I’ve been reading on a few Internet sites about some interesting research currently being carried out into how Minocycline can reduce relapse’s and in some cases have held back a relapses altogether.
Some might be aware what Minocycline is used for, if not, well basically it’s very commonly used as an anti acne drug, but in fact no one actually knows why this drug is good at controlling acne, some suggestions are because of it’s anti inflammatory content.
It is because of this anti inflammatory content that MS researchers decided to involve it in trials for MS, and it looks like theres been some promising results, it is though early days I suppose ?
The reason I picked up on this particular drug trial was because about 10 years I was put on Minocycline for Rocsea, a form of adult acne, I stayed on the drug for around 6 years, maybe a bit longer, missing out 1 month in every 3 .
I would take one tablet daily for 3 months then have a break for about a month, then back on them for another 3 months and so on.
Like I say this went on for around 6 years, just over 4 years ago I decided to stop taking them because basically the condition had healed up within a few months of starting them but my doctor had said in the beginning to keep taking them on and off as it was good to have it my system.
Now then, just over about 4 years ago I decided that it was time to stop them because the condition had long gone and I couldn’t see the point in just taking them for nothing, so one day I just stopped, without any cutting down.
Well within 6 months of stopping I had my very first full on MS attack !
This may or may not be a coincidence, but when I think back about my MS and the symptoms I have now and had years ago, I can clearly re-call having numbness in my hands many many years ago, long before being diagnosed with MS, but these symptoms levelled out around the time I was taking the Minocycline.
For years I thought the numbness was Carpel Tunnel, but since being diagnosed with MS my neuro has said it was probably the very beginning of the MS many many years ago that settled down before flaring up years later into the full blown MS.
Nobody has ever enquired about the Minocycline that I had been on, and I never really put the two things together !
So, just a thought but could there be some proof that Minocycline does have an effect on MS ?
Was taking it for all them years holding back my MS, and then after stopping suddenly it allowed the MS to kick of with a vengeance ?
It does now make me wonder why the numbness in my hands all them years ago eased to almost nothing whilst I was on the Minocycline, and then within a few months of suddenly stopping it after 6 years I had my first proper MS attack !
Food for though, or should I say Minocycline for thought ?
I have a consultation this Thursday so I"ll be throwing the question at the neuro !