we had to put my dog down who was my best friend 3 days ago but this has made me think of killing myself just to stop the pain and I’ve never had those thoughts before. I’ve stopped taking them now. Horrible medication.
I was prescribed doxycycline by my dermatologist for acne-like eruptions on my face. It has only been 3 days and I’ve grown weepy. I begin to cry about every small thing that does not go well, and I’ve also been feeling increasingly sad, even though logically I know there’s nothing wrong with my life. I’m going to stop taking this medicine now that I’ve read about others experiencing similar symptoms, because my weepiness has coincided so strikingly with taking this medication.
I ONLY TAKEN 3 TABLETS & NOW IM SEVERELY PARANOID I WISH I WOULDN’T OF TAKEN THIS MEDICINE I FEEL SOO ALONE
I took this medication for 3 weeks and was consumed with fear and thoughts of death. I was involuntarily shaking for days. The fear and emotional pain was so intense that I prayed to god to kill me. After the initial effect wore off, for some reason, caffeine and certain medications will trigger the effect again. I have never had a problem with caffeine before. Even when it’s not in effect, the dark thoughts still linger with me and I have become depressed to the point that I cannot work. I cry with feelings of despair multiple times during the day. I feel no hope in my life. I pray that this will improve with time.
Please if you are taking doxy stop and talk to your doctor It will take weeks to feel normal dont give up this med really messes with your mind
I’ve been on doxy 100 mg per day for 3 weeks now and the depression/bad feelings started within a few days. I realized it was the doxy but kept going because crazy enough I’m willing to suffer through this to clear my acne. But it’s starting to become bad as I’ve felt detached from my husbad and thoughts of suicide have crossed my mind. I know it’s crazy but I’m still going to give it another week or two because my skin is a huge problem for me… but I am slightly scared. I may talk to my doctor about a different treatment plan…
Taking Doxycycline 100mg 2x a day for a sinus infection. I started noticing a difference about a day into being on the medication. It just registered today though (4 days in) that something was wrong. I’ve been feeling very numb and disinterested in things around me, increased anxiety and depression for no real reason. I kept thinking everythings great so why am I feeling like this. I did some research and came across a few articles including this one where others have experienced symptoms of depression on Doxycycline. Needless to say, Im stopping the medication and calling my doctor in the morning for something new to take for the infection, I’d rather deal with sinus’ then feeling like this.
Hello also having feelings of bad depression and intrusive morbid thougts after taking doxy for two weeks. How are you feeling these days? Hope to hear from you soon.
I have a skin condition called hidradenitis suppurativa and was prescribed doxy. I was on it for two months with no major problems other than stomach aches, until the third month. I started to experience feelings I’ve never had. A “foggy” mind was my biggest problem. I was 17 at the time and was too embarrassed to tell the doctor about my depressive thoughts. I know, big mistake. I am now on erythromycin and again after 2 fine months, the 3rd month is making me feel how I felt on doxy. I feel completely detached from my life, as if I have no control of anything. Both doxy and erythromycin made me very paranoid. My anxiety was always high, which also made me extremely exhausted. Both medicines made me feel like a completely different person. I stopped both mediciations and have no intention on starting them again, even though my skin condition did improve. If anyone has any advice on an antibiotic that works for them for acne/hidradenitis suppurativa, please reply to this post. Thank you.
Kal
We don’t get into treatment options on RxISK but broadly there are likely to be a bunch of non-pharm and non antibiotic things as well as other antibiotics that won’t cause this (it may be that any antibiotic that’s anti-inflamm will have the same response). Check out
http://dermnetnz.org/acne/hidradenitis-suppurativa.html
Having consulted this last week for a skin complaint its a great resource for all things dermatological
David
If someone could call me in regards to this matter I would greatly appreciate it. My son has this been diagnosed with epilepsy he’s been taking doxycycline for less than 6 months. the uncontrollable Behavior no violence just very very high and very very Lows some school officials were even worried about him possibly committing suicide.. it went from everything from seizures 2 deep depression two absolute uncontrollable behavior that he did not know what he was doing to finally the diagnosis of epilepsy in an area that controls his behavior.. The monster drug along has destroyed lots of lives an the company that makes it needs to be stopped.
I was perscribed doxy twice a day for 14 days for a sinus infection. The first two days I took this pill I should have recognized what was happening an didn’t I have never had such severe depression OCD racing thoughts unable to control my mind paranoia anxiety feeling like I have lots control of my life and that everything I enjoy doing is gonna be taken from me. I can’t get excited about anything an when I do start to have positive thoughts there interupted by horrific disgusting thoughts I’ve never felt uncomfortable around friends and family this is totally not me at all I have never felt like this I have been off this med for month an half now it’s gotten better but not 100 percent I’ll have some good days an the some days as though it never went away. I have heard it takes months for this to go away this is terrible. This drug is like doing meth or some sort of other mind alerting drug an it should be illegal!!!!!!! I feel this horrible feeling like something is trying to take my mind over an Iam contanstly fighting it. I just want my old self back this has been the toughest 2 months of my life!!!!!! An the depression is very bad try to think positive or think of things that get me excited an bam!!!! It’s like nothing makes me feel better I wanna f&:!ing scream!!!!! My beautiful girlfriend an family have been helping me threw this but I feel detached from everything Iam doing how long does this take to go away!!!!!!!!!
Hello
I am having the same exact symptoms as you, I began taking the doxy garbage around May, been off it for two weeks. LiKE you say some days are okay then other days these horrible thoughts consume me. Just wanted to know if you can reply and let me know if it’s gotten any better?
I have read these comments with great interests, my wife has been on Doxy for several months for an infected implant in her mouth, and has come down with many of the symptoms commented on here, terrible anxiety, seeing supposed spiders, afraid to do anything and lies in bed all day.
I started to suspect this and mentioned it to several doctors and they mostly dismissed it as to being some other cause.
Many doctors say they have never had patients experience these things, well maybe most people don’t have problems with it just like most people are fine eating nuts and to others it can be deadly. Every body has a little bit of difference in their chemical, physical and hormonal makeup and can be effected quite differently than others with different foods and chemicals, for doctors to say that certain medicines won’t negatively effect people is just being naive and wrong.
Hello Delon, would like to know if your wife’s symptoms have improved?
I started googling tonight to try and find out if my intense anxiety and panic attacks could be linked to Doxy. I started taking it on Tuesday last week (for rosacea) and within 3 hours I had that horrid rushing feeling in my chest to the point where it was hard to breathe. My usually positive mindset disappeared and I found it very hard to interact with others. A few years ago I did have anxiety attacks but nothing at all in the last 2 years. I went from sleeping well to insomnia.
I did not link the 2 things at first but then I noticed it was worse after taking my tablets (and getting worse and worse each day) so yesterday I stopped taking them as I could not take it any more. Today, i have had no panic attacks at all and my dark thoughts have gone. I feel slightly hung over but my head is clearing and I am actually looking forward to going to bed.
I am amazed at how intense it was and if it had continued to get worse I would hate to think where I would have ended up. I am 42, with a family and have faced many challenges and I guess I am lucky that I am quite in tune with how I feel and that I knew that the only change I had made was the Doxy…i really feel for the younger people that have continued to take it and ended up taking their lives.
I’m feeling very thankful that I found this website. I’ve taken many antibiotics in the past and made the poor assumption that an antibiotic certainly couldn’t cause the kind of feelings I began having after starting on Doxycycline. I was very frustrated with a persistent head cold that wouldn’t go away. I was prescribed a week’s worth of Doxy at 100mgs a day. I immediately began to feel irritable and angry, unsettled, moody, sad, and anxious. I know that’s a long list but it’s accurate. These various effects culminated on the fourth day when I lost it and smashed our phone. I noticed myself thinking quite a bit about suicide as well. I have suffered terribly from anxiety and depression but this felt different. It was a very obvious change that I should have taken more seriously. I know people will think that because my past includes anxiety and depression that this was a coincidence — it wasn’t. I have become very in tune with my body and tried to stick out the 7 day course out of a desperation to get back to work. This is my second day off the medicine and I am still feeling a bit off but definitely better. I am just wanting to warn people to be very careful when they or a family member are prescribed this drug. Keep a close watch and if things get weird throw the damn stuff in the trash can.
Started doxy 3/28/2016( given in urgent care for a cat bite) 100 mg 2x day. Felt OK during 2 week course. Last day I had alergic reaction to food I’ve had a million times. Head to toes in hives. 50 mgs of benadryl fixed me and I figured I was fine.
A few weeks later,(6/13/2016) started experiencing dizziness/vertigo/panic driving. Very irritable and started finding myself “in my own head ” way too much. Panic after eating. Began feeling a bit detached from my normal life. Went to the GP and was referred to GI. GI was no help at all.
Flash forward 6/28/16, after having more bad days than good (extreme dizziness , generally feeling down and like a completely different person) I took a day off from work. I experieneed what I now know to be a MAJOR panic attack. I had to call an ambulance for myself, BP was 190/110 HR 88 which is soon high for me. Diagnosed as hypophosphetemia (caused by hyperventilation ) in ER LOL! WELL NO KIDDING!!
Ive since seen a psychiatrist who says he’s read about people having panic attacks and depression from ABX but never treated anyone for it. I am on celexa and have taken attavan everyday for the past two week’s with limited relief. Not sure when I will start feeling better , it’s been 2.5 months.
Hey. I’ve had similar effects on doxy. How are you doing these days?
I started taking my first dose of Doxy on Sunday night after a visit of the doctor for acute urinary tract infection. Everything was ok. I took two more pills on Monday and am feeling increasingly depressed, hopeless and generally dizzy/hungover to the point of nearly stumbling onto the road in heavy trafic this morning. I just came back from my normal Dr and he told me that Doxy might cause those side effects and should not be the first option for UI treatment anyway. He prescribed me a different antibiotic and I hope this horrible feeling I feel right now will soon fade away. Seriously, I went from having a great time and being happy and content (besides the pain of the infection, but normally this does not make me so depressed) to irritable, hopeless, empty with intrusive thoughts for no reason at all.
Hey sar I took doxy too it has been about two months, and I am feeling anxiety depression, thoughts of suicide, and harming others. I feel your pain.
I took doxycycline for 12 months in Afghanistan… sometimes I worry that its long term use altered me.
Sorry to hear about all the bad mental health reactions. My brain works better after my use, and I suspect it is because of the anti-inflammatory aspect of doxycycline. It reduced inflammation in my body so well that the excess fluid removal caused some nausea and diarrhea in first two days. I have used for various infections from insect bites turned bad, to acne. I quit the use for acne after 3 months because it turned some teeth gray. Each time I have ever used it, my brain is less foggy, my eyesight is better, and more.
So I only looked up if this can cause depression cause after 9 days of taking this antibiotic I’ve noticed I’m more depressed than usual and like I’m unsure of the reason. I’m 20 btw, & i’ve been depressed for a long time but for the past few months I’ve been feeling more positive and just had a feeling of well-being and purpose I guess more than ever and I was curious about the side affects of this antibiotic, I know it doesn’t say it can cause depression on the list of side affects i recieced with the pills but I just had to find out cause for what seems to be no reason at all ive been more depressed than i have been in months (i still got depressed before this but it was on and off like it wasnt consistant and it wasnt always so severe) and ive just been feeling so strange things dont feel right everything just feels off ive been wanting to cry a lot i havent felt as motivated to do the things i like, its crazy, like even right now as i write this i feel so sad like it feels so deep, and idk, im not sure if im just depressed, or if its a combination of that and the antiboitics. After reading this though I believe i wasnt wrong to assume the pills were affecting my mood. Something else that really kinda worried me when i read this was that people on this antibiotic have said they had thoughts of suicide and self harm, and i havent self harmed in over a year and today i felt like doing it again, and ive been doing fine with that lately ive been positive ive learned to love myself so that i wouldnt even concider hurting myself anymore and i havent had any urges to do so for over a year, not until today. idk its a bit unsettling.
So I’m a 60 year old guy taking this for Lyme disease for 21 days. After 6 days I’m having sleeping issues( I never do normally) and feel during the day that life is kind of meaningless and that I just don’t feel right. But definetly not suicidal. This shouldn’t be the effects of Lyme because I caught it very early and it’s a disease that takes months to effect you. I find this info very interesting!!
My 17 year old son just took his own life. We now know that his thoughts of anxiety, suicide, hopelessness, and self-loathing began shortly after starting this medication. In his suicide note, he stated he kept it hidden because he didn’t think people would understand him. This was not typical thoughts and behavior for him. How could a young man going through major hormonal changes make the connection between how he was feeling and a drug that his physician said was safe? Who knows if this drug was the cause, but if we had been told there was a possibility of these symptoms we could have chosen not to give it to him. Or when these feelings did arise he could have made a connection to the drug and at least started having a conversation about what he was feeling. people need to have this information to make the best choices for themselves and their children.
I started it a few days ago and I feel like crap , no energy , severe depression , anxiety, flu like symptoms
I would suggest discontinuing them right away and seeing your doctor, the long-term effects can be devastating.
I experienced this reaction too, and it was one of the most horrific things I’ve ever been through. Constant shaking, vomiting, and passing out from fear. I almost took my own life. It took me a long time to recover emotionally, but I finally feel hope again.
I would suggest avoiding caffeine and SSRI medications. For some reason those triggered the reaction again even though I’ve taken them with no problems before. If you’re currently going through this, consider seeking out a short-term xanax prescription, but as always with opioids, use extreme discretion.
If you’ve been through this, I promise you will recover. For a long time I thought I wouldn’t, but here I am.
Jill,
How long did it take for you to get better? Please contact me at michelle0316@icloud.com.
I’ve been taking doxycycline for a few days. Depression, dark, has reawakened since starting this drug. Was almost completely gone and then I started on doxy a few days ago. Am now having dark depression in which I seem ok/even successful on the outside but now thinking, “What’s the point to living on this crazy planet and how can I get off ship of fools?”. Will stop the doxy today…so depressed this morn, surprised that it had come on so suddenly, that I googled “doxycycline and depression” and found this web site. Having some medical background, I’ll go to pubmed, the Internet in general, and try to understand why doxy might do this to certain people. Curious to know. Although I doubt I’ll find anything but hidden away there might be some study, you never know.
I’m sorry for anyone that is going through this. I took Doxycycline I was prescribed for acne,100mg daily for about a week around 7 years ago or so. I immediately started feeling depressed and anxious within a few days and then it went downhill from there.. I started having panic attacks and didn’t want to live anymore. I couldn’t function and had to take leave from work. I was out of work. It took me over 2 months after stopping this horrific drug to start feeling normal again. At the time this happened I told several doctors including my psychiatrist and the dermatologist that prescribed the medication to me but nobody would listen and there were hardly any reports not even online at the time. YEARS LATER I still take Ativan and Cymbalta ever since this happened. I am so scared to stop because I never want to feel that way again.
If you think that Doxy is making you depressed than most likely it IS.. Stop taking immediately!
If anyone is currently experiencing this or wouldn’t mind contacting me to tell me how long it lasted and what their experience was. I am currently going through this. Please email me at michelle0316@icloud.com.
Thank you,
Michelle
I’ve been taking doxycycline for scalp dermatitis for about 3 months now. I’ve had increasingly worse anxiety throughout the course of doxycycline. About a week ago I started to get suicidal ideation thoughts. I felt scared that I was going to drive my car into traffic. These thoughts were completely uncharacteristic of me. I like myself a lot and no reason to want to commit suicide or harm myself in any way. I went to a psychiatrist for severe anxiety and was prescribed anti-depressants. I am holding off on taking them for now. I stopped taking doxycycline yesterday and am hoping for a reduction in these symptoms soon. If I don’t see any progress, I am open to taking the anti-depressants for a while.
After doing a bit of research, I have a theory about why depression, sleep disturbances, and suicidal ideation occur while taking doxycycline for an extended period of time. I started to notice bad discomfort in my stomach area while experiencing these symptoms and believe that I have made a possible connection.
Doxycycline is an antibiotic which means that it kills both “good” and “bad” bacteria indiscriminately. Studies have shown that disrupting normal gut bacteria in mice by administering antibiotics caused changes in the protein that is associated with mood disorders. Apparently, bacteria in the gut strongly influenced behavior. This bacteria can be disrupted while taking antibiotics.
Furthermore, it is estimated that 90 percent of serotonin is found in the intestinal tract. Among other things, serotonin regulates mood and sleep. If the healthy balance of “good” bacteria is affected by taking antibiotics, it makes sense that serotonin levels would be negatively affected.
I came across an article that discusses using probiotics and prebiotics to repopulate the gut with “good” bacteria. There are several studies mentioned in that article about the connection between gut bacteria and brain health.
I’ve decided to take a supplement with prebiotics and probiotics to help the good bacteria repopulate after this extended course of antibiotics.
Here are the links to two of the articles that I referenced in the post:
http://www.healthygutbugs.com/probiotics-next-big-anti-anxiety-remedy/
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/anxiety-may-originate-in-your-gut/
I am a mother very concerned about my 20 year-old son’s sudden and alarming deterioration in mental health following a course of doxycycline. I have warned him never to take this drug again and have been looking for clues as to how exactly doxycycline may be affecting his mind and ways I might be able to help him. The information you supplied is very helpful. (I just wish this drug came with a mental health warning in the UK.) Thank you
My16 year old nephew recently tried to commit suicide after only 10 days of taking doxycycline. In addition to the assessment of those closest to him, who saw no warning signs of depression or suicide, he has been in psychiatric care and the doctor confirmed that his suicidal thoughts came on suddenly (days before the attempt) and escalated quickly on the morning it happened. The psychiatrist agrees doxycycline could have been a factor.
While it might not affect everyone who takes it the same way, it clearly is a danger to some people. Thank you to everyone who are sharing your stories because this could lead to more focus on the issue.
There is a huge body of research linking depression and anxiety to brain chemistry. Some comments on here, by supposed medical professionals, saying that a substance can’t cause these effects show a disturbing level of ignorance. It’s illogical to say an antidepressant can cure your depression but it’s impossible for another drug to cause your depression. Just because science hasn’t proven a link between doxycycline and depression/anxiety/suicide does not mean the drug doesn’t pose a serious risk to some people. Everything starts with anecdotal evidence. If there is enough evidence, only then do scientists study the problem and contribute a scientific conclusion. What if this drug legitimately affects a small percentage of the population who have predisposition to it? Are those people not important?
So… I’m adding one more case to the list. Do I have proof doxycycline causes suicide – no, but common sense tells me it’s not worth the risk, unless you are fighting a serious life threatening infection. If you can take something else, you should.
I started taking this medication and immediately got a bad attitude. For me, negativity is rare as I tend to always looks on the bright side of life. I thought more about bombs and massive destruction. I had a dream about my mother dying, the grief seemed too real. I felt like my marriage was coming to an end. While driving home from a family weekend, I counted endless ways to commit suicide based on the scenery. My family doctor seemed to think it was the steroids I was taking. I stopped the steroids four days ago and continue the prescribed doxycicline. I have three pills remaining and wonder if I can make it through. Unreal torment.
I am an Army Vet, and was supposed to take Doxy for 12 months while stationed overseas. After the first few days, I quit. It was immediate and I knew that it was the med. Never again. And I will tell anyone who will listen.
I was put on doxycycline for three weeks in an effort to fight Lyme (200mg a day). It’s been 36 hours since my last dosage and I am experiencing severe panic-attacks, anxiety, and deep depression.
Doxycycline severely affects gut-flora which in turn affects the gut-brain axis, and in extension mood.
Hi I started taking these a month ago to treat a minor skin rash . I stopped taking them three days ago as for the last 10 days I have suffered anxiety attacks and bad paranoia and they have been put me in a very dark place, I have a responsible well paid job and a wonderful wife and family and these tablets have slowly twisted my mind into thinking I was about to loose it all, I hope now I have stopped taking them that things can return to normal. It is scary how these tablets have played with my worse fears in my mind and made them appear true. When you feel what you value most appears to be slipping away from your grasp I can well understand why younger people have committed suicide while on these tablets. I have discussed my feelings with my wife as best I can and tried to convince myself that it is only the tablets causing me to feel like this but even now I am still struggling to remain positive, I hope in the coming days things will improve each day, if you are reading this it is because you too are suffering with these tablets my advise is stop taking them and tell your GP how you feel.
David
Would be good to get an update on how long it took for this to clear
David
I was prescribed Doxycycline for a UTI and after only three doses, I was contemplating suicide. I am a generally happy person and have never entertained the idea of suicide because, quite frankly, it scares the crap out of me. I will never take it again!
I was just on this for inflammation after a routine check up. I am normally a pretty happy person. I rarely feel sad or lonely. After taking this for 5 days, I cried for two days straight. I knew something was off cuz I had no idea why I was so sad. I started feeling lonely and hopeless which is not like me at all. I did not even relate that it could be the antibiotic I was taking. I have since been off it for almost a week and feel like my old self again so I started thinking why I was so depressed a week ago and the only difference was the antibiotic I was taking. I googled it and came across this page and a few others that said similar things about this drug. I will be letting my Dr. know and not take this again in the future.