I am taking doxycycline for an ear infection and have bad OCD and anxiety about it. I google and read reviews about the worst case scenarios and am now worry about this condition I’ve read about called indiopathic intracranial hypertension which affects the pressure in your brain and gives you bad headaches and vision. It’s rare apparently but some people who have taken doxycycline have gotten it . My ocd has convinced me it’s going to happen to me. :(

Maria Savio

Date posted: 5y

Doxycycline is generally well tolerated. The FDA has to put ANY possible side effect or condition that can happen in the little paper that comes with any meds. There is no possible way to know whether or not you will be one of the unfortunate ones that the med affects this way but may I say it's not very likely to happen. When we get into a car, for example, we take for granted that we will make it to our destination unharmed. However in all honesty we have more of a chance getting into a wreck than any of these rare side effects of medication happening. This is not meant to reassure you, it's simply stating that to have one of these effects happen to you is rare, yet possible. By law these side effects have to be stated, no matter how slim the chance. Take your meds and relax. It's more dangerous for your infection to stop taking them. You will be fine

cheerfully

Date posted: 5y

Thank you for your help and your comment. It does help. It’s just been especially hard bc the first day on it I got headache and I never get headache . Headache is a sign of that rare side effect so I’m attributing it to that and can’t stop fearing it

cheerfully

Date posted: 5y

Is doxycycline a common antibiotic? Are headaches a common antibiotic side effect and I’m just over analyzing ?

Maria Savio

Date posted: 5y

@jen2233 Yes doxycycline is pretty common. Believe me when I say u will be fine. Like I said, by law any little effect no matter how small the chance must be listed. Its It's the FDAs way if covering their own butt. But you will be fine, try not to stress too much

cheerfully

Date posted: 5y

@Maria Savio Thank you so much. Is it normal that i have a headache from it ? Like can that be normal to have with an antibiotic and be completely unrelated to the increased cranial pressure ?

Maria Savio

Date posted: 5y

@jen2233 Yes...if anything I believe you may be psyching yourself into a headache or if you have a twinge of one, your anxiety will exacerbate it. If you are unduly worried, then reach out to a physician who can relieve the fears more accurately than someone on this thread. I'm not at all a doctor, in just saying what's been my experience. ButI believe you will be ok

Maria Savio

Date posted: 5y

I've taken ciprofloxacin about 7 years ago when I had typhoid fever. Cipro is black boxed yet physicians hand it out like candy for simple infections like UTIs. Cipro can have devastating side and after effects and I read about it after I had taken the medication for 3 weeks! It scared the hell out of me but guess what happened to me? Nothing. Every person's experience with meds is different. Common meds are usually used with no bad effects. I hopenim able to ease your mind a little but with my experience....take care of yourself and try not to worry about this

cheerfully

Date posted: 5y

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