Quick update: I'm 2 weeks into treatment with doxycycline after being diagnosed with the bulls-eye rash. My herx reaction is finally calming down.
I was able to get in to see an infectious disease doctor who takes Medicare (it's the best I could find with my budget). Total time will be 4 weeks on doxycycline and then he wants to do blood work.
I have a nasty fungal infection though too (a big rash that started BEFORE the doxycycline but along with the bulls-eye rash, and I had taken 2 diflucans since being on doxycycline, 1 tab one week apart, before seeing the infectious disease doc).
My fungal rashes were better, but not completely gone.
The infectious disease doc said that wasn't enough diflucan and could create resistance. Does anyone know what he means???? Am I resistant to the fungal infection or diflucan. It's hard to talk to this doc, he has the "I'm the expert" attitude.
The infectious disease doc wants me to take 10 consecutive days of diflucan. I'm scared I'm being over medicated.
I think I'm also having problems with diflucan. I'm on day 3 and something about the rashes seem worse at some places and more itchy. I'm thinking of stopping and seeing if it calms down. Is 3 days solid (or even 10 days) of diflucan too much for a person sensitive to meds???
He also didn't prescribe flagyl. I'm scared that I really need this. Is it too late to take Flagyl?
I'm also taking LOTS of probiotics. I was taking that even before the antibiotics and have increased them.
Posted by sbh93 (Member # 30429) on :
some docs will prescribe diflucan daily for a month--i don't think you are overmedicated. it's also not abnormal to feel worse a few days in before you start feeling better. hang in there.
if i understand correctly, you recently contracted lyme and are still in the "acute" phase. I wouldn't worry about flagyl right now unless this is not a first-time infection. besides, diflucan can be hard on the liver and i think flagyl can be too, so you wouldnt want them at the same time.
make sure to space probiotics at least 3 hours away from your antibiotic and diflucan.
Posted by Judie (Member # 38323) on :
Wow, thanks. That's really good advice. I had no idea to take diflucan away from the probiotics.
I think I'm still in the acute stage. The bulls-eye rash is still healing.
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
Yes, I have taken diflucan daily for much longer than ten days. If you are going to be on drugs long-term, you would want to do bloodwork monthly do measure the impact on your liver. You said you are seeing an infectious disease doctor who likely prescribes to the IDSA standard of care though, and they generally do not believe in long-term treatment for Lyme. I wouldn't worry about over-treatment with an ID doctor; the concern is under-treatment.
So, it would be a good idea to educate yourself on the two standards of care so you can make the best decisions for yourself if you don't get well after your doctor's course of treatment. More info here: www.ilads.org.
But it sounds like you are treating quickly and that is generally associated with much better outcomes!
Posted by Bugsy (Member # 37572) on :
Hi,
I wanted to share my rash that developed while take dox. I too thought it was fungus (not saying yours isn't) but I ended up with a complete body rash which came from sun exposure. Althought I was careful to stay in the shade and wear sunscreen, but I ended up with a horrible rash from just going back end forth from my car or things like that. So it may also be from the dox. I found that if I just took bath with things that would sooth it made it better. If I put any thing on my skin it made it worse. So don't be afraid to not put anything on it.
Posted by Judie (Member # 38323) on :
Thanks for the info and the reminder to stay out of the sun.
Unfortunately, these rashes are at places that the sun don't shine and are VERY uncomfortable.
It's raised, itchy and red, then turns brown in one spot and spreads next to it to be raised, itchy and red again. I've had 3 docs say it's fungal since all this began. Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Sorry, that sounds miserable. I can't speak to your rash but I did 6 weeks of daily diflucan and did very well.
Doxy, however, after having it work just fine before - later - caused up to 13 round, red, hot and severely itches circles.
I tried several times, week apart, but each time, in the same places between 8 & 13, round rashes. They were miserable. I just had to stop trying to make doxy work. I will never try that again. It was that awful.
Your question about Diflucan:
You might also consider OLE. Since learning about this, I've never needed diflucan again.
OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT - LINKS -
Posted by jupiter76 (Member # 37697) on :
I had rashes too that I always thought was mold but it was from bart. It became first mre intense with antibiotic an slowly decreased. Think of bartonella or so as well.
Posted by Judie (Member # 38323) on :
"... later - caused up to 13 round, red, hot and severely itches circles"
Keebler, that sounds terrible!
I also just saw your post on a probiotic that said (I'm going to add this to my natural anti-fungals thread):
"I also cannot imagine taking antibiotics without also take some kind of anti-fungal herb such as Berberine, Allicin, or Olive Leaf Extract. These also need to be separate from both antibiotics and from probiotics."
I looked at my supplements and I'm taking a "mild" anti-candida supplement. It just seems like I need some more support right now. Someone suggested to add sporonox to the mix.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by Judie: Wow, thanks. That's really good advice. I had no idea to take diflucan away from the probiotics.
- The diflucan WILL NOT kill or affect the probiotics. Take the probiotics and the antibiotics 2 hrs apart. Three is pretty hard to accomplish and I'm not sure WHAT you would be accomplishing.
I've taken months and months of Diflucan. It is way safer than most think. If you're on it for a month or more, it's good to get your liver checked.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)