> I was looking at the side effects that were reported for minocycline on askapatient.com and more than a few of them reported Lupus-like side effects. What do you think about this.
Lupus has been described as being a rare side effect in one article I found. I don't have any statistics handy.
Here are the side effects listed in the standard package label for minocycline (Minocin)
http://www.rxlist.com/minocin-capsules-drug/side-effects-interactions.htm
> I'm considering trying it, but this has me a bit nervous. I know you have to compare the risk to benefit posibility for everything. It may be worth the risk.
It is unfortunate that no statistics are provided with minocycline indicating the frequency with which the side effects occur. If you start to experience dysarthria, I would at that point consider stopping treatment. You can get a blood test for lupus, which would show positive if you were having the lupus reaction. Otherwise the joint pain would represent a more benign side effect.
"Lupus-like syndrome consisting of positive antinuclear antibody; arthralgia, arthritis, joint stiffness, or joint swelling; and one or more of the following: fever, myalgia, hepatitis, rash, and vasculitis."
I would probably stop taking minocyline if joint pain became moderate to severe.
As to your other insightful questions:
There is an ongoing investigation to study aspirin and minocycline as treatments for bipolar depression.
- placebo
- minocycline
- aspirin
- minocycline + aspirin
http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000643.full
NSAID or aspirin monotherapy cannot be considered equivalent to taking minocyline. Minocycline works at multiple and diverse sites. Below is a partial list.
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Minocycline:
1. Is neuroprotective.
2. Reduces brain inflammation
3. Reduces the number of glutamate receptors.
4. Demonstrates antidepressant properties in mouse models of depression.
5. Is reported to act synergistically with noradrenergic antidepressants to treat depression - desipramine (but not fluoxetine).
6. Is reported to act synergistically with NMDA antagonists.
7. Reduces glutamate excitotoxicity by reducing the formation of quinolic acid, a NMDA agonist.
8. Reduces mitochondrial release of cytochrome C.
9. Modulates several signaling pathways.
10. Reduces microglial activation.
11. Has been reported anecdotally to successively treat depression.
12. Reduces the expression of lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammation cytokines, an effect that acts as an antidepressant in animal models.
13. Increases neurite growth in response to nerve growth factor (NGF).
14. Inhibits high levels of PKC and GSK-3 alpha;
15. Decreases nitric oxide synthetase, thereby reducing free radicals which damage neurons and glia.
16. Reduces glutamate release.
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I am currently taking minocycline 200 mg/day along with a handful of other drugs to treat a very stubborn bipolar depression. It works. I purposely discontinued it a few weeks ago to see if it made a difference. After two weeks of deterioration, I rechallenged with minocycline and now I feel improved again. I found the results of this experimentation persuasive. It could have been an unrelated coincidence, but I am unwilling to repeat the experiment at this juncture.
I must emphasize that minocycline can take several months before a therapeutic response becomes robust and unmistakable. However, my response became recognizable within the first week. Just be prepared to feel somewhat flat and fatigued during the first few days. These side effects disappeared entirely.
- Scott
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