Doxycycline: How Should I Take Doxycycline
Content provided by Cerner Multum, Inc.
How should I take doxycycline?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Take doxycycline with a full glass of water (8 ounces).
You may take this medication with or without food. Do not take the medication with milk or other dairy products, unless your doctor has told you to. Dairy products can make it harder for your body to absorb the medicine. Certain brands of doxycycline may not have restrictions about taking them with dairy products. If your doctor has instructed you to take doxycycline with milk, tell your pharmacist that you need a brand of doxycycline that can be taken with milk.
 | Do not crush, break, or open a delayed-release capsule (Orecea). Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking or opening the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time. |
 | Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just before you measure a dose. To be sure you get the correct dose, measure the liquid with a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one. |
You may take this medication with or without food.
 | Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Doxycycline will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu. Do not give this medicine to another person, even if they have the same condition you have. |
If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are taking doxycycline. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.
 | Throw away any unused doxycycline when it expires or when it is no longer needed. Do not take any doxycycline after the expiration date printed on the label. Using expired doxycycline can cause damage to your kidneys. |
 | Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat. |
| Last updated: | March 24, 2008 |
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