This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hi All

I have just completed month 12 of the Wheldon protocol. Improvements have been gradual and definite but the Metronidazole is still making me feel pretty rough every month.

Over the past few months I have had Acne on my back, shoulders, and a sort of slightly inflamed acne on both of my my temples. I don't know whether this is a response to one of the antibiotics, all of the antibiotics, or something present in the supplements (or none of the above). Yet I have it and I would say that it is becoming gradually worse, albeit very slowly.

As Doxycycline is prescribed for acne, it seems unusual to me that I should have it at all. Could anyone offer any enlightenment? I am about to switch to Roxithromycin for a few months to see if it has any impact on the acne.

I am taking Doxycycline, Azithromycine, Metronidazole, NAC + supplements at the recommended dosages.

Thanks for any input

Dan

Dan, there is no point in stopping doxycycline for roxithromycin since it is the same family as azithromycin: you don't need them both and you won't be fully covered. Maybe it is the azithromycin which is causing the problem because doxy certainly shouldn't.

I took doxy and roxy and I never had any skin problems.

Sarah

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An Itinerary in Light and Shadow Completed Dr Charles Stratton / Dr David Wheldon abx regime for aggressive secondary progressive MS in June 2007, after four years. Still improving with no relapses since starting. Can't run but can paint all day.

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I'm not stopping the Doxycycline but switching the Azith to Roxith, now I know I can get it from alldaychemist.

Could it possibly be sub-standard drugs from the Indian pharmacies that might be causative here? I know that UK drugs go through stringent quality control before they find their way onto the shelves -- I guess there's no way of checking imports. I'm less clear as to where the Acne is coming from. Having sat through a week of Metronidazole I can safely say it makes it flair up quite a bit, so maybe the answer is there.

Still, I'm happy with progress and am going to continue at full dosage for the next few months until I decide (risk assess) whether and by how much to cut down to an intermittent programme.

Best
Dan

Dan, everything from an English pharmacy will be fine quality wise but things bought online can only really be guaranteed if you by the brand name. I just looked up aldaychemist for you and the roxithromycin is only generic: the company who makes the brand name is Aventis.

Why not try 1drugstore-online.com. They sell both brand name and generic. You could also try tinidazole in place of metronidazole because it is much gentler but just as effective. I changed to it after a year or so. Of course it could be one of the supplements that is causing the problem, is there a new one which you started just before the acne began?

Sarah

_________________
An Itinerary in Light and Shadow Completed Dr Charles Stratton / Dr David Wheldon abx regime for aggressive secondary progressive MS in June 2007, after four years. Still improving with no relapses since starting. Can't run but can paint all day.

Sarah, I haven't started any new supplements recently. In fact I was taking a Zinc supplement which I stopped a few months ago. I had been recommended by another doctor and I wasn't sure that I needed it. There have been similar stoppages from time to time but right now I'm taking pretty much only the items on the list.

But thanks for mentioning that 1drug supplier. I'll quite possibly give them a try when I next run out. I suppose I'd been trying to shave a few pounds off the cost by buying the generics but there's not a great deal of difference on closer inspection of the prices.

Best
Dan

Another thought is that it might be die-off: your particular way of getting rid of endotoxins, so it might just go away eventually. Did you suffer from acne when a teenager?

Sarah

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An Itinerary in Light and Shadow Completed Dr Charles Stratton / Dr David Wheldon abx regime for aggressive secondary progressive MS in June 2007, after four years. Still improving with no relapses since starting. Can't run but can paint all day.

Sarah, yes I did have acne as a teenager and took Oxytetracycline tablets for quite a while. This looks like something I'll just have to wait out.

Thanks
Dan