Guest guest Posted June 15, 2002 Report Share Posted June 15, 2002 I seem to be allergic to doxycycline. I asked my doctor for a prescription for a different antibiotic. She said that, unfortunately, tetracyclines are the only ones used to treat skin conditions. Is this really true? This doesn't agree with what I have read here. Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 15, 2002 Report Share Posted June 15, 2002 Hi. I understand that the tetracyclines are the first line treatment and usually considered the best. But I believe that e-mycin and clarithromycin (same family) may also be useful for rosacea. Perhaps others in the group have tried them with success? Another thing -- and maybe Marjorie can comment on this -- my understanding is that antibiotics are used in rosacea not for their anti-bacterial peoperties but for their anti-inflammatory effects. (This applies to ocular rosacea too.) In other words, it's a sort of off-label use, which is fairly effective in a lot of patients. I hope replies will be directed to the group so we can all profit. trackgalcal > I seem to be allergic to doxycycline. I asked my > doctor for a prescription for a different antibiotic. > She said that, unfortunately, tetracyclines are the > only ones used to treat skin conditions. > > Is this really true? This doesn't agree with what > I have read here. > > Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2002 Report Share Posted June 16, 2002 Yes, the doctor told me that the benefit of the antibiotic is the anti-inflammatory effects. I might try the Doxy once more, but it seems to actually cause my face to swell. Maybe it is all in my imagination, but I don't think so. Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 16, 2002 Report Share Posted June 16, 2002 I am NOT a doctor, but what you say your doctor told you sounds incorrect to me. I thought that antibiotics were used in R treatment exclusively for controlling local skin infection. Correct me if Im wrong. Re: Re: Antibiotic Suggestions > Yes, the doctor told me that the benefit of the antibiotic > is the anti-inflammatory effects. I might try the Doxy once > more, but it seems to actually cause my face to swell. > Maybe it is all in my imagination, but I don't think so. > > Shane > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 17, 2002 Report Share Posted June 17, 2002 Shane, if your physician subscribes or has hospital access to UpToDate (www.uptodate.com), they give erythromycin 250 two-four times a day as alternative therapy. More convenient formations of erythromycin such as clarithromycin and zithromycin are mentioned in several Medline references. Other less common options I've come across include trimethoprim- sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim), ampillicin, and cephalosporins. I don't have the references, but they too can probably be accessed on Medline by typing in the condition and the specific antibiotic. While I'm not familiar with this article, the title sounds like a reference your physician might want to consult: Cutis 2000 Oct;66(4 Suppl):7-13 Systemic therapy for rosacea: focus on oral antibiotic therapy and safety. Del Rosso JQ. Department of Dermatology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Although potentially significant adverse reactions and drug interactions have been reported in association with erythromycin, oral tetracyclines, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, overall these agents are associated with excellent safety profiles, especially considering their widespread use over many years. It must be considered that when these antibiotics are used for the treatment of rosacea and also for acne vulgaris, their use is on a long-term basis rather than their typical short-course regimens for most infectious diseases. As a result, dermatologists prescribing these agents may feel assured that most patients will not encounter any significant problems, but they do need to be aware of potential adverse reactions to allow for early recognition and discontinuation of the offending drug when needed. Early recognition also allows for favorable management of adverse reactions. In addition, potentially significant drug interactions may be recognized by obtaining a thorough medical history and avoiding combinations of drugs that may interact unfavorably. Fortunately, there are several choices that allow us to individually select a treatment regimen that is optimal for the individual patient, allowing for effective control of rosacea. Publication Types: Review Review, Tutorial PMID: 11455753 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] > I seem to be allergic to doxycycline. I asked my > doctor for a prescription for a different antibiotic. > She said that, unfortunately, tetracyclines are the > only ones used to treat skin conditions. > > Is this really true? This doesn't agree with what > I have read here. > > Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 17, 2002 Report Share Posted June 17, 2002 > Hi. I understand that the tetracyclines are the first line treatment > and usually considered the best. But I believe that e-mycin and > clarithromycin (same family) may also be useful for rosacea. > Perhaps others in the group have tried them with success? > > Another thing -- and maybe Marjorie can comment on this -- my > understanding is that antibiotics are used in rosacea not for their > anti-bacterial peoperties but for their anti-inflammatory effects. > (This applies to ocular rosacea too.) That's the current thinking, trackgalcal. I found an old but interesting study that demonstrates the efficiacy of antibiotics in chemically-induced rosacea -- chemically-induced, so we know there's no bacterial activity directly causing the resolution of these symptoms: J Invest Dermatol 1975 Dec;65(6):532-6 Anti-inflammatory effects of antimicrobial agents: an in vivo study. Plewig G, Schopf E. Antimicrobials are used emperically in a variety of inflammatory dermatoses such as rosacea and dermatitis herpetiformis, although these diseases are not believed to be of bacterial etiology. We have used potassium iodide ointment to induce follicular pustules and have found in this in vivo model properties of antimicrobials not related to their antibacterial actions. Topical demethylchlortetracycline and erythromycin (5%) lead to suppression of KI-induced inflammation (erythema, pustules) and systemic use of these drugs as well as diaminodiphenylsulfone produces the same effect. PMID: 1194716 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 17, 2002 Report Share Posted June 17, 2002 Interesting study. Isn't potassium iodide the stuff they're handing out to people living near nuclear power plants -- to prevent thyroid cancer in case of nuclear meltdown?? trackgalcal I found an old but > interesting study that demonstrates the efficiacy of antibiotics in > chemically-induced rosacea -- chemically-induced, so we know there's > no bacterial activity directly causing the resolution of these > symptoms: > > > J Invest Dermatol 1975 Dec;65(6):532-6 > > > Anti-inflammatory effects of antimicrobial agents: an in vivo study. > > Plewig G, Schopf E. > > Antimicrobials are used emperically in a variety of inflammatory > dermatoses such as rosacea and dermatitis herpetiformis, although > these diseases are not believed to be of bacterial etiology. We have > used potassium iodide ointment to induce follicular pustules and have > found in this in vivo model properties of antimicrobials not related > to their antibacterial actions. Topical demethylchlortetracycline and > erythromycin (5%) lead to suppression of KI-induced inflammation > (erythema, pustules) and systemic use of these drugs as well as > diaminodiphenylsulfone produces the same effect. > > PMID: 1194716 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 17, 2002 Report Share Posted June 17, 2002 > Interesting study. Isn't potassium iodide the stuff they're handing > out to people living near nuclear power plants -- to prevent > thyroid cancer in case of nuclear meltdown?? Probably, but here it's used as a topical -- it's probably used here just a reliable and otherwise safe skin irritant. Marjorie Marjorie Lazoff, MD > > I found an old but > > interesting study that demonstrates the efficiacy of antibiotics > in > > chemically-induced rosacea -- chemically-induced, so we > know there's > > no bacterial activity directly causing the resolution of these > > symptoms: > > > > > > J Invest Dermatol 1975 Dec;65(6):532-6 > > > > > > Anti-inflammatory effects of antimicrobial agents: an in vivo > study. > > > > Plewig G, Schopf E. > > > > Antimicrobials are used emperically in a variety of inflammatory > > dermatoses such as rosacea and dermatitis herpetiformis, > although > > these diseases are not believed to be of bacterial etiology. We > have > > used potassium iodide ointment to induce follicular pustules > and have > > found in this in vivo model properties of antimicrobials not > related > > to their antibacterial actions. Topical demethylchlortetracycline > and > > erythromycin (5%) lead to suppression of KI-induced > inflammation > > (erythema, pustules) and systemic use of these drugs as well > as > > diaminodiphenylsulfone produces the same effect. > > > > PMID: 1194716 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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