for Jean .

[Guest guest]

This is just one of the notes I got from this site. I will look for more.

It's my understanding the mycoplasma organisms divide slowly - anywhere from

every 24 to 48 hours, supposedly making it unnecessary to take the

antibiotic daily, and that is what worked for me and has worked for many

other patients. The more of the antibiotic you take the greater your risk

of gut problems, and once that gut gets out of balance - watch out. You

don't want to take any more of the antibiotic than necessary to get the job

done. But we are all unique and what works for one person may not work for

another.

Oral dosages may run anywhere from 100 mg. once a day three times a week to

100 mg. twice daily three times a week. Sometimes patients take 100

mg.every other day. I can remember reading in Dr. Brown's papers how he

would sometimes have the patient take 100 mg Minocin in the morning and 100

mg doxycycline in the evening - M-W-F. Sometimes he rotated the

antibiotics - 6 weeks on one, 6 weeks on another, etc. He often prescribed

Nystatin along with the antibiotic(s). I remember a patient in Minnesota

with very severe RA. She was on the 100 mg three day a week protocol for a

long time but not making progress. It was suggested she increase to 100 mg.

twice daily five days a week to see if she could get a response. It worked.

Eventually she was able to go back to the 100 mg. a day M-W-F routine.

Then this story. A woman in St. Louis with RA was doing very well on the

100 mg. M-W-F protocol when she experienced a horrible flare just as she was

preparing to travel to Virginia to see Dr. Cap Oliver who took over Dr.

Brown's practice when he died. It was suggested she double the dose -

taking 100 mg. in the AM and 100 mg in the PM - which she was reluctant to

do. The drive to Virginia was miserable. She felt badly about her

son-in-law having to carry her up and down stairs, etc. and finally decided

to double the dose. By the third day, the flare was under control.. That

worked for her but may not work for you.

In the MIRA studies the dosage was 100 mg. twice a day seven days a week,

and many doctors now follow that protocol which may explain why so many of

those patients end up with gut problems which then can lead to other

problems. It is so important patients take a sufficient dosage of a good

probiotic when on antibiotics.

I think the FAQ on www.rheumatic.org outlines a protocol where you take the

Minocin/minocycline M-W-F and take Zithromax T-Th and Sat.

Some physicians are now adding an anti-fungal to the protocol.