resistance to Minocin – any suggestions??

[kathyo]

hi, does anyone have any recommendations on what I should do? Resistance developed to Minocin back in September when I iincreased the dosage too slowly while herxing.

Now on Tindamax, Mepron, and Tetracycline and Nistatin for yeast. Tindamax and Mepron have helped with energy some, but heart palpitations, fatigue, fleeting pains, chest discomfort and dizziness have continued. Any suggestions at all wouild be helpful.

K

[Maz]

Hi Kathy,

Sorry to hear you're having so many symptoms. You're a on a pretty heavy combo protocol. Any chance some of your symptoms may be side-effects of one or more of these drugs? Sounds like you're on a Lyme Disease protocol, because you're sure covering a lot of corners, being on an anti-fungal, anti-protozoal, anti-parasitic and antibiotic.  

If you don't mind me asking, what is your diagnosis? Also, what did you mean when you said you developed a “resistance” to minocycline by gradually increasing your dosage while herxing? On the main website (roadback.org) you'll find info about herxheimer reactions and the hypersensitivity state under the Education tab and Brochures and Physician's Protocol (historical). The hypersensitivity state many experience with rheumatoid disease usually means the dose will be lowered rather than raised to bring the herx to more tolerable levels.

Sorry for all the questions!

Peace, Maz

 

[richie]

Hi

I was thinking the same thing –resistant to minocin –what were the symptoms –also if one is resistant to minocin –which is rare by the way –I think one is also going to have resistance to tetracycline since its the same class!

richie

[kathyo]

Being treated for mycoplasma hominis, lyme (western blot), basesia, yeast and who knows what else is in the picture.

Minocin stopped working after about 4 weeks trying to gradually build it up with daily dosing. G. Nicolson warned me not to build it up too slow, but I was herxing sooo badly.  It suddenly stopped working and I started to crash (symptoms returning, fatigue, etc). I had been improving and it suddenly stopped working over a period of several days. It worked for shorter and shorter amounts of time and I knew something was wrong. Continuing with the minocin for some time after this did not show any improvement. Hence, this began my 10+ month trial of many many different antibiotic combinations and a number of doctors and discovering that Lyme and Basesia were part of the picture. I used to have classic (milder) RA symptoms. Now it's different set of symptoms. I think Lyme and Basesia were part of the picture all along but I was unaware.

The opinions vary considerably if one develops a resistance to Minocin if they will also be resistant to other tetracyclines. My pharmacists says there is about a 90% chance of resistance to other Tetracylines. Several docs (including Dr. F. in CA) has told me that is not necessarily the case. That is a huge question I have.

I am sure that a resistance occurred back in September. Yes. I was pretty devasted when it happened.

K

[John McDonald]

Kathy – Severe lyme can be real difficult to treat. I hope you find your way soon. For a different way to look at your question see my post here.  -john

[Rosemary Perth Aust.]

Nystatin is not sufficient. I will send you a private message.

[Maz]

Hi Kathy,

As a fellow Lymie, you might be interested to read my progress thread here:

http://www.rbfbb.org/view_topic.php?id=301&forum_id=3

As John commented, chronic Lyme is very difficult to treat and many Lyme patients are doing quite well on the Marshall Protocol.

I'm intrigued by your description of minocin resistance, as your description of what you experienced sounds very similar to what I was experiencing at about the year mark on very heavy combos doses of various meds. Along with these various combos, I had been on tetracycline for 12 months through to last December, apart from a break to try the “Shardt Protocol” for Lyme. By the one year mark, however, the herxing was becoming intolerable. So, I asked my Lyme doc if could switch to minocycline, which he agreed to, though he wanted to try me out on Rifampin, as well. Again, daily dosing was too much and herxing was unbearable. Felt like battery acid flowing through my veins. So, about two months in, I asked him if I could try low dose pulsing with minocin in combo with azithromycin to which he agreed. After another adjustment, lowering the zith dose and spacing it to a wider pulse, I found my ideal dose.

I think what had occurred was that I had just reached a level of tissue hypersensitivity (described by Dr Brown in “The New Arthritis Breakthrough) that had become intolerable. As Brown described it, less is more where rheumatoid disease is concerned.

Of course, this isn't the generally accepted treatment for Lyme (which involves a consistant, high dose combo assault on the bugs), but it is working very well for me. Pulsing on Mon, Wed and Fri with mino and every 10 days with zith (see doses below) means I still herx at pretty regular intervals (a good thing) and my blood markers are still improving, but I don't have to go through as much discomfort to get to the end result. At the 20 month mark, I'm now having 95% improved days with some 60% days intermingled every week or so. My bad days now are like my good days were at this time last summer.

Have you managed to read the book yet? If not, I highly recommend it. It will explain why tetracycline resistance is unlikely and the rationale for using the low dose, pulse method. You may even find you will be able to retry minocycline at a lower dose.

Wishing you well in your searches!

Peace, Maz

PS Just adding an edit afterthought here….with babs, some type of anti-protozoal needs to be in the mix, as well. Have you tried plaquenil yet? 

[bas bleu]

Kathy,
One other thought, yeast symptoms mimic the disease symptoms. 4 weeks on abx would be enough to give you increased yeast symptoms. You would need diflucan or a natural anti-fungal such as oil of oregano to decrease the yeast load, Nystatin isn't enough. JMHO.
Jan

[kathyo]

Yes, I am taking Oregamax (oregano with garlic) and Biocidin. I have to build up to the Oreganol (oil). The oil is stronger. It was so powerful even at one drop! I had to devide up the Oregamax (powder oregano) and start slow. I highly recommend both products. God has created some wonderful natural solutions. Definately killing off something. I am now at 1/2 Oregamax and 2 drops of Biocidin before I go to bed. My sleep has improved even!

K

[klogan]

So frustrating!
I am sensitive to Mino. I developed mino-induced lupus after ramping up the dosage from 50mg mino/50 mg doxy to 100/100. (I'd been on AP about 8 months when this happened.) I also developed incredible pain in all new joints, liver enzymes elevated, feverish feeling sore throat, sore tongue, finger and toe blisters, swellings on fingers, sweeling on any old site of a scar, cut, spinter, blister etc. Then there was the fatigue,' can't cope' feeling, depression and rage.

For me it seemed to send my immune system into hyper-overdrive plus herx. I'm on 50mg doxy now, and doing much much better. Still have pain in the new pre-reaction joints, but I'm still way way way better.

I think some people definitely react badly or develop a sensitivity to mino. It is not a problem free drug, by any means. I have heard it described as a poison. But then, so is Ibuprofen and certainly Methotrexate. So for me AP is defintely worth a try. The mino sensitivity does seem to pass. I might cautiously try it again some time – don't know what the Rheumy will think. My experience felt pretty catastrophic to me.

Good luck to you and to all of us!

[Rosemary Perth Aust.]

It is a credit to you Klogan that you kept going and tried something else and it worked.  We all have to be a little brave when we are in this position or we cannot solve the mystery in ourselves as we are not all the same.  I admire your courage and the fact that you try.  It is the only way to work this all out. I have made mistakes many times but managed to get wnagle myself out of the situation by using something else.

For sure it is better than those harsh other drugs by miles.

[Author]

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