i believe there can be a cure for anything physical and its the emotional or psychological mental disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder that can be helped but i have doubts can be cured since you cant erase the past . there can be a cure for cancer or sz or other diseases and no we shouldnt give up hope for a cure and theres no reason to believe that there cant ever be a cure for this or anything else history proves that thinking is wrong
So true johnsmom:) I will continue to have hope for those people afflicted with schizophrenia, and with ongoing research throughout the world, hopefully someday soon the experts can eventually find a cure for mental illnesses like schizophrenia. What a toll this horrible illness takes on the people afflicted and the family members who are trying to help them. For now, I am thankful that the minocycline, used as an adjunctive drug taken with her clozaril and prolixin, that combination of medications, along with the support system of her case worker and psychiatrist, my sister has been finding a much more tolerable existence. The only reason I wanted to come on this website is to let other people/families know what has helped my sister, because until I did some research, I didn’t know about all the research about minocycline. The real test for me is how it has benefitted my sister. So far so good! Take care johnsmom:)
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Mysister,
Slow down a little please. We are all here working to get the best treatment for our loved ones. Different perspectives and information are valuable for all of us.
Nobody is disrespecting you - but we are all going to share our experiences and our views of the research - and that is in the best interests of everyone. We can all learn from each other here.
We all know how frustrating and difficult this disorder is. If the discussions are getting too intense here, then please take a break and let things cool down.
From what I’ve seen - Hatty is posting good scientific information. That is not disrespecting anyone. This is information that helps us all.
Please don’t take things personally. These are discussions about possible therapies we are all interested in.
Its good not to get overly confident that any one therapy will work - they all typically have issues, none are perfect, and all of them work differently on different people. All we can do is share our experiences, and the latest science research - and together maybe we can make things better for the people who have schizophrenia that we know of.
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Just wanted to share an update on my sister. She has now been on 200mg. of the Minocycline per day (100mg. twice a day) since April 21st, 2016, as an adjunctive with her other meds. She has also been on a reduced dose of 200mg./day of Clozapine (clozaril) at bedtime (down from the 400-600 she was on prior to starting on the minocycline). She has also been getting a 2ml injection of Fluphenazine (Prolixin) every other Tuesday (once every 2 weeks) for years and that still continues. She also continues to take .5mg of Benztropine (Cogentin) twice a day for tremors/stiff muscles caused by the antipsychotic meds. She also takes up to 2mg. of Lorazepam (Ativan) as needed for agitation, which she has been taking in the late morning continuously…it really helps her calm down. Back on April 14th, 2016, per my request and my sisters, at the meeting with her psychiatrist (same day they began the minocycline (100mg/day for week, then 200mg/day from then on) they discontinued giving her 10 mg. of Olanzapine (Zyprexa Zydis) that they were having her take twice a day. So far, my sister has shown a good improvement in her mental health. She says she still hears the voices at times, but in her words, “they seem quieter and don’t feel so intrusive”. Her delusions are way down as well. She also has seems more happy and she says she has much more energy to do things, and she seems to be much more concerned with others…just much more positive attitude overall. She says she also feels much less drugged (her words)…more lucid/less fatigued. So it’s been a little over a month since the Minocycline has been added as an adjunctive medication and her antipsychotics have been reduced. Before she started on the minocycline…back when she was on the 600 mg of Clozaril/day, 20 mg of Zyprexa/day, and the 2 ml. shot of Prolixin every other Tuesday…she had big problems with loud intrusive voices, delusions, and was very depressed. Anyway, with the short time my sister has been on the Minocycline, she has shown much improvement. I know there are many types of schizophrenia, and I know everyone is different, but the information I found on line about the benefits of Minocycline surely have helped my sister. So far, so good. I wanted to share this info, and hope others affected by this illness may also find it beneficial. Take care & God Bless everyone.
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Hello,
I was diagnosed with Schizophrenia when I was 18, the psychiatrist who my father took me to, asked me a number of question to all of which I responded in the negative, so he really could not find any proper diagnosis with me, and said I was a Schizophrenic. And put me on extremely strong Schizoid medicines, which affected me severely and made me much worse than I was before going to him. I took them for 10 years then unfortunately got married and had a child, so I stopped taking them. But I was afraid to live without them also, and have been off and on the anti-psychotic medicines since then. I have a severe psychological dependency on the tablets, I feel if I stop taking them, I will go completely crazy, or out of control and do something terrible to someone, maybe even my own mother or child. So I am terrified of stopping the tablets also, even though I cannot see any improvement in me from them, and I still have all my delusions, (which by the way I know are delusions, but I still have them), and I also have to live with their side effects also, and all the false beliefs in me. I am now 48 years old, and due to obesity and health problems, am forcing myself to go to the Gym 3-4 times weekly, for 2 hours every time. I am also learning Tai-Chi twice per week, and I force myself to get up very early at 5:30 A.M on the two days of Tai Chi, even if I sleep only 3-4 hours previous night. I am still taking my anti-psychotic medicines, even though I never go to see the Psychiatrist, (basically, I have completely lost faith in all the Indian Psychiatrists). I also used to be on a good diet for almost 2 months, taking in only lots of fruits and some veggies, and completely avoiding junk and bad foods. Then I went into a slide, and lost complete interest in eating fruits, although I still have some veggies daily, but I am still maintaining my Gym and Tai Chi exercises. After exercising I always feel I have been more productive and feel better both mentally and physically. But it is difficult to maintain these exercises regularly, as I have Hypothyroidism also, which causes me to feel very sluggish and lethargic and makes me want to live only sedentarily, and also due to SZ problem and the antipsychotic medcs. it is triply difficult to get up from my sitting position and to go to the strenuous gym, or to get up so early for Tai Chi, but by the little will power left in me still, I am forcing myself to do these things. Also, I have prediabetes also, and diabetic genes from my father’s side, hence that is another reason for my attending all the exercises regularly. I was reading up on all your posts, and really would like to try the medcs. you have given your sister. Please help me with more infos. about them. Thanks, and God Bless You and Your sister, and Keep you in good condition for your sister. Sudha
Sudha, it sounds like you have been on quite the difficult journey and I completely understand how frustrating and troubling it must be for you. My thoughts and prayers go out to you.
Please ask your doctor to put you on Minocycline. My sister has been so much better after taking it for the last 4+ months now, it’s been amazing. Her psychiatrist agreed to let my sister go on it starting back it April 2016, to give it a try, and the results have been nothing short of miraculous.
I have prayed for 35 years that God make the voices and delusions go away, or that she go to Heaven so she had peace. I have not posted on this website as to her progress and I apologize.
At my sister’s last appointment last week, her doctor (psychiatrist) said that the minocycline has been working amazingly well. My sister has not heard voices or had delusional thoughts for well over 6 weeks now. She said she feels like she’s awoke from a nightmare and that she feels human again.
After the research I found on minocycline for schizophrenia, and the fact that my sister has been debilitated by it for 35 years, I had hoped that this medicine (minocycline) would possibly “quiet” the voices and/or give her less delusions.
Between day 7 and 14 after starting on minocycline, she got worse…she had more voices and delusions, but that was what they say happens, as it is called the “jarish-herxheimer effect” (the antibiotics go to war with the infection/bacteria/virus/inflammation)…then after that, she just kept getting better and better.
The voices started to “quiet” (her description) and were “less intrusive in her life” (her words)…my sister became more and more energetic and feeling better and better.
During the past four months, her doctor has decreased her clozaril dose from 600 mg/day to 200 mg a day, they took her completely off the Zyprexa. She still gets a Prolixin shot every other Tuesday, and she still takes Cogentin daily to prevent tremors/still muscles. She also takes a tablet of Ativan daily/as needed for anxiety.
She continues to take one 100 mg. capsule of Minocycline twice a day and things are going so well, she actually has been given the priveledge of going to pick up her medicine twice a week, and she gets to give herself her own meds.
She hadn’t done this since 1983…as a company had been bringing her pills once a day to watch and make sure she took them! (now she rides the bus to and from there to get her pills twice a week…she can’t drive). Before minocycline, if she were on this low a dose of anti-psychotic meds, she would be out of her mind, hearing voices and having delusions like crazy, and would have ended up in the psych ward… so the doctor clearly sees and acknowledges that the minocycline is helping my sister dramatically I am so thankful that her doctor was willing to give this a try.
Her doctor (who has been a psychiatrist for 35 years, had not even heard about minocycline…and I find that the problem. There is big money made by big pharmaceutical companies in the anti-psychotic meds and the minocycline that helps the most is under a dollar a day.
I pray that you will be able to use this info and talk to your doctor to see if they will let you try this. All I know for sure is what is had done for my sister, and I am so thankful! Godspeed Sudha
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This is great to hear. Thanks for sharing your update. Hopefully other people will share their results with it:
and
and
Antibiotics Found Effective in Schizophrenia
Tetracyclines help treat psychosis as well as tick-borne disorders.
Posted Feb 08, 2014
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Thank you so much for sharing. This is truly hopeful news. What did he PD say about this? I’m inclined to get me son tested for these. His developed psychosis right after he found a stray cat and said all along he had cat scratch fever. He was experimenting with hallucinogens also and his dad thinks this is the cause. Keep us posted please.
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Thank you so much for the Information! I will talk to my son’s psychiatrist next week!
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I just have to say say thank you for your post. Years ago my son became very ill. It took a huge toll on his body. It took him about a year to recover. After many doctors and blood tests they named it an unknown virus. Since that time, everything went down hill. Depression, anxiety and nod schizophrenia. After reading your post last night i thought, oh my god what if!?! I got into our doctor and she ran the tests today! It will be a few days until we get the results and even if they come back negative at least we tried! I’m so happy for you that this was the answer for your sister. I am praying its ours too but if not we will keep looking for answers.
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I hope you have good results. Keep us posted here, would you. Hope is hope. Take care
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Please keep us posted on any successes!
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Hi Melody,
Any update on this? Is Minocycline still helping your sister? Any update greatly appreciated.
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My sister’s life has changed dramatically for the better since adding Minocycline and dramatically decreasing the antipsychotic drugs. She still has NEEDS a low dose of antipsychotic drugs with the Minocycline…they have lowered her Clozaril from 600 mg/day to 200 mg/day which is now the perfect balance. The Minocycline has been a complete life changer for the better to her quality of her life. She was on such high doses of Clozaril, she was constantly still paranoid, tired, hearing voices and miserable zonked out. Even her case worker of 35 years and her doctors have seen how much better she is. She still has however gone off her meds (including Minocycline) twice in the last couple years, and the voices, delusions, and paranoia return very quickly…but once she gets back on her medicine (including Minocycline), the voices, delusions, and paranoia go away within a few days to a week. Right now, she remains on 200 mg of Minocycline per day (100 mg twice a day), 200 mg. of Clozaril (at night), and she is receiving a 125 mg injection of Fluphenazine every two weeks. The injection has also been an important part of her peace. They have gotten her meds to the perfect balance, and she actually has joy at times…and she walks and exercises and enjoys simple things. She still doesn’t do well in large crowds, or deal real well with change, but she is so much better and happier. She also takes 1 mg tablets of Lorazepam as needed (which she usually takes every day.). She has not heard voices or had delusions or paranoia at all since adding Minocycline. NOTE: In the very beginning however, when Colleen first went on the minocycline, the paranoia and voices got worse for a few days, which is normal and predicted according to all the research of other patients / called “Jarisch-Herxheimer effect”……but then within a week to 10 days of being on Minocycline, she got better and better and better, and the voices, delusions, and paranoia completely went away. Her doctors now believe that the minocycline penetrates the blood brain barrier, and reduces the inflammation in her brain, which in turn makes the voices, delusions, and paranoia go away…however, she has had to keep taking the Minocycline for it to work. A couple years ago, after reading about what Minocycline was doing for other patients with Paranoid Schizophrenia, I begged her psychiatrist to try this, and she told me that it would not work, but after I told her that I would take her to other doctors till someone will let her try it… she reluctantly agreed to try it …calling it her “test case”….after it worked, she “retired” and my sister got a new doctor….who saw in the previous doctors notes how much the minocycline helped my sister, so she’s been on it ever since, and stable.
She has had two set-back, but were self-inflicted. She has gone off her meds and ended up hearing voices again, acting completely crazy, followed by hospitalization……but once her case worker (who knows how much the minocycline helps) pushed her doctor at the hospital psych ward to get the Minocycline and other lower doses of antipsychotic drugs in her system, she gets better again.
For 35 years, the doctors had her on 3-4 anti-psychotic drugs, at high doses…she was on 600 mg. of Clozaril for years….now she just needs the low dose. I only wish my sister could have went on minocycline when she was 18 when she first was diagnosed. I believe all the years of shock treatments, and high doses of anti-psychotic drugs had taken their toll on her brain, so even though she’s stable now, she seems different, but she is no longer tortured by voices and delusions, and I am so thankful. I only wanted to share my sisters story to help other people suffering terribly….by sharing what minocycline can do for people like my sister who live a tortured life of mental illness. It has helped so so many people, and is included in the standard treatment of care in many countries…but not in the USA. Sad. Big Pharma $$ seems more important…which is horrible. Minocycline, in conjunction with low doses of anti-psychotic drugs like Clozari can help people like my sister, and I am so thankful. I felt like people didn’t believe me when I came on this site to share what I have learned, but I have to admit, I wouldn’t have believed it myself, if I hadn’t done my research and seen for myself first hand what it has done for my sister. She lives 100% more quality of life now. Thanks for asking. If you ever want to talk to me in person, I’d be happy to talk any time.
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Wow - that is great news. thanks for sharing with us. it sounds like something we can all learn from.
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There are only tests for what doctors know to be in existence. I believe many mental illnesses (and symptoms) are surely caused by viruses, parasites, bacteria, and infections…many of which have not been identified. Make sure they try Minocycline for a couple weeks…you will be able to tell if it works or not!
Melody,
THe reason I think that Minocycline seems to be helpful is because it helps reduce the neuroinflamation of the brain’s Microglia cells. This is an independent action of the antibiotic function of this drug - so its unrelated to any viruses, infections, etc.
My point here is that I think there is the potential for Minocycline to be helpful for a very large percentage of people who suffer from psychosis, and other related mental illnesses. If anyone else is trying this out, or has a family member who is trying it out, please post and keep us updated on whether it helps. Here is some recent research on this issue:
Accumulating evidence suggests that neuroinflammation affecting microglia plays an important role in the etiology of schizophrenia, and appropriate control of microglial activation may be a promising therapeutic strategy for schizophrenia. Minocycline, a second-generation tetracycline that inhibits microglial activation, has been shown to have a neuroprotective effect in various models of neurodegenerative disease, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic properties, and an ability to modulate glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. Given that these mechanisms overlap with neuropathologic pathways, minocycline may have a potential role in the adjuvant treatment of schizophrenia, and improve its negative symptoms. Here, we review the relevant studies of minocycline, ranging from preclinical research to human clinical trials.
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for more information and the actual research papers (the full scientific papers) just search on “minocycline schizophrenia” on Pubmed.gov
Then copy the DIO code from the BOTTOM of the Pubmed article summary as shown here:
and Paste it into the search box at the Sci-hub website that is here: http://www.sci-hub.tw
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New to this site. My SZ son is starting Minocycline tomorrow. I had to find a doctor friend out of the area to prescribe. He has adult onset type 1 diabetes and I think there is a connection between that and his psychotic symptoms. Its very difficult to find any doctor who will listen and try a new approach. Anyone know anything about autoimmune diseases and SZ?
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CONCLUSION: Vitamin-D in schizophrenia is involved in augmentation of hyperhomocysteinemia, inflammation, oxidative stress and thyroid antibodies, thereby playing a significant role not only in induction of schizophrenic symptoms but may also result in autoimmune thyroid diseases. Thus, earlier detection and rectification of its levels are helpful to limit the miseries of schizophrenia.
This thread has been such an interesting read . I have being doing my own research into inflammatory affects on the brain and found these articles . Very interesting read considering a lot of our loved ones are already recieving this treatment.
Risperidone normalizes increased inflammatory parameters and restores anti-inflammatory pathways in a model of neuroinflammation
Karina S. MacDowell Borja García-Bueno José L. M. Madrigal Mara Parellada Celso Arango Juan A. Micó Juan C. Leza
International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, Volume 16, Issue 1, 1 February 2013, Pages 121–135, Risperidone normalizes increased inflammatory parameters and restores anti-inflammatory pathways in a model of neuroinflammation | International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology | Oxford Academic
The Atypical Antipsychotic Paliperidone Regulates Endogenous Antioxidant/Anti-Inflammatory Pathways in Rat Models of Acute and Chronic Restraint Stress.
MacDowell KS, et al. Neurotherapeutics. 2016.
The Atypical Antipsychotic Paliperidone Regulates Endogenous Antioxidant/Anti-Inflammatory Pathways in Rat Models of Acute and Chronic Restraint Stress.
MacDowell KS, et al. Neurotherapeutics. 2016.
Show full citation
Abstract
Alterations in the innate inflammatory response may underlie the pathophysiology of psychiatric diseases. Current antipsychotics modulate pro-/anti-inflammatory pathways, but their specific actions on these pathways remain only partly explored. This study was conducted to elucidate the regulatory role of paliperidone (1 mg/kg i.p.) on acute (6 h) and chronic (6 h/day for 21 consecutive days) restraint stress-induced alterations in 2 emerging endogenous anti-inflammatory/antioxidant mechanisms: nuclear factor erythroid-related factor 2 (NRF2)/antioxidant enzymes pathway, and the cytokine milieu regulating M1/M2 polarization in microglia, analyzed at the mRNA and protein levels in prefrontal cortex samples. In acute stress conditions, paliperidone enhanced NRF2 levels, possibly related to phosphoinositide 3-kinase upregulation and reduced kelch-Like ECH-associated protein 1 expression. In chronic conditions, paliperidone tended to normalize NRF2 levels through a phosphoinositide 3-kinase related-mechanism, with no effects on kelch-Like ECH-associated protein 1. Antioxidant response element-dependent antioxidant enzymes were upregulated by paliperidone in acute stress, while in chronic stress, paliperidone tended to prevent stress-induced downregulation of the endogenous antioxidant machinery. However, paliperidone increased transforming growth factor-β and interleukin-10 in favor of an M2 microglia profile in acute stress conditions, which was also corroborated by paliperidone-induced increased levels of the M2 cellular markers arginase I and folate receptor 2. This latter effect was also produced in chronic conditions. Immunofluorescence studies suggested an increase in the number of microglial cells expressing arginase I and folate receptor 2 in the stressed animals pretreated with paliperidone. In conclusion, the enhancement of endogenous antioxidant/anti-inflammatory pathways by current and new antipsychotics could represent an interesting therapeutic strategy for the future.