The main Rx substitutes for Mepron would be Malarone, Coartem and sometimes Larium all of which are still very expensive. You could also use herbs. I use artemisinin and that actually made me herx a lot more than Mepron did even when I was taking Mepron at the double dose. Of Artemisinin I take 400mg 3x per day pulsed 3 days on 11 days off. You should not take Artemisinin alone. It should always be in a combo to avoid resistance. A lot of people also use cryptolepis and sida acuta for babesia.
Minocycline is, in my opinion, just as good as doxycycline. There is some evidence that it may even penetrate the blood brain barrier more effectively. Walgreens sells a month's supply of mino for about
$20 if you purchase their prescript
ion discount card. It's worth it if you are going to be on things long-term.
Here's some info from eMedExpert.com on Mino:
Advantages:
Less photosensitizing. Photosensitivity is least likely than with other tetracyclines.
High concentrations in the tissues. Minocycline is widely distributed in body tissues, with higher
concentrations being found in cerebrospinal fluid and sputum than with other tetracyclines. As in blood, the concentration in tissues is generally 2 to 4 times higher with minocycline than with tetracycline. Equivalent blood and tissue levels achieved whether administered intravenously or orally.
Long half-life (from 11 to 23 hours).
Broader spectrum of antimicrobial activity. Against certain pathogens, minocycline is more potent than the other tetracyclines.
Can be used in renal impairment. Most tetracyclines should be avoided in patients with renal insufficiency. However, minocycline can be used in patients with malfunction of the kidneys. It is eliminated through the hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal tracts.
Low rate of bacterial resistance. Minocycline produces less antibiotic resistance than tetracycline. Bacterial cell membranes contain a lipid layer. One mechanism of building up a resistance to an antibiotic is to produce a thicker lipid layer. This layer makes it difficult for an antibiotic to penetrate. Minocycline chemical structure makes it the most lipid soluble of all the tetracyclines.
Neuroprotective effect:
Minocycline and other tetracycline derivatives have neuroprotective effects unrelated to their antimicrobial properties. Minocycline has the greatest permeability of all tetracyclines through the blood-brain barrier and is well suited for treatment of CNS disorders.
Minocycline can reduce neuronal death after excitotoxicity and ionizing radiation in culture and in animal models of stroke, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The neuroprotective effects of minocycline have been attributed both to reduced inflammation and a direct effect on neuronal survival.
Anti-inflammatory effect:
Minocycline induces anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects unrelated to its antimicrobial activitiy. Although the exact mechanisms of minocycline anti-inflammatory effects are still poorly understood, they may include the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 activity, the inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase, prostaglandin E2, caspase-1, caspase-3, and COX-2 expressions and the impairment of cytokine production.
Time to clear out of the system:
Minocycline half-life is 16 hours (range: 11-23 hours).
A lot of LLMD's avoid mino as a first-line med because it can cause a lot of vertigo and dizziness particularly in women. I haven't had that reaction to it.
Compounding pharmacies (locally) sometimes have zith as low as $60 a month. Sometimes insurance will cover Biaxin instead of Zithromax. They're in the same family and work similarly. A lot of people add Plaquenil to increase zith's effectiveness and sometimes they use Bactrim or Cleocin in combos with macrolides because those meds also have some antimalarial properties. Bactrim and Plaquenil are fairly inexpensive meds if you don't have insurance. Walgreens and Costco generally have the best prices. Local compounding pharmacies are surprisingly inexpensive as well.
Post Edited (Summer3) : 2/18/2013 7:17:13 AM (GMT-7)