Tysabri and antibiotics

MacKintosh · Post by **MacKintosh** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:27 pm

Hi, everyone. I have to admit, I know very little about Tysabri, so I came to ask you a question for a friend who is on it. He isn't a computer guy and he doesn't know who to ask, so I offered to put this on the board.

He's been on Tysabri for about seven months and is happy with it. He also wants to start on the Wheldon antibiotic protocol, but my prescribing doctor is not willing to give him antibiotics while he is on Tysabri, out of concern for interaction. (The doctor has no experience with Tysabri and doesn't intend to treat with it in the future.) So, my friend wants to approach his neuro about abx treatment, but neither of us knows if there's any history of antibiotics interfering with or causing negative reactions with Tysabri. Basically, he wants to be well prepared for whatever direction the conversation might take.

The antibiotics I'm talking about are doxycycline, metronidazole and azithromycin. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

superman · Post by **superman** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 9:23 am

ABX-Tysabri sounds quite risky to me.
Tysabri can only be taken as a mono therapy in order to minimize any immunisation problems.
I'm not a Dr but from what i know ABX has effects on immune system: it increases T and B lymphocytes' number.

(fda)
"In the U.S., Tysabri is available only to patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) or Crohn's disease (CD) who are enrolled in the risk minimization plan called the TOUCH Prescribing Program. Under the TOUCH Prescribing Program, every Tysabri-treated patient is closely monitored and followed for the occurrence of PML and other serious opportunistic infections.."

10yearsandstillkicken · Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:22 am

There is a list of medications in the checklist prior to getting an infusion. Thought I would get the link on the Tysabri website so the official list would be available here. I spent a fair amount of time looking for it and could not find it. So I called. The very nice lady explained that it was not available online but she would ask marketing about getting the list placed on the website. I think I am sick that marketing would have anythng to do with putting vital information on the site......

MacKintosh · Post by **MacKintosh** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:12 pm

Stillkicken, I think I'm in agreement with that sentiment.

But, I'll do a search online and see what I can come up with in that vein. My friend asked what I've learned, so far, and I told him not to be so impatient! Meanwhile, I asked him if he couldn't get a patient information sheet when he gets his Tysabri. I'd think they must have access to one when he does the infusion??

HarryZ · Post by **HarryZ** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 3:10 pm

I think I am sick that marketing would have anythng to do with putting vital information on the site......

In MS Big Pharma, marketing has "everything" to do with what gets distributed to the public. The very nature of MS and the drugs that are used to try and treat the disease is a very confusing maze. The marketing people are very careful as to what is said about their product and how it is said. A loss or gain of 1% of the market share is worth millions of dollars and they don't want any possibility of the wrong info getting out there.

Harry

MacKintosh · Post by **MacKintosh** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 3:25 pm

Harry, That's why I came here. WE know how to find info most people can't.

10yearsandstillkicken · Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:35 pm

I guess millions of dollars makes right. And those of us who dance with ms everyday are left wondering, is this 5000 a month doing anything? Anyway, I found my check list and this is the list of drugs. I don't see any antibiotics listed. But taking anything that effects the immune system, especially if taken for a long time, should be done very carefully. In my opinion at least. I used OCR so there may be a misspelling or two:
Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone°) Interferon beta-la (Rebif°, Avonex®) Interferon beta-1b (Betaseron(5) Mitoxantrone (Novantrone°)
lmmunosuppressants/Antineoplastics: Azathioprine (Imuran°, Azasan°)
Cladribine (Leustatin°)
Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan®, Neosar®) Cyclosporine (Sandimmune®, Neoral®) Fludarabine phosphate (Fludara®)
Leflunomide (Arava®)
Mercaptopurine (Purinethol®)
Methotrexate (Methotrex°, Rheumatrex°, Trexall®) Mycophenolate mofetil (CeIICept®)
Additional Immunomodulators and Immunosuppressants:
Other interferons (Actimmune°, Infergen°, Intron° A, Pegasys°, PEG-Intron°, Rebetron®, Roferon®-A) Adalimumab (Humira®)
Alefacept (Amevive®) Alemtuzumab (Campath°) Anakinra (Kineret®) Daclizumab (Zenapax®) Efalizumab (Raptiva®) Etanercept (Enbrel®) Infliximab (Remicade®) Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) Rituximab (Rituxan®) Trastuzumab (Herceptin®)

MacKintosh · Post by **MacKintosh** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 9:34 pm

No immunomodulators. Hmmm, food for thought. Thanks, Chuck!

Post by **NHE** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 1:29 am

The doctor's prescribing information for Tysabri should have most of the needed info it.
http://www.tysabri.com/en_US/tysb/pdf/TYSABRI-pi.pdf

NHE

Frank · Post by **Frank** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:23 pm

Hi MacKintosh,

when I've been on Tysabri when I deceided to start the ABX protocol. I also asked my neuro about combinig both regimes but he also was worried about possible cross reactions esprecially regarding Minocycline.
So I had to stop Tysabri while being on ABX.

--Frank

MacKintosh · Post by **MacKintosh** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 5:55 pm

How long does it take for Tysabri to clear from your body? Can you stop it to do abx for a year or more, then come back to Tysabri?

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Tysabri and antibiotics

Tysabri and antibiotics

Re: Tysabri and antibiotics