Doxycycline Capsules
Doxycycline is a trusted medication for the prevention of malaria, recommended for areas of high risk. It is suitable for use in countries where it is a recommended treatment (please check on the Fit for Travel website before purchase.
This is a prescription only medication. In order to purchase this medication, please complete our short medical questionnaire for one of our prescribers. The prescriber will review your medical history to issue your prescription. Once approved, your medication will be delivered in discreet packaging directly to your door.
- Taken 1-2 days before and for 4 weeks after travel
- Low cost
- Once daily dosing
- Few side-effects
This is a prescription only medication. In order to purchase this medication, please complete our short medical questionnaire for one of our prescribers. The prescriber will review your medical history to issue your prescription. Once approved, your medication will be delivered in discreet packaging directly to your door.
What is Doxycyline?
Doxycycline is an anti-malarial treatment suitable for use in countries where it is indicated as an effective treatment. It is classed as an antibiotic drug effective against malaria.
Treatment with Doxycycline needs to be started 1-2 days before travel and MUST be taken for 4 weeks after leaving the high risk area.
It should be used in conjunction with measures to avoid mosquito bites in order to prevent malaria.
Please check the Destinations - Fit for Travel website to make for risk of malaria for the area you are travelling to including information on other necessary vaccinations.
Doxycycline is an anti-malarial treatment suitable for use in countries where it is indicated as an effective treatment. It is classed as an antibiotic drug effective against malaria.
Treatment with Doxycycline needs to be started 1-2 days before travel and MUST be taken for 4 weeks after leaving the high risk area.
It should be used in conjunction with measures to avoid mosquito bites in order to prevent malaria.
Please check the Destinations - Fit for Travel website to make for risk of malaria for the area you are travelling to including information on other necessary vaccinations.
Doxycycline is taken once daily starting 2 days before travel and for 4 weeks after leaving the high risk areas.
Your prescriber will recommend the dose to take which is usually 1 capsule daily for an adult.
Your prescriber will recommend the dose to take which is usually 1 capsule daily for an adult.
Do not take Doxycycline capsules:
- if you are allergic to doxycycline, any other tetracycline antibiotic or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
- if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant
- if you are breast-feeding
Warnings and precautions:
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Doxycycline if any of the following apply to you:
- you are likely to be exposed to strong sunlight or uv light (e.g. on a sun bed). You should avoid exposure to strong sunlight while taking this medicine as your skin may be more sensitive to sunburn than normal.
- you have kidney or liver problems.
- you have myasthenia gravis (a disease which causes unusual tiredness and weakness of certain muscles, particularly in the eyelid).
- you have porphyria (a rare disease of blood pigments).
- you have (or have ever had) systemic lupus erythematosus (an allergic condition that causes joint pain, skin rashes and fever).This condition may be worsened by taking Doxycycline capsules.
- you are suspected as having syphilis. Your doctor will continue to monitor you after your treatment has stopped.
- you have diarrhoea or usually get diarrhoea when you take antibiotics or have suffered from problems with your stomach or intestines. If you develop severe or prolonged or bloody diarrhoea during or after using Doxycycline capsules, tell your doctor immediately since it may be necessary to interrupt the treatment. This may be a sign of bowel inflammation (pseudomembranous colitis) which can occur following treatment with antibiotics.
- you are taking oral retinoids as there is a higher risk of suffering from increased pressure in your skull (severe headache with change in vision) when taken with Doxycycline capsules.
When used for a long duration, Doxycycline capsules may cause infections that cannot be treated with this antibiotic. Your doctor can explain the signs and symptoms of such types of infection.
- if you are allergic to doxycycline, any other tetracycline antibiotic or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
- if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant
- if you are breast-feeding
Warnings and precautions:
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Doxycycline if any of the following apply to you:
- you are likely to be exposed to strong sunlight or uv light (e.g. on a sun bed). You should avoid exposure to strong sunlight while taking this medicine as your skin may be more sensitive to sunburn than normal.
- you have kidney or liver problems.
- you have myasthenia gravis (a disease which causes unusual tiredness and weakness of certain muscles, particularly in the eyelid).
- you have porphyria (a rare disease of blood pigments).
- you have (or have ever had) systemic lupus erythematosus (an allergic condition that causes joint pain, skin rashes and fever).This condition may be worsened by taking Doxycycline capsules.
- you are suspected as having syphilis. Your doctor will continue to monitor you after your treatment has stopped.
- you have diarrhoea or usually get diarrhoea when you take antibiotics or have suffered from problems with your stomach or intestines. If you develop severe or prolonged or bloody diarrhoea during or after using Doxycycline capsules, tell your doctor immediately since it may be necessary to interrupt the treatment. This may be a sign of bowel inflammation (pseudomembranous colitis) which can occur following treatment with antibiotics.
- you are taking oral retinoids as there is a higher risk of suffering from increased pressure in your skull (severe headache with change in vision) when taken with Doxycycline capsules.
When used for a long duration, Doxycycline capsules may cause infections that cannot be treated with this antibiotic. Your doctor can explain the signs and symptoms of such types of infection.
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
- feeling or being sick
- worsening of a disease called systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). This is an allergic condition which causes joint pain, skin rash, fever and headache
- pericarditis (inflammation affecting the heart)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
- heartburn
- vaginal infection
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
- anxiety
- difficulty in swallowing, sore or painful tongue or mouth
- skin reddening (flushing)
- a ringing or buzzing noise in the ear
- soreness and itching of the rectal and/or genital area
- inflammation of the bowel
- increased pressure in the skull (severe headache with change in vision)
- inflammation and damage to the liver
- loosening of the nail from the nail bed after exposure to the sun
- increased levels of urea in the blood
- yellow skin and eyes (jaundice), inflammation of the pancreas - upset stomach, loss of appetite, diarrhoea (this may occur up to two or three months after the last dose), stomach pain
- feeling or being sick
- worsening of a disease called systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). This is an allergic condition which causes joint pain, skin rash, fever and headache
- pericarditis (inflammation affecting the heart)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
- heartburn
- vaginal infection
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
- anxiety
- difficulty in swallowing, sore or painful tongue or mouth
- skin reddening (flushing)
- a ringing or buzzing noise in the ear
- soreness and itching of the rectal and/or genital area
- inflammation of the bowel
- increased pressure in the skull (severe headache with change in vision)
- inflammation and damage to the liver
- loosening of the nail from the nail bed after exposure to the sun
- increased levels of urea in the blood
- yellow skin and eyes (jaundice), inflammation of the pancreas - upset stomach, loss of appetite, diarrhoea (this may occur up to two or three months after the last dose), stomach pain
Speak to your prescriber if you are taking:
- Antacids (indigestion remedies), iron preparations, oral zinc or bismuth.
- Carbamazepine, phenytoin (medicines used to control epilepsy) and barbiturates (used to control epilepsy or as a sedative).
- warfarin or coumarins (used to prevent blood clots)
- oral contraceptives (birth control pills)
- antibiotics (used to treat infections)
- ciclosporin (a medicine used to affect the body’s immune response)
- Alcohol may reduce the effect of Doxycycline capsules and should be avoided.
Each Doxycycline 100 mg capsule contains 100 mg of doxycycline equivalent to approximately 115.41 mg of doxycycline hyclate.
The other ingredients are: Hypromellose, Sodium lauryl sulphate, Microcrystalline cellulose, Magnesium stearate. The capsule shell contains: gelatin and titanium dioxide (E171). Doxycycline 100 mg capsules also contain Brilliant Blue (E133) and Iron Oxide Yellow (E172).
The other ingredients are: Hypromellose, Sodium lauryl sulphate, Microcrystalline cellulose, Magnesium stearate. The capsule shell contains: gelatin and titanium dioxide (E171). Doxycycline 100 mg capsules also contain Brilliant Blue (E133) and Iron Oxide Yellow (E172).
Alternatives include:
Atovoquone and Proguanil (Generic)
Malarone
Preventing mosquito bites by using repellents containing DEET, wearing long sleeve clothing and using insect nets.
Atovoquone and Proguanil (Generic)
Malarone
Preventing mosquito bites by using repellents containing DEET, wearing long sleeve clothing and using insect nets.
