***** SUSPECTED SPAM ***** concerned about taking minocin

[Guest guest]

Hi Suzanne

Yes, I had that indecisiveness too. I started minocin in 2006 after

months of not knowing which way to go. I'd previously developed RA

when I was 30 with a young family and sort of managed it with diet

and anti-inflammatories (I refused the big meds then too), then after

15 years went into remission. Fifteen years later the RA came back

with a vengeance. I had a year on strict diet, herbals and many other

alternatives but nothing helped. I had friends on methotrexate or

Arava who had terrible candida, shingles, fatigue, nausea,

depression, etc.

My rheumy wanted me to do the methotrexate but I refused. If I'd

taken that and it had terrible side effects then I'd have been able

to try one of the other drugs. In Australia it seems that taking mtx

first is a condition of using the other drugs. Eventually I opted for

minocin and I do continually struggle with candida but there seemed

no other option. I still have pain and inflammation but it's

controllable with maximum paracetamol (acetaminophen) and the

occasional course of prednisone. I can't take anti-inflammatories at

all. I don't know what the answer is. I'm sometimes tempted to try

other drugs but see that their side effects are often worse and that

many people have to resort to stronger more dangerous drugs in the

long term.

For me it's a case of choosing what I think is the least damaging and

managing the side effects as best I can. I also find that being as

active as possible, practising positive thinking (not always easy),

doing meditation and loving and laughing with my dog, friends and far

away family all help my quality of life. And I'm also on a waiting

list for a pain clinic but it's years until I'll get in so I've been

researching a lot about it. I try not to let the effects of the

illness change my life too much even though it's a tough challenge at

times. I think we become very brave, but what else is there to do?

Good luck.

Ros