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doxycycline versus minocycline

heapsreal

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I was always of the belief that mino was somewhat stronger then doxy, more lipid soluble etc.

This study is to do with MRSA staph which is common in alot of us with chronic sinusitis.
In another study of adult patients with CA-MRSA infections, 54 percent (13/24) were treated with doxycycline and 46 percent (11/24) were treated with minocycline.25 Doxycycline achieved a 92-percent success rate as compared to a 73-percent success rate with minocycline. Based on microbiologic testing in vitro, doxycycline has also been shown to be a very potent agent against CA-MRSA strains with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50 ) value of 0.25μg/mL

This group of studies http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2923949/ which the above is included in is more about MRSA skin infections then sinusitis but i dont think it would be too off the mark.

Doxy may not be as effective as mino for other infections but i havent really looked too deeply into this yet.
 

rosie26

Senior Member
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Hi heapsreal
I don't regard Doxycyline that highly. It did a hopeless job at helping my diabolical chronic sinusitis and I was one sick girl with the foulest of stuff coming out of my sinuses. I had to resort to other antibiotics.
 

heapsreal

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Hi heapsreal
I don't regard Doxycyline that highly. It did a hopeless job at helping my diabolical chronic sinusitis and I was one sick girl with the foulest of stuff coming out of my sinuses. I had to resort to other antibiotics.
Suppose it depends on the bug. Doxy worked well for me for 12months then stopped working. I was considering mino now not sure.
 

rosie26

Senior Member
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NZ
Yes, I would love to have known what the name of the bug I had in my sinuses was. All I know was that it was poisonous nasty stuff. It actually burnt all the way down my throat, esophagus and could feel it's toxic shock presence as it went round my intestines.It was frightening stuff.

The following are the antibiotics which helped me get through for 6-7 months.
Amoxycillian (ok)
Doxycyline ( no control whatsoever)
Co Trimoxazole 480mg 2x2x daily (good control)
Then changed over to
Amoxycillian + Clavulanic ( the Clavulanic upset my stomach so went back to Co Trimoxazle)
Co Trimoxazole
Managed with out help of antibotics after that, but had to do "steam ups" every day (with the bowl of hot water and towel over the head) for the next year and a half to keep sinuses draining. (gross !) But it helped keep me out of the woods.
hope this helps you any
 

heapsreal

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Augmentin has been the best of late for me but I think because of neutropenia im going to keep struggling. Be nice to get immunoglobulins but can't get it here unless sub classes are low even though it helps sinusitis with normal sub classes. I dont know always chasing my tail with it. If it didn't put my blood pressure up that gives me bad headaches, I would just soldier on with sudafed.
 

rosie26

Senior Member
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NZ
Yes, it's a hard one. I still have sinus problems but nothing like the first 2 years of ME. I'm glad you have something that helps a bit the Augmentin that is. Hopefully something better turns up for you. x
 
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As with anything, it depends on the bug. Different bacteria will have different susceptibilities to different antimicrobials. There are predictable trends and known spectra, but there also will be variations in "local" colonies.That's why good clinicians will perform cultures and sensitivities to help choose antimicrobials in chronic infections. Has your doctor cultured your sinuses?

This is also, of course, why completing a course of prescribed antibiotics (and choosing when to prescribe in the first place) is so important. Stopping in the middle leaves the strongest bacteria to reproduce and creates resistant colonies. (Not saying you've done this heapsreal..sorry my mind is wandering off course this morning.)

Of course, comparing two drugs against one bug doesn't make one of the drugs better across the board - just for that particular bacteria. In other words, I don't think it's possible to conclude from these studies that doxy is always better than mino. So again, if your doctor hasn't cultured out the bacteria causing your infection, I'd request it. They can test the sensitivities of both drugs (in addition to many others) all at once to select the most effective for your particular infection. If the doxy has stopped working, it's possible you'll need to switch antibiotic classes altogether. Especially with such a long-standing infection, things can change over time with some bacteria types dieing off and others replacing them.
 

heapsreal

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I think also if a few bugs are killed or reduced in numbers then other bugs can take up the slack. This also might be the reason why after a long break from certain abx that they work again. See if this theory works as I have a stockpile of doxy on hand and the other abx I was using run out and havent recieved my new script which was suppose to be posted out. Not going to get it now till maybe monday so started the doxy until then??? Staph A is usually the dominant one that keeps coming back??