Minocycline Dose question

[gratefulgirl]

Need input on what is the preferred dosing — Minocycline 200 mg in am every other day or 100 mg bId every other day? I was taking 50 mg Minocycline bid every day, but now realize I need to give my tissues time to heal which might not happen at the every day dose. This woud be upping my dose by not too much, since I did well on the previous schedule. Thanks! GG

[gratefulgirl]

I think I answered my own question. After trying 200 mg in am, I didn’t herx too badly & felt darn good the next morning (today). But by the late afternoon, I was missing the Mino, so will go back to 100 mg bid QOD tomorrow.

[matv]

That seems like a lot.

Dosing depends mostly on how you feel. Conventional doctors will usually prescribe these drugs for 100mg BID.. But that seems to be too much for some people to handle, so it usually gets pulled back to about 100mg once every M W F, at least for RA patients, anyway. I’m sure someone else may chime in here with much better wisdom than I have, though.

Goodluck! It’s very much about experimentation. Are you doing this yourself? Or do you have an AP doctor?

[lynnie_sydney]

100mg BID is often too much for those with inflammatory forms of arthrides (many SD patients do well on this regime if inflammation is not an issue). The daily dosing issue with inflammatory forms of artheides tends to be because the cell die off causes a great deal of inflammation which, in itself, is counterproductive because it prevents the antibiotic from reaching its target – and is usually coupled with pain that can be too much to handle. The daily dosing on the basis that ‘more is better’ has caused some who have taken that route to start with to quit AP because the herxing was intolerable. That said, responses are highly individualised so it is very hard to generalise.

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)

[gratefulgirl]

@matv wrote:

That seems like a lot.

Dosing depends mostly on how you feel. Conventional doctors will usually prescribe these drugs for 100mg BID.. But that seems to be too much for some people to handle, so it usually gets pulled back to about 100mg once every M W F, at least for RA patients, anyway. I’m sure someone else may chime in here with much better wisdom than I have, though.

Goodluck! It’s very much about experimentation. Are you doing this yourself? Or do you have an AP doctor?

Hi matv, thanks for your input! I am doing this myself. My rheumy has been good about prescribing what I ask of him for AP tx, otherwise it’s up to me to manage my dose. I did not realize this is alot to handle for most w/ RA. Am going with 100 mg BID every other day until my body tells me otherwise. So far so good.

Be well, GG

[gratefulgirl]

@lynnie_sydney wrote:

100mg BID is often too much for those with inflammatory forms of arthrides (many SD patients do well on this regime if inflammation is not an issue). The daily dosing issue with inflammatory forms of artheides tends to be because the cell die off causes a great deal of inflammation which, in itself, is counterproductive because it prevents the antibiotic from reaching its target – and is usually coupled with pain that can be too much to handle. The daily dosing on the basis that ‘more is better’ has caused some who have taken that route to start with to quit AP because the herxing was intolerable. That said, responses are highly individualised so it is very hard to generalise.

Hi Lynnie, yes, I did feel that the daily dosing didn’t allow for tissue healing, so had pulled back my 100 mg bid to every other day, which seems to be fine for now. If it is too much, I’ll pull back to 50 mg bid every other day. Thanks so much for this info. You are always such a help! I also just read your history & it is similar to mine in many ways, though I have not had the migrating aches. I have had swollen lymph nodes in the groin area — the one in my neck is now gone. My pains started with my hands & wrists, also, then began to include elbows & shoulders, then ankles & toes, then knees. Except for my hands which are almost always stiff to varying degrees, all joints see relief depending on when I’ve taken the Mino & Relafen. All joints get tighter as I get further away from my Mino & Relafen dose times.

Sulfasalazine was tried but stopped d/t inability to chew food & not feeling like it was helping much. Your story was well written & inspiring. I look forward to that point when I can wrap up my story so cleanly with a bow & share it as a testimonial. For now, I see progress, as slow as it may be, and that’s maybe because I’m taking too much of the Mino! Maybe I should go back to the 50 mg BID every other day. I also don’t have much body mass — am 5’3 at 110 pounds. I had tried the 100 mg M W F, but didn’t seem to do well on the days off, especially on the Sunday. Still trying to figure this out!

Many thanks! GG

[gratefulgirl]

Well the experiment has reared its ugly head. After a week of 100 mg bid every other day, I experienced major herxing. Left arm, elbow & hand were hypersensitive all day. Felt tired all day. Legs & ankles were pretty much OK, but boy was my left arm in bad shape. So, I will bring my dose further down, again. After a day off tomorrow, I’ll begin taking 100 mg Minocycline every other day. Thanks to Lynnie & MPTV for your feedback & support!

[matv]

Hi GG,

Just a question, are you doing anything to detox? Milk Thistle? NAC? ..*shudder* Coffee enemas? Herx’s are normal and it means it’s working but if they’re too intense then taking it back is a good idea. Detoxing is essential to rid the body of the toxins from the dying bugs.

Looks like you’re doing the smart things though! If you need some more advise, lots of people on here have so much experience they can definitely help you. Me, I’ve only been at this since February, and I’m not even on any antibiotics right now.

[gratefulgirl]

@matv wrote:

Hi GG,

Just a question, are you doing anything to detox? Milk Thistle? NAC? ..*shudder* Coffee enemas? Herx’s are normal and it means it’s working but if they’re too intense then taking it back is a good idea. Detoxing is essential to rid the body of the toxins from the dying bugs.

Looks like you’re doing the smart things though! If you need some more advise, lots of people on here have so much experience they can definitely help you. Me, I’ve only been at this since February, and I’m not even on any antibiotics right now.

Hi MATV, Yes, I’m doing all of the above & they do help. Herxed a lot less today. Biofreeze gel helped alot! I continue to work my biz 24/7 which requires a lot of hand dexterity as I’m a jewelry designer. Haven’t slowed down a bit during all this.

I’m just over three months on AP tx. I’m going to see if my rheumy will do the test to see if I have streptococcal antibodies. I have lots of nodules which could be indicative of strep in the mix with mycoplasma, in which case I’d need Penicillin added to my AP tx. He’s been good about testing me, so will find out this month at next appt.

I hope you’re doing OK. Are you going to get started on AP tx soon?

GG

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