spotty shins – hyperpigmentation

[doxiemom2014]

Hey everyone… I have been on 100 mg of mino twice a day for almost 6 months and have begun to notice spotty shins the past few weeks. My rheumy apt was 2 weeks ago and she said it looks like hyperpigmentation (mino induced) and to “keep an eye on it”. Well, it continues and looks like the pics others have posted in Google images for various sites. Ugly! I don’t notice any other blue black areas but I think I’m going to discontinue the mino…tonight, I think it is becoming more prevalent. Of course I’m worried because I have had tolerable pain levels the past few months. I only take naproxen twice a day and the mino twice a day. I’m not sure if I should pulse the mino or quit altogether.
Questions –
Should I ask Rheumy to switch to doxy?
Also, should I contact a dermatologist? I read that Q-switched Alexandrite Laser can remove this type of pigmentation. Oh gee…I really felt like I was finally making progress with my foot pain. Technically Dr. has me diagnosed as Reactive arthritis -not enough symptoms for RA. Thanks everyone!

[kater]

I had the same thing–unsightly but cosmetic in nature. It will fade with time. I switched to doxy and mine went. My doctor now says to rotate doxy and mino every 6 months to prevent this, but I think maybe every 3. Personally I would not give up my great health progress over it. I have SD not RA but did get into remission while on doxy. Good luck
kate

Systemic Scleroderma since 2010. Lyme and Myco P. AP and many other antibiotics and treatments since Nov. 2011. Presently mostly in remission other than fatigue.
Teva Minocycline 100mg a day. Dessicated tyroid, LDN 4.5, LDI, hawthorne, curcurmin, berberine,, caprylex, reishi mushroom, liver protect, zinc,, fish oils, magnesium, vit K2, d3, bcomp, E, C

[doxiemom2014]

Thank you Kater – I called Rheumy today and asked to switch to doxy…she said if the pigmentation happened with mino it will happen with doxy. Now I don’t know what to do. I feel like I’m doctoring myself sometimes (as I know many others on this board feel as well). I was going to cut down the mino to 3 days a week one tablet of 100mg. I had been taking 200 mg every day since October. Technically I’m labeled Reactive arthritis as no one seems to know if I have AS or pre RA. Spondyloarthropathies of some sort – I’m HLA B27 positive. I was just checking out a supplement online called SAM-E…think I’m going to try it.

[PhilC]

@doxiemom2014 wrote:

I called Rheumy today and asked to switch to doxy…she said if the pigmentation happened with mino it will happen with doxy.

That is not true.

I also have that bluish-black pigmentation. It is on my left foot and the upper part of my left ankle. I also have a very tiny spot on my face below my left eye. I take 200 mg of mino every day, and I have no intention of reducing my dose. I’m not going to jeopardize my treatment over such a trivial matter. The pigmentation is harmless, and since it is usually covered by socks or pants, I’m the only one who knows it’s there.

Phil

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[A Friend]

@PhilC wrote:

@doxiemom2014 wrote:

I called Rheumy today and asked to switch to doxy…she said if the pigmentation happened with mino it will happen with doxy.

That is not true.

I also have that bluish-black pigmentation. It is on my left foot and the upper part of my left ankle. I also have a very tiny spot on my face below my left eye. I take 200 mg of mino every day, and I have no intention of reducing my dose. I’m not going to jeopardize my treatment over such a trivial matter. The pigmentation is harmless, and since it is usually covered by socks or pants, I’m the only one who knows it’s there.

Phil

Doxiemom,

For myself, I would be leaning toward going in the direction of staying on the Mino… perhaps in the future switch if conditions suggest it might be helpful. My thinking is that “maybe” your detox system is doing its job… maybe could do better, but we can’t see inside your body systems to see how much die-off is occurring.

Looking back, benefitting from knowledge about my own long experience of addressing with Mino, detoxing, getting better, sometimes feeling worse, but ultimately better…. I’d suggest that you learn all you can about detox methods, and supplements for protecting your body systems, while assisting them to safely usher the toxins out of your body. Among the sites/links found this morning that were very impressive, was a list of foods in a simple sentence or two, that were examples of the best foods for building glutathione.

There are supplements like ImmunoPro that can help with making glutathione and helping the liver to better detox nightly when it goes through this phase. All of the things I’m mentioning have at one time, I believe, been discussed in posts on the BB here. A search can be done to find existing posts on many of these subjects. [Earlier this morning, I stumbled upon an impressive site with so much information available with a simple click.]

Also, the FIR … far infrared sauna … is a good way, and even works better when we’ve been able to walk briskly for a few minutes or ride an exercise bike for a few minutes before using the sauna and sweating out the toxins. It is highly recommended that patients are familiar with a regimen for taking certain supplements before sauna-ing and for replacing needed minerals, etc. sweated out.

Something easier for patients in early treatment like you is probably to get the large plastic bags of Epsom Salts (I was given some scented Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt Soaking Solution with Eucalyptus Spearmint). Epsom salts supplies magnesium, which we with chronic illnesses are usually deficient in. Magnesium is needed for so much, and it does help address our painful conditions. Two cups of it in a tub with lots of moderately hot water for 30 minutes had me recently feeling like I was in another orbit! lol I’m spoiled now, and will have to have the scented Epsom Salts.

As you read about things and may feel might be helpful, you may want to copy the links, information, etc. because often our memories are not very good especially when we are not feeling well.

I’m rushing now. Hope things I’ve written hurriedly here make sense. If not, I’ll try to do better when I return.

Keep the faith!
AF

[RevereRosie]

I noticed several weeks ago that I have what looks like black and blue marks above my ankles on both legs, more towards the inner sides of my legs. I remember I banged my left leg on a foot board making the bed while I was visiting my children in Boston over the past Xmas holidays. After I saw this post, I thought it would be a very long time for a black and blue mark to remain and usually they fade to yellowish color……….one hurts when I touch it.

I have an appt. with my primary care who put me on minicycline and I will discuss the marks.

I also noticed pain in the back of my legs when I walk for a long time. I feel I can’t blame everything on the mino but I can’t overlook it either. I have R/A and SD.

I wish my swollen fingers would go down so I can wear my rings again. I can’t even wear my watch. Do you think they will every go down? Does anyone have bad swollen fingers. I don’t know if it is from the R/A or the Scleroderma?

The good news is that my wrist is not as painful. I’m grateful for any even small change for the better regarding the pain.

I feel blessed that we all have this site to reach for help. It is comforting to me.

[doxiemom2014]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I’ve decided to cut my mino to once a day (100mg) rather than twice a day. Also I am going to meet with a dermatologist about the spotty shins. I’m not all that vain, but summer is coming and my shins looks all banged up and I have a few random black spots that look like freckles. Thanks!

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