Key takeaways
- Doxycycline may interact with several medications, including certain antibiotics, antiepileptics, blood thinners, antacids, and birth control pills, which can reduce its effectiveness or increase side effects.
- Vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin C can make doxycycline less effective when taken together. Your doctor may recommend spacing them 6 hours apart.
- It’s generally safe to take antihistamines or Tylenol with doxycycline, but always talk with your healthcare professional before combining any medications to confirm they’re safe for you.
Doxycycline is an antibiotic. Doctors commonly prescribe it to treat various bacterial infections, including respiratory tract infections, skin infections, acne, Lyme disease, and some sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Doxycycline may interact with certain medications, vitamins, and minerals, such as antacids, oral birth control, other antibiotics, calcium, iron, and more. An interaction is when a medication is affected by another substance and doesn’t work as it should.
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Are there any medications you cannot take with doxycycline?
Certain medications interact with doxycycline, which can cause doxycycline to have a different effect on your body than expected. This may lead to changes in its effectiveness, canceling it out or causing unexpected side effects. Some medications that may interact with doxycycline include:
| Medication type | Examples | Interaction effect |
|---|---|---|
| certain antibiotics | amoxicillin (Amoxil) and penicillin | these drugs will be less effective |
| certain antiepileptics | carbamazepine (Carbatrol) and phenytoin (Dilantin) | may cause doxycycline to be less effective |
| certain blood thinners | warfarin (Jantoven) | may increase your risk of side effects from the blood thinners |
| antacids | calcium carbonate (TUMS) and aluminum hydroxide/magnesium carbonate (Gaviscon) | may make doxycycline less effective |
| certain oral contraceptives | ethinyl estradiol/norgestimate (Estarylla, Sprintec, others) and ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel (Seasonale, Seasonique, others) | likely to make your oral birth control less effective |
| bile acid sequestrants | colestipol (Colestid) and cholestyramine (Locholest) | may make doxycycline less effective |
| bismuth subsalicylate | Pepto-Bismol | may make doxycycline less effective |
| methoxyflurane | Penthrane | may cause life threatening kidney problems |
| isotretinoin | Accutane | can increase the risk of pseudotumor cerebri (increased pressure in the brain) |
Before you start treatment with doxycycline, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, and other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.
| Quick tip: Saving this page may help when reviewing medication details later. |
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Get free cardDoes doxycycline interact with vitamins?
Doxycycline may interact with certain vitamins and mineral supplements. While taking doxycycline, you may want to avoid certain vitamins and minerals such as:
- calcium
- iron
- magnesium
- aluminum
- zinc
- vitamin C
- multivitamins that contain these vitamins and minerals
Taking doxycycline with vitamins and minerals listed above may lead to reduced levels of doxycycline in your body. This could make it less effective than usual for treating your condition.
Because of this, your doctor may recommend taking doxycycline up to 6 hours before or after taking the vitamins or minerals listed above.
Can I drink alcohol with doxycycline?
Doxycycline may interact with alcohol in certain people, including people with liver problems or a history of heavy alcohol use. In these situations, your doctor may recommend that you avoid alcohol while taking doxycycline. They may also advise you not to take any prescription or over-the-counter drugs that contain alcohol during doxycycline treatment.
In these groups of people, consuming alcohol and taking doxycycline may make doxycycline less effective. Alcohol can also slow down your immune system, which can make it harder for your body to fight off an infection.
If you have concerns about avoiding alcohol while you’re taking doxycycline, talk with your doctor before starting treatment.
Are there any other interactions to be aware of?
Doxycycline may also interact with certain foods, vaccines, and tests, including:
- dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese
- vaccines, including Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), cholera, and typhoid
- catecholamine urine test
What’s next?
You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with doxycycline. For example, you can discuss strategies with a doctor or pharmacist:
- Let them know if you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
- Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins in your routine.
- Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.
You can also read the doxycycline label. The label may have colored stickers that mention interactions and include details about them.
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Disclaimer: While Optum Perks strives for factual, comprehensive, and current information, this article is not a substitute for a licensed healthcare professional’s expertise. Always consult a doctor before taking or discontinuing any medication. Drug information is subject to change and may not cover all uses, directions, precautions, warnings, interactions, reactions, or adverse effects. The lack of a warning does not guarantee a drug’s safety, effectiveness, or appropriateness for all patients or specific uses.