Re: Just found this while looking for something else

[Guest guest]

cooky,

I found this article the other day and I was looking for something else too.I

send it to m sister-in-law in CA. She thought that if you take an antibiotic for

a long period of time you would get even sicker than you are. I think this is a

great article for everyone that wants to go on AP.

Thanks for sharing.

Eva

C Stonkey <cookee1@...> wrote:

Rheumatoid-Arthritis Drug Found

Scientists say: Used early, antibiotic relieves pain,

by n Neergaard

Associated Press

Rheumatoid-arthritis sufferers note: Scientists report that an antibiotic

used to treat acne significantly improves swollen, painful joints if therapy

begins in the crippling disease's early stages.

Rheumatologists said the new study by the University of Nebraska provides

enough proof of minocycline's benefit that the drug soon may be widely

prescribed.

" This isn't a cure, " cautioned the lead researcher, Dr. O'Dell, who

presented his study at a meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.

" If the medicine is stopped, the problem comes back. "

But O'Dell said the drug appears to offer a unique arthritis protection: It

seems to block enzymes, called metalloproteinases, that destroy

irreplaceable cartilage inside joints.

" By inhibiting these metalloproteinases early on, maybe we can help shut off

the whole inflammation cascade " that goes out of control in later stages of

the disease, O'Dell said.

If his theory is right, these enzymes also could have implications for

treatment of the much more common osteoarthritis that plagues the elderly.

Tests in osteoarthritic dogs suggest anti-enzyme compounds offer similar

protection, prompting other scientists to begin clinical trials of a

minocycline cousin - called doxycycline - in people with osteoarthritis.

About 2 million Americans suffer rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic

inflammatory disease. Unlike the osteoarthritis that hits certain joints

because of the wear-and-tear of aging, rheumatoid arthritis afflicts joints

all over the body. It often strikes women between the ages of 20 and 45.

Antibiotic therapy has been controversial. Doctors haven't proved, or

disproved, that an infection causes rheumatoid arthritis. And early studies

of minocycline showed only a modest effect, discouraging many physicians,

said Dr. Doyt Conn of The Arthritis Foundation.

Thinking earlier treatment might work better, O'Dell tested 46 patients who

had rheumatoid arthritis for less than a year and were not taking strong

arthritis medicines.

Sixty-five percent of the minocycline patients showed a 50% improvement in

joint swelling, stiffness and pain after six months of therapy. Just 13% of

patients given a dummy pill had a similar response.

How long improvement lasted was key, because many other treatments either

wear off or eventually cause serious side effects.

So O'Dell followed his patients for over three years - and 44% ultimately

improved by a dramatic 75% or more.

Such improvement over time is encouraging, said Dr. Schned, a

Minneapolis rheumatologist who has followed O'Dell's work.

Now doctors must study how best to combine minocycline with other common

medicines, he said.

Minocycline is old enough that not only are inexpensive generic forms

available, but doctors have had years to learn its side effects, Schned

said. " This is a safe and quite gentle medicine, " he said.

The main problem is dizziness among elderly patients, O'Dell said. About 5%

of long-term users develop dark splotches on the skin that disappear when

they stop the drug, he said.

If minocycline does work by blocking arthritis damage, it would join

research into such preventives:

- Drug companies Monsanto and Searle are developing a drug to block nitric

oxide, another chemical that destroys cartilage. Researchers will unveil the

first animal tests of the drug.

- Seattle-based Immunex reported that Phase III testing of its manmade

protein Enbrel reduced painful joints by a median of 71%. Enbrel mimics the

natural cell structure that captures tumor necrosis factor, a substance

important in inflammatory damage.

But TNF also can kill cancer cells, and rheumatologists cautioned that they

want longer-term studies to ensure that blocking the substance in arthritis

treatment is safe.

Using Antibiotics for the Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases - Some Questions

and Answers for Patients

1. What is antibiotic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and how does it

differ from traditional treatments?

Antibiotic therapy utilizes low dose antibiotics, particularly those of the

tetracycline family, to attack the disease at its source. This therapy is

based on the belief that rheumatic disease is caused by an elusive organism

called a mycoplasma, similar in some ways to both a virus and bacterium, but

much smaller. The antibiotic can be taken in low dose fashion for months,

years, or even a lifetime in some cases without building up a tolerance to

the drug and without the serious side effects seen with conventional

medications.

Conventional therapy uses toxic medications and is aimed at controlling or

suppressing the symptoms. These medications, if they work at all, eventually

lose their effectiveness or become toxic, and patients find themselves worse

than before they started the medication.

2. Does this approach only work for rheumatoid arthritis?

No. We have scleroderma and lupus patients using only antibiotics who have

seen significant improvement, including reversal of symptoms and/or

remission. Dr. McPherson Brown, the Washington DC area rheumatologist

who pioneered this treatment some 50 years ago, also saw improvement in

cases of mixed connective tissue disease, ankylosing spondylitis,

dermatomyositis and polymyositis.

3. What dose is used and what is the cost?

Usually Minocin (minocycline) is the antibiotic of choice. It is prescribed

at very low dose, one or twice a day three days a week, usually Monday,

Wednesday, and Friday. The cost is approximately $2.50 per capsule,

depending on whether the generic or brand name of the drug is purchased.

Taking three tablets a week makes the cost about $7.50 a week. Larger

quantity drug purchases are cheaper. Ask your doctor to write your

prescription for larger quantities than 30 tablets, if it is a medication

you will be taking for a long time.

4. Can other antibiotics be substituted for Minocin?

Yes. Tetracycline and doxycycline are frequently substituted for Minocin and

both have proven to be effective. Tetracycline is the least expensive,

costing approximately 8 cents a tablet. Tetracycline is taken usually twice

a day, three days a week (M-W-F). It is more apt to react to foods and must

be taken on an empty stomach. Doxycycline is slightly more expensive. In

conjunction with the tetracycline family, clindamycin is frequently used as

a support therapy, either intravenously or oral.

5. Is there an advantage in using Minocin over the other antibiotics?

Yes. Bacterial cell membranes are surrounded by a lipid layer (a water

insoluble, fatty substance which surrounds the cell and provides it with

fuel). As a means of resisting antibiotics, the cells increase the thickness

of this lipid layer. Minocin has the best penetrating ability. It also has

an extended spectrum of activity and stays in the system longer and at

higher levels than tetracycline.

6. Are there side effects from using antibiotics?

Yes, as with all medications, there are possible side effects. Antibiotics

can cause yeast infections, especially in women. Minocin, however, seems to

have some anti-yeast activity. Some people experience a heightened

sensitivity to sunlight. Using a sunscreen can minimize this risk. In

children who have not yet cut their permanent teeth, tetracyclines can cause

staining of the teeth. Food can impair the absorption of some antibiotics

(not as true of doxycycline or minocycline) so they are to be taken on an

empty stomach. In people whose stomachs have become sensitized, nausea can

be a side effect. Tetracycline has an absorption rate of 50% when taken with

food. Minocin's absorption rate is 85% with food, making it a better choice

if food must be taken with the antibiotic. Diarrhea is another side effect

of antibiotics, and can be severe, but this side effect is rarely seen at

these doses, and is treatable if it occurs.

Correspondence:

The Road Back Foundation

4985 N. Lake Hill Road

Delaware, Ohio 43015-9249 USA

[Guest guest]

Hi Eva,  I am sorry I couldn't get back to you this evening.  I am just getting

down to sit a few minutes at the computer.  My mother has been a handful today.

You know she has been diagnosed with Alzheimers.  Today was one of her bad

days.  In fact when you called I was in the library with her trying to register

to vote as it was the last day to do so.  Right now she is in the lobby of her

building and I can't go to bed until she is tucked up in her bed.  This may be

an all night session!  God, I hope not.  I really don't have time lately to chit

chat with anyone.  I hope your reason for calling was not an urgent one.  Hope

you are doing well.  I am not at all put together yet. Still dealing with social

workers, real estate agents, banks, mail, and my medicine which can't be

delivered until I get settled.  Tomorow, I have to take my mom to the dentist. 

She has one loose tooth that needs attention.  Will get back to a normal routine

hopefully by November.  If your call was urgent, please e-mail it to me.  I

also will not be answering my phone during the day from 6am till 9pm except on

weekends when it is free.  My phone bill this month is $408.00 and since I am

not getting my mail properly, I have not been able to view it.  So, if you must

call, please make it after 9pm my time EST. or all day Sat, or Sun.  Hope you

and Burl are okay and that you did not get too much damage at your house.  How

did Corpus Christi come out of the hurricane?  We hear about the rescue efforts

in Galveston, but nothing about Corpus.  I am still in St. sburg getting my

mom ready to move.  Well, take care, Dolores & Mike

Rheumatoid-Arthriti s Drug Found

Scientists say: Used early, antibiotic relieves pain,

by n Neergaard

Associated Press

Rheumatoid-arthriti s sufferers note: Scientists report that an antibiotic

used to treat acne significantly improves swollen, painful joints if therapy

begins in the crippling disease's early stages.

Rheumatologists said the new study by the University of Nebraska provides

enough proof of minocycline' s benefit that the drug soon may be widely

prescribed.

" This isn't a cure, " cautioned the lead researcher, Dr. O'Dell, who

presented his study at a meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.

" If the medicine is stopped, the problem comes back. "

But O'Dell said the drug appears to offer a unique arthritis protection: It

seems to block enzymes, called metalloproteinases, that destroy

irreplaceable cartilage inside joints.

" By inhibiting these metalloproteinases early on, maybe we can help shut off

the whole inflammation cascade " that goes out of control in later stages of

the disease, O'Dell said.

If his theory is right, these enzymes also could have implications for

treatment of the much more common osteoarthritis that plagues the elderly.

Tests in osteoarthritic dogs suggest anti-enzyme compounds offer similar

protection, prompting other scientists to begin clinical trials of a

minocycline cousin - called doxycycline - in people with osteoarthritis.

About 2 million Americans suffer rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic

inflammatory disease. Unlike the osteoarthritis that hits certain joints

because of the wear-and-tear of aging, rheumatoid arthritis afflicts joints

all over the body. It often strikes women between the ages of 20 and 45.

Antibiotic therapy has been controversial. Doctors haven't proved, or

disproved, that an infection causes rheumatoid arthritis. And early studies

of minocycline showed only a modest effect, discouraging many physicians,

said Dr. Doyt Conn of The Arthritis Foundation.

Thinking earlier treatment might work better, O'Dell tested 46 patients who

had rheumatoid arthritis for less than a year and were not taking strong

arthritis medicines.

Sixty-five percent of the minocycline patients showed a 50% improvement in

joint swelling, stiffness and pain after six months of therapy. Just 13% of

patients given a dummy pill had a similar response.

How long improvement lasted was key, because many other treatments either

wear off or eventually cause serious side effects.

So O'Dell followed his patients for over three years - and 44% ultimately

improved by a dramatic 75% or more.

Such improvement over time is encouraging, said Dr. Schned, a

Minneapolis rheumatologist who has followed O'Dell's work.

Now doctors must study how best to combine minocycline with other common

medicines, he said.

Minocycline is old enough that not only are inexpensive generic forms

available, but doctors have had years to learn its side effects, Schned

said. " This is a safe and quite gentle medicine, " he said.

The main problem is dizziness among elderly patients, O'Dell said. About 5%

of long-term users develop dark splotches on the skin that disappear when

they stop the drug, he said.

If minocycline does work by blocking arthritis damage, it would join

research into such preventives:

- Drug companies Monsanto and Searle are developing a drug to block nitric

oxide, another chemical that destroys cartilage. Researchers will unveil the

first animal tests of the drug.

- Seattle-based Immunex reported that Phase III testing of its manmade

protein Enbrel reduced painful joints by a median of 71%. Enbrel mimics the

natural cell structure that captures tumor necrosis factor, a substance

important in inflammatory damage.

But TNF also can kill cancer cells, and rheumatologists cautioned that they

want longer-term studies to ensure that blocking the substance in arthritis

treatment is safe.

Using Antibiotics for the Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases - Some Questions

and Answers for Patients

1. What is antibiotic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and how does it

differ from traditional treatments?

Antibiotic therapy utilizes low dose antibiotics, particularly those of the

tetracycline family, to attack the disease at its source. This therapy is

based on the belief that rheumatic disease is caused by an elusive organism

called a mycoplasma, similar in some ways to both a virus and bacterium, but

much smaller. The antibiotic can be taken in low dose fashion for months,

years, or even a lifetime in some cases without building up a tolerance to

the drug and without the serious side effects seen with conventional

medications.

Conventional therapy uses toxic medications and is aimed at controlling or

suppressing the symptoms. These medications, if they work at all, eventually

lose their effectiveness or become toxic, and patients find themselves worse

than before they started the medication.

2. Does this approach only work for rheumatoid arthritis?

No. We have scleroderma and lupus patients using only antibiotics who have

seen significant improvement, including reversal of symptoms and/or

remission. Dr. McPherson Brown, the Washington DC area rheumatologist

who pioneered this treatment some 50 years ago, also saw improvement in

cases of mixed connective tissue disease, ankylosing spondylitis,

dermatomyositis and polymyositis.

3. What dose is used and what is the cost?

Usually Minocin (minocycline) is the antibiotic of choice. It is prescribed

at very low dose, one or twice a day three days a week, usually Monday,

Wednesday, and Friday. The cost is approximately $2.50 per capsule,

depending on whether the generic or brand name of the drug is purchased.

Taking three tablets a week makes the cost about $7.50 a week. Larger

quantity drug purchases are cheaper. Ask your doctor to write your

prescription for larger quantities than 30 tablets, if it is a medication

you will be taking for a long time.

4. Can other antibiotics be substituted for Minocin?

Yes. Tetracycline and doxycycline are frequently substituted for Minocin and

both have proven to be effective. Tetracycline is the least expensive,

costing approximately 8 cents a tablet. Tetracycline is taken usually twice

a day, three days a week (M-W-F). It is more apt to react to foods and must

be taken on an empty stomach. Doxycycline is slightly more expensive. In

conjunction with the tetracycline family, clindamycin is frequently used as

a support therapy, either intravenously or oral.

5. Is there an advantage in using Minocin over the other antibiotics?

Yes. Bacterial cell membranes are surrounded by a lipid layer (a water

insoluble, fatty substance which surrounds the cell and provides it with

fuel). As a means of resisting antibiotics, the cells increase the thickness

of this lipid layer. Minocin has the best penetrating ability. It also has

an extended spectrum of activity and stays in the system longer and at

higher levels than tetracycline.

6. Are there side effects from using antibiotics?

Yes, as with all medications, there are possible side effects. Antibiotics

can cause yeast infections, especially in women. Minocin, however, seems to

have some anti-yeast activity. Some people experience a heightened

sensitivity to sunlight. Using a sunscreen can minimize this risk. In

children who have not yet cut their permanent teeth, tetracyclines can cause

staining of the teeth. Food can impair the absorption of some antibiotics

(not as true of doxycycline or minocycline) so they are to be taken on an

empty stomach. In people whose stomachs have become sensitized, nausea can

be a side effect. Tetracycline has an absorption rate of 50% when taken with

food. Minocin's absorption rate is 85% with food, making it a better choice

if food must be taken with the antibiotic. Diarrhea is another side effect

of antibiotics, and can be severe, but this side effect is rarely seen at

these doses, and is treatable if it occurs.

Correspondence:

The Road Back Foundation

4985 N. Lake Hill Road

Delaware, Ohio 43015-9249 USA

[Guest guest]

Hi Dolores and Mike,

 

no there was nothing urgent just wanted to know that both of you are okay. I had

not heard from you in a long time and was getting concerned.

I went to Las Vegas before hurricane Ike. My son send me a ticket to fly out

there. Burl and stayed behind since they had to work on Thursday and

Friday before the storm. Both of them did get the house boarded up. They lost

power around midnight and then did not get any power back till the following

week on Wednesday. I came back on Thursday.

Galveston looks a mess. I have friends that live there and there houses are okay

they do live on the high spot in Galveston. Corpus did fairly well, not much

damage since the storm went in around Galveston.

Part of our neighborhood did not get power back for three weeks. They are on a

different circuit. Part of our backyard fence came down, Burl already fixed that

and on of my beautiful Red bud Trees got so mangled and lost a couple of large

limbs that we had to have it taken down. That cost us $100. We lost a couple of

shingles from the roof, but Burl said that can be fixed. The insurance would

cover our damage, it is below our deductible. Wouldn't you know.

Burl did get ice, water and canned food from one of the FEMA pods we had close

to our house. I checked the Internet on the Sunday after the storm and found one

that had just opened close to the house and so I called him on his cell phone

and told him the location. I also called a few of my friends that live there and

they where able to get what they needed.

Hope things will work out with your Mom. It's always a worry when the parents

are older and get sick. A lot of people don't realize what they have to do to

help their parents in later live.

My arthritis is giving me fits. I still have a weak spot on my back even so I do

exercises every day to strengthen it. Maybe I am just frustrated that I don't

get well faster. I have been on Biaxin and Nizoral for 8 month, I have seen some

improvement, but the back is just not coming along as I want it.

The last time I went to the rheumy she told me why they put me on Cellcept,

Enbrel and Prednison last year was because the chemo the year before had not

worked. After all that time she finally tells me that. I was really mad at her

about this. I did stop all the Cellcept, Enbrel and Prednisonin January when I

started the AP.

From your note I can see that you haven't found a doctor yet in the area where

your Mom lives. I hope you do soon or you may have to go back to Boston or NY to

see your doctor up there.

Well this is all for now, too much and too long. Take care the both of you. All

our love.

 

Eva and Burl

Rheumatoid-Arthriti s Drug Found

Scientists say: Used early, antibiotic relieves pain,

by n Neergaard

Associated Press

Rheumatoid-arthriti s sufferers note: Scientists report that an antibiotic

used to treat acne significantly improves swollen, painful joints if therapy

begins in the crippling disease's early stages.

Rheumatologists said the new study by the University of Nebraska provides

enough proof of minocycline' s benefit that the drug soon may be widely

prescribed.

" This isn't a cure, " cautioned the lead researcher, Dr. O'Dell, who

presented his study at a meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.

" If the medicine is stopped, the problem comes back. "

But O'Dell said the drug appears to offer a unique arthritis protection: It

seems to block enzymes, called metalloproteinases, that destroy

irreplaceable cartilage inside joints.

" By inhibiting these metalloproteinases early on, maybe we can help shut off

the whole inflammation cascade " that goes out of control in later stages of

the disease, O'Dell said.

If his theory is right, these enzymes also could have implications for

treatment of the much more common osteoarthritis that plagues the elderly.

Tests in osteoarthritic dogs suggest anti-enzyme compounds offer similar

protection, prompting other scientists to begin clinical trials of a

minocycline cousin - called doxycycline - in people with osteoarthritis.

About 2 million Americans suffer rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic

inflammatory disease. Unlike the osteoarthritis that hits certain joints

because of the wear-and-tear of aging, rheumatoid arthritis afflicts joints

all over the body. It often strikes women between the ages of 20 and 45.

Antibiotic therapy has been controversial. Doctors haven't proved, or

disproved, that an infection causes rheumatoid arthritis. And early studies

of minocycline showed only a modest effect, discouraging many physicians,

said Dr. Doyt Conn of The Arthritis Foundation.

Thinking earlier treatment might work better, O'Dell tested 46 patients who

had rheumatoid arthritis for less than a year and were not taking strong

arthritis medicines.

Sixty-five percent of the minocycline patients showed a 50% improvement in

joint swelling, stiffness and pain after six months of therapy. Just 13% of

patients given a dummy pill had a similar response.

How long improvement lasted was key, because many other treatments either

wear off or eventually cause serious side effects.

So O'Dell followed his patients for over three years - and 44% ultimately

improved by a dramatic 75% or more.

Such improvement over time is encouraging, said Dr. Schned, a

Minneapolis rheumatologist who has followed O'Dell's work.

Now doctors must study how best to combine minocycline with other common

medicines, he said.

Minocycline is old enough that not only are inexpensive generic forms

available, but doctors have had years to learn its side effects, Schned

said. " This is a safe and quite gentle medicine, " he said.

The main problem is dizziness among elderly patients, O'Dell said. About 5%

of long-term users develop dark splotches on the skin that disappear when

they stop the drug, he said.

If minocycline does work by blocking arthritis damage, it would join

research into such preventives:

- Drug companies Monsanto and Searle are developing a drug to block nitric

oxide, another chemical that destroys cartilage. Researchers will unveil the

first animal tests of the drug.

- Seattle-based Immunex reported that Phase III testing of its manmade

protein Enbrel reduced painful joints by a median of 71%. Enbrel mimics the

natural cell structure that captures tumor necrosis factor, a substance

important in inflammatory damage.

But TNF also can kill cancer cells, and rheumatologists cautioned that they

want longer-term studies to ensure that blocking the substance in arthritis

treatment is safe.

Using Antibiotics for the Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases - Some Questions

and Answers for Patients

1. What is antibiotic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and how does it

differ from traditional treatments?

Antibiotic therapy utilizes low dose antibiotics, particularly those of the

tetracycline family, to attack the disease at its source. This therapy is

based on the belief that rheumatic disease is caused by an elusive organism

called a mycoplasma, similar in some ways to both a virus and bacterium, but

much smaller. The antibiotic can be taken in low dose fashion for months,

years, or even a lifetime in some cases without building up a tolerance to

the drug and without the serious side effects seen with conventional

medications.

Conventional therapy uses toxic medications and is aimed at controlling or

suppressing the symptoms. These medications, if they work at all, eventually

lose their effectiveness or become toxic, and patients find themselves worse

than before they started the medication.

2. Does this approach only work for rheumatoid arthritis?

No. We have scleroderma and lupus patients using only antibiotics who have

seen significant improvement, including reversal of symptoms and/or

remission. Dr. McPherson Brown, the Washington DC area rheumatologist

who pioneered this treatment some 50 years ago, also saw improvement in

cases of mixed connective tissue disease, ankylosing spondylitis,

dermatomyositis and polymyositis.

3. What dose is used and what is the cost?

Usually Minocin (minocycline) is the antibiotic of choice. It is prescribed

at very low dose, one or twice a day three days a week, usually Monday,

Wednesday, and Friday. The cost is approximately $2.50 per capsule,

depending on whether the generic or brand name of the drug is purchased.

Taking three tablets a week makes the cost about $7.50 a week. Larger

quantity drug purchases are cheaper. Ask your doctor to write your

prescription for larger quantities than 30 tablets, if it is a medication

you will be taking for a long time.

4. Can other antibiotics be substituted for Minocin?

Yes. Tetracycline and doxycycline are frequently substituted for Minocin and

both have proven to be effective. Tetracycline is the least expensive,

costing approximately 8 cents a tablet. Tetracycline is taken usually twice

a day, three days a week (M-W-F). It is more apt to react to foods and must

be taken on an empty stomach. Doxycycline is slightly more expensive. In

conjunction with the tetracycline family, clindamycin is frequently used as

a support therapy, either intravenously or oral.

5. Is there an advantage in using Minocin over the other antibiotics?

Yes. Bacterial cell membranes are surrounded by a lipid layer (a water

insoluble, fatty substance which surrounds the cell and provides it with

fuel). As a means of resisting antibiotics, the cells increase the thickness

of this lipid layer. Minocin has the best penetrating ability. It also has

an extended spectrum of activity and stays in the system longer and at

higher levels than tetracycline.

6. Are there side effects from using antibiotics?

Yes, as with all medications, there are possible side effects. Antibiotics

can cause yeast infections, especially in women. Minocin, however, seems to

have some anti-yeast activity. Some people experience a heightened

sensitivity to sunlight. Using a sunscreen can minimize this risk. In

children who have not yet cut their permanent teeth, tetracyclines can cause

staining of the teeth. Food can impair the absorption of some antibiotics

(not as true of doxycycline or minocycline) so they are to be taken on an

empty stomach. In people whose stomachs have become sensitized, nausea can

be a side effect. Tetracycline has an absorption rate of 50% when taken with

food. Minocin's absorption rate is 85% with food, making it a better choice

if food must be taken with the antibiotic. Diarrhea is another side effect

of antibiotics, and can be severe, but this side effect is rarely seen at

these doses, and is treatable if it occurs.

Correspondence:

The Road Back Foundation

4985 N. Lake Hill Road

Delaware, Ohio 43015-9249 USA

[Guest guest]

Hi Eva,  Thanks for checking up on us.  I wish I had more time, but lately my

mom really has me all tied up.  I just finished 6 loads of wash.  Now she is

taking a shower because she wants to go out to eat.  I am neglecting myself but

that will change once we all move in together and I do plan on getting some help

for her.  I know it will get harder as we go on.  She is 94 as you know and she

doesn't understand anything about scleroderma.  It annoys her when I tell her I

am tired or my stomach is upset from taking so many pills.  She yells at me to

do something about it.  I tell her I am but it is incurable.  Then she switches

to where did you get that disease.  None in the family has it!   And I try to

explain, but she doesn't get it.  Thank God, I have Mike to help me.  He is a

real angel.  Anyway, I am also stopping off at the dentist to make an

appointment for her.  Her tooth is loose and she is having trouble chewing. 

Another

day!  Same old sh--!  Take care, Dolores & Mike

Rheumatoid-Arthriti s Drug Found

Scientists say: Used early, antibiotic relieves pain,

by n Neergaard

Associated Press

Rheumatoid-arthriti s sufferers note: Scientists report that an antibiotic

used to treat acne significantly improves swollen, painful joints if therapy

begins in the crippling disease's early stages.

Rheumatologists said the new study by the University of Nebraska provides

enough proof of minocycline' s benefit that the drug soon may be widely

prescribed.

" This isn't a cure, " cautioned the lead researcher, Dr. O'Dell, who

presented his study at a meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.

" If the medicine is stopped, the problem comes back. "

But O'Dell said the drug appears to offer a unique arthritis protection: It

seems to block enzymes, called metalloproteinases, that destroy

irreplaceable cartilage inside joints.

" By inhibiting these metalloproteinases early on, maybe we can help shut off

the whole inflammation cascade " that goes out of control in later stages of

the disease, O'Dell said.

If his theory is right, these enzymes also could have implications for

treatment of the much more common osteoarthritis that plagues the elderly.

Tests in osteoarthritic dogs suggest anti-enzyme compounds offer similar

protection, prompting other scientists to begin clinical trials of a

minocycline cousin - called doxycycline - in people with osteoarthritis.

About 2 million Americans suffer rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic

inflammatory disease. Unlike the osteoarthritis that hits certain joints

because of the wear-and-tear of aging, rheumatoid arthritis afflicts joints

all over the body. It often strikes women between the ages of 20 and 45.

Antibiotic therapy has been controversial. Doctors haven't proved, or

disproved, that an infection causes rheumatoid arthritis. And early studies

of minocycline showed only a modest effect, discouraging many physicians,

said Dr. Doyt Conn of The Arthritis Foundation.

Thinking earlier treatment might work better, O'Dell tested 46 patients who

had rheumatoid arthritis for less than a year and were not taking strong

arthritis medicines.

Sixty-five percent of the minocycline patients showed a 50% improvement in

joint swelling, stiffness and pain after six months of therapy. Just 13% of

patients given a dummy pill had a similar response.

How long improvement lasted was key, because many other treatments either

wear off or eventually cause serious side effects.

So O'Dell followed his patients for over three years - and 44% ultimately

improved by a dramatic 75% or more.

Such improvement over time is encouraging, said Dr. Schned, a

Minneapolis rheumatologist who has followed O'Dell's work.

Now doctors must study how best to combine minocycline with other common

medicines, he said.

Minocycline is old enough that not only are inexpensive generic forms

available, but doctors have had years to learn its side effects, Schned

said. " This is a safe and quite gentle medicine, " he said.

The main problem is dizziness among elderly patients, O'Dell said. About 5%

of long-term users develop dark splotches on the skin that disappear when

they stop the drug, he said.

If minocycline does work by blocking arthritis damage, it would join

research into such preventives:

- Drug companies Monsanto and Searle are developing a drug to block nitric

oxide, another chemical that destroys cartilage. Researchers will unveil the

first animal tests of the drug.

- Seattle-based Immunex reported that Phase III testing of its manmade

protein Enbrel reduced painful joints by a median of 71%. Enbrel mimics the

natural cell structure that captures tumor necrosis factor, a substance

important in inflammatory damage.

But TNF also can kill cancer cells, and rheumatologists cautioned that they

want longer-term studies to ensure that blocking the substance in arthritis

treatment is safe.

Using Antibiotics for the Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases - Some Questions

and Answers for Patients

1. What is antibiotic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and how does it

differ from traditional treatments?

Antibiotic therapy utilizes low dose antibiotics, particularly those of the

tetracycline family, to attack the disease at its source. This therapy is

based on the belief that rheumatic disease is caused by an elusive organism

called a mycoplasma, similar in some ways to both a virus and bacterium, but

much smaller. The antibiotic can be taken in low dose fashion for months,

years, or even a lifetime in some cases without building up a tolerance to

the drug and without the serious side effects seen with conventional

medications.

Conventional therapy uses toxic medications and is aimed at controlling or

suppressing the symptoms. These medications, if they work at all, eventually

lose their effectiveness or become toxic, and patients find themselves worse

than before they started the medication.

2. Does this approach only work for rheumatoid arthritis?

No. We have scleroderma and lupus patients using only antibiotics who have

seen significant improvement, including reversal of symptoms and/or

remission. Dr. McPherson Brown, the Washington DC area rheumatologist

who pioneered this treatment some 50 years ago, also saw improvement in

cases of mixed connective tissue disease, ankylosing spondylitis,

dermatomyositis and polymyositis.

3. What dose is used and what is the cost?

Usually Minocin (minocycline) is the antibiotic of choice. It is prescribed

at very low dose, one or twice a day three days a week, usually Monday,

Wednesday, and Friday. The cost is approximately $2.50 per capsule,

depending on whether the generic or brand name of the drug is purchased.

Taking three tablets a week makes the cost about $7.50 a week. Larger

quantity drug purchases are cheaper. Ask your doctor to write your

prescription for larger quantities than 30 tablets, if it is a medication

you will be taking for a long time.

4. Can other antibiotics be substituted for Minocin?

Yes. Tetracycline and doxycycline are frequently substituted for Minocin and

both have proven to be effective. Tetracycline is the least expensive,

costing approximately 8 cents a tablet. Tetracycline is taken usually twice

a day, three days a week (M-W-F). It is more apt to react to foods and must

be taken on an empty stomach. Doxycycline is slightly more expensive. In

conjunction with the tetracycline family, clindamycin is frequently used as

a support therapy, either intravenously or oral.

5. Is there an advantage in using Minocin over the other antibiotics?

Yes. Bacterial cell membranes are surrounded by a lipid layer (a water

insoluble, fatty substance which surrounds the cell and provides it with

fuel). As a means of resisting antibiotics, the cells increase the thickness

of this lipid layer. Minocin has the best penetrating ability. It also has

an extended spectrum of activity and stays in the system longer and at

higher levels than tetracycline.

6. Are there side effects from using antibiotics?

Yes, as with all medications, there are possible side effects. Antibiotics

can cause yeast infections, especially in women. Minocin, however, seems to

have some anti-yeast activity. Some people experience a heightened

sensitivity to sunlight. Using a sunscreen can minimize this risk. In

children who have not yet cut their permanent teeth, tetracyclines can cause

staining of the teeth. Food can impair the absorption of some antibiotics

(not as true of doxycycline or minocycline) so they are to be taken on an

empty stomach. In people whose stomachs have become sensitized, nausea can

be a side effect. Tetracycline has an absorption rate of 50% when taken with

food. Minocin's absorption rate is 85% with food, making it a better choice

if food must be taken with the antibiotic. Diarrhea is another side effect

of antibiotics, and can be severe, but this side effect is rarely seen at

these doses, and is treatable if it occurs.

Correspondence:

The Road Back Foundation

4985 N. Lake Hill Road

Delaware, Ohio 43015-9249 USA