Antibiotics have been a cornerstone of modern medicine since they were first accidentally created in a lab. The antibiotic in the spotlight today is going to be called Doxycycline, a tetracycline antibiotic. Chances are you have taken this before, or a version of the active ingredient and not even known it. But what is Doxycycline, and what does it do for us that makes it so amazing. And that is exactly what we are discussing below. As stated before this is a tetracycline antibiotic that we are dealing with today. Doxycycline therefore falls into the bacteria antibiotic category which works to fight bacteria within the body and keep it from growing. This can range from the most common to the less likely infections you may end up coming across in your day to day life. Things like acne, urinary tract infections, intestinal infections, respiratory infections, eye infections are treated using this antibiotic. But on the same note people are also prescribed this to treat gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, periodontitis, and many others. It really does come off as a miracle drug when you hear about all of it’s application and goes to show why antibiotics in generally have revolutionized modern medicine as we know it. As a side note for those wondering, while yes this can be used to treat the bumps, blemishes, and acne lesions that are caused by the condition rosacea, it will not in and of itself cure the redness that you experience by the infection. When you talk with your doctor he will ask you the same question or perform the same test that they must always do when you are first thinking about getting put on something new. Are you allergic to tetracycline. Obviously, a reaction to this type of medicine is not going to make anything better, so if you end up being allergic to it an alternate route must be taken. No if’s, and’s, or buts. While we are on the topic of reasons you should not be taking this type of medicine let us go ahead and list what we know. If you happen to be pregnant at the time you need to be taking Doxycycline you will most likely be declined coverage. This type of antibiotic has been known to harm the unborn baby, and oddly enough has a strange side effect that has been known to cause permanent tooth discoloration as the child begins to grow up. You will also be asked or tested to make sure that you are not suffering from and kind of liver or kidney disease. This is pretty normal considering they are basically our filtration system and messing with that could severely impact how well you are able to handle it. Be careful as well if you suffer from asthma or a sulfite allergy, have been known to have increased pressure inside your head, or take other medications that may interact harmfully with tetracycline. Interesting tidbit but Doxycycline also has another strange side effect. If you are not trying to actively become pregnant and are on the pill to prevent it, make sure you are aware that studies show this medicine makes birth control less effective. If you HAVE a child be careful when breast feeding, remember how we talked about this affecting unborn children if you take it while you are pregnant? Well like most medicines, Doxycycline has a way of getting into the body and can actually be passed on to a growing child through the breast milk. This will actually cause the same issues to happen to the child that would have taken place had the mother been taking it before they were born. Along with permanent tooth discoloration, it can also stunt bone and tooth development in general. Doxycycline, if you are approved to take it, also has side effects not much more uncommon that most prescriptions but be aware that you may also develop a type of skin rash, a fever, your glands may become swollen, you may experience flu like symptoms, have muscle aches, severe weakness, unusual bruising, or even yellowing of the skin or eyes. It can even take weeks for these issues to show up so do not be alarmed. All these warnings aside, this is an antibiotic, and if you are clear to take it you should. There types of medicine may have odd interactions with your body but they are still developed with your health and well being in mind. If you do experience other issues that may be considered severe contact your doctor right away, otherwise good luck on the quick road to health. At some point you are going to get an infection in your life. It is just about as certain that the sun is going to come up tomorrow morning. Thankfully with the advancements we have made in modern medicine, we have everything under that very sun to make you better. Namely we have been lucky enough to come up with antibiotics, but what do antibiotics do exactly that makes them the go to doctors choice to treat infections? Specifically, I want to get into detail today to talk to you about Amoxicillin and see if we can shed some decent light on this miracle drug. Amoxicillin, which goes by several different brand names as well (Amoxil, Moxatag, and Trimox) is used mainly to treat those patients who are suffering from a bacterial infection. Since Amoxicillin falls into the medical category of a penicillin type antibiotic, it’s primary use is to stop the growth of bacteria. Even though penicillin was a huge accident on the inventors part, it has since been one of the leading ways of helping to cure infections by halting bacteria growth for a long time now. It is very important to note, however, that Amoxicillin really is only good at treating bacterial growth type infections though, so if you wind up with a different kind of viral infection instead (think the common cold here) then you will be prescribed something else. If antibiotics are misused you are much more likely to run into complications because it will effective reduce how much it works on your body. Aside from bacterial infections there is an exception. When combined with other drugs you can actually use amoxicillin to treat stomach or intestinal ulcers that the bacteria called Bacteria H. pylori is responsible for. Still halting bacteria production, but a slight variant on the process, this will actually make it to where these ulcers will not reoccur. Well now that you know what this specific brand of antibiotic is, it is time to get down to the facts. If you are prescribed this medication you will be given a dosage to take. This can come in many different forms as either an oral solution, a capsule, a tablet, a chewable, or the extended release version that is known as Moxatag. These come in various size doses and that is probably a decision that is better left to the professionals to tell you how much to take and for how long. There are a wide array of infections that are generally treated by this medication. Please see your doctor if you need to take amoxicillin for any of the following; Man just look at that list! it is no wonder antibiotics are hailed as a miracle drug. And those are just bacterial infections, so I sit here with my jaw dropped at the amazing list it can help with. If you are prescribed Amoxicillin, then likely you will be taking it every day for as long as you are advised to. You do not need to eat a meal before taking this either, just make sure you take it on time as often as you are advised to. But of course it can’t be perfect. Every medicine has side effects, and i am sure you are curious what those side effects are. After all they are supposed to be making you feel better not worse. Most commonly you may experience an acute allergic reaction the the medicine, anemia, elevated liver enzymes. There could be some persistent superficial infections of the skin, you may experience diarrhea, headaches, nausea, vomiting, rash, or serum-sickness like reactions. Of course none of these sound quite so bad as having a bacterial infection growing inside of you. So left no other choice I would probably recommend that you list to your doctor and take the antibiotics as needed so you can get back to living your best life.
Doxycycline: Under-use and Over-prescription is Creating a Superbug
What Is Doxycycline Used To Treat And How Does It Work
What is Doxycycline
Allergies worth noting
Don’t mix medications
What are the potential side effects
How to get Doxycycline
A final note about this antibiotic
Amoxicillin: A common antibiotic for uncommon problems
Treating Infections And Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Bacterial infection
Amoxicillin
Different forms
Types of infections
Antibiotics
Side effects