Mino side effects

[Silvia]

hello everyone:

I just started AP a couple of weeks ago, first with 50 mg BID of generic minocycline, after a week I upped it to 100 mg BID.  I switched to brand name Minocin (Stefel) 100 mg BID a couple of days ago. I have ringing in my ears, I'm dizzy, light headed and spacey.  I'm taking the Mino every day.  Is the general consensus that MWF dosing may alleviate the side effects?  I would like to stay on the 100mg and not go back to 50mg since I only just started treatment (no results so far)

As an aside, it's great reading everyone's stories, gives me hope after years of frustrating treatment failures, thanks a lot!  Silvia- Canada. 

[Cheryl F]

Silvia:

The side effects that you descibe are very common.  Those exact side effects happened to me when I started taking Minocin.  Many people have reported that they had the same side effects.  For the most part, what people have reported they did was to back down to a lower dose, of course after consulting your doctor.  Then build up slowly to the higher desired dose.  From what I have read, this process might take 2 – 3 weeks. 

If you do a search on this board under side effects, you can find the older posts on this issue.  I am sure reading how others endured and got past this problem should be encouraging that you too can overcome this situation.

Cheryl Ferguson

[awesomemb]

I would get dizzy from mino if I took it too close to food. No eating two hours prior and at least wait 1 hour after. 🙂

[Silvia]

thanks Cheryl for your reply, it makes sense.  I'm anxious to get results (type A personality!), so I want the optimal dosing, which from what I understand is 100mg BID, either daily or MWF.    My RA is not the typical presentation, so it's difficult for me to know if it's a herx, a flare or nothing.  I have destructive arthropathy of the joints in my right foot.  At this point, that's the main area of pain, with minor pains in thumbs. When it first started about 8 years ago it was in my wrists and shoulder.  My ESR was high some years back, but is now normal, my RF is positive but not very high, anti CCP is negative.  I remember many years back, prior to the RA having respiratory illnesses and having a CF test done for mycoplasma and it was positive. thanks again!   S. 

[lynnie_sydney]

Welcome Sylvia. And please take it from another type A personality that more is not necessarily better on AP. In fact, sometimes, less is more. Everyone is different, but I got my classically great result on 100mg once a day MWF. However, other folks find other regimes work for them. It can be quite individual. Best you can do is read up and educate yourself so that you can partner with your doc on your road to wellness. Best to you. Lynnie

Be well! Lynnie

Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)

[Silvia]

thanks very much for your reply Lynnie, I appreciate it.  I will try the 100 mg MWF once/day and see how I tolerate it.  I haven't yet gone to an AP doctor, my husband is an orthopaedic surgeon, who has desperately tried to help me all these years in finding a solution to my problem, but has been very frustrated with the results of conventional medicine.  When I found out about AP he was very positive and supportive.  So for now, he's doing the prescribing, based on my requests, which are based on the guidelines in the book and the website.  How long were you on the 100 mg/day MWF before you noticed an improvement? thanks again, and best wishes to you!!   Silvia

[lynnie_sydney]

Sylvia – for me it was 6 weeks (I had a classic herx for 6 weeks). I felt absolutely wonderful after this. However, my condition is palindromic (meaning it comes and goes) so is not classic RA (even though my RF was 692!!!!!!). You can read my testimonial on main page (History of my palindromic RA and AP journey) in which I document the weekly stages of my personal herx. You might also want to have a look at the physicians material for your husband. How wonderful that he is so supportive and able to prescribe for you. We all know the 'fed up with conventional meds' feeling, but few of us are lucky enough to have a partner who can DO something about it!! Best to you and keep posting! Lynnie

Be well! Lynnie

Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)

[Silvia]

thanks Lynnie for your reply and your kind words.

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