How to get off AP when ready

[Merla]

I'm wondering if anyone can give me some advice on how to get off of doxycycline. Should I taper? Dose every other day? or quit cold turkey?

I have successfully quit prednisone! Yeah!

Yesterday I saw my doctor, he was pleased with my progress and said I should now get off the antibiotic and the antifungal.

Any advice?

Thanks,

Merla

[Maz]

[user=262]Merla[/user] wrote:

I'm wondering if anyone can give me some advice on how to get off of doxycycline. Should I taper? Dose every other day? or quit cold turkey?

Hi Merla,

This is AWESOME news! I can only share what I'd do…if my labs and physical symptoms had been in complete remission for a good few months (in your case also after ceasing pred), then I'd lower my dose verrry gradually. Some folk have gone from a remissive state on daily dosing and found that a sudden jump to pulsed dosing sets them back. I don't know what your dose is, but the way I'd personally do it for myself would be to just take a very slow approach and, if I noticed any symptoms creeping back, I'd go back up a level again….kind of like with pred weaning.

It's so different in every case that it's hard to know how anyone is going to react, much like when one starts AP, ya know? I think because I was just so severe, though, I'm likely to remain on AP for many years just to be sure I don't go to that dark place again.

All the best in your decision-making process!

Peace, Maz 

[carries]

Congrats Merla!!! That is wonderful!!! I cannot wait until I can say i am off pred. I just got down to 3mg this week……in two weeks i will go down to 2.5mg…..I am only doing it by .5 bc i am afraid to do it by 1mg.

Wow….so you will soon be off all meds…that is fantastic!!!! :roll-laugh:

[Peach73]

Just curious…do your AP docs put you on prednisone while taking AP?  I'm kinda worried about the herx effect and wonder if I will be given a med to help me through that as I work full time and am a single mom.   Guess it depends on the doc huh?

[carries]

My Rheumy Dr has me on the prednisone….I think that may be why i never really herxed…and if i did it was so minor i didnt really notice. Are you on pred now??

[Peach73]

I was on prednisone last week for a flare of my RA …this is from my regular rheumy who wont prescribe AP.  I see an AP doc in a couple of weeks.  I'm pretty sure my rheumy won't see me after I see the AP doc as he is against AP.   My care will just be turned over to the AP doc for my RA I guess.  I'm still confused on how this works!  Guess I will know more after my appointment.    Carries…I see you take fish oil…do you see that it helps?

[carries]

I definitely think the fish oil helps. My Rheumy suggested it as did all my rheumies in the past and i read it in a medical journal magazine. He suggested I take 4000mg.

[Merla]

Thanks Maz. I really value your advice and think you are exactly right. My partner also always gives me great advice and told me the same thing and added that I should wait until June when I have less stress at work and I will be more rested. She reminded me that things are more difficult for me when I'm physically tired – which is stress for me.

So, my plan for now will be to wait until June (or when my body feels 100% again) before I begin to reduce the doxy. I currently take 100mg twice a day. I'm not sure how much I will reduce the dose at first but I'll let you know when I figure that out. It will be by very small amounts and I'll see how I respond. I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to go back to that dark place and I'm happy to know that I won't thanks to AP.

Carries, thanks for your support! Good luck with your prednisone reduction – GO SLOW.

[Parisa]

Merla,

If you decide you are ready to go off the antibiotics in June, you might look  into taking some antimicrobial herbs for a while as another way to help your body transition.  That is what my husband's LLMD has him doing right now and I believe that is what Kim did also. 

[PhilC]

My plan is to start on LDN and be on it for at least a few months before I try to taper off of antibiotics. That way my immune system will have some support, and hopefully the probability that I'll need to go back on an antibiotic will be reduced. LDN is supposed to be safe to take on a long-term basis, so if I am going to be taking something for many years I'd rather it be LDN than an antibiotic. LDN is also less expensive than Minocin.

Phil

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

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