How to take doxycycline with a tick bite

Doxycycline is the main drug prescribed by specialists in Russia and Ukraine for prevention and treatment of borreliosis. The antibiotic has a wide spectrum of action and shows high efficiency. The enhanced effect of the drug can adversely affect the general condition of the body. Therefore, there are strict rules on how to take doxycycline with a tick bite.

Description of the drug

Doxycycline is an improved form of the known antibiotic tetracycline. Scientists have improved its performance through numerous stages of purification. As a result, the dose of Doxycycline has a lesser effect on the state of the body and speeds up the time to achieve the desired effect. The drug has a high absorption rate, therefore, the risk of negative effects on the intestinal microflora is reduced.

On a note!

Doxycycline after a tick bite penetrates the virus and destroys it from the inside. The active component prevents the spread of infection in the body, but is not able to completely cure damage to the central nervous system.

The drug has a wide range of uses. It is prescribed to combat infectious and inflammatory diseases that were provoked by microorganisms sensitive to Doxycycline:

1. ENT diseases of organs.
2. Gastrointestinal tract infections.
3. Infections of the genitourinary system.
4. Brucellosis.
5. Trachoma.
6. Chlamydia
7. Typhus.
8. Lyme disease.

It is strictly forbidden to use Doxycycline preparations together with Penicillin, Warfarin, Phenytoin, Retinol.

On a note!

Treatment with doxycycline after a tick bite is prescribed for prevention, as well as for the treatment of borreliosis with confirmation of infection of the parasite.

Release Forms

There are various forms of release of doxycycline. An antibiotic is produced in various forms:

1. Capsules
2. Tablets.
3. Powder for solution for injection.

Capsules and tablets are available in a dosage of 100 mg, the powder can be in a dosage of 100 and 200 mg. 10 capsules or 5, 10 and 50 glass ampoules are sold in the package.

Types of antibiotic:

1. Unidox Solutab tablets contain doxycycline monohydrate.
2. Capsules of doxycycline hydrochloride.

Dosage and order of how to take doxycycline is established exclusively by a specialist.

Doxycycline regimen after tick bite

Lyme Disease develops after the pathogen enters the human body. Infected mite betrays borrelia from an infected animal to humans at the time of a bite. The incubation period of the disease is about 14 days, but treatment should be started much earlier. That's why ignore tick bites Absolutely forbidden. For diagnosis examine the body of a parasiteare doing borreliosis test and even carry out a puncture of the spinal cord or examine the intraarticular fluid.

There is no specific vaccine against borreliosis, therefore antibiotics of a wide spectrum of action are used to combat it. These are tetracyclines, penicillin and macrolides.

Important!

Doxycycline is not appropriate for infection tick-borne encephalitisbut it is highly effective in combating Lyme disease.

How to take capsules:

• 1 capsule with a dosage of 200 mg 2 times a day;
• drink plenty of water;
• better taken after meals;
• a break between taking capsules is 12 hours.

How many days to drink Doxycycline: 10 with a mild form and prevention, 20-30 with a severe form.

Injection:

• the powder is diluted with water for injection, then dextrose is added;
• administered once a day;
• dosage of 200 mg;
• the dropper lasts 1-3 hours at a speed of 0.5 mg / ml per hour.

If treatment after 3-5 days gives a positive result, the patient is transferred to oral administration of the drug.

Tick ​​bite prophylaxis

It is not advisable to take Unidox Solutab when a tick crawls, first you need to establish a diagnosis. However, the drug can be prescribed before obtaining the results of the analysis of the tick itself in the event that an unfavorable situation has been established in the region regarding the development of borreliosis. The course lasts 5-10 days. The dosage of the drug is set standard in the range of 100-200 mg. The specialist will have to resort to increasing the dose if the patient has such a bad habit as smoking.

Important!

During the use of the drug, it is recommended to increase the amount of fluid consumed in order to reduce the detrimental effect on the digestive tract.

Children are prescribed Doxycycline at the rate of 4 mg per kg of child's weight. Starting from the second day of prevention, the dosage is halved.

Important!

The best prevention of the disease is to observe precautions during the spring-summer period. Using special means and choosing the right clothes will help protect against ticks.

Duration of therapy

To prevent the development of the disease after a tick bite, time plays a huge role. Act immediately. It is proved that taking an antibiotic is necessary in the first 3 days after a tick bite. Otherwise, the disease can not only develop, but also take a chronic form.

Finding a tick on the bodyIt’s important to go to the hospital immediately. You can’t try extract the parasite yourselfso as not to leave his proboscis under the skin. Specialists will remove the tick and send it for examination. Without waiting for the result, preventive treatment with doxycycline will be prescribed.

If the patient seeks help from a medical facility more than 10 days after the bite, there is very little chance of a complete cure. Moreover, even the introduction of Doxycycline against the background of developing borreliosis can cause complications.

Side effects and contraindications

Despite a more perfect form and numerous cleaning steps during production, the antibiotic Doxycycline remains a drug that can lead to undesirable consequences. With an incorrectly selected course or individual characteristics of the body, the following side effects may occur:

• an allergic reaction, which is manifested by redness of the skin, itching, burning, swelling, the appearance of a rash;
• microflora disorders, characterized by intestinal and vaginal candidiasis;
• thrombophlebitis;
• stool disorders;
• nausea;
• vomiting
• pain in the stomach and in the pancreas;
• Dizziness
• migraine;
• loss of coordination;
• increased intracranial pressure.

The severity of these phenomena in patients receiving Doxycycline depends on the resistance of the body's defenses. If side effects occur, stop using the drug immediately and consult a specialist.

A drug may not be prescribed in the following cases:

1. Pregnancy and lactation.
2. Children's age up to 8 years.
3. Individual intolerance to tetracycline antibiotics.
4. Myasthenia gravis
5. Severe renal failure.

Important!

The use of the drug during pregnancy leads to enamel hypoplasia, the development of fatty liver in a woman, and suppression of fetal skeleton growth.

Precautions while using the drug

Tetracycline antibiotic is able to influence numerous processes within the human body. That is why you should carefully study the instructions for use and strictly follow the recommendations of the doctor.

Features of the use of doxycycline after a tick bite:

1. The drug is able to destroy the effect of oral contraceptives based on estrogen. The risk of uterine bleeding increases.
2. Reduces efficacy against germs of lactam antibiotics.
3. It is strictly not allowed to combine the use of the drug with alcohol. Alcohols reduce the rate of excretion of the active substances of the drug and as a result there are problems with the kidneys and liver.
4. Joint use with retinol increases intracranial pressure.

Important!

Special control requires taking the drug together with anticoagulants. In this case, regular monitoring of prothrombin markers is required. It is also recommended that exposure to direct sunlight be minimized due to the high risk of photosensitivity.

Analogs

Doxycycline has some analogues that differ in manufacturer and cost. The effectiveness of the drug is not reduced. Excretion occurs through the kidneys.

• Vibramycin. The cost of 270 rubles. Available with a prescription. Available in the form of capsules, syrup, oral solution, powder for solution for injection, ready-made solution for intramuscular and intravenous administration. Toxic to the liver.
• Unidox Solutab. The average cost of 380 rubles. It is made in the Netherlands. Release form tablets. It is taken regardless of the meal.
• Ceftriaxone. The average cost of 15 rubles. It is a representative of the third generation of antibiotics, also has a wide spectrum of action. Under the strict supervision of a doctor, it is allowed to use during pregnancy and during breastfeeding.
• Amikacin. The cost of 25 rubles. It is a representative of a new generation of aminoglycosides. During pregnancy and during breastfeeding it is used only in case of urgent need.

Reviews about Doxycycline

The cat brought ticks to the house. Then they found a bite on her husband’s body. Immediately rushed to the hospital, the parasite was sent for examination. Doxycycline was prescribed as a prophylaxis. Due to the big fright, the husband immediately started taking the medicine. As a result, side effects prevailed for several weeks. Examination showed that the tick was healthy. But we think it's better to play it safe.

Irina, Barnaul

Doxycycline had to be used several times in my life. The latter was after a tick bite. There were no outbreaks of borreliosis in our area, but I did not want to ignore this problem. The parasite was sent to the laboratory. A tick was pulled out in a hospital. Fortunately, this was done completely, and nothing was left under the skin. He drank the antibiotic for 5 days, there were no serious complications.

Andrey, Moscow

The doctor prescribed an antibiotic after a tick bite. The first few days no unpleasant phenomena were observed. On day 5 I felt nauseous, dizzy. He has a lot of side-effects and this is scary. But the fear of getting a much more dangerous disease is even worse. There was no dysbacteriosis and other similar phenomena, since Linex began to drink immediately with Doxycycline.

Varvara, Yaroslavl

It is available on prescription, has a wide range of actions, can be purchased at almost any pharmacy.The drug is really very powerful, but I would not advise them to get involved. The body is getting used to it. The course was prescribed by a doctor individually.

Arkhip, Sevastopol