possible trialing antibiotic .. excited

[cyberdog]

I pleaded with a family friend who's a GP that I have basically been incapacitated with treatment-resistant OCD for the past 9 years, and asked if he would trial me on an antibiotic based on information gleaned here. At first he was reluctant, but he called yesterday saying he would be willing to help me out.

 

Unfortunately, I tend to get my hopes up extremely highly and it doesn't usually work out .. the last time was with Memantine, which turned out to be a bust.

 

I was never tested for strep, but my OCD onset was age 19. However, I do suffer from certain immune-irregularities (IBS, chronic sinusitis). One peculiar symptom is that I've grown drastically more sensitive to medication over time, and cannot even tolerate supplements I am supposedly deficient in (Zinc, Vit D).

 

Right now, I am torn between requesting Augmentin XR based on MomWithOCDSon's experiences and Minocycline. Both modulate glutamate. I am not aware of any formal trials on beta-lactam antibiotics in non-PANDAS OCD; however, a pilot trial is currently recruiting to test Minocycline in OCD. It also seems to be gaining valid traction as a measure for treating depression.

 

Here is a list of properties I found that are unrelated to Minocycline's antibiotic mechanisms; I'm unaware whether Augmentin carries similar benefits:

 

1. Is neuroprotective.
2. Reduces brain inflammation
3. Reduces the number of glutamate receptors.
4. Demonstrates antidepressant properties in mouse models of depression.
5. Is reported to act synergistically with noradrenergic antidpressants to treat depression - desipramine (but not fluoxetine).
6. Is reported to act synergistically with NMDA antagonists.
7. Reduces glutamate excitotoxicity by reducing the formation of quinolic acid, a NMDA agonist.
8. Reduces mitochondrial release of cytochrome C.
9. Modulates several signalling pathways.
10. Reduces microglial activation.
11. Has been reported anecdotally to successively treat depression.
12. Reduces the expression of lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammation cytokines, an effect that acts as an antidepressant in animal models.

[MomWithOCDSon]

I pleaded with a family friend who's a GP that I have basically been incapacitated with treatment-resistant OCD for the past 9 years, and asked if he would trial me on an antibiotic based on information gleaned here. At first he was reluctant, but he called yesterday saying he would be willing to help me out.

 

Unfortunately, I tend to get my hopes up extremely highly and it doesn't usually work out .. the last time was with Memantine, which turned out to be a bust.

 

I was never tested for strep, but my OCD onset was age 19. However, I do suffer from certain immune-irregularities (IBS, chronic sinusitis). One peculiar symptom is that I've grown drastically more sensitive to medication over time, and cannot even tolerate supplements I am supposedly deficient in (Zinc, Vit D).

 

Right now, I am torn between requesting Augmentin XR based on MomWithOCDSon's experiences and Minocycline. Both modulate glutamate. I am not aware of any formal trials on beta-lactam antibiotics in non-PANDAS OCD; however, a pilot trial is currently recruiting to test Minocycline in OCD. It also seems to be gaining valid traction as a measure for treating depression.

 

Here is a list of properties I found that are unrelated to Minocycline's antibiotic mechanisms; I'm unaware whether Augmentin carries similar benefits:

 

1. Is neuroprotective.

2. Reduces brain inflammation

3. Reduces the number of glutamate receptors.

4. Demonstrates antidepressant properties in mouse models of depression.

5. Is reported to act synergistically with noradrenergic antidpressants to treat depression - desipramine (but not fluoxetine).

6. Is reported to act synergistically with NMDA antagonists.

7. Reduces glutamate excitotoxicity by reducing the formation of quinolic acid, a NMDA agonist.

8. Reduces mitochondrial release of cytochrome C.

9. Modulates several signalling pathways.

10. Reduces microglial activation.

11. Has been reported anecdotally to successively treat depression.

12. Reduces the expression of lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammation cytokines, an effect that acts as an antidepressant in animal models.

 

Great research, and a great opportunity! Good for you!

 

I honestly don't know if Augmentin or Augmentin XR can claim the same efficacies that you've listed for minocycline, though I'd love a link to the minocycline research!

 

The NMDA and neuroprotective components, though, I do believe to be a common element among b-lactam abx in general; at least that's what I've taken from the reading and discussions over the last couple of years. However, all the anti-inflammatory properties I have seen attributed to a different class of abx rather than b-lactams, so if minocycline brings that to the table, as well, that seems like a very worthy option.

 

Who is recruiting for a minocycline trial? Is it here in the States or elsewhere? That is very exciting!

 

Please stay in touch and let us know how it goes! I'm thrilled you've found someone to help you!

[Guest]

Good luck!

 

Make sure and discuss c-diff with this doctor. My LLMD didn't tell me anything about it and I had to quit abx due to contracting c-diff. I don't think it happens often but I think it's worth me mentioning.

 

I developed severe anorexia and depression suddenly at 18 and the ocd was sudden about 4 years ago. Very very bizarre. Hope you can get relief.

[nicklemama]

Interesting. I am on minocycline for rheumatoid arthritis. It works! There was a double blind study of minocycline for RA called the MIRA study.

[cyberdog]

My GP wouldn't prescribe Augmentin; he claims he doesn't like it, though wouldn't go into why. We settled on minocycline. Unfortunately, minocycline has a reputation for being potentially activating/agitating at first, though the effect supposedly only lasts for a week or so.

 

I've been placed on Parnate for major depression which is anxiety-inducing itself; I'm hoping a higher dose will resolve the issue, but unfortunately I found the combination of Parnate and minocycline too much to bear. I became highly irritable and agitated.

 

My plan is to wait until I've adjusted to Parnate -- if possible -- and then reintroduce minocycline at a later date, so unfortunately my trial is on hold for the time being.

 

To MWOCDSON, the trial was enlisting recruits in 2012 and can be found by searching for OCD + minocycline on pubmed.com; I found a later paper which is inaccesible but referenced elsewhere stating that minocycline showed no improvements in OCD when added to an SSRI. I'm not sure if it's a reference to the earlier trial. However, several people have reported robust improvements in depression and cognition while on minocycline, which otherwise seems to be anxiety-neutral, so I suppose that's better than nothing.

 

Maybe Augmentin would be a better option for OCD ..

[Guest]

@cyberdog Here's a very interesting article which I think is leading me in the right direction: http://www.jneuroinflammation.com/content/10/1/43 . It's about auto-immunity causing neuroinflammation which causes neuropsychiatric problems and pure ocd is featured. The doctor who wrote it is really reputable here. Maybe the information will help.

 

I'm hoping to pursue the auto-immune treatment down the road, it's an avenue I've never taken and possibly my last option with ALL the issues I have.

 

Best of luck.

[Kathy4Him]

cyberdog, your story parallels my son's who had sudden onset ocd at age 19 and it has become severe, he just turned 24. It took me a long time and many tests and also ssris to convince dr to try abx. He has been on sithromax since October 2012. We have also recently used biaxin for a few weeks. At one point another dr prescribed minocycline but we did not use it. I hope it works for you. please let us know!

[Guest]

@kathy N Has anything helped your son up to this point? My story is somewhat similar. I've been on zoloft for awhile and it's just not helping, I got serotonin syndrome even from a combination of things, and MANY unwanted side effects. I've tried all ssri's without any benefit, some of the snri's but not effexor, at least 4 atypical anti-psychotics (help sleep a little), take xanax and klonopin (help with CFS crashes not ocd), anaphranil (major sedation next day no benefit), and finally I tried EMSAM an maoi patch and no side effects, helped depression, didn't help ocd. I have not tried effexor. I'm beginning to think I have some major auto-immunity going on, anyways thought I'd ask.

[MissionMama]

I pleaded with a family friend who's a GP that I have basically been incapacitated with treatment-resistant OCD for the past 9 years, and asked if he would trial me on an antibiotic based on information gleaned here. At first he was reluctant, but he called yesterday saying he would be willing to help me out.

 

Unfortunately, I tend to get my hopes up extremely highly and it doesn't usually work out .. the last time was with Memantine, which turned out to be a bust.

 

I was never tested for strep, but my OCD onset was age 19. However, I do suffer from certain immune-irregularities (IBS, chronic sinusitis). One peculiar symptom is that I've grown drastically more sensitive to medication over time, and cannot even tolerate supplements I am supposedly deficient in (Zinc, Vit D).

 

Right now, I am torn between requesting Augmentin XR based on MomWithOCDSon's experiences and Minocycline. Both modulate glutamate. I am not aware of any formal trials on beta-lactam antibiotics in non-PANDAS OCD; however, a pilot trial is currently recruiting to test Minocycline in OCD. It also seems to be gaining valid traction as a measure for treating depression.

 

Here is a list of properties I found that are unrelated to Minocycline's antibiotic mechanisms; I'm unaware whether Augmentin carries similar benefits:

 

1. Is neuroprotective.

2. Reduces brain inflammation

3. Reduces the number of glutamate receptors.

4. Demonstrates antidepressant properties in mouse models of depression.

5. Is reported to act synergistically with noradrenergic antidpressants to treat depression - desipramine (but not fluoxetine).

6. Is reported to act synergistically with NMDA antagonists.

7. Reduces glutamate excitotoxicity by reducing the formation of quinolic acid, a NMDA agonist.

8. Reduces mitochondrial release of cytochrome C.

9. Modulates several signalling pathways.

10. Reduces microglial activation.

11. Has been reported anecdotally to successively treat depression.

12. Reduces the expression of lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammation cytokines, an effect that acts as an antidepressant in animal models.

Digging up this old thread based on the recent article re: minocycline trial..... Cyberdog - did you have any luck?

[kakrpa]

@missionmama and @cyberdog I'd like to know more about this too!