HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Doxcy vs. Minocycline?

Support Forums
>
Lyme Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/15/2016 9:16 PM (GMT 0)
Dearest Experts - will try and write the Clifs note version. Caught early treated with Doxcy for four weeks. Stopped Friday night (last dosage). Yesterday wrist/hands and ankles started aching (like a 3 on a 1-10, 10 being most painful) -more like dull ache. Also very tired. Anyway took a Doxcy (I was given extra just in case) and pain went away within two hours. Was suggested on the board that I may want to switch to minocycline. I just Googled and there doesn't seem to be much difference in what they do and they both cross the brain barrier. I have a lot of intolerance with abx. but at least I'm used to this one. Thoughts? Thanks.
Posted 8/15/2016 9:20 PM (GMT 0)
I have not read that doxy crosses the blood/brain barrier as well.


I found this comparing the two:

www.emedexpert.com/compare-meds/doxycycline-vs-minocycline.shtml


www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3171989/

Here's a thread where this was discussed:

www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3178786
Posted 8/15/2016 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
Is your Dr. suggesting you switch?
Posted 8/15/2016 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
Girlie,

Hi. No doctor not suggesting - wrote a new thread asking about it. It was a suggestion on here. I can't find the link regarding doxcy. but read about a dozen articles on both. Thanks for your link - very helpful. I will stay on doxcy for now. Thanks again.
Posted 8/15/2016 9:37 PM (GMT 0)
I see you've been a member since Nov. 2014. Can I assume you've had symptoms since then...and just recently started treatment?

If so, then maybe someone suggested you switch because you were only doing the doxy...usually after several weeks on it, another antibiotic is added.
Doxy alone - other than for a recent infection...it has been suggested that it can cause the lyme to go into cyst forms.

But, even if you switch to minocycline, you should be adding a second antibiotic to it after a few weeks.
Monotherapy with antibiotics is not recommended. LL Dr.'s prescribe a second one from a different class.

Tetracycline plus macrolide (zithro, biaxin - eg.) are commonly prescribed together for lyme.
Posted 8/15/2016 9:42 PM (GMT 0)
Girlie,

Hi. I am new to Lyme. Bit July 4th weekend. Found tick July 5 but not rash/symptoms. Ten days later symptoms began and I started Doxcy.

Funny about 2014 didn't realize it was same board. I was on the Candida diet and came on for that.

No way am I taking two antibiotics at once I can barely tolerate one. I will do Doxcy and herbs - unless I get worse than of course will do whatever I have to do.

Thanks.
Posted 8/15/2016 9:45 PM (GMT 0)
hmmm...well doxy is used for recent infections.

You just need to stay on it until you're symptom free PLUS 4-8 weeks.

Herbs can be taken with the doxy....
Posted 8/15/2016 10:01 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks - that is the new plan. So if I have already been on them four weeks you are saying an additional four weeks OR an additional eight weeks? Yikes.
Posted 8/15/2016 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
first 8 weeks or so of initial infection most LLMD's seem to go mono-therapy that is one antibiotic at a time and after a time (1-3 months depends on LLMD) will switch to another. some of course go combo right away but mono seems to be the prevailing wisdom (if there is any with this stupid disease lol).
Posted 8/15/2016 10:28 PM (GMT 0)
Rikky,

LOL! Love the humor that is a MUST with this confusing, overwhelming, labyrinth of a disease.

Yes prevailing wisdom until that doesn't work and then more prevailing Plan B wisdom, and so on. Perhaps Lyme is the spiritual teacher of patience.

Glad to know I don't have to take more than one abx. - until plan B...

Feel good!
Posted 8/15/2016 10:35 PM (GMT 0)
Huddie it is good that you started treatment immediately as you have good chances to recover.

Anyway, I am on Mino at the moment and my pharmacyst suggested that vertigos that I recently got are from Mino. I have neuro issues and would not like to stop crossing blood-brain barrier, but he insisted I should switch to Doxy because of these vertigos. I don't know what to do?
Posted 8/15/2016 10:46 PM (GMT 0)
blueberry muffin,
consider adding japanese knotweed to the doxy, as that may aid it in crossing the bbb
Posted 8/15/2016 11:17 PM (GMT 0)
Excuse my ignorance, but what is cross blood brain barrier?
Posted 8/15/2016 11:20 PM (GMT 0)
Blueberry,

Best handle to date.

I am basically a newbie so not equipped to respond to your question. That said, there is tremendous intelligence, generosity of sharing, and overall kindness on this board. I'm sure one of the Lyme angels will be along any moment.

What I can offer is that I sincerely hope that you feel better. Vertigo and headaches are awful.
Posted 8/15/2016 11:57 PM (GMT 0)

Huddie said...
Thanks - that is the new plan. So if I have already been on them four weeks you are saying an additional four weeks OR an additional eight weeks? Yikes.

Once you reach symptom free - you need to keep taking them for another 4-8 weeks.
Posted 8/16/2016 12:05 AM (GMT 0)

Lisaji said...
Excuse my ignorance, but what is cross blood brain barrier?

The brain has a network of blood vessels surrounding it creating a protective barrier that attempts to block out harmful substances, but allow nutrients in. It often prevents drugs from being able to enter and help repair the injury or disease of the brain.

In order for substances to penetrate the b/b barrier, they have to be very small and/or fat soluble. Larger molecules have more difficulty passing through.
Posted 8/16/2016 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
thank you for your answers.
I really don't know what to do. Should I switch to Doxy or not. I am so confused.
Posted 8/16/2016 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
Reading your first post..it looks like Doxy was working.


After stopping doxy, you got symptoms, upon restarting, they went away?
Maybe continue for awhile longer...see how it goes...you can always switch to minocycline.

and remember to detox.
Posted 8/16/2016 10:19 PM (GMT 0)
I think that the best thing is to open a new thread and explain my problem better, I don't want to hijack others people threads.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply