Zithromax & Me

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" Gloria M. Tate " <MissGloria@...> wrote:

Dear Pierre,

Thank you so much for sending me the information on Zithromax and Biaxin, etc.

I would have thanked you sooner, but my son had a bad accident on his bicycle

and that has taken up all of my time and thought. I was shocked to see that

Zithromax can endanger the retina. Can Biaxin do any of these bad things

either from large doses or over time?

Thank you,

Gloria Tate

===================

Gloria,

A few quick comments:

1- I fell from my bike 4 weeks ago and hit my head badly. I still have the

remainder of a bruised knee. I share your worries concerning your son's

accident.

2- Zithromax is giving me back my life. I can only encourage you to use it,

but do so carefully.

Zithromax, Minocin and doxy all accumulate in the retina. Biaxin does not seem

to accumulate in the retina to the same extent, although it does. I guess the

big difference is the duration of the half-life, 68 hours for Zithromax, some

8 hours, if my memory is right, for Biaxin. With its longer half-life,

Zithromax does not take a pause in its fight against bacterias and

mycoplasmas. Hence, its greater effectiveness, especially for Rheumatic

diseases.

There are a number of reasons why drug manufacturers determine a recommended

dosage for their drugs, one of which being the body's ability to eliminate the

drug over time. Zithromax is no exception.

The American Rheumatic Association has issued guidelines for the safe use and

combination of Antibiotics for Rheumatic diseases. The combined knowledge of

these leading doctors and researchers cannot be dismissed easily.

Whenever you use more than the recommended dosage of a drug, you have to worry

about the consequences. Unwittingly, I experienced 7 retina detachments before

I understood what was going on. My advice was meant to protect you from such

an ordeal, while allowing you to reap the full benefits of Zithromax.

I have just completed 10 weeks of Zithromax, 1000 mg, on Monday and Thursday

afternoons. No added Minocin or doxy.

Here's part of a progress report which I sent to the Group earlier in August:

===================

I received very bad news in June. After nearly 2 years of daily antibiotics, I

still have a very high ASO typing for the Streptococcus bacteria (600

international units, no change in 15 months) and I still have a positive stool

culture for the Pseudomonas aeroginas bacteria (no change in 10 months). I

have a line of open sores on the hair scalp since 1995 which would come with

ineffective NSAID treatment and go with a more effective control of

inflammation, but never go completely.

In order to achieve any significant progress, I have resolved to increase the

Zithromax dosage this Summer and next Fall, to take it 2 days per week as a

single dose antibiotic, with no other antibiotic as I want to reduce pressure

on the retina (Zithromax, Minocin and doxycycline all accumulate in the

retina, generating tensions of the retina, manifesting themselves as

occasional black flashes or occasional pain in the eye). Dosage was increased

on May 8, 2000, to Zithromax, 750 mg, on Monday and Thursday afternoons,

between 4 PM and 8 PM, and further increased on July 4, 2000, to Zithromax,

1,000 mg, on Monday and Thursday afternoons, between 4 PM and 8 PM.

Please note that I am a man of 185-190 pounds. A woman of 130 pounds might

react quite differently to such a high dosage of Zithromax.

Hopefully, I will get a better control of bacterias with the increased

Zithromax dosage. After 6 weeks of Zithromax, 1,000 mg, twice a week, my hair

scalp started to improve as the open sores are drying up. Let's hope that it

will be a lasting improvement, reflecting a decreasing level of the

Streptococcus bacteria infection.

At age 45, I have a facial acne which is nothing else than a collagen

infection under the skin. It has shown some improvement lately, but it's too

early to claim victory.

For the pain brought on by Zithromax, I now take Empracet 60 (Tylenol 4) with

60 mg of Codeine, at least 100 tablets per month, and regular Acetaminophen,

500 mg, 8 tablets per day (240-248 tablets per month).

My pain level has increased with every increase of Zithromax dosage. I have

reintroduced Zithromax last January after a 5 month interruption where I took

Biaxin, some times as part of the Hp-PAC for ulcers where Biaxin is combined

with Amoxicillin .

Now, let's talk about the good news. As noted earlier, my hair scalp is

improving and so is my acne. My energy level is increasing and the overall

level of pain is decreasing. As a matter of fact, my current condition reminds

me of my condition in December, 1998, after 5 months of daily antibiotics, as

I was improving towards my first remission, in January, 1999, after 6 months

of daily antibiotics.

It is my belief that I would be in a near remission condition now if I was

decreasing the Zithromax dosage to Zithromax, 500 mg, on Monday and Friday

afternoons, and Zithromax, 250 mg, on Tuesday afternoon, and combining

Zithromax with Minocin, 100 mg, every 12 hours, 5 days per week, every day

except Mondays and Fridays, because Minocin has an important antiinflammatory

effect.

But I am sticking with the higher Zithromax dosage because I enjoy pain (you

guessed it!) and, more seriously, because I want to achieve a complete

remission, not just a pain free condition masking a number of active bacteria

infections, including the Streptococcus and the Pseudomonas bacteria

infections.

Should you wonder, I had to interrupt all antibiotics for a period of 10

consecutive weeks, starting on February 10, 1999, in order to favour complete

healing after successful laser surgery on the right retina following seven

retina detachments and preventive laser surgery on the left retina. Arthritis

returned after just 4 weeks and has been my constant companion ever since.

That's why I look forward to the upcoming second period of remission and why I

insist for that remission to be real and long lasting, not just masking an

underlying infection.

I should return to a normal Zithromax dosage by the end of November, if not

earlier, and I expect that antibiotic treatment will go on for the next 2 or 3

years before any recovery is for good.

Take 2 capsules of Acidophilus, 4 hours before Zithromax and 2 hours after

Zithromax or Minocin, 10-30 minutes before eating, to prevent or minimize any

problem with diarrhea. Any such problem should not last beyond the first 4

weeks. If taking the higher Zithromax dosage with no Minocin, take Acidophilus

every day, twice a day even on the off days.

===================

I am pleased to report that my energy level is back to 70% or 80% normal, or

so, with 7 and 1/2 hours of sleep per night on most days.

My general practitioner, who has extensive experience in the prescription of

Zithromax, believes that Pseudomonas aeroginas are opportunistic bacterias

that will colonize the intestines whenever a patient undergoes a long term

antibiotic therapy, especially with Zithromax. If I am to follow his advice, I

should not worry about positive stool cultures of Pseudomonas aeroginas, so

long as I continue using Zithromax.

My hair scalp continues to improve and so does my facial acne. Overall, the

news are good, although more is needed before I return to a normal mix of

Zithromax and Minocin.

The dangers of Zithromax must not be overstated. There is danger in everything

you do and danger in doing nothing. Complete work disability is the usual

outcome of most Rheumatic diseases. Some Rheumatic diseases lead to

amputations, also known by poets under the romantic name of hip replacements

or knee replacements. Finally, some Rheumatic diseases are as deadly as

Cancer.

Given all the consequences of Rheumatic diseases, does it seem reasonable to

use the antibiotic Zithromax, albeit with caution and, if needed, at higher

dosages than what is usually recommended?

Pierre

Ankylosing Spondylitis, 19-22 Years

Antibiotics, 23 Months

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