Oracea User Reviews

192 Comments over 4 pages ↓

#30024 Lori on September 6, 2009 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.

#30030 Dan on September 7, 2009 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.

#30037 Rhonda on September 7, 2009 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

#30939 R on October 24, 2009 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

#30959 David Paul on October 25, 2009 at 9:02 AM

R,

Plain english please.

- D.P.

#30988 Lori on October 27, 2009 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?

#31005 Dan on October 27, 2009 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

#31029 Lori on October 27, 2009 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!

#31256 Marc C on November 10, 2009 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

#31282 Kathy on November 11, 2009 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?

#31401 Candace on November 18, 2009 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?

#31403 David Paul on November 18, 2009 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

#31420 Lori on November 20, 2009 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.

#31428 Ol' Skool on November 21, 2009 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?

#31979 marc c on December 22, 2009 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.

#31980 Lori on December 22, 2009 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.

#32059 Bob on December 27, 2009 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.

#32481 Mary U. on January 25, 2010 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??

#32530 Elizabeth on January 28, 2010 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.

#32545 David Pascoe on January 29, 2010 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.

#32555 Elizabeth on January 29, 2010 at 8:49 PM

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

#32567 Lori on January 30, 2010 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!

#32571 Rhonda on January 31, 2010 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

#32641 Matt on February 3, 2010 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.

#32654 Brady Barrows on February 4, 2010 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?

#32675 David Pascoe on February 5, 2010 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.

#32725 Brady Barrows on February 9, 2010 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.

#32746 David Pascoe on February 10, 2010 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.

#32761 Brady Barrows on February 11, 2010 at 8:59 AM

Aloha David,

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

Brady

#32778 Moe on February 12, 2010 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

#32796 Bob on February 12, 2010 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

#32826 Rhonda on February 14, 2010 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

#32830 Rhonda on February 14, 2010 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

#32874 Marc C on February 15, 2010 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?

#32885 Candace on February 16, 2010 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.

#32892 Donna Grisham on February 16, 2010 at 7:32 AM

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

#32897 Rhonda on February 16, 2010 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

#32930 Donna Grisham on February 18, 2010 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!!!

#32937 Mason on February 19, 2010 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.

#32955 Donna on February 20, 2010 at 4:58 AM

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

#33012 Christy on February 22, 2010 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.

#33082 Rhonda on February 25, 2010 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

#33095 Donna on February 26, 2010 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???

#33100 Rhonda on February 26, 2010 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

#33371 Donna on March 10, 2010 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!

#34163 Deborah Devroe on March 21, 2010 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.

#34190 Dean on March 22, 2010 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.

#34251 David Pascoe on March 22, 2010 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.

#34277 Donna on March 22, 2010 at 11:47 PM

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

#34282 Dean on March 23, 2010 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?