Bactrim and minocycline

I had been using minocycline before until it seemed to stop working.  It seems like my face is breaking out worse than it did before I went on it.  So now my derm put me on Bactrim DS.  Do these medications do the same thing because minocycline worked great for a few months till it stopped working.

Minocycline did a great job and I just dont want to waste my time using Bactrim if it doesnt fight the same type of thing that minocycline did.

[deeneezy]

Hi nick,

The most likely answer for the minocycline to stop working is that the bacteria bacame resistant to it, this can happen when you take an antibiotic for a long time. The bacteria find a way to 'evolve' and build a resistance so that particular antibiotic can no longer effect them.

The Bactrim DS you have been prescribed contains 2 types of antibiotic and the DS on your medication stands for Double Strength.

Combining these two antibiotics increases their effectiveness and decreases the chance of antibiotic resistance.

So this is the reason for your doctor to prescribe them. I would stick with them and see how it goes. However, if unfortunately the bacteria did build a resistance again (which is less likely on these antibiotics) i would ask your doctor for isotrexin which is a gel you apply to your face which works by unblocking your skin and preventing reblockages and also contains an antibiotic called erythromycin, which stop the bacteria multiplying. Antobiotics that are applied topically are less likely to have a resistance built against them. (although it can cause dry skin)

I hope these new antibiotcs work well for you. Good Luck.

[loiloi]

Hi. As the above post states, you can build up a resistance to oral antibiotics. It may be useful to add a topical retinoid (such as Differin or Retin-A) to your regime. These can be used at the same time as oral antibiotics.
If you have severe acne, and standard treatments result in failure or relapse, your dermatologist may prescribe Oral Isotretinoin (Accutane/Roaccutane). This is the strongest acne treatment available but it does have many potential side effects, so perserve with oral antibiotics and topical retinoids before considering this.
Eloise.