Minocycline

So as detailed here, I havent been feeling well recently. Finally have made significant improvement in the neuropathy only to have a new issue pop out of the woodwork:

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=4273058

Spent the day reading about minocycline and autoimmune arthritises, on FB and TheRoadBack.org. Seems like mino really seems to help. It's unclear if it's due to its properties as a DMARD, or if its due to its antibiotic properties, but does seem to help. Plaquenil would be a better choice as a DMARD, but afraid of the risk of developing Ps, knock on wood that doesnt happen. Saw some people in the PsA group who were on mino and doin well. May ask to trial it.

Was curious how bad the side effects are? Seems like it's one of those drugs that makes people pretty sick and nauseous? Has anyone started at a subclinical dosage, say 25mg, and worked up? Also I know it can cause drug-induced lupus, has anyone here had that happen? Would doxy or tetracycline function as a DMARD in the same way?


Ironically, my best friend's grandfather is responsible for inventing tetracycline and doxycycline. Interesting story how he did it:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/12/business/lloyd-conover-dead-inventor-of-groundbreaking-antibiotic.html

Post Edited (dcd2103) : 11/25/2021 3:05:51 PM (GMT-7)

Minocycline is definitely immunosuppressive. Arthritis wasn't a major issue for me, but I did notice that minocycline reduced some herx symptoms. Do be a little careful with it, I got covid quite easily when I was on minocycline.

Minocycline does have a somewhat slow elimination and can stay in the body for a day or two. I found that sometimes after taking minocycline I could take probiotics and eat and not have too much trouble, but then the next day I would get diarrhea from the leftover minocycline. I didn't have as much diarrhea from clarithromycin which has a much quicker elimination.

Other than that I didn't have much trouble with it. I also found that minocycline was far more effective against bartonella than clarithromycin.

Minocycline is reported to have a risk of sunburn and hair loss. I didn't notice much hair loss, and I stay out of the sun because I sunburn very easily even without minocycline.

Couldn't tolerate Mino. I started with 100mg twice daily which is a high dose and only lasted one day on it. After the evening dose I had an episode where I saw flashing colored lights followed by a really intense headache. I believe it gave me an optical migraine and also possibly intracranial hypertension.

sounds like most of the adverse effects are due to herx like reactions to me dcd - so as others have said just start low and go slow.

i haven't tried minocycline - but i did try doxy for around 9month - i am moderately sensitive and didn't find doxy hard to tolerate at 2x 100mg per day - maybe v mild queasiness in the first week only - felt worse aching and fatigue for around 4-6 weeks - which was manageable- then gradually better - i would guess mino is similar - hadn't heard it was particularly difficult for most