I went to my internest on Friday to go over some blood work. He wants me to go on a maintance dose of antibiotics since I tested positive for strep antibodies. He went on said this will be a two year process meanwhile I continue to take all my current medications.
My rhumey is mixed on this but said he does put people on a maintance dose for UTI while they are on their meds.
I have done some research and there are studies to support this but I am just curious if anyone here is presently doing this or has done this.
I would be very careful going on maintenance doses of antibiotics. Being on a biologic makes you more prone to illness and it is much harder to diagnose since we don't get normal symptoms of illness. My aunt was on maintenance does of antibiotics for a long time and ended up with colitis and almost died last year. If it were me, i would just do a normal course of antibiotics, get lots of rest and sanitize your surroundings constantly. I have been on Humira for over a year and by using diligent hand washing and sanitizing I have only been sick a few times that needed antibiotics. I have 4 kids and I teach fiddle so I have multiple exposures everyday. Apple cider Vinegar with the veil of the mother is a GOD SEND for people like us. Seriously research this miracle substance! I would definitely get another opinion before going on a constant dose of antibiotics. You don't want to become resistant.
I am positive for MRSA on my skin and I am positive for strep of the female organs and I do not take any antibiotics and I would not myself because when you really need them they may not work. I have only been sick a couple of times from the MRSA and never from the strep. They gave me antibiotics while in labor to keep me from passing strep to my children but that is all.
The more I read about maintenance doses of antibiotics, the more I know I would NEVER consider it. Of course we have antibodies present for infections we have had in the past....... Doesn't mean we will get them again. On this one I would trust my Rheumy. He is the one experienced in managing Biological meds. The fear of a generally lowered immune system from biologics is simply not realistic. There is no data to support it......
I have spoken to all of my doctors to inform that I am not going to be taking the antibiotic. I understand their reasons but right now I am staying the course. If something should come up and I can not longer take a biological med,I will reconsider another course of treatment.
tntlamb said:
The more I read about maintenance doses of antibiotics, the more I know I would NEVER consider it. Of course we have antibodies present for infections we have had in the past....... Doesn't mean we will get them again. On this one I would trust my Rheumy. He is the one experienced in managing Biological meds. The fear of a generally lowered immune system from biologics is simply not realistic. There is no data to support it......
Good for you!!!! Really and truly, its okay. These "drugs" can be scary BUT the increase of "infection" was very specific and incidents numbered in the single digits per thousand. A few days wirth a cold beats the heck out of a few weeks immobilized in severe pain from a flare. Of course it pays to be "careful" and take precautions but we should anyway. Nothing is worse than a cough with a flaring back unless its the hic-ups after having your gall bladder removed (The old fashioned way where they split you from top to bottom - trust me on that one. The combination of morphine for the surgical pain and Thorazine to stop from splitting stitches with the hic-ups is "unuique")
I took meds for a UTI and my GP and the Pharmacist did not feel that I had to stop taking Enbrel during this antibiotic treatment, but it was a 10 day course only. He did say it was common for people on immunosuppressants to get UTI's, HOWEVER, he does not believe in antibiotics as a maintence drug, he says that in time it damages the cell walls irreversibly! At least this was his take on the Tetracycline in a low dose as maintence for PsA. He said he would never do it, that it also makes it harder to treat you with antibiotics in the future.
This sounds like a slippery slope to me!
I think you made a wise decision to refuse it as maintence.