Dr Brown Video

[Patricia.Ann]

I am quite new to posting and the Antiobiotic Protocol.

Having read a lot of the posts it would seem that most people are taking Minocycline but Dr Brown’s video recommends Tetracycline and Doxycycline. I live in the UK and not sure if Minocycline is available. Could anyone tell me the difference please?? I will then be able to explain it to my rheumatologist at my next appointment. I have now ordered the New Arthritis Breakthrough book which I am really looking forward to reading.

Am really loving the site.

Thank you all in advance 🙂

[Maz]

@Patricia.Ann wrote:

Having read a lot of the posts it would seem that most people are taking Minocycline but Dr Brown’s video recommends Tetracycline and Doxycycline. I live in the UK and not sure if Minocycline is available. Could anyone tell me the difference please?? I will then be able to explain it to my rheumatologist at my next appointment. I have now ordered the New Arthritis Breakthrough book which I am really looking forward to reading.

Hi Patricia,

Very nice to meet you and welcome to the RBF forum! 🙂

Tetracycline and doxycycline are earlier versions of minocycline, which is thought to have superior tissue penetration. When Brown first began treating with the tetracyclines, minocycline was not available. Some folk do absolutely fine on tetracycline and doxycycline, but the preference is for minocycline. Doses can vary a lot and often it depends on variables such as infections being treated. For instance, duration of disease, degree of inflammation and other meds being used. My RA was triggered by Lyme disease, which generally requires higher doses (the downside being greater herxing). In my case, I am unable to use minocycline due to a rare drug reaction, but I tolerate doxy and tetra just fine…maybe just as well, because minocycline often can’t be tolerated in the higher doses needed for Lyme therapy.

At the end of the Brown movie, you’ll see the dosings he used for doxycycline and tetracycline. In this context, 250mg tetracycline is equivalent to either 100mg mino or 100mg doxy.

In UK, minocycline is sold under various trade names, which you’ll find here:

http://www.patient.co.uk/medicine/Minocycline.htm

Aknemin

[Patricia.Ann]

Hi Maz,

Thank you SO much for a very informative reply. I really appreciate the time you have put into that for me.

I do have Dr H’s details – thank you. Not sure if I will be able to get to him at the moment though, because it is a very long journey for me, and I don’t think physically I am up to it at the moment. Something to think of for the future though.

Looking back, I think I have been having mini flares for many years. Perhaps as much as seven to eight years. Sporadic though and mild until two years ago things started to get more difficult. Couldn’t get a referral to a rheumatologist until a year ago when life had become very difficult indeed. I ended up completely debilitated and in bed unable to move. This resulted in me being diagnosed with RA but no RA factor in my blood or Anti CCP. Apparently, according to my rheumatologist, not having these in my blood is a good sign but it doesn’t feel good to me!!! I also have antibodies in my liver. I am certain this is due to not being diagnosed soon enough and my system flared in a massive way.

I have been on Prednisolone for a year (at 30mg for many months and now down to 10mg, Celebrex, Oramorph and more recently Hydroxychloroquine. Although these medications have helped a great deal they are just masking symptoms and if they were taken away I would be in the same state as previously, in bed in excruciating pain. I need to try something different because I don’t want to go on the biologic drugs if I can help it.

My rheumatologist is very good. He listens and will listen to my views. I have briefly mentioned AP to him and he seems as though he is open to talking about it at my next appointment. However, I am not sure how versed he is in it, so I need to be ‘armed’ with as much information as possible before September. The herxing scares me a bit and how to deal with it re dosing etc but the thought of feeling well again makes me want to try it. The conventional meds don’t get to the root cause so the protocol makes perfect sense.

Maz, it is a joy to have found this forum. Everyone is so supportive of each other. You volunteers are to be commended for your genuine concern for others. A heartfelt thank you.

Patricia x

[Maz]

@Patricia.Ann wrote:

I also have antibodies in my liver. I am certain this is due to not being diagnosed soon enough and my system flared in a massive way.

My rheumatologist is very good. He listens and will listen to my views. I have briefly mentioned AP to him and he seems as though he is open to talking about it at my next appointment. However, I am not sure how versed he is in it, so I need to be ‘armed’ with as much information as possible before September.

Patricia, it’s a pleasure and glad something might have helped in your researches. I completely understand how the thought of traveling may be too much for you right now. I was in bed-ridden agony and often say I would have had to be air-lifted to go see Dr. S in Iowa for IVs (at that time I was unaware of any docs in this state offering IVs). Hopefully, though, when you’re feeling better, it will be an option you can choose to help boost your AP. I think it also helps speaking with an experienced doctor, as it can put one’s mind at rest, rather than feeling as though you’re flailing around in the dark trying to get an non-AP doc on board.

As you’re seronegative for RA, was reactive arthritis ever discussed with you as an alternative diagnosis? The spondylarthritides can appear to be RA-like in some folk and it can be very difficult to get a diagnosis for these as there are no definitive lab measures to aid diagnosis, except inflammation markers (SED or CRP) and, in some people, a positive genetic marker for HLA B27. This might be something to ask your rheumy to test you for, if not already done. The only reason for differentiating between RA and a reactive arthritis or spondylarthritide is that diet can be a big factor in the latter and different abx might be used, as well. Otherwise, though, AP works for most all rheumatic diseases as described in the book.

Were you told which liver antibodies showed up positive? If not, it’s quite a good idea to ask for copies of all your labs, so you can keep them in a file at home and watch your progress over time. It would also be a good idea to figure out what type of liver issue might be going on right at the outset. As long as liver function tests (liver enzymes) are normal, then you should be fine, but some drugs, including abx, may be contraindicated with some liver problems. It’s just worth checking this out and, when you have the details of your labs, it might not be a bad idea to send Dr. S an email to ask him what he thinks about you starting AP. This very kind, experienced AP doc trained right under Dr. Brown and has been serving rheumatic patients for decades now, so he’s seen just about everything and can offer insights on many of these types of questions. He is also very kind to consult with open physicians wanting to help their patients with AP. So, perhaps even your very helpful doc would do this for you? I’ll send you a PM (private message) with his contact info (just click up top where it will say (1 new message)).

Paticia, I know how the NHS system works, as I used to go to school and college in England and my hubby’s family hail from Kent. Is there any way you could get a local GP to get you going on AP before Sept, as this seems a bit of a long time to have to wait? It’s a simple antibiotic used every day by teens with acne and in the doses Brown used, it’s about less than half of what your average teen would take, too, so pretty innocuous, all in all. If you could get some further info on the liver antibodies and check in with Dr. S by email, then get a local doc to get you started, the sooner the better. 🙂

By the way, there is also Dr D in Newcastle, a rheumy who also treats RA with abx, so this might be closer to you? I’ll jot his info in a PM if this will help, too.

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