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Doxycycline - should I take it?

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
I've just been prescribed doxycycline (100mg, 1/day) for a non-ME-related problem.

I was wondering if it would muck up my gut so did a quick search on PR and find (surprisingly) that some people consider it beneficial for ME/CFS because it has a cytokine-suppressing effect (I think).

Views?

I've had some improvement in my OI which I think is due to some improvements I've been working on with my gut flora and I'm a bit worried about messing that up.

I don't know if this is one of the antibiotics that wreaks havoc on your gut flora.
 

snowathlete

Senior Member
Messages
5,374
Location
UK
Six weeks.
Certainly more risky than 2 weeks, say, where I suspect the gut flora rebounds on its own. I think when you start talking in months you start doing serious - perhaps irreversible - harm to your gut flora.
Six weeks is uncertain territory. If you definitely have the infection though then it's almost certainly worth the risk. My guess is that six weeks would be ok, just try to support your guy flora alongside it all. Maybe get a guy flora test before and months after?
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
I do not know, if this helps, but this is a film about antibiotics and gut flora: http://www.ubiomeblog.com/resistance-a-film-about-antibiotics/

Yes, I think I'd be destroying a lot of friends! I've been googling and there seem to be people who've had real problems after doxycycline. It probably depends on dose and duration but I doubt there's going to be any research to guide me.

At the moment, I'm feeling disinclined to take them.

It's for a problem with the glands in my eyelids being blocked (which the doctor said was because I have the same infection that people with acne have, even though he didn't do a test and I've never had acne). It makes my eyes dry but I think I'd rather keep that problem than mess up my gut.
 

beaker

ME/cfs 1986
Messages
773
Location
USA
Yes, I think I'd be destroying a lot of friends! I've been googling and there seem to be people who've had real problems after doxycycline. It probably depends on dose and duration but I doubt there's going to be any research to guide me.

At the moment, I'm feeling disinclined to take them.

It's for a problem with the glands in my eyelids being blocked (which the doctor said was because I have the same infection that people with acne have, even though he didn't do a test and I've never had acne). It makes my eyes dry but I think I'd rather keep that problem than mess up my gut.

Sometimes rosacea can get in the eyes and cause inflammation and subsequently dry eyes. That is probably what he means by "same infection that people w/ acne have"
It can also be referred to as a type of blepharitis ( there are many kinds depending on agent)
They general have you do lid washes, etc along w/ any meds.
You might ask for a topical treatment if you don't wish for oral doxy.

To note : Bell initially treated the Lyndonville folk w/ doxycycline, as the initial group of kids there got sick after drinking raw goats milk and the thinking was it was some sort of brucellosis.
Some patients did quite well on doxy, later found due to the anti- inflammatory affects. Also the first kids on it got it IV and lots of fluids w/ it ( POTS treated inadvertently )
Some I know who did well with it still take it.

Personal experience: It stopped my downward spiral and stabilized me. Severe level, but I was on my way further down. At the time, that was huge. But I gained no further benefit and going off I did not get worse.
I ate extra live cultured yogurt when I took it eons ago.

All that said, 100mg a day is a very low dose and not what Bell was giving, so I doubt you would see any benefit for ME.

double up on some good critters ? You know yourself best. 10 days at 100mg is a short time and low dose.
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
Sometimes rosacea can get in the eyes and cause inflammation and subsequently dry eyes. That is probably what he means by "same infection that people w/ acne have"
It can also be referred to as a type of blepharitis ( there are many kinds depending on agent)
They general have you do lid washes, etc along w/ any meds.
You might ask for a topical treatment if you don't wish for oral doxy.

Yes, my diagnosis is blepharitis. He also prescribed a topical abx (maxitrol) which is what I had six months ago - helped while I was on it, but for no longer than that. I asked if there was a topical version of doxy and he said not.

To note : Bell initially treated the Lyndonville folk w/ doxycycline, as the initial group of kids there got sick after drinking raw goats milk and the thinking was it was some sort of brucellosis.
Some patients did quite well on doxy, later found due to the anti- inflammatory affects. Also the first kids on it got it IV and lots of fluids w/ it ( POTS treated inadvertently )
Some I know who did well with it still take it.

Personal experience: It stopped my downward spiral and stabilized me. Severe level, but I was on my way further down. At the time, that was huge. But I gained no further benefit and going off I did not get worse.
I ate extra live cultured yogurt when I took it eons ago.

Interesting!

double up on some good critters ? You know yourself best. 10 days at 100mg is a short time and low dose.

I have trouble tolerating probiotics - hard to know which ones to use, as well.

But the prescription is for six weeks, which is quite a long time. Some people seem to have had problems even at 100mg (I think I'll re-read what I googled to make sure of that).

I wish I had a clone (or some parallel universes) so that I could do a controlled experiment!
 
Messages
15,786
Views?

I've had some improvement in my OI which I think is due to some improvements I've been working on with my gut flora and I'm a bit worried about messing that up.

I don't know if this is one of the antibiotics that wreaks havoc on your gut flora.
I haven't had any problems after 6 months on 200mg per day + other antibiotics. But I also took a probiotic at the same time.

I liked VSL#3 the best, but that's currently unavailable in Europe and Bififlor has been okay as a substitute.
 

beaker

ME/cfs 1986
Messages
773
Location
USA
Yes, my diagnosis is blepharitis. He also prescribed a topical abx (maxitrol) which is what I had six months ago - helped while I was on it, but for no longer than that. I asked if there was a topical version of doxy and he said not.

But their might be some other topical. I used something years ago....... don't remember .
Also great to treat is gently wash lids w/ baby shampoo. Then take wet tea bags, put on eyes and put warm wet washcloth over. It can pull out the infection. My doc thinks more the warm cloth, but whatever it helps.


I have trouble tolerating probiotics - hard to know which ones to use, as well.

But the prescription is for six weeks, which is quite a long time. Some people seem to have had problems even at 100mg (I think I'll re-read what I googled to make sure of that).

I wish I had a clone (or some parallel universes) so that I could do a controlled experiment!

Don't know where I got 10 days from... from my ME/CFS brain. :confused:

I had problems w/ regular doxy in more recent times ( when I took from bell no issues. gut worse over the years) .
Reg doxy can be hard on the gut. But if you can get the time released version. ( Doryx and I think they have a generic version of it now) it is many times gentler on the gut. No problems with that.

Can you eat a decent yogurt w/ live cultures. I've had good luck w/ stoney field. Plain is better( you can add your own fruit. lots of cinnamon can make up for no sugar)

Anyways..... not trying to talk you into anything. Hope it doesn't sound that way.

Good luck. eye issues are no fun. Fish oil can help w/ dry eyes.Maybe would help you ?
I take that, but I'm on Restasis now. No more infections. Just lots of inflammation and all dried up.
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
I haven't had any problems after 6 months on 200mg per day + other antibiotics. But I also took a probiotic at the same time.

I liked VSL#3 the best, but that's currently unavailable in Europe and Bififlor has been okay as a substitute.

I have a load of VSL3 in the fridge - it might have done me good or it might have given me acid reflux - as ever, hard to know...

Good to know you've been OK on doxy, though.
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
But their might be some other topical. I used something years ago....... don't remember .
Also great to treat is gently wash lids w/ baby shampoo. Then take wet tea bags, put on eyes and put warm wet washcloth over. It can pull out the infection. My doc thinks more the warm cloth, but whatever it helps.


I've been doing the lid-washing to no avail but I haven't heard of the tea-bag thing. I'll look into that.

But if you can get the time released version. ( Doryx and I think they have a generic version of it now) it is many times gentler on the gut. No problems with that.

Can you eat a decent yogurt w/ live cultures. I've had good luck w/ stoney field. Plain is better( you can add your own fruit. lots of cinnamon can make up for no sugar)

Interesting - haven't even heard of the timed release version. Can't have yoghurt, alas (dairy).

I take that, but I'm on Restasis now. No more infections. Just lots of inflammation and all dried up.

I've heard of the fish oil thing, though I'd been getting plenty of that through diet. Sorry to hear you've still got problems.
 

perchance dreamer

Senior Member
Messages
1,691
I took Doxy once for a sinus infection, and my heart raced, and my heartbeat became irregular. A cardiologist told me that's a rare reaction to Doxy, but to avoid it and all the other cycline-type ABX, just to be safe.
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
Not to go off-topic, but just to note that VSL#3 has been available in the UK again since early March.

Not to join you off-topic :cool: but VSL3 is available from the manufacturer in the UK and seems quite often to go in and out of supply, so it's probably worth checking every now and again if you haven't been able to get it.
 
Messages
83
Its considered pretty gentle on the stomach, less likely to cause C-Difficile but there are many reports of those using it who went on to develop Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis). I think most of those people took it for years for acne though.

I felt better on doxy and will likely do another round.
 

Martial

Senior Member
Messages
1,409
Location
Ventura, CA
There are many herbal antimicrobials you can try if you are not too comfortable taking the doxy as well. A diluted solution of tea tree oil seems to help a lot of people with blepharitis. Not sure how the application process works but sure you can find info online.
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
There are many herbal antimicrobials you can try if you are not too comfortable taking the doxy as well. A diluted solution of tea tree oil seems to help a lot of people with blepharitis. Not sure how the application process works but sure you can find info online.

I'd been wondering if there were any topical antimicrobials that might do the same thing. Thanks - I'll take a look at that. Presumably anything that works for acne should work for this (as long as there's a safe way to apply it to the eyelids).
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
There are many herbal antimicrobials you can try if you are not too comfortable taking the doxy as well. A diluted solution of tea tree oil seems to help a lot of people with blepharitis. Not sure how the application process works but sure you can find info online.

I'd been wondering if there were any topical antimicrobials that might do the same thing. Thanks - I'll take a look at that. Presumably anything that works for acne should work for this (as long as there's a safe way to apply it to the eyelids).
 

oceiv

Senior Member
Messages
259
A relative of mine got prescription cleansing eye-wipes for an eye problem (not sure of specifics on the problem). Perhaps, there are similar eye-wipes for this condition? Tea tree oil is really strong. I wonder if anyone has added some drops to a larger amount of water to use as an eye-corner wash?