So, I just found and old prescription bottle for Minocycline 100 mg to be taken twice per day. I counted and I took 32 of the 60 pills in the bottle. I discontinued taking it because I had a few episodes of "angioedema" -- severe facial swelling and itching and oozing. Nice. I can't say I blamed the Minocycline, but I had no idea what was causing this allergic reaction so I stopped using just about everything including soap. It was awful. I never went back to using the Minocycline although I don't believe it was the direct cause of the symptoms I had, but I thought maybe it had made me more sensitive to the suspected ingredient in a facial cleanser...I believe Rosemary was the prime suspect.
Bear with me. Patience please, I am going somewhere with this. Minocycline is known to cross the blood brain barrier and help with infections in the brain or spinal cord, but is also known to have side effects of the Central Nervous System.
Well, I had forgotten about taking this medication. I was taking it for an acne flare up which I blamed on the stress I'd been under for a few months. The acne was a nuisance on top of everything else and then the angioedema was the last straw. During those swelling episodes I thought I would lose it, it was like my nerves were about to explode. I couldn't even put gas in my own car. Yet, I went to work every day. Completely embarassed and physically uncomfortable.
Now, it occurs to me, I have read a connection between Minocycline and ALS. In fact, in looking back now and researching what I'd read, because I'd forgotten, and at the time I'd first seen the information didn't remember the name of the drug -- until I saw it on the bottle today -- it is my own neuro who is an author of a study!
It was hypothesized that ALS would slow the progression of ALS because it was shown to do so in mice who were given the gene, so researchers knew the mice very well might/would develop ALS. The mice were given the med BEFORE they developed symptoms and they progressed at a slower rate than the mice that weren't medicated with minocycline. Interestingly, Minocycline in humans who already had ALS (not before they developed it), accelerated the rate of progression. So, the hypothesis was proved false in this one study - the exact opposite of the expected response happened.
This has me wondering. My strong fasics (abdomen) were first noticed about two weeks after stopping the Minocycline. The fasics may well have started before, but I didn't pay any attention (eye and chin). My nerves very much felt in "overdrive" when I had the angioedema, like I can't really describe. I felt on the verge of a breakdown and that really is unlike me. So, I'm wondering...am I experiencing long-lasting side effects of Minocycline? Is this an unusual reaction? Is it permanent? Did it trigger an ALS mimc? I cannot help but wonder if there is a connection. All I know is I really haven't been the same since taking this medication. Was it the combination of the medication and extreme stress I'd been under that made my nervous system particularly susceptible to its side effects? What is the relationship?
Anyone who knows anything about these anti-biotics is welcome to chime in please. Chrissi?