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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ricker on September 25, 2009, at 19:16:58
Hi friends, I haven't posted in awhile but I have a question regarding an antibiotic my doc started me on for a skin infection; minocycline 100mg/bid.
I started it 2 days ago and I feel like one of my meds has been yanked out from me.... very depressed at the moment. Is it possible that the minocycline could be interfering with my cocktail which consists of; zoloft, zyprexa, lamictal and clonazepam?
Any thoughts greatly appreciated,
Regards, Rick
Posted by zzzz7 on September 25, 2009, at 21:49:04
In reply to Antibiotic interaction?, posted by ricker on September 25, 2009, at 19:16:58
I'm really sensitive to meds. I took Augmentin and became really depressed (though the Amoxicillin part of it doesn't affect me). So your experience is consistent with mine.
Posted by Phillipa on September 25, 2009, at 23:41:28
In reply to Re: Antibiotic interaction?, posted by zzzz7 on September 25, 2009, at 21:49:04
Ricker hi yes antibiotics for some do cause depression. Bet that is what it's from. Guess the meds still working well. So glad to hear it. Love Phillipa
Posted by bleauberry on September 26, 2009, at 17:50:09
In reply to Antibiotic interaction?, posted by ricker on September 25, 2009, at 19:16:58
It is hard to tell what is happening. It sounds like a Herxheimer reaction, a die-off reaction of neurotoxins from debris and corpses not being able to be cleared out faster than the death rate.
It is possible there is a different infection you are not aware of, possibly one that has been causing the psychiatric symptoms since the first day they ever hit you. Anyone here who knows me knows that I am thinking Lyme, but honestly there are a dozen possibilities that fit the profile. Minocycline is broad spectrum and hits a bunch of them.
The tetracycline derivatives such as minocycline have complex interactions with calcium and magnesium, and thus the common instructions not to take them at the same time as those supplements, or at the same time as dairy, and sometimes not at the same time as food. Lamictal might fall somewhere in that chemistry. There is a possibility of some complex interactions there, but I doubt enough to cause an immediate worsening of symptoms.
I am not familiar with the liver enzymes (CYP) associated with any of your meds. You would have do some searching on google and pubmed to find out which CYP enzymes metabolize each drug and what effect, if any, Mino has on those enzymes, in order to determine is Mino is possibly increasing or decreasing the plasma levels of any of the drugs.
Depression/anxiety where psych meds are rather impotent is a very common Herxheimer sign. Herx is good in the long run, but absolute hell in the short run.
I would suggest stopping the drug for a day, then restart it at 25mg per day or 25mg every other day. Believe me, it still does some killing at those doses, but more importantly weakens them so your own immmune system can kill them naturally. Every week, or as tolerated, increase the dose by another 25mg. This strategy is the strategy two of my doctors have used frequently. Or if your symptoms are bearable, just bear with it at your current dose. Of course, you should check with your doctor, but you are the final authority of what you do with yourself.
What you are experiencing could be anything but looks like Herx to me. Lower the dose and build it up slowly. That's what my doctors would do and have done.
I could be wrong. But your drugs are a lot more powerful than Mino is, so I don't see Mino over-riding them in any way. It is the neurotoxins of death you are feeling, in my best judgement.
Posted by ricker on September 26, 2009, at 19:23:37
In reply to Re: Antibiotic interaction?, posted by bleauberry on September 26, 2009, at 17:50:09
Thanks BB, very informative post and something to think about! I'm going to try and ride it out for the 10 days, unless things continue to deteriorate... off to the doc.
Thanks again,Regards, Rick
Posted by yxibow on September 27, 2009, at 5:11:23
In reply to Antibiotic interaction?, posted by ricker on September 25, 2009, at 19:16:58
> Hi friends, I haven't posted in awhile but I have a question regarding an antibiotic my doc started me on for a skin infection; minocycline 100mg/bid.
>
> I started it 2 days ago and I feel like one of my meds has been yanked out from me.... very depressed at the moment. Is it possible that the minocycline could be interfering with my cocktail which consists of; zoloft, zyprexa, lamictal and clonazepam?
I think it is more a matter of correlation does not always imply causation.
Feeling depressed at a particular time does not necessarily mean any complex "reactions" described by an individual whom I've agreed to disagree with and I'd prefer to be civil.
The main major drug interactions with minocycline are with retinoids -- Accutane, vitamin A preparations.
This makes sense with minocycline's own warnings about exposure to sunlight. And side effects of it can make you nauseated and a variety of other things.
So that together with any minor perturbations with your other medications which don't seem to be interfering as far as drug-drug interactions in checkers, might be making you feel a bit worse than you already are.
I'm sorry to hear that you are feeling poorly but I assume this prescription antibiotic is pretty temporary and as an overused phrase, this too shall pass.-- tidings
This is the end of the thread.
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