doxycycline time table

[untkicker29]

I have been on Doxycycline now for a month and a half, and it might be helping me slightly, but I was wondering how long it has taken people on here or how long anyone has heard it takes to get the full effect from it?

[neil0502]

I was told that it takes three months or more.

[untkicker29]

thanks neil, i wasnt sure exactly, so it still gives me some more hope. Also, how detrimental is drinking alcohol on occasion? If it completely interrupts the function it is doing, I dont want to inhibit it.

[Flick]

I was on doxycycline for 3 1/2 months, and I just stopped this week. I never really saw any benefit, and I'm not comfortable taking an antibiotic long-term. I was on a pretty high dose too, 100 mg 2x per day. Of course, I tried a million other things with my eyes during that time, so who knows what helped and what didn't. But since I didn't see much improvement overall, I figured that the doxy certainly didn't have a significant effect. I've been off it for a few days and I haven't gotten worse.

Hopefully it will work better for you. I'd give it at least two months. I never had a problem drinking alcohol while taking it, but I wouldn't drink too much while on it, since I'm pretty sure it is metabolized in the liver.

Good luck.

[neil0502]

Here's me ... playing doctor ... when I have ab-so-lute-ly no business doing so.

(unless either alcohol or Doxy has changed significantly in 30 years) Looks like alcohol slightly reduces the effect of Doxy.

BUT ... since the dose of Doxy required to benefit and treat MGD seems to be something like 20mg per day (see: Periostat), I think you've got plenty of slack.

That said ... all the usual caveats apply: excessive alcohol consumption can certainly dehydrate you ... which can't help your eyes, blah, blah, blah...

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Effect of long-term alcohol consumption on the half-life of tetracycline and doxycycline in man.

Neuvonen PJ, Penttila O, Roos M, Tirkkonen J.

Elimination of the bacteriostatics tetracycline and doxycycline was compared in patients on long-term alcohol consumption to that in healthy controls. The half-life of doxycycline but not that of tetracycline was significantly shorter in alcoholics than in controls and in some patients the serum concentration of doxycycline decreased below the generally accepted minimum therapeutic concentration when dosed once daily. So, the dosing twice daily might be indicated especially if additional inducing drugs are used.

[SusieD]

Ive been on doxy now since February, so nearly four months - I have no idea if its helping my eyes or not yet.

[Missy]

I've been on doxy since January. I think that it has helped me, but I can't tell for sure. My doctor wants me to try and go off of it soon. I'm nervous about stopping it because if it's helping my eyes may get worse.

Is it dangerous to take doxy for too long?

[untkicker29]

I dont think there is anything wrong with being on it for an extended period of time because when it is prescribed for acne, patients stay on it as long as they wish to.