Oracea to replace Periostat, new rosacea treatment launched

164 comments ↓

#1 Jennifer Worringer on 10.22.07 at 12:43 AM

I have Rosacea that was mild until I turned 48. For a year, I have had red patches on one or the other side of my nose that refused to go away. Multiple daily applications of 1% metrogel and 15% Finacea failed to eliminate the red blotches.

I finally tried the Oracea prescribed in my third visit to the dermatologist. After 5 days of taking Oracea, the lesions are almost gone. I saw improvement after taking just two pills. The dermatologist said to take Oracea fo r1 week and not continuously.

#2 june hoffman on 10.27.07 at 8:22 AM

My daughter started using Oracea about a year ago and it has done wonder for her acne. She went off of it for a few days and the acne returned. As long as she takes it her acne is clear. The dermatologist has always stated since it is a very low dose antibiotic it is not harmful in any way. She had tried other oral meds but was told that she could only take them for the short term, we are very grateful for Oracea.

#3 Marilyn Hartl on 12.22.07 at 6:56 AM

I recently started taking Oracea for an irritated scalp. However, my previous doctor prescribed Doxycycline 100mg that worked in a matter of days, and was considerably cheaper. I called my new Dermatologist to get Doxycycline but she said Oracea and Doxycycline are the same thing. Is Oracea a low dosage? I’ve been taking Oracea 2 weeks and there has not been any improvement. Any suggestions?

#4 David Pascoe on 12.22.07 at 1:09 PM

Hi Marily,

Oracea is 40mg of doxycycline with 10mg of that in slower release to the remaining 30mg. At this dose it is considered low dosage or sub microbiotic dose. I would expect oracea to take longer to see a benefit compared to 100mg a day of generic doxycycline, so 2 weeks might not be long enough.

davidp.

#5 Thuy on 01.19.08 at 4:26 AM

I was orginally prescribed to Oracea, but switched to Doxycycline 50mg due to the huge difference in cost. I was given a 4 day sample of Oracea. Should I just go ahead and take the sample and continue taking the 50mg of doxycycline after that? Should the treatment work the same?

Thanks!

#6 David Pascoe on 01.19.08 at 6:10 AM

Hi Thuy,

You should be able to safely substitute the oracea for the doxy. I imagine the 4 day sample is just to confirm that you don’t have an allergy to any of the ingredients.

good luck !

davidp.

#7 Mary on 02.04.08 at 9:09 AM

I have been taking Oracea for about 6 months. I keep having problems with a yeast infection, which seems to be related. The Oracea is working for the rosacea. Almost no one asks if I have a sunburn now. Any idea on the yeast infection?

#8 Ty on 03.20.08 at 4:42 AM

Oracea is crap! It is no better than taking regular doxycycline, tetracycline, monocylcine, or any of the other multitudes of antibiotics that dermatologists prescribe us rosacea sufferers in an attempt to get us out of their offices. I have inflammatory rosacea with visible veins, redness, blotches, p&p, and daily burning, which drives me crazy. I have been on Oracea, as well as the other aforementioned drugs, and I have had only brief periods of relief. I’ve been on antibiotics now for one and a half years. I pray daily for relief from this awful affliction.

Ty

#9 David Pascoe on 03.23.08 at 1:29 PM

Hi Ty, Oracea is only ever promoted as being for the papules and pustules of rosacea (as indeed are other antibiotics). Oracea is just a low dose of doxycycline, so if you don’t get any benefit from doxycycline the oracea might not be for you – unless you are particularly looking for a low dose to avoid the side effects or continue long term for eg. Have you considered treatments like IPL ? davidp.

#10 rosita on 03.27.08 at 9:12 AM

Hi all, I am seriously thinking on ask my doctor about oracea or better periostat.
Do you think periostat can help me?. I am 30 years old and my skin looks all burned. I’ve tried metrogel, rosacure, prosacea, all types of washes, also some oils somebody suggested…but every morning I see my face and I just want to cry…
This year in January I got a pretty bad cold taht developed into a infection, the doctor prescribed me tetracyclines and my face cleared for the first time in a year… but of course my stomach was aching and I was feeleign really weak in general… so I am wondering if one of those very low doses can help, how low can it be and still work?
thanks

#11 David Pascoe on 03.27.08 at 11:10 AM

Hi Rosita,

One of the promoted advantages of a low dose doxycyline like periostat, oracea or 50mg per day of generic doxycycline is that they are likely to induce less of the normal negative reactions to higher doses of antibiotics. So this should be a reasonable alternative for you to try.

How it works is that you still get the anti-inflammatory benefits of the doxycycline, but the dose is low enough not to effect gut flora for eg. Collagenex published a study recently that showed that as far as rosacea symptoms are concerned 40-50mg a day will give the same benefit as 100mg a day i.e. a low dose should be just as good.

It is the ability of doxycycline (and indeed other tetracyclines) to interrupt the inflammatory pathway that gives a benefit to rosacea sufferers, not the eradication of bacteria or infection.

davidp.

#12 Sunny on 04.17.08 at 8:44 AM

I started on Oracea one year ago, along with Finacea. I had unsatisfactory results with every other treatment. AND due to painful ocular rosacea, I was hoping to find something that would help my eyes AND my skin. The Oracea is fantastic for me!!! It started working immediately. But if I go a day or two without it, my eyes and skin react poorly.

My question is in regards to Oraceas interaction with oral contraceptives. I suffer from endometriosis and ovarian cysts. My gyn started menstrual suppression by low dose monophasic pills four years ago. This was a miracle for me, & very successful.

HOWEVER — soon after starting on the Oracea, I started spotting, which soon turned into 7-14 day long “periods”. It has only gotten worse over the last 11 months ; having now been switching my BCPs every 3 months and getting ultrasounds to see what happens. AND I am now getting cysts again as well.

I was wondering if there have been any studies as to how MUCH the Oracea might interact with oral contraceptives.(especially the low dose monophasic types)
I am not even concerned about pregnancy. I am flipping out b/c four years of successful menstrual suppression and no pain has now reversed back to the way things were before.

I really don’t want to stop taking the Oracea. BUT if it will help me stop having 14 day long periods, migraines & unbearable cramps — I guess I’ll have to deal with my skin itching, & my eyes feeling like there are small rocks rolling around under the lids every day. I lowered my dosage to every other day, but still the same results. My gyn knows I am on the 40mg Oracea & says it isn’t the cause.

Does anyone have any input, ideas, suggestions, info? Thanks!!!

#13 Stacey M. on 04.30.08 at 7:22 PM

I tried Oracea and had terrible results. If someone wants to have a flare up, I would recommend the Oracea. I had more burning and ruddiness than prior to taking the Oracea. The only thing that has helped me at all is Demulen (birth control pills). I also have found a little relief which was a complete fluke but better than all the topicals which only aggravate the condition. I have a pinched nerve in my back. It is extremely painful. My back doctor put me on Neurontin and Darvon. I can honestly say that it sometimes help with the burning in my face. I think doctors need to focus more in this area. I have tried lazer, Accutane, etc. You name it, I have tried it.

Stacey M.

#14 Steve on 05.31.08 at 1:49 AM

I have rosacea & adult acne for about 9 years now and it REALLY SUCKS. Monodox worked best but I stopped for potential candida issues. I tried a pretty stict diet and saw many holistic doctors with no luck. Was on doryx for a month and it works pretty well but I started breaking the pills in half to avoid diarhhea. I read about Periostat and went to see my derm. Thankfully, he’s up on the latest stuff and gave me Oracea. No diarhhrea but have had some small bumps –could be from recent dairy intake. Last night I took a full doryx. So we’ll see. I think Oracea is a great option. If it’s anti-inflamitory action is enough to keep my skin from getting new pimples and I’ll be thrilled. Doc says time will heal my red marks but it takes a loooong time. I’ll give it time. If it doesn’t work I’ll just track down Michael Jackson surgeon and get a new face.

#15 Betti on 06.18.08 at 6:18 PM

I recently started taking oreacea 40 mg. No improvement in my acne. Also it is exspensive since it’s a new drug my insurance doesn’t cover it so it’s $75 a month so I won’t be using this again I’m going back to doxycycline.

#16 rosita on 07.04.08 at 11:35 AM

Hi Betti… hope this helps.

It may sound weird but I just buy the cheap 50mg doxy and I open the capsules and remove 10mg. The first two or three times I had to weight it (I work in a lab so i was able to use a good balance but you can try a cheaper one) then I just knew how much to empty the capsule.

The capsules are like 15 dollars for one month (30 ).

I decided to not take 50mg because I reviewed some papers and found that 50mg do have ANTIBIOTIC activity while 40mg a day the compound is only ANTI-inflamatory. Ideally, as you may know, you should take 20mg twice a day, but I think is not very practical for me with the 50mg capsules.

I think my skin is clearing, of course I also eat only the good stuff, lots of water, moderate excercise etc etc

good luck!

#17 Sara on 07.23.08 at 12:27 AM

I have suffered from Rosacea for over 10 years. I have obsessively experimented with a lot of different cosmetics, OTC cleansers, lotions, etc. I have also tried metrolotion, azealic acid and traditional antibiotics. Up until this Spring, I had pretty much given up on doctor’s help. I had not found one that took it seriously or really cared. But then I developed perioral dermatitis and went to a new dermatologist. She prescribed me a sulfur cream, Plexion TS, in combination with Oracea. The Plexion TS dried out my skin at first but once my skin adjusted it was fine. Then after about 4 weeks, my Rosacea was essentially gone. The redness was gone, the papules were gone, the painful bumps around my mouth were gone…everything, gone. But after using it for 2 months, I stopped due to the high cost. Well, after 5 weeks, everything is back. So in my case, Oracea worked. Now my daily regime for success is as follows: Cetaphil gentle cleanser, Plexion TS, Prescriptives virtual skin foundation/powder and Oracea.

#18 David Pascoe on 07.23.08 at 11:11 AM

Hi Sara,

Thanks for the note. Sounds like you have found a good regime that works for you. Well done ! We wish you all the best for more success with Oracea, Plexion and Cetaphil.

davidp.

#19 Deirdre on 09.03.08 at 9:28 PM

Hi
I’ve been prescribed Minocin for rosacea but am also anaemic and cannot take Minocin with iron. I am confused about doxycycline and tetracycline – what’s the difference. I think Minocin is just a tetracycline. I am currently trying Zineryt -a rub on solution containing Erythromycin and zinc acetate but not getting a great result. Would Oracea be better and can it be taken with iron?

#20 David Pascoe on 09.04.08 at 12:42 PM

Hi Deirde,

Iron can interfere with the absorption of all tetracyclines . The tetracycline family includes doxycycline, oracea (which is just doxycycline) and minocycline.

Some people find that a combination of a topical like you are using and a low dose systemic antibiotic work well together. As to the best antiobiotic to take that isn’t affected by iron, I don’t know, hopefully your Dr. can give the best advice.

davidp.

#21 Rusty Shackleford on 09.10.08 at 11:39 PM

i have been taking oracea for almost a year now, i have some rosacea and adult acne or what i thought was acne, the oracea started working pretty good and every month it seems to be getting better, i noticed after time went on that it worked better and better, my skin has barely any inflamation and looks nice and clear, i am very very happy with oracea and the results…if your taking oracea and you have only been on it for a little bit, give it time, it worked for me when countless others never did..the cost is very high although mine is covered by insurance..other than that i highley recommend it, great results and few to no side affects.

#22 David Paul on 09.13.08 at 3:48 PM

Hey Digital Davo,

I visit this site often to read and see what new options people are trying. I have always been against using medicine but i read about Oracea and how it’s a low dose medicine. I just wanted your advice on it. I have mild rosacea with some redness, mostly on my cheeks. My biggest concern lately is that I have been getting more P & P’s. Thanks for the help.

- David

#23 David Pascoe on 09.16.08 at 9:40 AM

Hi David,

Oracea likely won’t do much for your redness, but it should help with the inflammation that causes papules and pustules. The fact that the dose is low enough to not cause the normal problems associated with antibiotics is an advantage for sure. It is still a systemic drug of course though, so if you only have a mild case it is worth trying other treatments first.

davidp.

#24 David Paul on 09.16.08 at 10:33 AM

digital davo,

what other options would you recommend?

thanks,

David

#25 David Pascoe on 09.16.08 at 10:42 AM

There are heaps of topicals you can try. I have tried to collect the best information here on this blog. See the links below or on the right. The usual suspects that rosacea sufferers consider: metrogel, finacea, gentle moisturizer, physical sunscreen. Also Eucerin Redness Relief, Aveeno Ultra Calming, Clinique Redness Solutions. The new members section on the bottom left is also a good resource.

Heaps of stuff to try and hopefully good information here to help you decide.

davidp.

#26 Amanda on 10.04.08 at 9:13 AM

would a dermatoligist prescribe oracea for acne? i don’t have severe acne or anything but i have it enough where it looks bad, sometimes hurts, and it’s really irritating. i’ve tried every face wash and all those acne treatment kits and nothing works for me. so what medications can i take or get prescribed? i need something i’m going crazy!

#27 David Pascoe on 10.10.08 at 10:45 PM

Hi Amanda,

Oracea would be a reasonable option for acne treatment as well as rosacea. It should give relief from the inflammation of the acne lesions while minimizing the likelihood to give other symptoms like full strength anti-biotics.

davidp.

#28 littlezitty on 10.14.08 at 1:43 AM

I am also taking Oracea for mild acne, I have been on it for a month, I have not noticed any difference. Yet, honestly I seem to forget doses, because I am trying to take it when I have not eaten as prescribed. The problem is I pretty much eat (snack) every two hours so it is hard to find that window of opportunity. So maybe the sporatic doses is why it is not working. Does anyone just take it with food? If so what have the results been?

#29 Shane on 11.03.08 at 12:08 PM

I’m a 33 year-old man and have had rosacea now for about 4 1/2 years. What began as one or two ‘bumps’ eventually turned into many. In the beginning, my dermatologist prescribed doxy and finacia. It did ok. It didn’t make it completely go away. A year or so later, I changed dermatologists and the new one prescribed finacia in addition to a form of minocycline with the brand name Soladyn. It worked wonders. I can take a 30 days of Soladyn and have no paps for at least six months. I also use a combination of MetroGel and Finacia along with a sulfur-based cleanser. Also, with IPL treatments, one could hardly tell I ever had rosacea. The unfortunate thing is that it’s all very costly and demands a certain fortitude. Sometimes, no amount of medication prevents a flare-up, especially drastic plummets of temperature. It’s an unfortunate affliction, especially since I’m an actor. I’m a little irritated that with all the medical technology in our grasps, there is no cure. My first dermatologist said it was because there was little to no professional interest. That’s a terrible thought.

#30 davidpaul on 11.03.08 at 12:56 PM

Hey Shane,

I too have rosacea and have had it now for about 10 years or so. During the past 10 years i have seen a few derms. and they each prescribed me doxy. and metrogel. Medication has never been my thing and i was disappointed to find out that there is no cure and medication is pretty much something that has to be taken from now in most cases. i opted to never take the medication and try a natural approach. i wash my face with 100% oatmeal (aveeno), i use jojoba oil for a moisturizer, use purified water to wash with (no tap water), and here lately been doing my best to eat right. along with my daily routine, i have found that eating right makes a huge difference. i used to eat greasy food, sweets, and drinks lots of soda, but since cutting all that out, my skin looks way better and flare ups have eased greatly. i once read an article that sugar makes rosacea worse and i would have to agree. everytime i consumed sugar or even ate a fatty meal, my face would flare up and feel hot and uncomfortable. diet has a lot to do with it.

take care,

Davidpaul

#31 Diana on 11.09.08 at 11:13 AM

Hi,I would like to know if is better ORACEA or DORYX for rosacea,because one of my dermatologist prescribed to me to take doryx and the other one to take oracea.I am taking the IPL laser treatment but they told me that I need to help me with any pill like doryx or oracea,and both ar expensive,Doryx is more expensive than oracea,but I am not sure which is better,I would like to get some recommendation.Thanks

#32 David Pascoe on 11.10.08 at 9:37 AM

Hi Diana,

You are pretty unlikely to notice a difference between Oracea and 50mg a day of generic doxycycline. Are you able to try generic doxycycline – that should in general be the cheapest option – unless you have rebates and full insurance cover for Oracea that is.

davidp.

#33 LB on 11.14.08 at 1:54 AM

Hi, I am 28 years old, and I started noticing the rosiness in my cheeks about 7 years ago if I recall correctly. Perhaps it started even 10 years ago, but I didn’t really start noticing it until about 7 years ago when my college mates would say that I blushed at everything. Well, I do blush at a lot, but it’s on top of already rosy cheeks. For a while I disliked my rosy cheeks. Then I got used to it, and considered it okay since I wouldn’t need much blush if any. I knew my mom had rosacea, but hers in redder than mine. Only recently did I go in to see a dermatologist since I started breaking out with the little white pus filled pimples. When I say breaking out, I only mean 2-3 pimples at a time, but I am unused to it, and I didn’t like it because as soon as the 2-3 that were there started to clear, another 2-3 started up elsewhere.

Anyway, the dermatologist gave me oracea, metrogel 1%, a night cream with coffeeberry by Revaleskin, and recommended that I either continue to use my Neutrogena cleanser or Cetaphil and upgrade my Neurogena moisturizer to 45 spf. I did all that, but I took an initial 4 or 5 pills (sample) that the dermatologist gave me. Then I didn’t refill the pills until about a week later. I had a horrible rash like break out after about a week. I hadn’t had a such a breakout since I used that awful harsh skin cleanser for teenagers when I was a teenager. I didn’t know if it was because I had suddenly quit taking the pills (oracea) or if it was the combo of using Neutrogena cleanser called healthy skin anti-wrinkle anti-blemish with the other things the dermatologist gave me. I have never before had a break out from the simple use of that Neutrogena cleanser, but I thought that perhaps the use of it with the other things might have been a problem. I wish I knew what the cause of that rash was. It strangely cleared up almost completely the next morning after cleansing with Cetaphil and using the night cream. So, I am hoping that it was only that the mix of cleanser, toner, metrogel, moisturizer, and cream somehow didn’t mix right. I am terrified of having that effect again. If it was the sudden stopping of Oracea that caused the rash, then that worries me because if my insurance changed and I couldn’t afford it anymore, I would be up a creek with a rash no less…

I don’t know what to think. I was doing fine on the Neutrogena stuff up until recently with the pimples. I don’t mind the rosiness so much as long as it doesn’t get really red.

#34 davidpaul on 11.14.08 at 3:22 AM

Hey LB,

I’m also 28 and have had rosacea for about 10 years now, since I was 18. I had the exact same thing happen to me as you. It started off as slight redness in my cheeks and all of my friends would ask me if I had a sunburn, lol. I eventually got more used to the redness. Over the past 10 years my skin has become slightly more red, mostly in my cheeks. I do get little pimples once in awhile. One thing I have noticed is that my skin gets worse and flushes when I eat fatty foods, sweets, and drink soda. I do my best to stay away from those things. I also wash my face with 100% oatmeal by aveeno in a powder form. I mix the oatmeal with a little bottled water, make a paste and wash my face, then rinse with bottled water. I then let my face dry and use all natural Jojoba oil for a moisturizer. Oatmeal is proven to be a natural cleanser and anti- inflammatory and Jojoba oil is not only a natural moisturizer but a natural anti- inflammatory as well. I tried the Cetaphil before I discovered oatmeal and it irritated my skin, if you look at the ingredients in cetaphil it has a lot, including a lot that are known to be irritants to sensitive skin. I hope some of this helps.

Take Care,

David T.

#35 davidpaul on 11.14.08 at 3:27 AM

Hey Digital Davo,

I’m still considering getting the IPL procedure done and was wondering if you could give me some advice on it. I have come across a lot of posts online saying that they had bad experiences with IPL. Most say that they have “dents” in their skin that looks like fat loss. This is the only thing making me cautious of having IPL done. Thanks for your help.

Take Care,

David T.

#36 David Pascoe on 11.14.08 at 2:54 PM

Hi David,

I think the key to having a successful IPL treatment is finding someone with experience in treating rosacea. This might not be an easy task, but it will help you achieve the best results with the lowest risk of problems. I’ve never had IPL myself so I can only refer you on to others to seek their advice; The Laser & IPL Therapy Forum is one place you could try.

davidp.

#37 LB on 11.15.08 at 7:25 AM

Thanks davidpaul, I am also into trying the most natural route first. Normally if I’m not absolutely desperate, I won’t take meds. I especially hate when I have to take something regularly. So, maybe I will just try the cleansers and perhaps continue the metrogel.

The Oracea may not have been the reason for that sudden rash, but I’m fairly certain that it is responsible for this stomach aching that started after I started taking the Oracea. I have a sensitive tummy anyway. So my diet has gotten milder and with less grease and sugar as well in the past couple years. I am also on a fairly regular exercise routine these days. From what I understand I am supposed to take the Oracea without food before breakfast in order for it to be most effective. Well, I have gotten to where I am eating nearly right afterwards because it hurts my stomach even more if I don’t, but now maybe it’s not even totally effective. Sheesh… This is why I usually try the most natural route first.

Like I said before, I can deal with the “blushing” as my friends called it, but hopefully it doesn’t get worse as years pass, and hopefully I will not have to go through a stage like teenagers do of constantly dealing with breakouts! My dermatologist that said she thought my skin was beautiful, and I’d like to keep it that way if I can.

#38 davidpaul on 11.15.08 at 9:39 AM

Hey LB,

I feel the same way you do. I thank God that my rosacea has really not progressed much in the 10 years that I have had it now. Everyone always tells me that I have nice skin and when I tell them I have rosacea, the one’s who know what it is say they would have never known. Everyone just thinks I have a naturally reddish tone to my skin. Unfortunately I don’t feel that I have nice skin and i’m usually really aware of it out in public. When I go out I pretty much always feel that I have a spotlight on me and everyone is staring at my skin. My friends and family say that i’m too hard on myself and i’m finally starting to realize it. We can’t help the fact that we have this condition and should’nt feel so self- conscious. You know the old saying, we are all our own worse critic. Take care.

- David T.

#39 Jen on 11.19.08 at 7:31 AM

David,

Please tell me how you use the oatmeal to cleanse your face. Do you grind it up into a powder? I suppose I could use an electric coffee mill to do that. Also, what type of Jojoba oil product do you recommend.

Red

#40 davidpaul on 11.19.08 at 8:58 AM

Hey Jen,

My daily routine is really quite simple. I use 100% natural colloidal oatmeal made by aveeno. It is already in a powder form so you don’t have to crush it up. You can buy it anywhere really, like walgreens, wal- mart, H-E-B (if there’s one in your area). The box will say Aveeno bath treatment. It’s sold to be used as a bath treatment, but it’s just 100% oatmeal and perfect to clean your face with. The best jojoba oil that I have come across so far is Heather Loraine. Be sure to get the light (clear or almost clear) filtered jojoba oil because it’s less heavy on your skin. All I do is get a bowl, put some powdered oatmeal in it, mix it with bottled water (I don’t like tap water) and mix it up to a paste. You will probably have to experiment with the water to oatmeal ratio because it can be too thick or too watery if not mixed right. Then I get a soft wash cloth and wash my face in circles, then rinse. You may or may not want to use a wash cloth because wash cloths seem to irritate some people’s skin, it does’nt bother me. After my face dries I then apply jojoba oil with a cotton ball and that’s it. I only use the jojoba oil at night before I go to bed because if you use it in the morning your face will look oily. By morning time my face is well moisturized and if it is still a little oily looking, I just get a wet wash cloth and take off the excess jojoba oil. Your routine may be a little different, especially since you wear make up. Hope this helps. Let me know how it works.

Take Care,

David T.

#41 Jen on 11.20.08 at 12:38 AM

Thanks for the information David. Where do you buy the Heather Loraine brand of Jojoba Oil?

I’m going to give your routine a try.

Red

#42 davidpaul on 11.20.08 at 12:26 PM

Hey Jen,

I get my heather loraine jojoba oil at my local health food store. Check yours to see if they carry it. If not, you can go to heatherloraine.com and see a list of stores that carry it in your area. If no stores in your area carry it, I believe they can send it to you direct.

Take Care,

David T.

#43 Dean on 12.15.08 at 9:41 AM

Dave, I was given some Oracea pills by my Dr. over the summer–enough for about 2 months. They were the kind they give the Dr’s for samples-40-50mgs I think. This really helped my Rosacea because it totally went away. Once I ran out the Rosacea gradually came back. As I travel a lot and its difficult to get to my regular Dr sometimes I called him and he prescribed 100mg of Doxycycline twice a day. I have been taking it now for about 4 days and its already almost completely cleared up. I worry that this is a higher dose than what I’ve seen recommended on your site and others since they recommend 40-50mg a day. I don’t seem to have any negative reactions to the amount he prescribed but worry about building up a “tolerance’ or whatever the word is to taking so much antibiotic. Should I worry about this? Also I was considering that once the Rosacea disappears I would cut back on the 100mg twice a day and start taking 100mg every OTHER day. Do you think this is a good idea or should I just get the Dr to prescribe the 50mg pills? Is there any documentation I can show him that he will “listen” to about this type of treatment? Obviously he knows the Doxycycline will work but I’m not sure he knows about the dosage. Thanks.

#44 David Pascoe on 12.15.08 at 10:25 AM

Dean, have you seen this page 100mg doxycycline no better than oracea ? In there I explored the idea that the maximum effective dose of doxycycline is 40mg a day. The papers mentioned on those 2 pages should give you enough ammo to give your doctor. When I was weaning myself off doxycycline, I got my dose down to 50mg a day and then 50mg every second day. This seemed to work quite well for me.

davidp.

#45 Dean on 12.16.08 at 3:57 AM

Dave–thanks. Yes I found that article and several others that I will give him. Just one other question that I haven’t seen an answer to—How long can you take the low dose of this? Months? Years? Forever? I would hate to start this and find out I have to quit and end up with the rosacea back on my face. I sure am glad this website is here. Thanks.

#46 David Pascoe on 12.16.08 at 7:34 AM

I just answered this over at the community site too;

The official trials for Oracea only studied the treatment for a period of 9 months. Like all drugs, even at low dose, the potential for adverse side effects always exist.

Low dose antibiotics are thought to be much safer to take long term as they don’t affect the gut flora and are also not as likely to cause antibiotic resistance.

As to how long `long term’ really is, that is not an exacting science. Your doctor can advise how long they think it is safe.

My GP was happy to keep me on 50mg a day of doxycycline for a few years while I continued to need to take it and continued to get a benefit from it.

hope this helps,
davidp.

#47 Dean on 12.16.08 at 7:58 AM

Thanks Dave that does help. I have printed out a bunch of stuff from this site to give my GP so I hope it helps him too.

#48 chucho on 12.26.08 at 1:09 AM

Great site and great information, thanks! I think I got some relief the past 60 days using Oracea + Metrogel. I have the papule-type rosacea pretty much confined to the nose, but it gets pretty bad. I recently had to drop the Oracea when my insurance stopped subsidizing and it was $230/mo?? Wow. And as I was dropping off, I had an outbreak concurrent with the cold weather (and a few too many margaritas perhaps). I might ask for the 50mg doxy regimen, and I can diminish the dosage if need be. Question is whether the 40mgTR vs 50 mg is important? (I am 200 lbs, 5’10″, muscular build) I take supplements 2x/day – can I get a 25mg dose of generic doxy to take?

#49 Dean on 12.26.08 at 1:50 AM

chucho, Check out some of the other information on the site about whether the Oracea or the 50mg doxycycline is better. It APPEARS, in my opinion, it doesn’t really matter and the doxy is way cheaper. I have actually been taking 100mg twice a day because thats what my Dr has prescribed but recently I went to 100mg ONCE a day and my face is still clear. I am going to try going to every other day and see what happens. I think its a matter of trial and error to see what works for you but thats ONLY my opinion because I’m not a Dr. Unfortunately the pills I have are capsules so I can’t cut them in half to see if 50mg will work. The next time I go to the Dr I will see if he will prescribe a 50mg size. If you read the articles on the site you will see that for MOST people the 50mg should work because at that dose it doesn’t work like an antibiotic. Instead it works like an anit inflamatory if I’m reading it right. And thats what works on the Rosacea. At that dose it also keeps you from building up a tolerance to antibiotics–again if I’m reading it correctly. Though it probably wouldn’t hurt to take some probiotics occassionally like yogurt or something–you can also get a probiotic pill. This helps keep the stomach “flora” going according to this site. I don’t know if your size or weight has anything to do with the dosage of doxy. I’m not an expert or Dr but this site sure is teaching me quite a bit about rosacea.

#50 Rhonda on 01.06.09 at 10:17 AM

Thank you for all of your comments. It is very informative. After reading them all, it appears to me, if I’m reading it correctly, that stopping any of the anti-biotic therapy results in a relapse?

I was considering the 50mg Doxy a day because of cost. At Costco, it is listed as $15.00 for 150 pills. Very cost effective, if it works and one doesn’t have income or insurance for other types.

I bought some 1% hydro-cortizone cream (off the shelf) and tried it. It stopped all the breakouts and pustules! However, my doctor said to stop using it because the rosacea would relapse even worse, plus it would thin the skin.

Well, it seems like relapse is a problem with the Anti-biotic too. Seems confusing to me. The cheapest thing to do would be Cortaid, the next would be 50mg doxy. Any thoughts on my thoughts? thanks for this site, it is really appreciated.

#51 David Pascoe on 01.06.09 at 12:13 PM

Hi Rhonda,

I found that if I tapered off doxycycline slowly then I had less and less problems with relapsing. I think less exposure to your triggers might help as well i.e. try to keep the inflammation down at the same time.

davidp.

#52 Dean on 01.07.09 at 1:02 AM

I am trying to taper off too. My Dr gave me a prescription for doxy but for 100mg 2x a day. I have tapered to 100mg every other day. I just haven’t had the time to get back to him and get the prescription changed to 50mg a day because I’m actually 8hrs away from him. Long story. I moved but can’t find a decent Dr any where in this little one horse town I now live in. Too bad you can’t get doxy without a prescription.

#53 Rhonda on 01.10.09 at 2:03 PM

I noticed on Costco Pharmacy Pricing Site that they have generic 20mg. It is a little more expensive than 50mg, but not much. One could take two every 12 hours of the 20mg if one 50mg a day doesn’t seem correct for a low dosing of doxy. I am assuming the half life is 12 hours and I’m not sure this is correct. If it is right, then 20mg every 12 would be very inexpensive compared to Orecea and be circulating at a stable and very low rate. Of course, I’m not sure if I’m thinking about this correctly. I just want to request from my doctor something somewhat equal to the medical results but not equal to the Oracea price. ha

#54 Rhonda on 01.10.09 at 2:07 PM

I forgot to mention that I had wondered in my previous email if anyone had tried over the counter Cortaid or had their physician slap their hands for doing it and/or what your results might have been. Thank you

#55 Dean on 01.11.09 at 1:52 AM

Rhonda, I am not sure about your idea. Maybe Dave will jump in with an answer as he seems to have a good handle on things. I THINK the dosage is probably user specific. I’ve noticed that I can go several days and only take a 100mg dose in that time period with no return to the red blotches etc that I usually get when I don’t take the doxy. I’m trying to see how many days I can go without taking it just to see what MY tolerance level is.

I want to get my Dr to prescribe the 50mg size but I am 8hrs away from him and its going to be a while before I can get back to see him. But,like I said, so far I can go about 3 days and only take one 100mg pill and I see no return to the rosacea blotches that I usually get. I’m going to try to stretch it out because I hate taking pills.

As for the Cortaid I’ve never tried it. I was using Metrogel but it had absolutely no effect on the rosacea for me after using it for over 6 months by itself.

#56 kim on 01.18.09 at 7:55 AM

Have you all seen this? Go to oracea.com and click on savings offer. The mfg is offering a card that they say will limit out of pocket costs to any insured individual to $25.00 per month. I have no idea how the card program works (wouldn’t it seriously interfere with the mfg’s profits?) but if it only cost $25.00 per month, it would be much more affordable.
Kim

#57 Rhonda on 01.22.09 at 3:52 PM

Thanks for link, Kim. The only problem is for people without insurance. I read that they will give you $25 to help, but that leaves more than $150 a month for one to pay without insurance help.

I just checked Walmarts web site and Doxy 50mg dose is $4./30day supply or $10 dollars for ninety pills/90day supply. That’s hard to beat for people without insurance.

Dean… if you have a Walmart closer than your doctor, maybe you could phone the Walmart Pharmacist to see if they will call/fax your physician for a new lower dose prescription and possibly mail to you.

Costco and Walmart, both, offer mail order. I’ve never used mail order so I don’t know how it works, but it’s on their web sites. Also, Costco gives additional small discount for people who do not have insurance. It saves me about 7% off their list price. Target also has a list of common drugs they offer to compete with Walmart.

#58 Dean on 01.22.09 at 11:30 PM

Thanks Rhonda I will check into that. He did decide, on his own, to lower the dose to 100mg 1x a day and I’ve kept to that the last week or so and I’ve seen no reappearance of the problem. I think I will be making a trip to his area next month so I will probably get an appt to see him them and present him with the 50mg information. I am still planning on starting back on doing 100mg every OTHER day like I had been doing because it didn’t seem to hurt anything–no reappearance of the problem. I”m hoping I can stretch it out even further so I’m not constantly taking this stuff.

#59 Elyse on 02.05.09 at 11:38 PM

Hello- I am wondering if anyone else out there has had any of the following symptoms while taking any dose of doxycylcine: lightheadedness/near fainting, fast pulse, fast or irregular breathing or just an overall “weird” feeling. I realize they are the same symptoms as an anxiety/panic attack, but I really don’t think that is what’s going on with me. Over a year ago my derm. started me on 100mg and I took that until last summer with good results for adult acne. So then I wanted to lower the dosage and my doc. suggested Oracea, which was good but still had some break-thru break-outs, so I wanted to go back to 100mg. She then said to try 150mg Doryx, which I only tried for 4 doses at most b/c I started to research my symptoms and really think they could be from the meds. I am not on any other med of any kind. Any suggestions?

#60 Jill on 02.08.09 at 3:13 PM

I have tried it all and to no avail. I am soooo disgusted with the medical options that are tossed in our direction by doctors who really have no idea what rosacea is, what causes it, how to treat it much less cure it.

I have taken to seeing a integrative doctor who has tested me for heavy metals. It appears I have very elevated levels of mercury (& lead) which he says has a direct correlation to my rosacea. He is recommending I undertake a regimen of chelation to remove the metals and alleviate my condition.

I would like to know if anyone has investigated or has experience with heavy metal toxicity in the course of treating their rosacea.

Treating the symptoms is typical of western medicine and as such is flawed and plays directly into the bank accounts of the drug companies.

I want to know why, I want answers, I want a cure. Anything less is unworthy of us.

#61 Dean on 02.09.09 at 6:01 AM

Jill, sorry you are having such a bad time. Didn’t know that mercury and lead could cause rosacea. I have always been told it was hereditary and that mostly people of eastern european descent got it. Which is where my ancestors hail from. Of course they don’t know for SURE thats the causes it but research is still being done. I know that doesn’t help you NOW but there is hope.
I take doxycycline–about 100mg every 2 or 3 days and that seems to keep it in check. No red bumps, rash or itching. My Dr was the one that started me on it after everything else failed. Metrogel only temporarily stops the itching and nothing else–at least for me. From what I’ve read though I need to get him to change it to 50mg a day. And it appears you can take it almost forever since it works as an anti imflamatory at that dose instead of an antibiotic. But you do have to take it regularly. I’ve noticed if I go more than 3 days without taking it then it will start coming back and it will take a day or 2 of taking it to go away again.
So don’t get discouraged. Get the chelation done first and get the heavy metal out THEN start on the doxy.
Also what is an integrative Doctor? Never heard the term before.
Dean

#62 De on 02.28.09 at 4:45 AM

I have mild rosacea. I was on an 8 week study for Oracea with Metrogel. Unfortunately at week 4 I developed joint pain in my right hip and I was unable to complete the study. Joint pain is a rare side affect of Oracea, so please be careful. However, I did see results. I now just use metrogel and it works really well for me. It does dry out my skin but I moisturize well. Hope this helps.

#63 KATHY on 03.11.09 at 11:29 PM

I am a 27 years old and have suffered with rosacea for 10 years or so now. Recently I received the sample 4 pack of Oracea. I have not taken it yet, because I have a presciption of 100mg Doxycycline tabs. I was thinking I could cut them in half and get 2 months in lieu of 1 presciption. The only reason I have not started taking it was I use the Mirena as form of birth control and I am unsure if it will affect the effectiveness of the IUD, has anyone heard what the effects of Doxy when using an IUD? I do not want to become pregnant and do not like other methods of birth control. But I am losing the battle keeping my skin clear. Everyone always assume I am sun burned or angry. I have used metro gel and some other cleanser prescribed by the Dermatologist with no success except dry flaky red skin, with the white puss filled bumps all over my checks, and nose. Help

#64 Dean on 03.12.09 at 1:00 AM

Kathy I cannot comment on the IUD part of your question. Ask your Dr or Pharmacist if there would be any problems using doxy or Oracea with the IUD.
I too have used metrogel but it does absolutely nothing for me so I’ve quit using it.
I take 100mg doxy but its a capsule so it can’t be split. I’ve experimented and can usually go 3 and sometimes 4 days before I start to see the red bumps coming back so then I start taking it again.
The fact that doxy DOES work is a great thing. I will continue to experiment to see what the optimum dose is for ME and I encourage you to do the same.
I used to have horrible red bumps, scales and white pimples on my cheeks and nose until I started taking doxy so this is a godsend. From everything I’ve read on this site and others the USUAL maintenance dose is 50mg a day. Instead of acting as an antibiotic it acts like an anti inflamitory at that dose.
So don’t lose hope. Just check with your Dr.

#65 Angela on 04.22.09 at 1:10 AM

Does Oracea help with the Demodex mites? I was taking Oracea along with a a number of other medications… but they didn’t seem to work. So I discontinued them… how long does it take to see results?

#66 Meek on 04.28.09 at 4:19 AM

I think that medication some times works differently for different people and that you just have to try it and see what results you get. I never knew what I had, when I was a child we just thought I had acne, when I was in my teens/mid-twenties I thought I had sunburn as I never used sunscreen. My cheeks were always red and raw, I made the problem worse as I was using harsh over the counter cleaners thinking it was acne only burning the already tender skin even more. I always had a constant supply of liquid benadryl on hand to help with the itching and burning, but nothing really ever did. I am a very fair African American female. Once I started using sunscreen the problem got a little better but as time progressed it only got worse. I just recently started training for a Triathlon in Phoenix Arizona, due to the heat/exercise my entire face became red, raw and flakey, and it was sooooo painful. I finally went to the dermatologist and he told me that I didn’t have acne at all, that it was Rocasea. He prescribed Oracea. He told me that he thought this was something I would have to take every day for the rest of my life….Geeesh!!!! I don’t really like taking meds so I walked away thinking I was just gonna have to deal with the problem for the rest of my life. A couple of days later I decided to at least try the four day sample he given me, within 24 hours the redness was gone and I felt 100% better, by the fourth day the swelling was gone as well. I got the scrip filled and took Oracea faithfully for about two weeks and stopped. That was about six months ago. I only take the pills now right before we do a long workout outside in the heat or if I am going to be in the sun or overheated for long periods of time and I love it. It’s totally helped me in soooooo many ways! I have not had any side effects that I know of right now.

#67 Dean on 04.28.09 at 5:06 AM

Meek, glad to hear you finally found some relief. I moved from the east coast about 7yrs ago and the move seemed to trigger the problem because I never had it before I moved to CA. About a year ago my Doc gave me a trial of 100mg doxycycline that I took once a day and in about 3 days the redness, bumps and swelling was gone. I have also gone back east a couple of times for about 2 weeks each and never seemed to have the condition bother me then. So for me, at least, it seems that WHERE I live has some effect. The doxy works like a charm and I’ve gotten to where I only need to take it every other day–longer than that and it seems to want to come back.
You MIGHT want to ask your Dr to give you just a plain prescription for 50mg doxycycline. If you read all the stuff on the treatment of Rosacea it seems that is the preferred dose. Oracea is good but expensive unless your insurance covers it. Doxy is fairly cheap.
I don’t know how much you have read about it but it appears to act like an anti inflamatory instead of an antibiotic at that dose and you don’t build up a tolerance to it which is good in case you need a higher dose for an illness that needs the antibiotic to kill it.

Its a godsend if you ask me.
Dean

#68 Lori on 04.30.09 at 10:52 AM

I broke out on one side of my nose with a terrible case of what I thought was acne…large area with tons of whiteheads and painful large bumps. This showed up after a particularly stressful week. I assumed it was acne and treated it as such. It only got worse. I went to a clinic and they prescribed Bactrim and a benzoyl peroxide wash. It began to clear but as soon as the Bactrim was finished it came back with a vengeance. People were looking at me and you could see their eyes immediately go to that part of my face. My relatives constantly asked me what was wrong with my face. I began to get very self conscious. I finally went to a dermatologist after 3 months of dealing with this. 3 doctors examined me and one of them suspected rosacea (the others thought some kind of skin infection as it was only on one side). They prescribed 200 mg of doxycycline for 8 days and 1/2 of that for another 20 days. The spot cleared within one week. I went back to the derm after 2 weeks and he was sure at this point that it was rosacea. I cried, because it seems from research that this is a lifelong condition. My brother has it and has a constant red blotchy complexion. He uses tetracycline and Metrogel as needed. My doc prescribed Oracea to use after the doxy runs out. He assured me it was non-microbial and would work on the inflammation only. I don’t like the idea of taking a pill every day, but I don’t want the condition to return. Anyway, as far as the cost, if you go to Oracea.com you can sign up for a savings card that will help with the cost. I wish everyone well.

#69 Dean on 05.01.09 at 12:15 AM

Lori, While I’m by no means an expert on the subject but you might want to read the info on this website and others about doxycycline. From what I’ve found out that while Oracea is good for this it is no better than the cheaper plain old doxycycline. I started out with Oracea but switched because its way cheaper and doxy does just as good a job FOR ME. Don’t know about others. From your description you had the same problem I had and yes it is a lifelong problem for which there is no cure. The good thing is that both doxy and Oracea work as an anti inflamatory at the low dose and not like an antibiotic. 50mg of doxy is the recommended dose from what I’ve read but I take a 100mg cap every other day. But ONLY because thats what the doctor prescibed on my last visit and I’m trying to use it up before I get a 50mg presciption.
Along with this website you might try Googling “Doxycycline for Rosacea” there are a ton of articles about it.
Good luck and don’t dispair. There may not be a cure but it can be completely controlled. By the way Metrogel FOR ME has absolutely no effect on anything-it may help some people but not me.

#70 Gary on 05.06.09 at 9:12 AM

My doctor initially prescribed 20 mg of doxycycline, but it had little effect on my rosacea. I happened to be traveling to Africa around the same time, and it was recommended that I take doxy at 100 mg to prevent malaria. I did take it and discovered that it not only prevented malaria but eliminated my occular rosacea and the terrible pustules on my nose. Out of concern for long term side effects, I stopped taking the doxy for a few weeks and my condition returned with a vengence. I am now back on it at 100 mg. I’m not sure if the long term usage will eventually weaken my immune system and may consider Oracea if it has less impact.

By the way, Metrogel also had no effect on my condition.

#71 Dean on 05.06.09 at 11:14 AM

Gary, Metrogel has no effect on my rosacea either but I continue to take it since I paid for it. When its gone I’m done with it.
You might try an experiment with doxycycline. I too was given 100mg of doxy per day and it cleared my rosacea up in less than a week. But I was worried about the long term effects like you are. I decided to try just taking it every OTHER day–or 100mg doxy every 2 days. Partly to test how long I could go between doses and see what the effect was and partly because the capsules can’t be split. IF I go more than 2 days without it then the bumps etc start to come back. I have gone as long as 4 days with only one 100mg dose but even then it is starting to return. So with some experimentation I have narrowed it to 100mg every 2 days and I usually take it before bedtime.
The next time I see the doctor I’m going to get him to give me the 50mg dose that I can take every day. If you read the stuff on this website and others it APPEARS that either Oracea every day or just plain 50mg of doxy per day does the trick. Oracea is very good but lots more expensive than just plain doxy. From what I’ve been able to determine at this low dose it works as an anti inflamatory and not like an antibiotic so you don’t build up a resistance. There are apparently no long term effects either.
Experiment a little with your dosage or get your doctor to give you 50mg per day and see if it helps.
Good Luck.

#72 Kelly on 05.13.09 at 7:47 AM

I am 31 and have had rosacea for several years…I’ve tried several topical ointments and even two laser treatments. 3 weeks ago I started using Oracea-I have actually had more papules/pustules since using Oracea. Should I stop using it? Some days are better than others, but my face is still much worse than it was before. Help!

#73 Kay on 05.17.09 at 11:55 AM

I am starting my Oracea treatment next week since my derm chose me for the Oracea trial study he is conducting. I’ve had rosacea for about 3 years and developed ocular rosacea in the past year. I hate the redness in my cheeks and nose and bumps on my forehead, but the worst part is how my eyes feel. I’ve stopped using contacts but my eyes still look and feel irritated, teary, and red on most days. Some days I wake up and my lower lid is completely inflamed. I hate to go on medication, but since I can’t use topical treatment, I am giving Oracea a try. Will let you all know how it goes. I really hope it doesn’t aggravate my condition… I’m glad to know that after the Oracea study is over, I can switch to doxy as a more affordable option!

#74 CGJG on 05.19.09 at 9:03 AM

Is 50mg of doxycycline more like to cause anomalies in my blood tests than Oracea?

#75 Dean on 05.19.09 at 9:15 AM

CGJG
Couldn’t really answer that but I can tell you that if you read all the studies on this website and others the general consensus is that 50mg of doxy seems to work just as good as Oracea and its a lot cheaper.
If I recall the only difference between the doxy and Oracea is that Oracea is time release and regular doxy is not. If memory serves doxy is 50mg and Oracea is 40mg but you might want to double check that AND ask your Doctor the question about blood tests.
What I WILL tell you is doxy has been a lifesaver for me as far as rosacea is concerned. And MOST everyone I have seen on here has said the same.

#76 Amie on 05.23.09 at 3:24 AM

I have had rosacea for 7 years. At first, I tried the IPL treatments and that worked well for the flushing. Within, the last year I have developed P&P in between my eyebrows, nose, and chin. I just got back from the derm with a Rx for Finacea and Oracea. I will try them both and let you know the results in 2 weeks, when my doctor told me I should see results.

#77 Rhonda on 05.25.09 at 7:37 AM

Good luck Amie. I started back on 50mg of Doxy last week. It’s cheap and I had some left from the last go around. The rosacea had been going out of control again after stopping it on my own two months ago. It started helping me within 3 days. It is really amazing how the swelling goes down and the pimples recede. My eyes are more comfortable too. The burning sensation in my skin has also stopped. This is really a strange disease. Again, Good luck to you.

#78 Kay on 06.02.09 at 5:11 AM

I have been taking Oracea for 2 weeks and I really haven’t seen much of a difference. I still have a break out on my forehead, on the sides of my nose, and my cheeks. The redness hasn’t receded. My eyes are still red and gritty. I had my hopes up so I’m quite disappointed. Also, last weekend, I got some sun on my arms and in the last several days, my arms have broken into a rash. I have small red itchy bumps all over my arms, right in time for short sleeve season. Has anything like this happen to anyone on oracea/doxy?

#79 Amie on 06.02.09 at 9:53 AM

Thanks Rhonda, appreciate the support, and yes it is a strange and an unfair disease.
Kay, I too was diagnosed with ocular rosacea, along with seborrheic dermatitis. My eyelids always had a red inflammation around them, and now due to the dermatitis, dry flaky skin on the eyelids and eyelashes. Horrible, itchy, gritty feeling. It has been one week, since I have been on Oracea (take 40mg 1 hr before eating in the morning), and was applying Finacea two times during the day (am and pm). I also began washing my face with colloidal oatmeal, which I ordered online. I mix the powder with a little water, and get a mud like consistency that I apply all over my face, including my entire eye—doesn’t burn, actually feels soothing. I keep it on for about 10 mins, then rinse. I love washing my face with it; my eyes have begun to feel normal again. My face has cleared up quite a bit–still a few pimples on the side of my nose, but redness down a lot. Now on my second week, I am keeping the same regimen but only using Finacea once at night, to limit the dryness, flakiness of my skin. I wish I could attribute my improvement to the oatmeal, but am not sure since I began all 3 things at the same time. Little by little, I will decrease the Finacea and Oracea and see how my skin reacts. The oatmeal is here to stay because that feels great on my face and eyes. Don’t know about your arms, sorry. I hope things get better.

#80 Kay on 06.03.09 at 11:42 AM

Thanks for sharing your insight and new regimen, Amie. I’m glad to hear that the combo of Oracea, Finacea and colloidal oatmeal is working for you. I will ask my dermatologist about Finacea. I think he wants to keep me only on Oracea to see how effective it is independently, but I want whatever combination that works! I’ve been washing my lids with baby shampoo and using Eucerin redness relief for cleanser. I tried Azasite (eyedrops for ocular rosacea) but it didn’t work for me. I’ve heard that it’s successful for some ocular rosacea sufferers though. You might ask your opthamologist. Please keep us posted on your condition.

#81 ItsNotWorking on 07.01.09 at 10:43 AM

I started out only having small bumps with puz on the right side of my mouth. Went to dermatlogist and he prescribed me oracea, aczone/metrogel. I use the topicals on and off because it is drying and my skin felt even worse.

Anyways, after a month of taking oracea, i have to say my face is way way worse than before taking it. How i wish i didnt go to my dermatologist. Now the bumps/acne is on the right and left and all the way up my cheek, nose, its all over my face. It gets itchy every so often and now face is pitted and scarred.

I am very depressed i dont know if my face will get back to how it was before. It was at least clear at other areas. i know i cant say for sure it is the oracea, but it is the only thing i have taken religiously everyday, hoping one day it will get better.

#82 Paul on 07.05.09 at 12:35 AM

I was a former accutane patient in my early 20s. I took it for five months. I was clear for years. But in my early 30s I started getting occasional big pimples around my chin and nose at the most inopportune times – e.g., big date, family event, etc. I also developed eczema (redness and scaling) certain times of year, which aggravated any coinciding acne. It sucked! It was like the Black Plague!

I went to a dermatogist, tried creams, etc., but nothing was effective. I went on 40mg Oracea, and it really worked! However, it is so expensive. So I switched to 50mg Doxcycline, and the results are just as good. I’m told 50mg Doxcycline is just as safe and can be taken long-term. I have been on it for 2 years, and very few breakouts, and no eczema. Wow, really cool!

Oracea is a clever marketing scheme. Dont spend the money. There is no difference between delayed release 40mg Oracea vs. 50mg doxycycline. The only difference is price. Dont be fooled! Take Doxycycline.

#83 Lori on 07.07.09 at 12:37 AM

I have been on Oracea for over a month now. It has helped with the bad acne alot. I don’t seem to have any side effects and my face is clearer. I still have a “breakout” occasionally but not as severe as before. I signed up on the Oracea website and got a card that pays my insurance co-pay so, for right now, I’m not paying anything. Looks like the card expires in 2010 so we’ll see what happens then. My doctor, however, told me I’d probably be on it for years. Is that safe? I see others are only on for short periods of time. I went off to test to see if it really was helping and immediately started the severe acne again. I’m gonna take it!

#84 Lori on 07.07.09 at 1:19 AM

To “It’s not working” post #81…it sounds like you need something stronger in the beginning to clear up what’s going on right now. I started out on 100 mg of doxy twice a day for 8 days and then 1 a day for 2 weeks BEFORE going on Oracea. I had SEVERE pimples on one side of my nose for over 6 months. Everyone asked what was wrong with my face (people can be so insensitive). Within a few days of the double dose of doxy my face cleared up. Of course I still have the red splotches that will clear eventually from the scarring. I am also using a sulfur face wash that was prescribed. Maybe ask your dermatologist if the higher dose of doxy and a face wash would work for your case. Good Luck.

#85 ItsNotWorking on 07.07.09 at 9:34 AM

Hi Lori,

Thanks for your message.

for a long time I have been using rosanil which i believe is a sulfur wash, what is the brand you are using?

so i have been off oracea for a few days, the second day my skin cleared up so much i was like screaming with joy… but then the next day i was working around the house on a hot day and my rash came back. i dont know, i think i will just stay off it for a while and see. my next visit with derm is not until next week. will see how it goes.

#86 Dean on 07.07.09 at 10:55 AM

Hey everyone. I have been reading through all the posts on this site and doing a lot of research on Rosacea. I am NOT an expert by any stretch of the imagination but what I HAVE gleaned is that, unfortunately, Rosacea seams to act differently for each person AND the meds seem to do the same. Its one of those diseases where one size doesn’t fit all.

Take me for instance–I started on Oracea over a year ago and it worked fabulously until the prescription ran out the first time. When my Dr and I determined that the monthly prescription was going to be like $300+ per month he put me on good ole doxycycline at 100mg per day.
At this point I began reading everything I could about the disease and found that SOME people can wean themselves to smaller doses which is what I’ve done.

I now take 100mg of doxy every OTHER day and I haven’t had a breakout in almost a year except when I was experimenting and trying to figure out what the best dose was for ME. But I DID have to figure out what the correct dose was. I tried going for 4 days, then 3 but that didn’t seem to work. Well I finally got to 2 days and it seemed to stabilize and I’m fine.
But in general it seems that the proper dose of doxy is 50mg a day. Oracea works in a similar way if I understand it. Except it has a time release factor built into it so it releases slowly during the day.

Some people swear that the metrogel helps them too but it has zero effect on me so I stopped using it. That doesn’t mean YOU should if it helps you.

In reading about rosacea it APPEARS that if you have an eastern european heritage you are more susceptible to getting rosacea so thats something you might look into. It also appears that moist heat, say from a hot shower or sweating, exacerbates the condition in SOME people. This happens to me OCCASIONALLY but not every time. In some people stress will cause it to flare up–but again not every time.

Its a strange disease that the medical community doesn’t seem to be able to put any “absolutes” on. Again–one size doesn’t fit all.

I recommend that you keep a diary or notes on your flareups. Include what meds you are taking–ANY meds for ANYTHING–including even aspirin, vitamins and meds for other illnesses. Note how often you get flare ups, what they look like and any other pertinent information such as “Just took a shower and my face is now broken out”. I did this and it helped me narrow my medication down to 100mg every other day. It could also help your doctor with your diagnosis.

I have noted that some of you haven’t read a lot about this disease or about Oracea and doxycycline. Some have expressed a fear of taking an antibiotic for long periods. Well rest your fears folks. The studies are showing that 50mg a day of doxy or Oracea doesn’t even act like an antibiotic at that low dose. It acts like an anti inflammatory which is why it helps the “flare ups” that we all have. I have read about many who have taken these drugs for years with no side affects or any build up of a tolerance for antibiotics.

There is no cure for Rosacea–yet. But don’t lose hope. Keep trying different things until you find whats right for YOU.
Dean

#87 DavidPaul on 07.09.09 at 11:43 AM

Hey Digital Davo (or anyone else who can help),

Well, after years of avoiding medicine, I think i’m finally going to give Oracea a try. I have worked very hard over the past 7- 8 years to keep my rosacea routine all natural, which I have been able to do at about 95%. The one and only thing that I cannot seem to find a natural help with is the Papules and Pustules (bumps and tiny white heads). My oatmeal and jojoba oil routine work great for the overall condition, except the P&P’s. I was just wondering if my insurance will cover Oracea or not?? Also, I read above that it seems to be okay to take long term. My derm said that I could try it for a few months and then get off of it to see how it does or I could use it from now on, what do you think? His suggestion was that rosacea is a long term condition, therefore treatment is usually long term as well. I have also considered Metrogel, but I really don’t want to add any extra steps to my routine, seems like it would be more trouble. I heard that Oracea and Metrogel both target the P&P’s, so I figured just the Oracea would be fine. One last thing, i’m still considering IPL, can I get IPL done even though i’m on Oracea or should I get any IPL treatments done first before I start Oracea. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

- David T.

#88 David Pascoe on 07.09.09 at 12:08 PM

Hello David,

Oracea and other low doses of doxycyline, say 50mg a day have been shown to be quite effective at reducing the papules and pustules of rosacea. In fact that is what it does best. Indeed Metrogel is in the same category. they work well together and one could expect better results if you use both together (and can tolerate them).

My doctor was happy for me to continue on 50mg a day of doxycycline for several years because I continued to see a benefit. I have been able to cease it since then though.

You can be on doxycycline when having IPL treatments. Best confirm this with your doctor though to be sure they are comfortable with it.

all the best,
davidp.

#89 Lori on 07.09.09 at 11:15 PM

To “It’s not working”….The sulfur wash I’m using is a generic and I can’t remember the name (I’m at work right now). It starts with an “S” though. I’m glad your going OK off the Oracea and it seems to be ok. I don’t like taking any prescription meds but sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. I hope you find you don’t need it. I did notice something unusual….I have these tiny hairs that are coming out of my enlarged pores on my nose. If I pluck them (which ain’t easy cuz they’re so tiny), there’s a long thick “root?” on the end. What’s with that? Rosacea is such a mystery. Two of my brother have it but their’s is ALOT worse than mine. One brother’s face is constantly red. He’s on Metrogel and tetracycline as needed. We’re the only ones of 8 kids my family to have it and we’re all blond. My mom said my grandfather had it too. He ended up with the bulbous nose. Yikes! Hope the meds stop that from happening to me. Now I’m paranoid, I swear my nose is getting bigger. Thanks for listening. Lori

#90 Ellen on 07.10.09 at 4:45 AM

My derm gave me a pouch containing the Oracea 4 day sample pack along with info and the discount card. Total with insurance and card was $5 for a 30 day supply. I just began taking it last week but was already noticing a difference. I live in hot humid south Florida and went out the other afternoon to do some yard work. Of course I came back in with a very irritated face. My bad though – I know over-heating is my biggest trigger. I’m hoping along with the Oracea and Metrogel (which helps me quite a bit) I can get this under control. Like so many of you I’ve had this for about 10 years, been on and off Doxy – which did help but upset my stomach -and have tried everything from natural remedies to other antibiotics to keeping a diary. I am also fair and blond and my father has rosacea too. It is a drag for sure, and everyone’s treatment is different. My derm has suggested Accutane if Oracea doesn’t work but I’m afraid of it. I’m hoping to see some positive results within the month -and I’ll be doing yard work in the early a.m. from now on!

#91 Keith on 07.15.09 at 12:43 PM

Hello,
I too suffer from my recently prescribed Rosacea. I wish I could show a picture, but its not the traditional redness and is only on my left cheek. There are dark colored spots too that appear. It used to go away completely from time to time, but now its pretty much a mainstay. I went to a highly accomplished and respected doctor in my area who diagnosed it as Rosacea so I guess thats what it is. Other Derms have said sundamage, Folliculitis, so it is still uncertain to me. It seems to look okay right when I shave, then the spots get darker as my hair grows out. Anyways I just started taking Oracea 2 weeks ago and using Rosac Cream. Still no huge improvements to brag about. Does anyone have info on how long it takes Rosac to work as well as Oracea. I have taken Doxycycline (temporary results) and one Derm prescribed me Accutane for 4 months. It went away after the first week then came back again and hasn’t left since. Help.

#92 David on 08.13.09 at 10:58 PM

Hi All,
I’m new to the site, lots of good info here. I was recently diagnosed with rosacea. I’m 46, male, engineer. I’ve got rosacea on my forehead and scalp, I’m bald so it’s out there for the world to see. My skin is red, sore and got lots of P&P action. My derm put me on Metrogel and 20mg of doxy 2 times per day. I’ve been on this combo for 30 days and I’ve gotten worse not better. I’ve got a couple of questions:
- how long does it take to see results from this combo?
- is it normal to get worse before getting better?
Any feedback would be appreciated.

#93 Lori on 08.14.09 at 12:19 AM

Hi Everyone: I had reported previously that I was taking Oracea and a sulfer face wash. Well that’s all changed. I began getting a bad breakout on each cheek so I stopped using the face wash which seemed to irritate my whole face. At my next dr apt they were surprised that I was worse. So they did a biopsy and it came back Rosacea and Seborhiac (spelling?) dermatitis. Anyway, they switched me to Doryx 150 mg which is a doxy timed release like Oracea but stronger. My entire face is now clear for the first time in 8 months. I don’t know how long I can take it without resistance but it’s working for now. She also gave me samples of Finacea but I haven’t used them yet as my face looks so clear. Praying it continues this way! Thanks.

#94 Dean on 08.14.09 at 3:08 AM

I have been taking low dose Doxy now for about a year and my rosacea disappeared in about 5 days after I started it. I actually take 100mgs every OTHER day and it works great. NONE of the creams or gels had any effect on my skin so I never use them anymore. I think it just depends on the person. The studies done show that low dose Doxy SEEMS to do just as good as the Oracea but again I think it depends on the person. I have read of people using Doxy for years with no ill effects. Its because its USUALLY only 50mg a day. It doesn’t work as an antibiotic at that dose. It works as an anti inflammatory which is basically what you are trying to fight in rosacea. But I wouldn’t get discouraged if it doesn’t seem to work in just a couple of days. Give it some time. Maybe as much as a month but I would think you would see some results in 2 weeks or so and hopefully less. If one doesn’t work try another one. You might have to start out at 100mg a day until all the redness etc is gone than back down slowly to 50mg a day.
Good luck.

#95 Dan on 08.24.09 at 10:45 AM

Help, does anyone know of what can be done for ocular rosacea. I am able to keep my face relatively clear with finacea and doxy. However, this dreaded condition has gone to my eyes and I can’t seem to find any relief. I have read most of the postings and did not read much on ocular rosacea. I hope I am not alone, the worst part of it is the grittiness and redness. Eyedrops work for about an hour is all, I can’t stand it and it seems to be getting worse. Does anybody have any suggestions.

#96 Rhonda on 08.24.09 at 1:38 PM

Hi Dan, So sorry about your eyes. It’s a bummer all right. As I understand it, one should get to an opthamologist pronto. I haven’t because of the cost. I am cleaning my eyelids with lots of soap/water and doing drops. It seems to help the more I wash them. Maybe it’s just the cool water that is soothing, I don’t know.

Yes, over the counter drops don’t last long. Yesterday I was reading on this web site about using tea tree oil and cutting it at least 50% and people having very good success. I think the problem with fooling around (if it is bad), is the possible repercutions to the cornea. Anyway, if you have the money I would see an eye doc as soon as possible. I will try to find the discussion that I was reading about and get back with a link when I can locate it. Maybe Digital Davo can help here. Good luck, Rhonda

#97 Rhonda on 08.24.09 at 1:51 PM

Dan,

http://rosacea-support.org/ocular-demodex-tea-tree-oil-as.html

I think this is the best place to start if you want to try an over the counter treatment for your eyes. There are alot of links if you search, but this is a very good one.
Take care and good luck, Rhonda

#98 Rhonda on 08.25.09 at 1:35 AM

David, I was wondering if you have had any relief from the therapy your docs have you taking. You mentioned in your post that it had been about 30 days and you had not experienced any relief and if anything it appears to be worse.

I was thinking that perhaps 20 mg twice a day might not have the desired anti-inflammatory effect. Just thinking and not really knowing. Orecea once a day provides 30mg immediately and 10mg in sustained release form (hopefully I ‘ve got this right). Since it appears the jury is still out on the real cause, and if you continue to have no results with 20mg twice daily, why don’t you consider trying a 50mg generic doxy once a day? The 50mg generic is very inexpensive and in 30 days (or much less) you should know if it is effective or not. Read Pauls post above, Digital Davos post above and Deans post for helpful info. Sorry I didn’t respond sooner, but I only realized last night that 20mg coursing thru the blood stream twice a day might not have enough of a wallup, like 30mg does. Maybe I’m way off base here, but what the heck.. its food for thought. Good luck, sincerely Rhonda

#99 Dan on 08.25.09 at 8:37 AM

Rhonda, Does the tea tree oil help to calm the grittiness and redness? I am not having problems with inflamation or P/p. Only the irritation, grittiness and redness.

#100 David on 08.26.09 at 4:18 AM

Hi Rhonda, Thanks for the reply. The answer is no, I have not seen any improvement. I was wondering the same thing, maybe a higher dose would help. I’ve got an appointment with my derm next week. I hope he will have some ideas about how to improve my situation. Perhaps a higher dose of doxy? I’ll report back

#101 Rhonda on 09.06.09 at 6:12 AM

Dan, Here is another link to occular info. http://rosacea-support.org/treating-ocular-rosacea-from-aao.html (I’ve listed it at the end of this note)

(You might know this already..) There are different kinds of over the counter dry eye drops. I tried a 3 pack of small vials and they were definately different. The one for overnight use had a slight filmy covering and it lasted longer and I’m guess we don’t need keen vision while sleeping.. My dreams were a bit foggy however.. lol Anyway, you might might to try other types of drops in smaller sizes.

The answer to your question about redness, grittiness, etc. and tea tree oil remedy as posted on the link… is “I don’t know”. BUT, IF demodex mites in eyelashes are causing inflammatory response in eyes… (thru whatever mechanism) then it appears from other folks here that some forms of tea tree oil treatment on the lids/eyelash might be the ticket for relief. If you can afford it, I still recommend getting to an opthamalogist for accurate diagnosis and possibly prescription medicines.

ok.. this link is definately worth reading.. .. as are tons of articles Dave has sorted thru for us… http://rosacea-support.org/treating-ocular-rosacea-from-aao.html
Good healing, Rhonda

#102 Lori on 09.06.09 at 11:48 AM

Re: Ocular Rosacea
Well, guess I have joined the ranks of the sufferers of ocular rosacea. 2 weeks ago I discovered a stye. Well, I have had these before so I didn’t get too excited. Then another popped up and another and another, 5 total. I began putting warm compresses on my eyes several times a day. They slowly cleared up. Now I make sure to wash my eyelids carefully twice a day. I do have some grittiness etc but mostly in the evenings when my eyes are tired. The worst part is that I wear contacts and HATE glasses. I’m interested if anyone has tried the tea tree oil treatment. Bet it burns like crazy if it gets in your eyes! If it works on the eyelids, wouldn’t it work on the face as well? I am going to the eye doctor soon so I will ask him about this.

#103 Dan on 09.07.09 at 2:31 AM

Rhonda, Thank you for the Links. I did see an opthamologist. Turns out that Meibomitis is the cause of the grittiness and blurred vision. I will go on 250mg of tetracycline 4x a day to get it under control. Meibomitis is an infection of the oil glands in the eyes which is commonly associated with ocular rosacea. For all the others who may have this. The Dr. has me doing eye scrubs 2x a day with a cotton swab and warm water and warm compress for 5-10 min, 2x a day. Along with the tetracycline he has prescribed Tobradex eye drops 2x daily and fluorometholone drops 3x a day. This seems to help, the tetracyline needs to be taken up to 3-4 months if I remember correctly and then titered down to manage the condition. Yes,it is getting expensive and Thanks again for the links. My ophthamologist said that there are no over the counter treatments for this. I am not excepting though and will continue to look for otc remedies. Forunately, the tetracycline is not expensive.

#104 Rhonda on 09.07.09 at 12:23 PM

Dan and Lori.. Thanks so much for the update and your comments. Because of your update, I understand alot more about the glands in the eyelids, etc. Here is a very nice article that explains alot and makes it pretty clear why the warm compresses work and lid scrubs and antibiotics work. Note the comments about fish and flax oil, too.

As to what is causing the problem, well that seems harder to determine, but treatments are pretty clear in this article. I’ll put the link at the end of this note. I purchased Tea Tree Oil yesterday and they also had Tea Tree Oil Shampoo and Soap bars, too. The shampoo has peppermint in it. I should be smelling very strange as I try this out. The bar soap was just too stinky and I’m not that desperate yet.. ha. Anyway, I’m going to use a diluted eye lid scrub (keeping it out of the eyes) and see what happens. And I’ll try the warm compresses. Looking forward to relieving eye discomfort and fuzzy vision. I’m glad I don’t wear contacts with this problem.

Ok.. here is very good reading about Meibomitis and/or occular rosacea. Note that if you go to Home page you will see main article on severe dry eye which is more extensive. http://refractiveeyecare.com/v13n3-gilbard.html

#105 R on 10.24.09 at 3:39 PM

Hello everyone, good to find this group. Hope my ideas are not that crazy and contribute to alternative cheap ways of treating rosacea.

Well, I looked up the plasma concentration curves and interestingly see the 50 mg boost all the way up over the threshold of 1000 mg/mL.

1. So 50 mg generic wil do that and become a problem causing bacteria resistance and side effects so I think 50 mg of Doryx extended release will be a much better bet/option because the release is slowly through the day so I doubt it will ever go over 1000 mg/mL and it seems to be cheaper than doryx.

2. I did some interpolation using the data from the curves graph. A 40 mg generic dose will go up to ~900 mg/mL around 1.5 hr after taking the medication and remain at the top ~900 mg/mL for 3 hrs to start decaying interestingly not lower than the oracea baseline of ~200 mg/mL. Perhaps a higuer baseline is better for inflammation and taking it once a day should be ok.

“remember oracea is just like a generic of 30mg once you take it so the 3 hrs of the curve should be similar to a generic 30 mg so the 40 mg would be in between ”

3. 20 mg generic doses twice a day should work fine as well, maybe try 20 mg in the morning and then 20 mg during the day with your own extended release method… yes crush it and put it in your water bottle and start drinking it 2-3 hrs after your morning dose so it can keep the does constant.

Hope this mathematical scientific method helps…

yes try the cheap way and save the $$ away from big pharma brother.

cheers

#106 David Paul on 10.25.09 at 9:02 AM

R,

Plain english please.

- D.P.

#107 Lori on 10.27.09 at 12:37 AM

Hi all: Well the oil gland problem has cleared up pretty well. I still get a spot or two now and then but the warm compress clears it up right away. I make sure to clean my eyelids every time I was my face. I think I’m losing eye lashes more often, but what can I do. The problem now….the Doc has lowered my Doxy from 150 mg timed release to 75 mg with the goal of 50 mg within 3 months. Immediately upon lowering the dose I broke out big time. I went back to the 150 mg for a couple of days and cleared up. Now I’m trying the 75 mg again. I’m feeling pretty miserable about this. What if I can’t ever lower the dose?

#108 Dan on 10.27.09 at 3:33 AM

Lori, What did you do to clear up your problem with the oil glands. My doc has got me on 1000mg of tectracycline for 6 weeks along with 2 kinds of drops. I have had flares with the roscea since I switched meds. Am curious what worked for you. Thank you

#109 Lori on 10.27.09 at 10:28 AM

Dan: Actually I’m not using anything other than the 150 mg of doxy that I’ve been on all along. I do use the warm compresses as needed and wash my face with Ivory Soap (I’ve tried others but they are too irritating. Both my dermatologist and eye doctor said there wasn’t anything else to treat it…just the warm compresses. I do, however use pretty warm water. It seems to work better than the lukewarm water. I run the water and put a cotton ball under the running water and put it on my eye just til it starts feeling cooler than do it again. I do this about 20 times and then rub with the cotton ball a little and all the white spots are gone. I did have a little tiny scab once doing it this way, but this is working well for now. I don’t know if it’s the doxy or the almost hot water. I hope you can find the combination that works for you. Hang in there!

#110 Marc C on 11.10.09 at 10:37 AM

Hi friends, guess were all in the same boat here. I was recently diagnosed with Rosacea. It started with a few bumps that would come and go- then finally went to Doc’s when they(bumps) decided to stay. I’ve been taking the 100mg of doxy and it’s gradually clearing things up. Hate taking those pills because they upset my stomach. Got 2 more weeks at 100mg, then hopefully go to 50mg and hope it holds it- See what happens . Good luck to all of us

#111 Kathy on 11.11.09 at 10:28 PM

Hello,

Thanks for all the posts! I am 48 and was prescribed Oracea for this hormonal acne that has decided to appear about 8 months ago. I am 48 and can’t believe I have more acne than when I was 16! Seems every day I wake up and almost don’t want to look in the mirror to see what has appeared today..Well I am fearful of meds to the extreme and just used the clindamycin topical but that isn’t working very well..They just keep popping up but only on my chin..He wants me to try for 2 months but after that won’t my face explode again? I mean why bother for 2 months? I am afraid of yeast infections and side effects..What do you guys think? Do you have side effects? I took one yesterday and was sooo tired I passed out at 8:00pm and didn’t even wake up until 6am..Plus head feels achy. Appreciate your input because I am super sensitive to meds and surely there has got to be a better way than this! I think I should just stop after the one puill because I am afraid after the 2 months it will be even worse..What do you think?

#112 Candace on 11.18.09 at 8:36 AM

I have had rosacea for a few years, papules on the nose and scalp, especially the hairline. Plus I have facial flushing for hours sometimes and ocular burning, itching, scratchy feeling, loss of eyelashes. I have used generic doxycycline twice a day for a few months. I bought the 100 mg, tablets and quartered them, taking 25 mg. morning and night. I was hoping that kept the level steadier and also below antimicrobial level. It worked just great on the papules within a couple of days, but was less effective on flushing. But I could go out in public without feeling like a freak.

Now I have had to quit because I have developed an allergy to doxy! I get a few small hives, but still, not a good thing as I worry it might suddenly turn into anaphylactic shock. I am also allergic to clindamycin. I don’t know where to turn next. Tetracycline is in the same family as doxy. I wonder if I would therefore be allergic to it. I took it as a teenager without problems. Is there a sub-antimicrobial dose for tetracycline? Anybody had success with it?

#113 David Paul on 11.18.09 at 12:41 PM

Hey Candace,

I can definitely understand how frustrated you are, I have been dealing with rosacea for over 10 years now and I’m only 30. Unlike you, I have never used any sort of medication, including Doxy. I have always chose to go the natural route and it has worked out pretty well. I have chosen not to use medication because I fear the possible side- effects. You may want to try changing your diet to reduce inflammation naturally. Stay away from spicy and especially sugary foods and drinks. I have struggled with sugary foods and drinks for years and have finally given them up. Eating better makes a huge difference. also drink plenty of water. You can also try taking omeg- 3, it helps reduce inflammation. What do you use to wash your face with? Hope some of this helps.

- David Paul

#114 Lori on 11.20.09 at 12:03 PM

Hi Everyone: Well I went down from 150 mg to 75 mg of doxy (for previous poster…no side effects at all for me) and my face broke out big time. I hate this stuff! I tried Finacea which seemed to help at first but then didn’t seem to do anything so I stopped it. Should I continue to use it even though it didn’t seem to help? I only used it for about 10 days. When I discontinued it it seemed to help the acne, but now it’s back to where it was. I’m 51 years old and have to deal with this stuff again. Not fair!
I don’t know what I’m gonna do when I get down to 50 mg which the doc wants me to do soon. I think I’ll break out even worse then. How am I gonna get off the meds ever? By the way, my older brother (58) has just started getting the really red cheeks…no acne. He doesn’t have insurance (laid off like everyone else) so he doesn’t have treatment options right now. I’m curious about the “no sugar” treatment. Does it really help? Thanks for letting me ramble.

#115 Ol' Skool on 11.21.09 at 2:41 AM

Hi there! I’m new to this forum, and hope someone has some insight to share: I am on week 3 or Oracea & haven’t noticed much of a difference yet, but am still hopeful. Have any of you Oracea/Doxy success stories suffered from enlarged pores, and if so, did the medication help at all?

#116 marc c on 12.22.09 at 2:15 AM

I’ve been taking 100mg doxy every day for 2 months and my Rosacea has improved slowly(still have itchy/blotchy spots on my forehead and redness on my cheeks.) Now, my doc wants me to try it every other day for a month and see if it keeps it in check(then try to strech it to 3 days-after that.) I changed my soap to a sensitive skin brand and use spf 30 sunscreen when I go out on sunny days. I’m also trying to drink more water and take omega-3 2x a day. Moreover, i’m trying a few drops of johoba oil on my face after i wash it(it seems gentle to me.) I’m 47 and have had sensitive skin all my life, but now it seems i have to take extra precautions/care. I’ll post in another month or so with my results.

#117 Lori on 12.22.09 at 2:54 AM

Just an update…I did continue the Finacea and now have clear skin for the first time in a long time. I still get a small pimple now and then but they usually clear right up. My treatment is as follows: Wash with Ivory soap (I lather up once and then rinse off and then do it again. I’ve been doing this for years…recommended by a doctor) morning and night. At night, I rub in a dab of Finacea cream to cheeks, nose and around mouth (my breakout zones). I take 75 mg of Doxy once a day….will soon go down to 50 mg. Don’t know it’s just a fluke but seems to be working for now.

#118 Bob on 12.27.09 at 9:55 AM

Oracea works for me if i maintain the regimen…wash gently in cool water. Oracea at night about an hour after meals, and Metrogel in the morning. Watch for triggers, i have learned alot in the three years i have been on Oracea…chocolate, spicy foods(like salsa, or peppers), acidic foods, like tomatoes, beans like navy, northern, or pinto beans; hot showers, using a blow dryer(heat again), or being in diect sunlight for more than just 10 or 15 minutes will cause flareups. You have to learn what triggers your flareups, and accept that this is how it is going to be from now on. Lifestyle adjustment, and medication that works for you. I mostly get the P&P’s on my forehead and nose. The nose cleared up enough that i dont use the Metrogel unless i get a flareup. But the Oracea must be taken every day. If i miss a couple of days, i start to itch and break out.

#119 Mary U. on 01.25.10 at 2:32 PM

I got the four-pack of Oracea last Wednesday, took the first one Thursday morning, and by Thursday afternoon, I knew a yeast infection was headed my way. I kept taking the pills, started reading this support forum, and bought myself some over-the-counter yeast infection medicine.

I’m wondering if others have ever had this happen? Does this mean I’ll be yeast-infection girl the entire time I’m on Oracea … or will they *only* come 2-3 times per month.

Good lord, it’s like a bad horror movie: Door No. 1 means your face is hideous but your coochiesnorcher is intact … Door No. 2 means your face is radiant but your crotch is in shreds…

So tempted to say screw the “better living through chemistry with Oracea” with the yeasties coming so raging and fast out of the gate, but maybe I should just stick with it and my body will adapt??

ACK

What say you??

#120 Elizabeth on 01.28.10 at 10:55 PM

Is Oracea only meant for long-term use? If I stop taking the pills will the redness and bumps come back? My doctor prescribed Oracea for a course of 8 weeks and I’m wondering why I should bother with taking the pills if the problem is just going to come back once I stop taking them.

#121 David Pascoe on 01.29.10 at 10:24 AM

Hello Elizabeth,

Oracea has been officially tested up to 12 weeks usage, but because of the low dosage of doxycycline used the side effects are lower. Thus taking Oracea or doses like 50mg a day of generic doxycycline for long periods are is generally considered safe by doctors.

The challenge is to maintain the reduction in inflammation that you will see from Oracea. A good skincare regime, daily sunscreen, keeping an eye on your triggers; will all help keep the inflammation at bay and see your need for systemic antibiotics reduce over time.

all the best,
davidp.

#122 Elizabeth on 01.29.10 at 8:49 PM

Thanks so much, David! I appreciate the helpful response!

#123 Lori on 01.30.10 at 10:47 PM

I’ve been reading the posts and thought I’d put my latest update in the rosacea struggle. I was taking Oracea for a month or so and it did nothing for me. I was then put on 100 mg of doxycycline for 3 months and it helped but I still had some pretty bad breakouts. The doc raised it to 150 mg which did the trick. Clear skin for the first time in months. After 3 months on that he said to cut back to 75 mg and eventually 50 mg. I immediately started the bad breakouts again. They gave me some samples of Finacea and, out of desperation, I tried that. It started helping right away and I now have clear skin again. I’m on 50 mg of doxy and the finacea and it works great. If I do get a pimple of two I use the finacea morning and night til they’re gone. Otherwise I just use it once a day. I don’t go back to the derm for 6 months and then I think they’re going to try to ween me off the doxy. Stress is definitely a trigger for me as well as sugar. I’ve changed my diet and trying to control my stress levels. As for yeast infections…none so far. I would recommend acidopholis capsules and yogurt. That will raise your “good bacteria” levels. Good luck to us all!

#124 Rhonda on 01.31.10 at 6:27 AM

Thanks for the detailed update Lori. Perhaps Mary U. will find the reference to the ‘good’ bacteria helpful, as I did.
Rhonda

#125 Matt on 02.03.10 at 11:59 PM

My dermatologist started me on Oracea today, I’ve had good results in the past with Minocycline so he feels I may also have good results with Oracea. I’ve tried a ton of creams and gels with little to no results, seems that the only thing that clears me up is an antibiotic. I’ll check back in a few weeks to post my results.

#126 Brady Barrows on 02.04.10 at 3:38 PM

David P [Digital Davo],

Are you still on doxycycline yourself? How long have you been taking it if you are still on it? This particular thread is very interesting with regard to how many tried Oracea or doxycycline and the results. You imply by your comments that you would recommend it. How do you personally feel about staying on Oracea or low dose doxycycline for life?

I just want to let you know how I appreciate the entire Oracea thread with all the articles following it from the beginning till now. It is a wonderful source of info on Oracea for rosacea newbies and I am referring everyone to it for knowledge. I don’t see how anyone could improve it. The only thing I can deduce is that doxycycline is one of your favorites, is this not so?

#127 David Pascoe on 02.05.10 at 9:21 AM

I did take 50mg a day of doxycycline for around 6 years or so. My doctor was happy for me to continue to take it because I was still seeing a benefit and it was a low dose.

I had my sights set on coming off it, so tried to find a skin care regime that would help me wean of it altogether.

Low doses are safe(r) than the higher doses that we are used to seeing for acne treatments. It is good that doctors are required to prescribe antibiotics as their ongoing care will help rosacea sufferers get the most of using them as well as keep an eye out for any problems.

davidp.

#128 Brady Barrows on 02.09.10 at 11:06 AM

David P,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I have been trying to collect statements of users of long term Oracea or low dose doxycycline and this thread is a wealth of such users including you, which you are probably one of the longest users I have found yet. Probably there may be longer users but you are in the top ten. So did you ever wean off doxycycline or are you still on doxycycline? You weren’t clear about this. And when you get off of doxycycline, like forget to take it or not take it for a while does your rosacea immediately come back or does it take a while to come back? What happens if you stop taking doxycycline? Or if you are off it what is your current regimen now? Thanks.

#129 David Pascoe on 02.10.10 at 12:04 PM

Hello Brady,

My doxycycline usage is all in the past tense, so no, I no longer take it. I would imagine that most rosacea sufferers want to wean off systemic antibiotics at some stage.

My regime to get off doxycycline is documented in a few places – but I found Cutanix (no longer available), Rosacea -LTD III, Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and Moisturizer and tinted ZincO Cream every day was a great way to reduce the inflammation I was seeing that caused my rosacea symtoms. Today I no longer need to use the Rosacea-LTD but otherwise my regime remains the same as back then.

davidp.

#130 Brady Barrows on 02.11.10 at 8:59 AM

Aloha David,

Thanks for the clarification and update on your current regimen. Congratulations on getting off the doxycycline.

Brady

#131 Moe on 02.12.10 at 1:59 AM

My doctor just told me to take Oracea for the mild acne that I can’t seem to get rid of. I’m on proactive now and all it seems to do is dry my skin out but I still get zitts. I would rather have zitts than dry skin, I hate the feeling of opening your mouth and it’s so dry it hurts. Does Oracea cause dryness? Will it help my mind acne that just seems to never go away?

Thanks

#132 Bob on 02.12.10 at 9:44 PM

Hi Moe, i am 56 years old and have been on Oracea for about 3 years. My symptoms were bad zits on my forehead that came out of nowhere just after i retired. I used Metrogel in the morning, and the Oracea in the evening, and it helped clear me up quite a bit…never had too much dryness, really no noticible side effects at all. You might try vitamin B3(Niacin), the NON FLUSH formula. I started taking it to help lower my cholesterol and my Rosacea went away completely. Even after eating trigger foods and being in the sun, i dont get any flare ups. Good luck,
Bob

#133 Rhonda on 02.14.10 at 6:58 AM

Hi…Bob I was just looking for a little clarification in your response to Moe. Are you still on Oracea? Since taking B-3 you said your Rosacea cleared completely including no flares from normal triggers. This is why it would be so interesting to know if you then stopped Oracea and Metrogel (one or both), or are considering it.

Hi Moe.. Your doctor said you had acne, not rosacea and you describe what sounds to be difficult dry mouth. If you try Oracea let us know (in a few weeks) how you respond to the treatment. I didn’t know Oracea was approved for acne. Also, wondering if you have dry eyes and/or dry mouth as compared to dry outer skin. If it is the outer skin only, will that change once you are off Pro-Active and onto Oracea? That will give you a clue as to how to proceed then with moisterizers or question your doctor further to get a comfortable remedy.

Thanks, Rhonda

#134 Rhonda on 02.14.10 at 7:51 AM

Say Bob… I just ran across this article suggesting that research demonstrates niacinamide in a moisturizer works with measurable results. What exactly it is doing, I’m not smart enough to understand or if it is related to rosacea or not. This might be just a funny co-incidence that I would see this article right after I read your post.. but maybe it’s worth reading and thinking about. There are lots of over the counter creams that have niacinamide in it now (per the search I did)

http://rosacea-support.org/niacinamide-and-moisturizers.html

#135 Marc C on 02.15.10 at 8:11 PM

I last posted Dec 22nd. I was trying to strech out my doxy treatment, but the inflamation to my forehead became moderate again. I went to University of Rochester Derm center and they put me on 100mg 2x a day for 3 months with goal being 20mg 2x a day down the road. I was initially affraid of using topicals, but now use metro once a day on my forehead. Ofcourse, i’m clear at this point because of the heavier dosage, but the reality of taking doxy the rest of my life(and it’s side effects) is finally setting in and is making me depressed.

I also have a mystery rash around my neck/V neck shirt line(sun exsposed line.) Derm gave me ointment for it, but it is not clearing all that well(it seems to flush once i wake up in the morning.)

I post back in a few months to document my experiences. I have a feeling this is going to take a toll on me, but am trying to think positive and keep a smile on my face.

I’m curious if anyone has had any good luck with the long term doxy therapy?

#136 Candace on 02.16.10 at 6:27 AM

Rhonda, thanks for that link to the article about niacinamide cream for rosacea. I took a high dose niacin pill once before I had rosacea and could not believe the itching and burning I experienced for hours. But the niacinamide cream might help my rosacea and also my psoriasis. Yes, I have two horrible skin diseases at once! Psoriasis skin also has poor barrier function, researchers say, so it would be nice if an OTC cream would help both.

#137 Donna Grisham on 02.16.10 at 7:32 AM

ok Rhonda, I guess i have found this link. Is this the right one?

#138 Rhonda on 02.16.10 at 12:36 PM

You are here now, Donna. If you start reading the posts, I think you will see that there is alot of experimenting to find the right treatments for each person. Some have had success after a few months on Doxy and some require longer treatments. When I started using 50mg Doxy I saw results within a month, not completely clear, but never the less a big change. I also bought Tea Tree Oil Shampoo from someone elses post and actually use it on my hair and face. Everyone is going to be different, that is pretty clear to me now. Some have found their triggers.. and for myself I have not. I had very beautiful skin all my life and all of a sudden … look out Henrietta! I had no idea what was happening to my face and then to my eyes. Anyway, I’d still like to invent a mirror that looked back at me with beautiful skin. Wouldn’t that be cool. No more cringing. And I could just pile on ice cubes when the heat turns up and pretend all is well again.

Read about Digital Davo’s experiences when you get a chance. You’ll find his link of DAVIDS PAGES and his Treatment on the right side of this page, above the products section. It really helps to read everything he went thru and has experienced. His work and this support group are fantastic resources. ciao, rhonda

#139 Donna Grisham on 02.18.10 at 3:30 AM

I went to my new derm yesterday. She suggested i go back on the doryx dr 150 mg so i did. i also was given a prescp of finaeca. I am to use the Metrogel in the morning and finaeca at nite. I take the doryx once a day. She hopes this calms down my pimples and cysts that i have on my left eyelid and under my eyes. I also see some red small bumps all over my body so she took a couple for biopsies. I will hear about that in a week. I really hope this treatment can get my face back to being clear because I am tired of looking in the mirror at it. i wish what i have on my face was just on my body so i could hide that…its hard to hide your face!!!

#140 Mason on 02.19.10 at 6:52 AM

I have been taking Oracea for about two weeks now and i have not noticed a difference. It does not seem to be working for me. I am also using Elidel cream which works okay for flareups. It usally takes 2-3 days to clear it up. But once one flareup is gone another one comes back. It’s like the Red Army that can’t be defeated.

#141 Donna on 02.20.10 at 4:58 AM

I guess there are so many cremes and antibotics for rosaeca that i cant keep up!

#142 Christy on 02.22.10 at 12:05 AM

I have been prescribed Oracea by my dermatologist for perioral dermatitis @ 40mg/day. I’ve been taking it now for a couple months – religiously – and have 3 more 30 day refills left. Unfortunately right now my insurance has run out so I can’t visit my doctor until I find another job. I’m wondering though if the Oracea is safe to take at 80mg/day (2 pills/day) since the lower dose doesn’t seem to eliminate all of my dermatitis. I am guessing it helps a little but I still have problems. Is it safe to take 2/day for a brief period of time? And if my dermatitis isn’t fully responding to the Oracea, does that mean I’ve become somewhat immune to it? Anyone else have suggestions for perioral dermatitis remedies? Thank you for your help.

#143 Rhonda on 02.25.10 at 3:19 PM

Christy, it would be alot cheaper to try some combination of Doxycycline as a substitute for the very expensive Oracea. Read posts above and you will see the price differences. If you could get your physician to just prescribe 100mg once a day or 50mg twice a day, you would get approximately the dose increase you are wondering about in your post. Perhaps they would do it over the phone with a 3 month prescription. This stuff doesn’t kill us and it is about finding the right dose. Some folks here have been prescribed more in the beginning with a tapering down and others have been prescribed the generic doxy at 50mg a day. Can’t say more than that, maybe others can jump in with something more interesting to say. All I can say is that if I had Oracea, I wouldn’t double up. It isn’t designed to be taken that way.. it would be almost like throwing away an expensive pill, if I understand the way Oracea is meant to function. So, I’d be back to the almost equal generic of doxycycline. It is really cheap.. cheaper to pay cash than use a co-pay with insurance, if you quote it out at a Walmart/Costco/Walgreens, etc. Those 3 refills you have left cost a bundle, especially without insurance help. ok.. keep us posted and good luck to you. ps.. there are drop in clinics around here and that is what I did. It cost $59 to see the doc and request a 3 month prescription for the Doxy and 2 refills. He looked up his Clinics Best Practices and saw the cost of the Oracea, etc. and had no problems with my request for 50mg once a day. Rhonda

#144 Donna on 02.26.10 at 4:55 AM

I received my biopsies back from my arm and leg..they are now checking me for sarcoidosis…anyone heard of it? I was told its the granulmateous bumps that can affect the lungs, liver, etc..im having tests done to confirm..blood and chest xray. I wonder what is going on???

#145 Rhonda on 02.26.10 at 2:53 PM

Donna, It sounds like your new doctor isn’t fooling around. It’s much better to start checking if there is any other organ involvement now, other than the skin. And you can have baseline tests for future comparisons if all looks well when these tests are back. I do that with my chest xray of 17 years ago. They flipped out when they saw it the first time, but it turned out to be nothing more than scarring. Sure was scary the first time when I saw their faces. So, I always take that Xray with me when I get another. This way they can compare and see if anything changes in the lung. Each Xray since then has always been fine with no changes Having a baseline is really helpful.
I just quickly read up on sarcoidosis at Emedicine and it appears that there are all kinds and depending upon their test analysis, there are different kinds of medicines to try for suppression and elimination of the sub-types of sarcoidosis. It will all depend upon the test results and interpetations. Sounds like your Doc is handling this early and possibly you can look forward to a complete healing, once a detailed diagnosis is made. My best to you, Rhonda

#146 Donna on 03.10.10 at 1:03 AM

I got results back from labs and xray..i do NOT have sarcoidosis…but still not sure what i have …i have granulomas popping out on parts of my body and my face is still not clear. I am going to a conference of doctors on the 16th to get their opinions. I was originally diagnosed with Granulomateous rosacea so lets see what opinions i get. Wish me luck!

#147 Deborah Devroe on 03.21.10 at 11:47 AM

I have been on Oracea for around 5 months. I also am taking Finacea in the morning and metrogel in the evening. I put them around my nose, cheeks and chin(chin is where my rosacea is the worst. I only have what is considered a mild case of Rosacea.
Lately my neck is itchy and I have red lines, and my eyelids are dry with lines. The rest of my skin looks very good. Can you please advise me what you suggest I do?
Thank you.

#148 Dean on 03.22.10 at 12:47 AM

Deborah and others, I have done quite a bit of online research on this. It appears that everyone is slightly different as to what works or doesn’t. NONE of the creams or gels work for me at all. The most persistent “norm” I have found is Doxycycline. It APPEARS that the best amount is 50mg once a day though for ME I started at 100mg a day for about 2 weeks then down to 50mg. No upset stomach on either dose. It has been a lifesaver for me and I had what I will call “moderate” rosacea. What I have found out is the doxy doesn’t work as an antibiotic at 50mg. Instead it works as an anti inflammatory–which is what rosacea is–an inflammation. Every 4 or 5 months I get a small flare up on one side of my face so I take 100mg for a few days and that usually knocks it out. My doctor seems ok with the doses and keeps prescribing it for me. Oracea is a “time release” version of 50mg of doxy from what I can tell. It is also MUCH more expensive than doxy. I usually take mine at bedtime. While I’m NOT A DOCTOR it sounds like you also have ocular rosacea (at least I THINK thats what its called since its around your eyes)which is a little harder to get rid of.
I DID try Oracea and it worked fine too but doxy is SO much cheaper that my doc switched it and it works just as good. Persistence is the word. I have also heard that what you use to wash your face can cause flare ups as can some foods. I would suggest you keep track of things you eat especially when you get a flare up. Things that are acidic seem to get to me as do “smelly” soaps and shampoos. Maybe Ivory would be better for you but you will need to keep track of soap and shampoo too. Yeah its a pain but eventually you will figure out what is causing the flare ups. I would bet MOST of it is what you eat, drink or put on your skin. Otherwise either Oracea or doxy should work for you. Good luck. And AGAIN–I AM NOT A DOCTOR SO DON”T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. I just know what works for ME.

#149 David Pascoe on 03.22.10 at 10:27 AM

Hi All,

Just correcting the last comment:

“Oracea is a “time release” version of 50mg of doxy from what I can tell.”

Oracea is 30mg of immediate release and 10mg of delayed release doxycycline.

There is some discussion about the possible subtle difference between 50mg a day of generic doxycycline and Oracea. The story from Galderma is that their formulation is responsible for the “blue” dosage curve that you see above.

I expect that things like the possible actions of inactives, the placebo effect and other intangibles might be at play for people who experience a difference between the two.

davidp.

#150 Donna on 03.22.10 at 11:47 PM

Looks like the doctors are suspecing sarcoid afterall so im getting some other tests done for that. anyone ever had???

#151 Dean on 03.23.10 at 12:39 AM

Thanks for the correction David. My bad. It has been a while since I read about Oracea. At least I was partially right. LOL.
As I stated everyone is a bit different. So with trial and error you should be able to find what works for YOU. For me NONE of the gels or lotions have ANY effect on my rosacea but I’ve read that for others it works better than the doxy.
But again I am NOT a doctor–nor do I play one on TV. But I DID stay at a Holiday Inn once.

All joking aside–I personally believe that doxy works just as well if not better for ME than Oracea. That doesn’t mean it will for everyone. Others tell me that doxy AND Metrogel help them whereas Metrogel does NOTHING for me because thats what my doctor started me on without any other meds–NOTHING changed. I also notice if I eat acidic foods too much I will get a flair up or if I take a really long HOT shower it will flare. These are the things you need to write down INCLUDING ANY OTHER MEDS YOU TAKE and you will see a pattern at some point and figure out what works for YOU. I also encourage everyone to post what works for them on sites like this too. I’m sure some researchers can use the info.
PERSISTENCE and PATIENCE is what you need. None of the ideas work for everyone NOR is there a cure. Don’t expect any of these ideas to work immediately either though for ME (and only me) I saw a significant difference using doxy in only about 3 days by starting with 100mg a day then in about 2 wks going to 50mg a day. Every now and then when I DO get a flare up I will take 100mg for a few days to get it back under control. But I will emphasize this again–thats what works for ME!!!

Sorry Donna I plead ignorance. What is sarcoid?

#152 Donna on 03.24.10 at 9:14 AM

Sarcoid can resemble rosaecea…but its granulomas that are on your skin…looks like right now that iw the only place it is but can get in your organs so i am having many tests ran.

#153 Marc C on 03.25.10 at 8:27 AM

I posted a couple times to this blog. When I was 1st diagnosed with rosacea i was prescribed oracea & metrogel. I tried the metrogel initially, but it burned and made my right cheek break out worse, so I decided to just try the oral doxy route. I started getting desperate since my condition was not getting any better and gradually tried metrogel .75 again and it has worked wonders for me over the last several weeks. I’m currently off the oral doxy and just use the Metrogel. I also changed my diet and drink lots of water too. I think i’m on my way out of this mess

#154 GiGI on 04.12.10 at 1:11 AM

I have been taking Oracea and using Finecea for some time with moderate results. Have just had my second IPL and must say it does seem to make a difference.

The worse part of the Rosacea is the burning.

#155 Donna on 04.13.10 at 1:34 AM

any ideas how long we can take doryx?

#156 Stevie on 05.18.10 at 9:20 PM

I just received my supply of Doxycycline thru a Canadian dispensary (by way of India) after suffering a particularly bad and protracted bout of rosacea. After reading up on dosage, I split one of the 100mg tablets and had half last night and the other half this morning. I’m very hopeful that this will provide long-needed relief…

#157 Rhonda on 05.19.10 at 10:49 AM

Good luck. Sorry you had to go thru so much trouble to get the prescription. I just got a new prescription from a local health clinic in the San Fran Bay area. Target sells either the tablets or capsules for $10. U.S. dollars for a ninety day suppy or $4.00 for 30 days. This was 50mg. It cost me $59.00 to see the clinic doctor and then he gave me a prescription for 6 month supply. If I need more he said to just phone in. I almost asked to try the Metrogel after Marc C’s result above, but it is pricey so I just asked for the Doxy prescription.

I just had a very bad breakout and couldn’t get it under control any other way. I gave up and went to the clinic. It had been over a year that I was clear enough (not total.. just enough) to be free of taking doxy. After 10 days now, I’m seeing results in my skin and also eyelids. It is such a relief and I am grateful. Again, good luck to you

#158 Lisa on 05.20.10 at 2:14 AM

I’ve been on Oracea for years and finally gave up. It was the chronic yeast infections that did me in. Ironically, I’m not convinced that Oracea helped me that much anyway and it definitely “hurt” (yeast). I’ve been off for over 2 weeks and i don’t notice being off it, other than the complete relief of not having a yeast infection. BTW the infections, for me anyway, got worse and more frequent over time.

#159 Rick on 05.31.10 at 12:04 PM

I just get the facial redness, not too much or too bad of the other things. I dont really notice burning or itching on my face. Is this still roseacia? My doctor just prescribed Oracea and Metrogel so I have only had it two days. The Metrogel seems to dry my skin and cause more redness. Am I better off just trying the Oracea by itself to releive redness?

#160 CROISSANCE SYSTEMS on 06.03.10 at 5:00 PM

Hi,

i am Jelly Paul,it burned and made my right cheek break out worse, so I decided to just try the oral doxy route. I started getting desperate since my condition was not getting any better and gradually tried metrogel .75 again and it has worked wonders for me over the last several weeks.

Thank You
Jelly Paul

#161 Sunny on 06.21.10 at 2:26 PM

Just a few comments on IPL treatments:

They are quite expensive… I needed a series of treatments — six or so at hundreds of dollars per treatment over approximately a year — before my skin improved to a “normal” appearance. My aesthetician also recommended daily use of a serum which contains botanical extracts and cost $65.00 for just a few ounces.

They are painful…however, a type of topical gel can be applied 45 minutes before the treatment begins to “numb” the skin. The cost of the gel is in addition to the IPL session.

They don’t last…in just a few months my skin started to redden again. I resumed IPL treatments but could only afford to have them done at six-month intervals which weren’t nearly as effective as the “series” of treatments. Now about a year later my skin is back to it’s sun-burned look again. Some improvement in my general skin texture and firmness has lasted.

The bottom line for me: IPL treatments aren’t affordable for everyone and only give temporary benefits. They are by no means a long-term cure.

#162 Missy on 07.08.10 at 12:33 AM

My derm put me on Oracea about a year ago as part of a clinical trial after my skin stopped responding to Prosacea. It has worked very well for me! It really helps keep the bumps/pustules under control and also seems to have greatly improved my discomfort from stinging/burning/itching. I still always have mild redness on my cheeks and still get asked sometimes if I have a sunburn but my skin feels much more comfortable and I can at least cover it up more easily without all the bumps/scabby peeling. If I stop taking the medication for a few days my face explodes with bumps again.

#163 Kim on 08.15.10 at 10:20 AM

I am a 47 year old female who was diagnosed with Rosecea last spring. Never had an acne problem in my life. I have sore papules around my mouth, checks and temples. Some redness, but that is insignificant compared to the pain of the bumps. My doctor put me on Oracea and Metrogel, told me to stop using my current moisturizer and face wash and to wash only with Cetaphyl. My face cleared up completely, although I got an itchy, red rash on my arms when in the sun (I assume this was from the Oracea). My only problem now is that the anti-aging regimen I was on before the treatment for my rosecea has been nixed and my skin seems to be aging more quickly. I need an oil-free anti-aging moisturizer for sensitive skin. Any suggestions?

#164 tRACI on 08.26.10 at 11:32 PM

Hi Kim,

Anyone looking for soothing skin care should try good Health food store for Witch Hazel with rose petal (alcohol-free). Also Dr. Hauschka all natural skin care is great. I use the Day Cream, regular or light, with rose petal. And the Milk Cleanser is wonderful. No chemicals to irritate skin. Of course, do not use hot water, and use gentle cloth. The rose petal has properties of reducing inflamation.

Leave a Comment