What are the side effects of oxytetracycline?

Oxytetracycline is a Western medicine that people often take in their daily lives. It belongs to the tetracycline class of drugs and is mainly used to treat diarrhea, mycoplasma and chlamydia infections, and some intestinal diseases. Precisely because it has many uses, people may take it frequently in their daily lives. However, I believe everyone knows that all medicines are poisonous to some extent, not to mention that it is a Western medicine, so the side effects are even more obvious.

The most common side effect of oxytetracycline is that it can easily cause drug resistance. If taken for a long time, the body will become resistant to the drug. At this time, taking this drug will not cure any disease at all, and will also cause certain harm to the body. The most common side effects of oxytetracycline are:

1. It can cause skin allergies. Most of the symptoms are maculopapular rash and erythema. In addition, urticaria, angioedema, allergic purpura, pericarditis and exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus may be seen. Exfoliative dermatitis is not common. Anaphylactic shock and asthma may occur occasionally. Some patients taking tetracyclines have experienced photosensitivity when exposed to the sun. Therefore, patients should be advised not to expose themselves directly to sunlight or ultraviolet rays, and to stop taking the drug immediately if skin erythema occurs.

2. It can cause blood system problems: occasionally it can cause hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia and eosinophilia.

3. It may cause renal damage: patients with significant renal damage may experience worsening azotemia, hyperphosphatemia and acidosis.

4. It may cause secondary infection: Long-term use of this product may cause digestive tract, respiratory tract and urinary tract infections caused by drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative bacilli and fungi, and in severe cases may cause sepsis.

5. It can cause damage to the central nervous system: occasionally it can cause benign intracranial hypertension, which can manifest as headache, vomiting, optic disc edema, etc.

6. It may cause digestive system problems: gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, upper abdominal discomfort, abdominal distension, diarrhea, and occasional reports of pancreatitis, esophagitis, and esophageal ulcers, which mostly occur in patients who are bedridden immediately after taking the medicine.

However, it should be noted that although the side effects of oxytetracycline are relatively large, compared with the diseases it can treat, these side effects are far less serious than the harm caused by the diseases. In addition, be careful not to exceed the specified amount when taking it. Generally, it will not cause serious side effects, so you can use it with confidence.