Minocin and Methotrexate 2

[Guest guest]

How are you? Fine I hope.

Yesterday, I began my Methotrexate, 7.5 mg weekly by tablet. I woke

early during the RA flairing period of 2-4 am, except I wasn't

aching. It was as though the MTX interrupted the inflammation process

as it does. I have had a swollen left knee for far too long and a

sore tendon connected to it. In addition, I would like the golf ball

on my left ankle to subside. Coincidentally, I went for an MRI scan

to take images of a suspected ruptured tenon which was attached to my

thumb. Hopefully, a surgoen will reconnect this to my thumb, (Note to

self- consult an atlas of the body). I will still take Minocin which

I have been doing for 3 years and all was well on this protocol

until, Minocin, the brand name, taken off the market and I found, I

feel, that the generics, I took were less efficacious and my blood

tests reflect that, all indicating higher inflammation again. Someone

said that nowI am back on the Minocin, it could take 6 months for my

ESR levels to come back to normal.

Please could you share what the first days and weeks after first

taking MTX were like.

Thank you so much.

Ken.

[Guest guest]

Dear Ken- I have been without the benefit of MTX for several months now and am not on a biologic. I was on Remicade. I developed a severe infection three months after oral surgery and am seeing an ENT, had a cat scan and probably will have surgery for the Lump under my jaw. Having had RA for so long and always aggressively treating it, I have never been without MTX or something to manage the RA. Now here is the strange thing. I have been on high doses of penicillin VK for several weeks off and on. Then it stopped working and I started on Augmentin for a few weeks which halted in infection. I believe absolutely that the Antibiotic is what has kept my RA so well managed. I also started taking Colloidal Silver 250ppm. Look into it. It might suprise you. I believe it also has a therapuetic effect. It interferes with the enzymes that cause bacteria to grow. Since RA sees our bodies as an infection, it seems to help. The fatigue I experience now is more severe that when I was on MTX but my flares are less and while more weakness in my hands and wrists are very evident, I feel my joints are better on the antibiotic then on the Remicade. Remember to use Leucovorin to rescue yourself. Folic acid was not enough for me. I think you should be on a biologic if you are having severe damage that requires surgery. Still, I may very well try minocin myself once I get this alien growth (the root from an incomplete extraction due to bone resorption from Actonel) hopefully at the end of this month. Remember that MTX should be taken while you are sleeping. The last time I took it which caused my infection to run rampant and caused septsis knocked me out that entire day even though the leucovorin did work after quite sometime. I feel fatigue and dehydration are key components of MTX. Yet, it slows the rapid division of RA cells so it does help. Good luck with your thumb. You will be in my thoughts. Deborah

On Sat, Apr 12, 2008 at 4:53 AM, Ken <maputo95@...> wrote:

How are you? Fine I hope.Yesterday, I began my Methotrexate, 7.5 mg weekly by tablet. I woke early during the RA flairing period of 2-4 am, except I wasn't aching. It was as though the MTX interrupted the inflammation process

as it does. I have had a swollen left knee for far too long and a sore tendon connected to it. In addition, I would like the golf ball on my left ankle to subside. Coincidentally, I went for an MRI scan to take images of a suspected ruptured tenon which was attached to my

thumb. Hopefully, a surgoen will reconnect this to my thumb, (Note to self- consult an atlas of the body). I will still take Minocin which I have been doing for 3 years and all was well on this protocol until, Minocin, the brand name, taken off the market and I found, I

feel, that the generics, I took were less efficacious and my blood tests reflect that, all indicating higher inflammation again. Someone said that nowI am back on the Minocin, it could take 6 months for my ESR levels to come back to normal.

Please could you share what the first days and weeks after first taking MTX were like.Thank you so much.Ken.