Re: Effectiveness of Antibtiotics

[Guest guest]

mhsuriley, I don't know of any specific length of time when

effectiveness diminishes. But in general, dosage fluctuations is

thought to contribute much more to bacterial resistance than a

constant low dose. The resistance would likely extend to all

tetracyclines, including minocycle. But antibiotics are thought to

work as anti-inflammatory, not anti-bacterial, so it's not all that

clear.

Certainly taking high dose antibiotics chronically is not a good

idea. Low dose antibiotics is much safer, but still not ideal, for

the reasons you mentioned. Have you tried adding a topical antibiotic

while on oral antibiotics; several studies show that remission is

longer and more likely when the topical is continued after the oral

has been tapered off. Still, with topical, there is concern for

bacterial resistance, but that would at least be limited to the face

rather than the entire body.

Talk it over with your doctor. There are several good options for

treating the mild-moderate inflammatory component of rosacea.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

> I've been taking doxycycline for 2.5 yrs. I used to take it every

> day and it helped a lot. Since I started to taper off, I've

noticed

> the skin not looking as good. However, I'm afraid to take it daily

> (or too often) because I hear its effectiveness diminishes if

you're

> on it for a long time. I read somewhere that after 8 yrs it's

common

> for the drug to lose its effectiveness.

>

> 1. So if I take doxycycline less frequently, will I be able to

extend

> the life span of its effectiveness?

>

> 2. Also, the way I'm taking the antibiotics is this: when the skin

> starts looking bad, I take it for 3 days straight. Then when the

> skin stabilizes, I take the doxy less frequently (like maybe 1-

> 2x/week). Is this fluctuation bad for my system?

>

> 3. When the time comes that I find doxycycline has lost its

> effectiveness, would I be able to find benefit from switching to

> tetracycline or minocycline?

>

> Thanks.

[Guest guest]

mhsuriley, I don't know of any specific length of time when

effectiveness diminishes. But in general, dosage fluctuations is

thought to contribute much more to bacterial resistance than a

constant low dose. The resistance would likely extend to all

tetracyclines, including minocycle. But antibiotics are thought to

work as anti-inflammatory, not anti-bacterial, so it's not all that

clear.

Certainly taking high dose antibiotics chronically is not a good

idea. Low dose antibiotics is much safer, but still not ideal, for

the reasons you mentioned. Have you tried adding a topical antibiotic

while on oral antibiotics; several studies show that remission is

longer and more likely when the topical is continued after the oral

has been tapered off. Still, with topical, there is concern for

bacterial resistance, but that would at least be limited to the face

rather than the entire body.

Talk it over with your doctor. There are several good options for

treating the mild-moderate inflammatory component of rosacea.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

> I've been taking doxycycline for 2.5 yrs. I used to take it every

> day and it helped a lot. Since I started to taper off, I've

noticed

> the skin not looking as good. However, I'm afraid to take it daily

> (or too often) because I hear its effectiveness diminishes if

you're

> on it for a long time. I read somewhere that after 8 yrs it's

common

> for the drug to lose its effectiveness.

>

> 1. So if I take doxycycline less frequently, will I be able to

extend

> the life span of its effectiveness?

>

> 2. Also, the way I'm taking the antibiotics is this: when the skin

> starts looking bad, I take it for 3 days straight. Then when the

> skin stabilizes, I take the doxy less frequently (like maybe 1-

> 2x/week). Is this fluctuation bad for my system?

>

> 3. When the time comes that I find doxycycline has lost its

> effectiveness, would I be able to find benefit from switching to

> tetracycline or minocycline?

>

> Thanks.

[Guest guest]

mhsuriley, I don't know of any specific length of time when

effectiveness diminishes. But in general, dosage fluctuations is

thought to contribute much more to bacterial resistance than a

constant low dose. The resistance would likely extend to all

tetracyclines, including minocycle. But antibiotics are thought to

work as anti-inflammatory, not anti-bacterial, so it's not all that

clear.

Certainly taking high dose antibiotics chronically is not a good

idea. Low dose antibiotics is much safer, but still not ideal, for

the reasons you mentioned. Have you tried adding a topical antibiotic

while on oral antibiotics; several studies show that remission is

longer and more likely when the topical is continued after the oral

has been tapered off. Still, with topical, there is concern for

bacterial resistance, but that would at least be limited to the face

rather than the entire body.

Talk it over with your doctor. There are several good options for

treating the mild-moderate inflammatory component of rosacea.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

> I've been taking doxycycline for 2.5 yrs. I used to take it every

> day and it helped a lot. Since I started to taper off, I've

noticed

> the skin not looking as good. However, I'm afraid to take it daily

> (or too often) because I hear its effectiveness diminishes if

you're

> on it for a long time. I read somewhere that after 8 yrs it's

common

> for the drug to lose its effectiveness.

>

> 1. So if I take doxycycline less frequently, will I be able to

extend

> the life span of its effectiveness?

>

> 2. Also, the way I'm taking the antibiotics is this: when the skin

> starts looking bad, I take it for 3 days straight. Then when the

> skin stabilizes, I take the doxy less frequently (like maybe 1-

> 2x/week). Is this fluctuation bad for my system?

>

> 3. When the time comes that I find doxycycline has lost its

> effectiveness, would I be able to find benefit from switching to

> tetracycline or minocycline?

>

> Thanks.

[Guest guest]

mhsuriley, I don't know of any specific length of time when

effectiveness diminishes. But in general, dosage fluctuations is

thought to contribute much more to bacterial resistance than a

constant low dose. The resistance would likely extend to all

tetracyclines, including minocycle. But antibiotics are thought to

work as anti-inflammatory, not anti-bacterial, so it's not all that

clear.

Certainly taking high dose antibiotics chronically is not a good

idea. Low dose antibiotics is much safer, but still not ideal, for

the reasons you mentioned. Have you tried adding a topical antibiotic

while on oral antibiotics; several studies show that remission is

longer and more likely when the topical is continued after the oral

has been tapered off. Still, with topical, there is concern for

bacterial resistance, but that would at least be limited to the face

rather than the entire body.

Talk it over with your doctor. There are several good options for

treating the mild-moderate inflammatory component of rosacea.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

> I've been taking doxycycline for 2.5 yrs. I used to take it every

> day and it helped a lot. Since I started to taper off, I've

noticed

> the skin not looking as good. However, I'm afraid to take it daily

> (or too often) because I hear its effectiveness diminishes if

you're

> on it for a long time. I read somewhere that after 8 yrs it's

common

> for the drug to lose its effectiveness.

>

> 1. So if I take doxycycline less frequently, will I be able to

extend

> the life span of its effectiveness?

>

> 2. Also, the way I'm taking the antibiotics is this: when the skin

> starts looking bad, I take it for 3 days straight. Then when the

> skin stabilizes, I take the doxy less frequently (like maybe 1-

> 2x/week). Is this fluctuation bad for my system?

>

> 3. When the time comes that I find doxycycline has lost its

> effectiveness, would I be able to find benefit from switching to

> tetracycline or minocycline?

>

> Thanks.

[Guest guest]

I'm in a similar situation. I've been taking oxytetracycline for 3 years at

4x250 mg daily until I had laser treatment. Then I tapered off and thought

I'd be able to stop it but my skin started up again after a few weeks and my

ocular rosacea got worse. It just hadn't occurred to me I'd need to keep

taking it for my eyes. So I've had to start up again. I'm not happy taking

it longterm (I'm also on other drugs for arthritis) and hoped I'd be able to

stop after laser treatment. I feel it's losing its effectiveness after all

this time or perhaps my system is just getting used to it.

I've tried taking it every other day or just taking a larger dose when it

gets bad (like you have tried) but nothing seems to work as well as taking

the full dose every day. I'd also appreciate any advice from people in a

similar situation.

Gill

----- Original Message -----

> I've been taking doxycycline for 2.5 yrs. I used to take it every

> day and it helped a lot. Since I started to taper off, I've noticed

> the skin not looking as good. However, I'm afraid to take it daily

> (or too often) because I hear its effectiveness diminishes if you're

> on it for a long time.

[Guest guest]

I'm in a similar situation. I've been taking oxytetracycline for 3 years at

4x250 mg daily until I had laser treatment. Then I tapered off and thought

I'd be able to stop it but my skin started up again after a few weeks and my

ocular rosacea got worse. It just hadn't occurred to me I'd need to keep

taking it for my eyes. So I've had to start up again. I'm not happy taking

it longterm (I'm also on other drugs for arthritis) and hoped I'd be able to

stop after laser treatment. I feel it's losing its effectiveness after all

this time or perhaps my system is just getting used to it.

I've tried taking it every other day or just taking a larger dose when it

gets bad (like you have tried) but nothing seems to work as well as taking

the full dose every day. I'd also appreciate any advice from people in a

similar situation.

Gill

----- Original Message -----

> I've been taking doxycycline for 2.5 yrs. I used to take it every

> day and it helped a lot. Since I started to taper off, I've noticed

> the skin not looking as good. However, I'm afraid to take it daily

> (or too often) because I hear its effectiveness diminishes if you're

> on it for a long time.

[Guest guest]

I'm in a similar situation. I've been taking oxytetracycline for 3 years at

4x250 mg daily until I had laser treatment. Then I tapered off and thought

I'd be able to stop it but my skin started up again after a few weeks and my

ocular rosacea got worse. It just hadn't occurred to me I'd need to keep

taking it for my eyes. So I've had to start up again. I'm not happy taking

it longterm (I'm also on other drugs for arthritis) and hoped I'd be able to

stop after laser treatment. I feel it's losing its effectiveness after all

this time or perhaps my system is just getting used to it.

I've tried taking it every other day or just taking a larger dose when it

gets bad (like you have tried) but nothing seems to work as well as taking

the full dose every day. I'd also appreciate any advice from people in a

similar situation.

Gill

----- Original Message -----

> I've been taking doxycycline for 2.5 yrs. I used to take it every

> day and it helped a lot. Since I started to taper off, I've noticed

> the skin not looking as good. However, I'm afraid to take it daily

> (or too often) because I hear its effectiveness diminishes if you're

> on it for a long time.

[Guest guest]

I'm in a similar situation. I've been taking oxytetracycline for 3 years at

4x250 mg daily until I had laser treatment. Then I tapered off and thought

I'd be able to stop it but my skin started up again after a few weeks and my

ocular rosacea got worse. It just hadn't occurred to me I'd need to keep

taking it for my eyes. So I've had to start up again. I'm not happy taking

it longterm (I'm also on other drugs for arthritis) and hoped I'd be able to

stop after laser treatment. I feel it's losing its effectiveness after all

this time or perhaps my system is just getting used to it.

I've tried taking it every other day or just taking a larger dose when it

gets bad (like you have tried) but nothing seems to work as well as taking

the full dose every day. I'd also appreciate any advice from people in a

similar situation.

Gill

----- Original Message -----

> I've been taking doxycycline for 2.5 yrs. I used to take it every

> day and it helped a lot. Since I started to taper off, I've noticed

> the skin not looking as good. However, I'm afraid to take it daily

> (or too often) because I hear its effectiveness diminishes if you're

> on it for a long time.

[Guest guest]

Dr. Lazoff,

Thanks for your reply. To answer your question, I've been using

Klaron lotion 2x/day for almost 3 yrs now. Is that too much? It

helps with the papules but not at all with redness.

I have tried Noritate and Metrocream - both of which irritated and

dried my skin like crazy. Metrocream actually made me redder

(probably due to irriation).

I wish I could talk to my doctor about this, but she knows very

little about rosacea.

Thanks.

[Guest guest]

Dr. Lazoff,

Thanks for your reply. To answer your question, I've been using

Klaron lotion 2x/day for almost 3 yrs now. Is that too much? It

helps with the papules but not at all with redness.

I have tried Noritate and Metrocream - both of which irritated and

dried my skin like crazy. Metrocream actually made me redder

(probably due to irriation).

I wish I could talk to my doctor about this, but she knows very

little about rosacea.

Thanks.

[Guest guest]

Dr. Lazoff,

Thanks for your reply. To answer your question, I've been using

Klaron lotion 2x/day for almost 3 yrs now. Is that too much? It

helps with the papules but not at all with redness.

I have tried Noritate and Metrocream - both of which irritated and

dried my skin like crazy. Metrocream actually made me redder

(probably due to irriation).

I wish I could talk to my doctor about this, but she knows very

little about rosacea.

Thanks.

[Guest guest]

Dr. Lazoff,

Thanks for your reply. To answer your question, I've been using

Klaron lotion 2x/day for almost 3 yrs now. Is that too much? It

helps with the papules but not at all with redness.

I have tried Noritate and Metrocream - both of which irritated and

dried my skin like crazy. Metrocream actually made me redder

(probably due to irriation).

I wish I could talk to my doctor about this, but she knows very

little about rosacea.

Thanks.