Thinking of reducing my Minocyclin | Arthritis Information

Hi. I have been taking minocyclin everyday for the past month. I think it's working. I've felt wonderful for the past two weeks. I currently take 50 mg in the morning and another 50 mg at night. I am worried about building an immunity to it if I take too much of this antibiotic and it loses its efficacy. Should I lower my dosage to just one 50 mg pill a day instead? Or should I take it in alternating days, for example, monday, wednesday, friday only?

Thanks,

Cindy

p.s. - my rheumatologist works with other rheumatologists and i am not sure if they are allowed to work with alternative therapy in their practice group. he gave me the minocyclin only after i specifically asked for it ... he said its for my acne instead when he gave it to me.

Cindy742008-02-21 16:23:50Cindy,
I don't know much about that med---but I think its probably best to check with your doc before you do anything. Let them know of your concerns about building an immunity. It is definitely a valid worry--but with you feeling well on this med and it only being a month--maybe you should keep the dosage as it is for now.

Good Luck!

If you're talking about antibiotic resistance - the chances that you will become resistant to a 3rd generation off patent 50 year old antibiotic and it's the only drug that will help you with MRSA or the flesh eating bacteria is infinitesibily (spelling) small. Also, abx resistance is worrisome for bacteria with cell walls - the bacteria causing AI diseases are cell wall deficient.

It sounds like you are on a modified Harvard Protocol which is normally 200 mgs a day. I prefer the 200 mgs MWF Dr. Brown dosing schedule as I think it kills more microbes.

Frankly, it's great that Minocin is starting to work for you...but you've only been on it a month. You have much more healing to do. I, personally, wouldn't dream of stopping the Minocin until after you've weaned off ALL the other meds and have reached remission. Only then, after addressing and fixing all the issues that got you sick in the first place would I even consider stopping. The danger of the RA coming back is just too great.

Please lurk at the Roadback for help on the roadback to health.

Hugs,

Pip

Edited for word usage.

Pip!2008-02-21 21:24:48While she's got the question up I wanna add a bit more.......

If she stays on the minocin, what does she do if she develops an infection? Let's play and say an ear infection. What would the "typical" course of action be?

How would effect the Minocin she's taking right now, or would it at all?

What would happen if the infection does not respond to other regular antibiotics - not saying MRSA, just a "tough bug" so to speak. How would "more hardcore" antibiotics effect her taking the Minocin?

Sorry to hijack Cindy, but maybe those questions can help you too? :)

My 6 month herx was a doozy - my atypical pneumonia reactivated. I was adamant about staying on the Mino because I was convinced they were going to say 'minocin induced pneumonitis' and use that as an excuse to get me off it. I refused - and looking back, that was probably not so bright. So they had to come up with another antibiotic that would work with the Minocin and not react which was levaquin.

In reality what should have happened is - go off the Mino, do the meds for the infection, and they go back on the Mino after its all done. So sayeth my AP doc who said to never do that again when he found out about it. :-)

So, that's how they'd deal with a tough bug.

Does that help?

Pip

Yes ma'am, thank you.

Cindy, good info? :)

Cindy, glad to hear that you feel the Mino is working for you. One month is a very short time on your road to wellness.

Here is some advice from the RBF board, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Cheers,

Ron

No matter what your deal is with your RD, call him. If he gave it to you "off the record" then he should be able to advise you "off the record" but I'm betting he'll say stay on it for all the reasons Pip gave you.....too early to start messing with the dosage. LindyReducing my daughter's Zith dose was not good. She starting swelling almost to the minute the higher dose would have been out of her system.

Also, my daughter has never had to stop Zith for any infection she has had, she has always been able to take both antibiotics at the same time. But that decision would be up to your doctor. The infections she has had have always cleared during the normal course of therapy, too.

I'm going to use my teen acne/dermatologist example AGAIN! These kids on daily minocycline/tetracycline/erythomycin, etc. are not suffering from antibiotic resistance to my knowledge. Nobody is messing with their treatment, if it works.

Good luck!