This is my standard antibiotic on my rescue pack, has been for the last couple of years. Well my grandson has recently been put on them for a sinus infection, I was asking how he was, he was telling me the chemist had told him he hadn’t to drink milk or even have it in his coffee…no dairy products at all while he was on them ???? I’d heard nothing of this so I read the leaflet and nothing was mentioned regards dairy products . Then out of the blue my sister in law phoned this morning to say she had seen on the internet that you were not to take any dairy products while taking these antibiotics ….bearing in mind she was not aware of the conversation I had with my grandson yesterday. ???
Can anyone tell me if they were aware of this, I would appreciate getting this clarified, I’m going to phone my chemist to enquire. 🤔
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pegbl
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I have used doxycycline and never been told to avoid dairy products!! In fact I increase them when on it because I have yogurt probiotics to aid the good bacteria that is being destroyed by the antibiotic!!
I have found out about this by looking it up online this week. It's the first I knew about it too. The reason given was that dairy products could affect how effective the doxy was.
Well I am glad you’ve seen it as well, what I can’t understand is why we’re not told of this. I have changed my diet with not to much trouble if fact even my coffee isn’t too bad without milk. 👍
I've always expected pharmacists to warn us of things like this as GPs don't seem to. As matter of interest, I take furosemide and am taking my emergency meds of pred and doxy this week. For some reason I looked up pred and furosemide and read that this combination may cause muscle pains or cramps. loss of appetite, weakness, dizziness or confusion. I wasn't aware of any of that so haven't taken my furosemide this week. Shows it pays to check.
Yes I agree until this was brought to my notice by my grandson , which I’m glad it has been I have now cut back on any dairy products while I’m on them. Xx
My partner was given doxycycline for a chest infection earlier this year, and it's only because I read up on it online that I found out about not having dairy with it. Neither the GP nor the pharmacist mentioned it. I can't remember if it was mentioned in the leaflet in the box or not.
I was prescribed Doxy permanently daily 3 years ago to prevent bacterial infections. I found it unsuitable giving me loads of side effects and stopped taking it. My specialist did not mention any dairy problems. However, researching this drug I note that dairy interferes with the metabolism immediately after having Doxy. It is apparently advisable to avoid dairy 2 hours either side of taking Doxy. I hope this helps.
Extremely interesting and thank you so much for raising the point.
Although like most of the replies I too have Doxycycline as my rescue pack and currently on them for something totally different this week too. I’m sure when I read the leaflet on Wednesday it still said about avoiding sunlight, but really dont think anything about dairy either. Will rake leaflet out of recycle again later as threw away after reading. Luckily I haven’t put outside yet. It was a larger than normal leaflet in the bag not the tablet box.
I’ve always taken any meds, so including antibiotics, with plenty of water and reduced milk, but tbh not consciously reduced any other dairy, but that is purely that my father many, many years ago read somewhere about a finding/research paper that several meds were far less effective and in fact effectiveness wiped out completely in some cases if taken with milk. So tbh I bet if this is still the case there will be no end that should avoid dairy too.
Will be interesting to hear what your pharmacist has to say too, and will try researching again too.
Well that isn't strictly speaking true. You ideally shouldn't take dairy products at the same time; but you are fine to use them a couple of hours before/after you take doxycycline
I've been on doxycycline, one a day, for fifteen years and was not informed about dairy products being an issue. Doxycycline has kept my infection rate v low. They do upset my stomach and bowles so have to be careful when and how I take them. Some people just can't take them at all.
I have just finished a course of 100mg per day Doxycyline and the instructions state "if the capsules irritate your stomach, take them with food or milk. Take them either sitting down or standing up." I had to take a double dose on the first day and it did upset my stomach so I took it with milk for the remaining days and it seems to have sorted my chest infection out although my rescue pack of Cipro hadn't touched it, so it must have been a different bug. But now that you have mentioned it, I seem to remember that a hospital pharmacist told me a few years ago that the guidelines had changed and to ignore the leaflet, but this leaflet states that it was last revised April 2022. So now I am confused! 😄
Thank you for posting this. There seems to be a lot of confusion about this, but I shall certainly avoid dairy for 2 hours before and after if I have another lung infection.
I agree with you I’ve never been aware of it from Any Dr or Chemist there is nothing in the leaflet regards milk or dairy products, until my Grandson brought it to my attention. However it would appear from general consensus that your are at least to avoid dairy products for two hours either side of taking Doxycycline….. myself I’m going to cut out them out for the time I’m on them if it helps me in anyway. From the varied replies I have received I find it very puzzling that we have not been made fully aware of this information I have a appointment with mh
Morning pegbi following info from internet....'Excessive phlegm is a problem with COPD, and dairy products can create phlegm – so they should be avoided. These include milk and milk-derived products, including butter, cheese, ice cream, and yogurt.10 Jul 2020'
I've had COPD since 2004/5 & was on the same A/Bi as you plus the Steroids. I started to notice a long time ago that dairy products seemed to increase my cough more especially in a flare up.
I looked into it and for 'me' now I reduce dairy products in a flare up. I really don't need anything to increase the coughing 🙄
I was given Doxycycline recently for a chest infection. I've never had any problems with any other antibiotics so I just swallowed the two starter dose and I felt awful. My head felt like it was going to explode and I felt sick and miserable. So then I read the leaflet about possible side effects. I was shocked to learn that they can cause inter-cranial pressure, visual disturbances, blindness (reports of it being permanent) 😲😧 That was enough for me, I decided to let the chest infection run it's course. I know they say like "1 in a 1000" can get it but if someone gave me a gun and said there were 999 empty chambers and one bullet in there would I chance firing it at my head?
You have to ask yourself why they would prescribe a "cure" that could be worse than the illness?
I am on Doxy permanently to stop lung infections. I don't have a lot of dairy anyway but I have never been told this? I have to take my Doxy with or just after food or I feel extremely nauseous. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, I will check it out!
Thanks pegbl for bringing this to our attention. Best to take with water then delay or cut out dairy products. Dairy stops the doxycycline from being absorbed thus less effective. Only found this out when had mega reaction to doxycycline...photosensitive and upset guts 😡 left me feeling dizzy, nauseous and poorly. Needless to say, allergic status to doxycycline. There are a lot of drugs not to be taken with dairy..but seems we have to find out about reactions ourselves! 🙄 Good luck everyone. Dawn.xx 🥰
years and years ago I asked my very expert bronch specialist about antibiotics and dairy products. It actually applies to all antibiotics. He said that it means not to drink glasses of milk, lots of cheese etc or anything else which is composed of mainly dairy products as you take the antibiotic or within two hours either side of taking them. This is because they interfere with the action of the antibiotic when it is in the gut. It’s ok to have a drop of milk in your tea.
The more worrying thing is the idea that taking pro biotics helps when taking antibiotics. He said that this is an absolute no no because it blocks the absorption of the antibiotic. The time to take them is after you finish the course of antibiotics to rebalance the bugs in the gut.
That really is informative and I fully agree with the probiotics after a course of antibiotics ….. but why have we all not been kept updated and informed on the information is what is annoying me as you can see from the many replies so many people have been given different views on how to take them…… not even in the information sheet supplied with them. They say ignorance is bliss 🙈but definitely not in this case ….we should be better informed. Thank you for your input. X
hi I take Doxycycline as a rescue pack for COPD with pred on my pack it says not to take any indigestion remedies 2 hrs before and after also not to let your skin be in the sun or even on a bright day nothing about dairy at all.
I am on doxy about 8 times a year and was told by my doctor:
No antacids of any type, but if you must, wait until 2 hrs after taking Doxy
No dairy products. don't take the doxy with tea or coffee - take with water only.
Never take one last thing at night then lie down - stay upright for at least 2 hours after taking one.
My husband took these for 8 weeks 3 years ago for a bladder/prostate infection and he had nasty side effects still with him to this day. I only take Doxy when I am very unwell because of this.
it appears that 2hrs either side seems to be the norm, I have tried to get hold of my chemist but the line is constantly busy…… non the less I’m myself am steering clear of any dairy product for the week. It will do me no harm and I prefer to give the antibiotics every chance to do their job 👍
that’s what I tried to do Not have dairy with the meal I was taking it with I don’t have a lot of dairy normally , mainly Greek yoghurt and cream in coffee Take care Hope you feel better soon xx
If its not on the documents with the drug (and I agree, it isn't) its not true - just another internet conspiracy theory. People who do not approve of milk get some pretty weird ideas. I have otherwise sane relatives who no longer even speak to their daughter and her family because they oppose Covid-19 vaccination!
I've never been told that either and I've been on Doxy many times because I tolerate it so well. I've heard of not eating grapefruut with antibiotics but not dairy products. And I love my milk.
I agree me neither which is why I questioned it …… having read others responses and looked into it more myself I intend to steer clear of dairy products in future while I’m on them .
I’ve never heard of this either and my mom was put on these antibiotics quite frequently, though they never seemed to work for her. Sadly, she passed away over almost 18 months ago due to covid pneumonia. I’d be interested to know why, as my mother was a big tea drinker with milk and had cereals with milk every morning for breakfast. Does the milk interfere and make doxycycline less effective? Maybe that’s why they never worked properly. Is there any information on this in the contraindications on the leaflet they put in with the medications? 🤔
So very sorry to hear about you mum, my deepest condolences. I can only say what you see in the replies I’ve had on this subject from other members, it was complete news to me as I have them in my rescue pack. Though I did note it is documented on the internet and one of our members was told that it’s not yet been updated into the leaflet that comes with the tablets.. I know I’m steering clear of dairy product while I’m on them. Xxx
it would seem not everybody is getting the same information….it’s a disgraceful state of affairs…..I can only say for myself I will steer clear of dairy products when I have occasion to go on them again.
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