Blueish Skin Discoloration from Minocin

[Nico]

I am still suffering from a blueish discoloration from the Minocin I take for Scleroderma. What is an alternative to the minocin, ❓ what has any one went on to relieve this problem, its ugly and doesn’t look healthy at all, so I am looking at an an alternative to minocin which have been on over 6 years and I would say I feel amazing for all the health problems I have, just like some thoughts on the subject… Thanks Nico ❓

[Maz]

Nice, great to hear you’re doing so well…just a nuisance you’re dealing with the hyperpigmentation. Doxycycline is a reasonable substitute and it’s suggested on the RBF main site that it’s not a bad idea to rotate the abx, even those within the same tetra class, after about 5 to 6 years anyway for a brief spell to offset tolerance issues. If you’re still on only mino 100mg MWF, though, you may find yourself needing to take more doxy, as patient experience has demonstrated that it doesn’t have quite the same ability to penetrate tissues as mino.

I recall my doctor recommending the use of Vit C with mino to prevent hyperpigmentation, but use of Vit C with SD is a debatable subject, as it can promote collagen….something SDers don’t need. However, there are a few here with SD who still use it, so you might find it helpful to post a new thread on this topic. Vit C helps to metabolize iron out of the body more readily…mino is highly chelative and binds to iron in the tissues, which is why it tends to build up in skin and create these discolorations in some folk. It’s not really clear why some people suffer more with this than others who may not experience it at all. It’s benign, but can be a nasty cosmetic nuisance. Those with SD sometimes just put up with it, as they don’t want to regress in symptoms or they’ll lower their daily dose (e.g. if on Harvard Protocol) and will supplement with doxy so they can still receive some benefit from their mino.

Are you doing anything natural to support your lung function?

[Nico]

Hi Maz,
Great to still see everyone , almost everyone still here, this is a journey we are on and I feel this AP has guided me in the right direction for most of it. I am doing Minocin Watson 200 mg. M’W’F once in the morning, when I first stopped the Minocin after 6 years my body went into the depths of something I have never felt, knees not working, flu like symptoms I guess like a Herx or something. This is why I want to try an alternative for a while I quite the minocin and the discoloration fades in 2 weeks, but it really is soo bad looking and make-up does not cover it up. My PAH is really good been on Letaris for 4 years and doing well. How are you doing Maz, you have been such aa unbelievable support to this website, all I can say is Thank You, it has helped me in so many ways, sometimes there are alternative ways to help our body heals 🙂 Thanks for caring,
Nico

[Maz]

@Nico wrote:

Great to still see everyone , almost everyone still here, this is a journey we are on and I feel this AP has guided me in the right direction for most of it. I am doing Minocin Watson 200 mg. M’W’F once in the morning, when I first stopped the Minocin after 6 years my body went into the depths of something I have never felt, knees not working, flu like symptoms I guess like a Herx or something. This is why I want to try an alternative for a while I quite the minocin and the discoloration fades in 2 weeks, but it really is soo bad looking and make-up does not cover it up. My PAH is really good been on Letaris for 4 years and doing well. How are you doing Maz, you have been such aa unbelievable support to this website, all I can say is Thank You, it has helped me in so many ways, sometimes there are alternative ways to help our body heals 🙂 Thanks for caring,

Nico, it’s great to see you! 🙂 I always love seeing the old-timers come back, especially when they’re doing so well as you are. Fantastic news!!!

I think you’re wise not to just stop your mino based on your past experience of doing so and to look for an alternative. Probably doxy is the next best thing and, if your blue hyperpigmentation fades that quickly, you could probably go back on your mino quite quickly, anyway.

Also great to hear your PAH is well controlled on Letairis. Have you also looked into doing anything naturopathic for the lungs? Anything that promotes glutathione is fantastic for rheumatic lungs…like NAC, non-denatured whey protein, glutathione IV pushes (there are other forms, too, like liposomal glutatione, suppositories, patches, inhalers, etc). Glutathione is the body’s master detoxifier, produced in the liver, and found in rich amounts in healthy lungs and the young, but is depleted as we get older or chronically unwell. It’s excellent for anyone with lung issues, like lung fibrosis. Much info on the web and here on this forum about glutathione, if you’re interested….it has so many health benefits.

Nico, it’s so kind of you to ask how I’m doing! As of tomorrow, I will have stopped all pain meds (Advil was my staple) for the first time in 6.5 years for a grand total of 6 weeks! It’s been a long journey for me – a real test of endurance and patience with lots of ups and downs, but “slowly does it wins the race” in my case, I think. I have been unable to use minocycline as it caused drug-induced lupus in me – that was crushing at the time as I had done so unbelievably well on it for a year and doxy has never been quite as effective. Have done my best to remain positive and, while there may yet be wobbles along the way, considering just how sick I was at the start, it’s a miracle that I’m having a run of pain-free days now. I don’t need any more evidence that abx therapy works…in my case, it just took longer than most. 🙂

Thank you for caring, too, Nico! 🙂

[cavalier]

I had this same issue with mino but the Vit C after a bit seems to not keep this for happening – I was taking from 5grams to 10 grams of Liposomal Vit C daily & for me I still got that ugly blueish grey coloring on my face of all places. I tried other brands of Vit C too just to be sure. Some patients with SD can still get a good response from doxy. One is a patient of Dr G. who did give me Vit C IV’s high doses of up to 100 grams ,I had no issues with this so far anyways, but of course I would not say this is the case for all, but it’s also too early still for me to say. I just know it helped my circulation & it was beiong done to help kill the lyme. Back to what I was saying is Dr G. has had success still with Doxy for a SD patient of his, she softened up quite a bit & was very happy with this. For me Doxy tears up my stomach quite badly – but I just recently read on a post from Phil that a certain type of Doxy does better for the stomach & this encouraged me to see about that – I just need to find that info again & make a note of what that was again for me to remember. Perhaps Phil might comment?
I also got a slightly raised ANA level from the mino after some time, so I felt to try to avoid as good as it is for most folks if I can.

I just got a RX from Dr S. for oral clindy for once a week 900 mg’s he wants me to use the mino still despite these issues for the other days he wants me on the mino 6 days a week, which only makes it harder for the issues I have. I am going to ask him, Dr C. or Dr G. about this other brand of doxy easier on the stomach for the other days.

It maybes best after some time to rotate once in a while especially if you are seeing issues perhaps it is the body’s way of telling us I dunno? Something to discuss with your doc. I took mino as a kid for 2 1/2 yr’s & then took it for a yr recently so maybe or I have wondered if my high levels of lead & mercury as mino is a good chelating agent if that is why I was getting the discoloration up to the skin? I think there could be reasons for this as Vit C also chelates too, in my case they are high.

Hope this is of some help.
Jill

[richie]

Small price to pay for improved health –and a normal qualitative lifestyle
richie

[Nico]

Hey Richie, how are you doing? its great to see my favorites are still hanging in there. Yes damn blue skin anyway, LOL
but I would rather not have it if there’s alternatives for me, but I will never forgo my overall feeling from the minocin if something else doesn’t work. You know it takes a LONG time to see this AP thing through, but there is no doubt in my mind that I chose the right path, if anyone hears of anything new, please post, Love to everyone,
Nico

[awesomemb]

I have the blueish/slate spots all over my legs. Ugh I look like I have been abused. I may look into the vit c. 😎 Mary Beth

[richie]

Hi Nico -Doing good –it also sounds like you are doing well –I have a darker complexion and blue ankles –but I wouldnt change anything !!!! You might look into vit C BUT Vit C in large doses can promote collagen production which is really NG for SD folks –Didnt really give you any answers but its good to hear from you and most importantly good to hear you are doing well !!!!!
richie

[Author]

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