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[clong1057]

I was diagnosed with Lupus and Sjrogrens about 1 year ago. I have only taken Placqunel and had shot of Cortizone in my hips and lower back every 3 months, which I am just finding out from all the reading I’ve been doing on this site are really bad. I want to talk to my Rheumy about the AP but there is just so much information that I am overwhelmed and thinking I should just go to a Dr. that is already familiar with this treatment. I am getting much worse already with swollen knees, fatique, legs and feet hurt, thumb joints, difficulty getting up from sitting in a chair and just recently trouble swollowing and focusing at work. Any suggestions? I have read most of the book that was recommended with the Road Back book inside and I really feel this is the treatment I want. My Dr. wants to put me on all the horrible drugs I have heard mentioned on the site and I have refused but I am getting where I’m in a lot of pain and taking Vicadin only when it’s unbearable. I don’t want to get addicted to pain killers either. Help!

[BG]

Welcome!

All of it is overwhelming and hard to sort out. The most important thing to remember is that minocycline is a DMARD (Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drug) and so your rheumatologist will be familiar with it and the treatment even if he/she doesn’t agree with it or believe in it, and, because you haven’t been prescribed higher level DMARDs yet, it would not be out of line for you to ask for and insist on starting with a low level DMARD such as minocycline first. BUT, because you have lupus, you should ask for and be prescribed doxycycline instead because minocycline is known to cause hypersensitivity reactions and or drug induced lupus. Both minocycline and doxycycline are in the tetracycline group of drugs. Doxycycline is structured differently so it causes fewer side effects and is not known to cause drug induced lupus while still providing the same benefits as minocycline.

Best wishes,
Barb

[clong1057]

Thanks Barb for both the encouragement and the advice. I did through the help of the Road Back Foundation find a Dr. that does AP about an hour from my house and have a appt. set up for middle of August. I sure hope this works for me as it has for so many others. I understand it could take awhile before it works but I’m ready to get started. I will try to keep in touch and I’m sure I will be on here looking for advice. Thanks again and wish me luck.

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