Methotrexate versus Tetracycline

[pittRAlady]

Went to see my Rheumatologist today. I asked him questions about the antibiotic protocol. He said he never heard of it, but that Tetracycline was mentioned in several of his text books. He then told me that they bad side effects, worse than methotrexate and that it is not as effective as methotrexate. He said methotrexate works on about 60% of his patients. I know that the AP is a longer road, but isn’t typically more successful than that? Is what he said about the side effects true?

[m.]

Methrotrexate, info + side effects, from NIH.gov

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682019.html

Doxycycline, info + side effects, from NIH.gov

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682063.html

Minocycline, info + side effects, from NIH.gov

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682101.html

[richie]

Hi A later form of tetracycline is called minocycline –call it a third generation tetracycline –The advantage of minocycline over methotrexate primarily is far less side effects than methotrexate —AS to effectiveness I would say that minocycline is 60 % or so effective –See MIRA studies –as to methotrexate that 60% figure thrown out to you is very optimistic and highly doubtful —
richie

[Anonymous]

Methotraxate can kill you.
Linda L.

[Lynne G.SD]

I nearly lost my liver to MTX and this was despite liver enzyme testing every 3 months.I have friends who used it and after a while it did not work anymore and they moved on to biologics.You just can’t use these meds long term.I have been on AP for 16 years in Nov. and doing just fine,down to 100mg doxy every other day and holding steady

[A Friend]

I had a sight-threatening episode with uveitis quite a number of years ago, when I was doing well on AP, and taking Minocin. The Minocin had nothing to do with this eye condition, but with a reaction to an eye drop with antimicrobial action (years later now, in fact just this year 2014), I’ve learned I had cavitations that is a virtual organism factory where my wisdom teeth were extracted many years ago (all this is new information for me since late 2013/early 2014).

To continue my reply to you…
At that time I was told by a local retinal specialist to see a rheumatologist, and begin a drug… methotrexate or another similar one… before he would treat me. I already knew enough about it that I didn’t want to take it, nor did my then-AP physician. So, my AP physician found me another local ophthalmologist to follow my case after I saw a renouwned eye specialist in NY/NJ area who was an expert on uveitis, etc. and on organisms that cause such.

When I saw this specialist in NJ, I mentioned about the first retinal specialist requiring me to begin methotrexate. Dr W in NY/NJ said he was glad I didn’t take it, for it would undo everything we were trying to do. (Many of us here on this board have heard patients say their rheumatologists pled ignorance of Dr. Brown’s protocols. However, some of the rheumatologists do prescribe Minocin/minocycline because in more recent years it has been approved for use as a dmard with eye conditions. Some patients who have no other source of seeing an AP physician, have asked the rheumatologist if they can try the Minocin/minocycline as a dmard.

Good luck to you,
AF

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