but I have a feeling there is going to be a problem with my insurance.
My Rheumy Rx'd me Minocin to be DAW. I requested the brand because I recall reading that the generic wouldn't work as well but heres my problem: I know that my insurance is going to deny the Minocin unless I can get a Prior Authorization from the Rheumy.
Basically what this means is that he has to provide my insurance co., in writing, a good enough reason for the brand over the generic before they'll ok the Rx as written.
During my appt. today, he told me that he would be "hard pressed" to come up with a scientific reason why the Minocin would work better than the generic and he wasn't going to "just make something up" so that I could get the brand drug.
Any of you AP'ers have some solid data on this?
Thanks. K.
BS!
The brand is pelletized for timed release. Which makes it a lot easier on our stomachs. Many of us have stomach/GI issues which makes this of vital importance. Even if you do not have a history of GERD etc, many of the regular meds we are on (NSAIDS) etc. cause stomach issues and he could cite that as a reason he is requiring the brand. This is the reason I chose to stay with the brand instead of a generic.
I'm doing a quick search now and will post some solid info if I can find it, but you might post on the RB and ask if anybody has links to any generic/brand comparison lists. I know that the subject has come up in the past and somebody over there may know where you can find info to smack your rheumy with.
:-)
Hugs,
Pip
P.S. Most people do OK/heal on the generic. I was so bad, so fast, that I didn't want to take the chance so I chose to only do the brand.
With my insurance I just have to pay the difference between brand andKatalina - the patient insert from the pharmacy for my minocin says right on it that it may be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. The evidence is all there for your doctor and the insurance company.
Keep us informed on how you do and do the lemon drink/milk thistle. I learned that the hard way. Take care, minocin is the only drug that makes me not feel sick anymore. Cathy
Are you guys doing every other day dosing and did you start at 25mg and work up? The dr I talked to yesterday was thinking about just giving me 200mg daily and I thought I read that the dose needs to be pulsed to kill the bugs and that if I start that high of a dose, it'll knock me on my behind? Michelle, I started at one dose of 50mg one day a week, then twice aI started on the pulsing 200 mgs MWF. Many people do the 200 mgs daily and do OK - some herx like hell - but they eventually end up healing if they stick with it. The 25 mgs tend to be prescribed for lupus patients - they are super sensitive to Minocin. I think MP starts with 25 mgs but they are on Benicar which exponentiates the herx.
On straight AP - if you herx like hell - you can lower the dose until you get it under control. On the MP - I've heard they raise the dose of Mino to stop a herx. So, it's got to have immunomodulatory capabilities.
Hugs,
Pip
Edited to say - pulsing does kill more bugs because the mino is only in the system something like 22 hours so when it's 'safe' again the microbes come out of the cells again.
Gimp: Your response is interesting. I'm also one of those people who start with the lowest possible dose of just about everything and then work my way up. One can always add but removing, once its in your system, is another matter.
How did you come up with your initial dosing strategy? I like it.
I am being Rx'd 100mg Minocin, BID. If my prior auth comes through for the branded product, I s'pose I could remove half the med and insert it into an empty capsule making two 50's.
I am going to try this medication because it is the most benign therapy, IMO. I personally am not convinced that the efficaciousness of the tetracyclines have to do with treating RA as an infection process but I AM convinced of the anti-metalloproteinase effects on certain types of RA with the use of them and for that reason also, I'm gonna give it a shot for my inflammatory RA-ILD.
K.
Kat, I got it from a woman in Calgary who runs an AP support group (live and in person). She's been controlling her RA with 50mg Minocin 3 times a week for over 13 years. I spoke to her over the phone and I told her I didn't want to stop MTX cold turkey and wanted kind of dovetail the two therapies and she said a lot of people did that with that protocol. It's taken me a lot longer than I thought it would to go down on the mtx but I've had a few people who did the same thing tell me not to rush it. So far it's been a bit of a slow roller coaster but I think I'm progressively improving.