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What Causes Severe Pressure In Head After Taking Doxycycline Hyclate?
Question: I' was taking doxycycline hyclate(for 5 days) for Ureaplasma. And feeling severe pressure in my head everytime I take it and even when I stoped taking it. I believe I have puesdotumor intracranial hypertension cebrei from this medication, a very rare side effect that is more common in obese women. But I'm a healthy, skinny 19 year old boy. Since the pressure in my head my doctor prescribed a different medication to treat this STI: minocycline which I have been taking now for 3 days and didn't take my second dose yesterday because I am fearing a lot of damage to my brain and eyes. It I learned is in the same drug family as the doxycycline and I wanted an opinion on whether this drug should still be taken or not. My head pressure persists even after I stoped doxycycline and switched to a lower dosage of minocycline than the dosage I had for doxycycline. In total I have been taking these drugs for only about a week and a half or so. I believe I have intracranial hypertension because it is a constant pressure the gets more severe in the morning and at night. This is unlike any headaches I have ever had. I need a second doctors opinion (I am going to speak with my family's doctor as well) but if my doctor prescribed me a drug that is giving me very rare side effects... Again, I wanted the second opinion in case this happens again.
Brief Answer:
detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I read carefully your query and understand your concern.
Headaches are very common side effect of Tetracycline class of antibiotics.
It is true that another side effect of this class of drugs is increases intracranial hypertension.This can cause severe headaches,blurry vision,nausea and vomiting.
If you are having severe headaches with no apparent reason apart form taking the antibiotics ,most likely it is a side effects of the drug.
Since the doctor stopped the Doxycycline because he considered it the cause of your symptoms ,there is no reason to prescribe another antibiotic from the same class of drugs.
The Minocycline can cause the same side effects as Doxycycline like headache,dizziness,increased intracranial hypertension etc.
Although these side effects are rare they can happen.
So if you are having severe headache or head pressure that started only after taking the antibiotics ,you should stop taking the antibiotics and see your general physician.A complete physical examination is needed.
Your doctor can prescribe you another antibiotic to treat the infection.
Hope it helps.
Let me know if you need further help.
Kind regards,
Dr.Rovena Murati
detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I read carefully your query and understand your concern.
Headaches are very common side effect of Tetracycline class of antibiotics.
It is true that another side effect of this class of drugs is increases intracranial hypertension.This can cause severe headaches,blurry vision,nausea and vomiting.
If you are having severe headaches with no apparent reason apart form taking the antibiotics ,most likely it is a side effects of the drug.
Since the doctor stopped the Doxycycline because he considered it the cause of your symptoms ,there is no reason to prescribe another antibiotic from the same class of drugs.
The Minocycline can cause the same side effects as Doxycycline like headache,dizziness,increased intracranial hypertension etc.
Although these side effects are rare they can happen.
So if you are having severe headache or head pressure that started only after taking the antibiotics ,you should stop taking the antibiotics and see your general physician.A complete physical examination is needed.
Your doctor can prescribe you another antibiotic to treat the infection.
Hope it helps.
Let me know if you need further help.
Kind regards,
Dr.Rovena Murati
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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