Redder and more flushy after Minocycline treatment

[rosa2011]

Hello all,

I had an IPL treatment last November (i created a thread on the subject) and my skin took much longer than usual to heal, but ultimately, it did, although the results are not what i expected (i"m afraid my skin has become IPL resistant...).

Anyhows, I have more pimples than before (small papules) , and i think the problem lies in my hormonal condition (thyroid desease).
My derm gave me a medication, it's called Minocycline and it's usually prescribed in case of acne. I had that treatment once, years ago (before the rosacea appears) to treat pimples on my chin, and it worked very well).
I was supposed to take that treatment for 2 months but i could see my skin becoming slightly redder after only 3 days.

Yesterday, i decided to stop the medication (after 9 days) because my skin was becoming really redder and much more flushy. Evenings were the worst.
It's been 2 days now that i've stopped Minocycline and my skin seems to be slightly lighter although i still have flushes (even on my nose....!).
I'm pissed because before Minocycline i barely had flushes. Now, i think i'll have to go for another IPL mad1:

My question is : is there anyone who took that medication and if so, did you notice any side effects similar to mine ?

Thank you very much....blush:

[Yvette]

Hi -

I've been on Minocycline, Tetracycline, and Doxycline. As well as, Accutane. What I can tell you from my experience, is Minocycline will blast pimples, but yes, it can make your face a bit redder and drier. So if you have sensitive skin and flush prone, I'd opt for Doxycline personally. Or another suggestion, though I'd recommend the Doxy, is lower dose Minocycline if you have more of the acne component. Minocyline comes in lower doses called Solodyn - 45mg and 90. I did take the 45mg (after not liking the 100mg) and it wasn't as harsh.... Another thing to remember when you take antibiotics, is to take a good pro-biotic. Also anti-inflammatories or antioxidants are good for reducing redness slightly ane evening out skin tone - grape seed, neem, pycnogenol, quercetin, and the like.

I hope this helps. Good luck.
Yvette

[shantelle]

Oh my goodness, yes Mino can cause flushing and extra redness in some. I had a major problem with that and turns out it was part of a reaction to the med. I didn't have the same reaction to Doxycycline though.

[Yvette]

Hi -

I should add I've been on Oracea (low dose - 40mg doxycline) the past two or so years and it works fairly well. I used the "stronger" medications previously.

Good luck.

Yvette

[rosa2011]

Thanks for replying.


Shantelle, how long did it take for you skin to come back to "normal" state (i.e; stop flushing) after you stopped Mino ?

These flushings are really annoying and ridiculous. I can't control them. It feels like i'm back prior to IPL's i've had !

[mcinnis]

Hi

I was on mino for about 5 months and it was great for my paps and did not cause redness. I also used Rosasol topical cream for paps, which dried my skin out so I switched to Noritate which I had better luck with.

[shantelle]

Hi there

It took about 4 months before the flushing and redness decreased in severity. I also had to sleep with my head very elevated each night to decrease the pressure I felt, and my nose would flush on and off sporatically durng the day which was distressing. Have you seen the derm or a doctor? Stop the med if you haven't already and consult them asap. Mino should not increase inflammation (supposed to decrease it) unless you are reacting to it in an adverse way like i did.

Shantelle

[rosa2011]

Hi there

It took about 4 months before the flushing and redness decreased in severity. I also had to sleep with my head very elevated each night to decrease the pressure I felt, and my nose would flush on and off sporatically durng the day which was distressing. Have you seen the derm or a doctor? Stop the med if you haven't already and consult them asap. Mino should not increase inflammation (supposed to decrease it) unless you are reacting to it in an adverse way like i did.

Shantelle

I took Mino for 9 days ONLY but i could feel something went wrong on day 3.
I stopped it 4 days ago and im not quite sure things are improving. I think the blood vessels are inflammed.
I'm redder after meals and also when i lay down to sleep.
I'm calling my derm tomorrow, but i don't expect much. ninja:

For how long did you take Mino ?
Did you have a laser/IPL afterwards ?

[christine123]

After a while of taking it, I too started reacting to Minocycline with full-out flushes. I'm now on Clarithromycin (for perioral dermatitis) and it seems to be working fine.

[rosa2011]

Update.

6th day since i stopped Mino.

Things seem to improve : no more burning or blood pressure sensation although my left cheek is still a little bit warmer than usual.

Overall, the skin looks paler except after eating and my nose still acts like crazy, plus, i still have those flushes due to the inflammed vessels (they are more visible than usual).

I called my derm who first denied my inflammation could be caused by Mino mad1:
She then told me i should wait for another 2 weeks before my body fully recovers.
I think i will try to find a new derm.....

I hope there will no be permanent damages (i.e. dilated vessels) .
Meanwhile, pimples have come back (i don't have too many but they are so annoying).pinch:

I suspect this reaction is due to my thyroid condition (auto-immune disease)....

[shantelle]

I suspect this reaction is due to my thyroid condition (auto-immune disease)....

Hi there

Yes the flushing reaction you experienced (like I did) certainly could be linked to your autoimmune condition. I have lupus which is an autoimmune condition. Rheumatologists do not recommend people with lupus ever gone on Minocycline as can cause adverse reactions in lupus patients (at the time I did not know I had it as no one could figure out reasoning behind my symptoms), so it might be the same if you have autoimmune thyroid problems... something to look into anyway.

Good idea about seeking advice from a new derm, you have to feel like you are being appropiately cared for and listened to when there are concerns.

Like you I noticed flushing reactions to Mino relatively immediately and my old Derm was not convinced it was a reaction to Mino because he had never heard of it. I had vbeam non-purpuric laser treatments in Dec '10 and Feb this yr (once my Rosacea and Lupus were in remission).

Keep us updated...

[rosa2011]

Hello,

For how long were you on Mino ?

(things are improving little by little although i can see my upper cheeks are still slightly redder than usual which make them more sensitive than before the treatment).

[rosa2011]

Thanks for the MP, Shantelle.

Update.

I stopped Mino 12 days ago.
The worst heat and burning sensations are gone, less flushes, but i can feel the capilarities are still sensitive and inflammed, especially after eating (because, obviously, the vessels are more dilated than usual).
My nose still turns pink on any occasion, and my pimples are back, but not as red as before. They moslty appear in the evening, so my guess is the pimples are linked to demodex (which is linked to stress and sensitivity, etc).


I hope i don't have to wait for 4 months before my skin settles down.
Planning to go see my ****** derm cause i want her to check my skin.

[brook]

This discussion is interesting. I didn't have my first facial flush (that I noticed), until I had taken erythromycin 250mg for 3 weeks. I was being treated for p&ps associated with perioral dermatitis. The doctor prescribed 4 weeks of antibiotics, and the p&ps cleared within 3 weeks. When my face was all clear, the flushing began.
I never connected it to a reaction to the erythromycin, but now I wonder.
I've been off of antibiotics since Feb 15th, and still turn red.

[rosa2011]

Hello Brook,

Did you have your skin checked by your derm, or did you tell him about the flushes ?

Mino is a tetracycline but i don't know about the medicine you took.

I think the flushes are induced by dilated and inflammed blood vessels, but i'll wait for an answer from my derm. I'll keep you updated.

When i was on MIno, my face cleared up within 3 days but i started to look red (i could see my nose turning redder and redder each day !) almost at the same time.

[brook]

The doctor who was treating me was a primary care physician. I told her about the flushing, in fact, I took pictures of my flushed face with a camera and took them to the appointment for her to see. She referred me to a dermatologist, and I will be seeing him on March 30th for the first time.
All I know is that things went from bad (with perioral p&ps), to horrific 4 days after starting oral antibiotics. One side of my face was so swollen I looked like 2 different people. But I didn't realize that I might be reacting negatively to the antibiotics so I took them for the entire month that they were prescribed. Then 3 weeks into it flushing began. At that time I started taking a large amount of various vitamins too.
It's hard for me to accept that this disease just spontaneously developed, and that now I can't eat all the things I love, so I continue to search for a "reason" that this happened. I'm kinda into the stomach acid thing right now, and am taking digestive enzymes with hydrochloric acid. I'm taking about 5 capsules at one time, and still don't feel "the burn". I also lay on the couch with my laptop in my lap in the evening. Someone mentioned that sitting in front of a computer can cause flushing for some, so I turned the brightness down from the maximum brightness to halfway. I'm not gonna get excited, but I did that last night, and haven't lit up like I usually do at this time of day since then.

[rosa2011]

You were not diagnosed with rosacea, right ?

If not, the flushes will stop eventually. In the meantime, avoid all triggers (computer for a long time, heat vs cold, spicies, alcohol, etc), and keep us informed wink1:

[rosa2011]

Update

Went to my derm (with no appointment) this morning. The doc wasn't there but i met someone else who confirmed my vessels are inflammed. She said i had a outbreak due to my rosacea and i had to insist on the fact that this inflammation is due to the drugs i was prescribed and that it all began when i was on Mino.
Anyhows, she also said the inflammation should calm down within 4 or 5 days. To be honest, i don't expect anything before a couple of weeks or longer although i can see improvements each day.
Of course, i won't have any IPL before a few months....(oh joy, i can't wait for summertimeCry:).
Meanwhile, i 'll take a bit of stromectol and see how things turn....and search for a new derm....

[christine123]

Hi rosa: I just found out that I was reacting adversely to clarithromycin (redness, sensitivity- even pressure and sensitivity in the eyes! Also- bad breakout of eczema on my face in patches around my eyebrows and sides of face), so have stopped the antibiotic. Like you, I noticed an almost immediate improvement in redness, inflammation and sensitivity, but also am noticing that it is very slow to die down. My face is still inflamed and sensitive- and the eczema is so itchy and flaky. Cry:

Now this makes minocycline, erythromycin and clarithromycin that I can no longer take. I wonder which pharmaceutical chemical in these antibiotics our bodies are reacting to.

[rosa2011]

Hey Christine,

For how long were you on Clarithromycin and how many days since you stopped it ?

(i was on Mino for 9 days and it's been 16 days now that i've stopped it. My vessels are still sensitive. I think the worst period is over but the vessels seem to take a loooong time to go back to normal - if they ever do - sigh).

[rosa2011]

Update

22 days since i've stopped Mino.

I no longer see improvements : the redness on upper cheeks and nose does not seem to fade away (or if it does, it's very slow) and it induces a few emotional flushes although spontaneous flushes are gone.
What tells me i had a bad reaction to Mino is my nose : i never had that pink nose before...

I took 2 doses of Ivermectrin (Stromectol) to prevent papules.

Will meet a new derm next week.

I wonder if the inflammation could be healed with a new medication but i've become very reluctant to antibiotics now.