Doxycycline - Open to All Other Health Topics Message Board

purple2067 · 04-13-2004, 11:59 AM

Hi all!

I have a question. I am on Doxycycline for clogged Meibomian glands in my eyelids. One of the effects of the medicine is that it helps to loosen the oil in the clogged glands. It's the only anti-biotic that has this effect. I am taking 100mg right now. I have got a very sensitive stomach, but so far it's not bothering me. I've been on it for about a month. I asked my ophthalmologist how long I would need to be on it and he said we would have to see what happens. The usual course is 3 months. But he said that if I go off of it and the clogged glands get worse, then I will need to be on it for longer, possibly forever.

I want to know what this will do to my immune system though. I know that being on anti-biotics long term can make one more susceptible to infection, and I already have a compromised auto-immune system due to Multiple Sclerosis. I am constantly catching infections. What will this do to my body's ability to respond to other anti-biotics in the future?

I have to do whatever I can to make my clogged meibomian glands better because they result ins evere dry eyes. Anybody who has ever had this problem knows how miserable dry eyes can make you and how dangerous it can be to the overall health of the eyeballs. I already have marks on my corneas and it's getting worse by the day. But is it wise for the overall health of my body to remain on the doxycycline long term, possibly forever?

Any opinions are welcomed. Thanks,

Elyse

Angel77 · 04-13-2004, 12:36 PM

Hi! I also have an auto-immune problem...mine is Grave's disease....from what I've been told, even though they radiated my thyroid, my immune system is still in over-drive...so maybe I can help.

I have talked with my doctor about antibiotics for my acne and asked about this because I can't afford to be sick. Luckily my immune system is actually keeping me well being over-active...I rarely get sick. But when I do, I'm down for a long time! I hadn't had a cold in more than a year and got one that put me out for a month! On top of it, I have narcolepsy, which also may be auto-immune. So, I'm very cautious with things.

My doctor said that doxy isn't one of the heavy-hitters in the dose given for things like this. The problem with antibiotics working isn't a matter of your immune system, but what bug you got. If the bug you got was a form that mutated due to improper antibiotic use (by others) then it will be resistant to that antibiotic anyway. That's why they're moving away from them. But, my guess is that since you will be on this for an extended period of time, you should be fine.

If you're nervous, talk to your pharmacist. You'd be surprised by how much they know about how it effects certain conditions. I had docs prescribe amphetamines for my narcolepsy and this particular one was upset about how often my dose was increasing. He couldn't figure it out. So I talked to my pharmacist who explained everything I needed to know, the reasons, what the body's reaction is and why it all happens. In my case, it took my body a few weeks to break down the initial dose I was given. Then, when I had the doses increased, my body had already made the necessary means to break it down and it took less time because it just needed to produce a little more. Eventually the body quits breaking it down because of the extended use of it.

Maybe do some research on the net about extended use of antibiotics and effects on autoimmune.

I hope this helps...I tend to ramble and don't know how much sense it makes to anyone, other than me. Good luck, and don't worry. You'll be fine.

P.S. As far as autoimmune goes, you also should steer clear of certain herbs, like echinacea. I found out the hard way that since it's an immune stimulant, it will trigger your whole immune system, which is already damaging your body. There may be a few more, but I'm not sure. I do know that I've taken oil of oregano (gel cap) and olive leaf with great results. You can take a maintanance dose every day to stave off bugs. But talk to your doc or pharmacist before to make sure it won't interact with anything you're on or your condition. My MIL takes this and she's the oldest woman working in her clinic and while all the others were out for a total of a few weeks a piece with this last bad season, she didn't catch even a sniffle!

purple2067 · 04-13-2004, 04:26 PM

Thanks a lot for your helpful response. The reason I was concerned about using anti-biotics, especially long-term, because about 10 years ago I had very very very severe sinus problems. I constantly got infections. However, I was (and still am) allergic to a lot of anti-biotics. One of the only ones that I could take was Lorabid. So, my ENT specialist would prescribe this one for me every single time I got an infection. Eventually it stopped working and I developed a bacterial cyst in my sinuses and I needed surgery to clean it out.

I worry about the body becoming immune to anti-biotics with long-term use. I have heard that long-term use of anti-biotics weaken the body's immune responses and make you less able to fight off infection. But then again, I do know some people who have been on long term anti-biotics for acne and seem to be fine.

Your idea about asking a pharmacist is good. Most of the time they know more about medicines than the doctors do! My uncle is a pharmacist. I ask him questions all the time. I don't know why I didn't think to ask him this one!

I do not take any herbs, precisely because I don't know what they will do to my messed up body! The only natural supplement that I take is flaxseed oil, and something called TheraTears Nutrition, both for my dry eyes. Both were recommended to me by my uncle, and my doctors. I was going to take Evening Primrose Oil but I had heard that it is very bad for people with dry eyes and people with compromised immune systems.

Thanks again for the info,

Elyse