pulmonologist, and doxycycline

[redbird]

I had telemedicine with my pulmonologist this morning. It transpired that I was supposed to have had bloodwork at the same time as the sputum samples, but neither I nor the Mt. Auburn registration office noticed. So, I'll be doing that next week, when I'm in that part of Cambridge anyhow.

One of the three samples showed some S. aureus, so Dr. Koster prescribed a course of antibiotics. When she asked what antibiotics I should, or shouldn't, be taking, I told her that I've done well with tetracycline, based on which she is prescribing the related doxycycline. I will need to be careful about what I eat when for the next ten days. The list of things to be particularly careful about includes yogurt, which will be inconvenient.

Doxycycline is commonly used to prevent malaria, so the instructions and notes include "avoid being bitten by mosquitos when trying to avoid malaria," followed by advice on how to avoid contact with mosquitos. I am also supposed to minimize exposure to direct sunlight, which will be fairly easy this time of year.

The blood test is for some obscure autoimmune problema, which are different from the obscure things Dr. AbdelRazek had me tested for a couple of years ago.

Dr. Koster also thinks I might need another round of the sputum tests after the next time I see her. The schedule right now is for me to have a pulmonary function test, then see her a few minutes later.

Comments

[ethelmay]

Interesting about the yogurt. I think a lot of people reflexively assume they should be eating yogurt when taking antibiotics.

[sine_nomine]

I am confused about the caution around yoghurt. Isn't one supposed to increase consumption of it when taking antibiotics because of the acidophilus being good for the system? Are there more details about the caution?

[redbird]

I will probably still be eating yogurt most days, but carefully timed.

[sine_nomine]

Interesting. Just did some digging and, apparently, it's about calcium. Which, to me, means they should also be warning for dark, leafy greens, and antacids, too. Though perhaps they did!

[redbird]

It does explicitly warn against antacids, after the half-dozen minerals including calcium, iron, and magnesium. The food part is "foods containing calcium, such as yogurt, milk, and calcium-fortified juice." Now that you mention it, I wonder why it's just those three. Maybe whoever wrote this thought it was long enough already, and at some point it's "too long, didn't read."

[gatheringrivers]

Calcium-containing products (some antacids, yogurt, etc) hinder the absorption of Doxycycline.

(Though Magnesium may amplify it...)

[sine_nomine]

Facinating. Interestingly, quick research shows the difference in quantity between calcium in milk and calcium in yogurt is huge. Cheese, actually, sits between them. And dark leafy greens are less than yogurt, but not by a lot. I suspect what happened is someone said "What foods do people associate with calcium; let's warn against those." But, if yogurt is on the list, there are other things that should be added.

[otter]

I don't imagine there are very many folks out there TRYING to get bit by mosquitoes. Winter does make it easier to avoid them, though.

[minoanmiss]

beams at you Oh, whups, wait--

[cmcmck]

That's like those egg boxes that state: 'may contain eggs'!