posted
Biaxin is working great for me no herxing just feeling better except for almost complete inability to sleep.
I always had sleep troubles and pretty much tried everything with no success. The one thing that works for me is clonzapem/klonopin taken as needed, but even double dosage is not helping me now.
Here are some of the meds I've tried in the past before I got Lyme disease. Though its possible that insomnia was just my first Lyme symptom for many years and I didn't realize that:
Medications tried (Incomplete list this is from memory):
Clonzapem/klonopin works for my normal insonmia, but seems to have no effect on my Biaxin induced insomnia.
Herbs/supplements tried (again incomplete list this is from memory)
Valerian root, Benadryl, melatonin, L-Theanine, Magnesium, Kava Kava, Rhodiola, GABA alone, and "GABA calm" which has some other ingredients, Yogi Calm/Sleep Tea, Lavendar smells like lavendar pillows and oils.
I'd call my LLMD or fax a message with this to him so he can look at what I tried, but honestly I think he is just going to come back empty handed since I tried so much in the past.
Klonopin is great for me since it just relaxes me without making me sleepy and allows my body to do the rest. With biaxin it still calms me, but I'm still stuck in a "wired" state.
Normal sleeping meds that are supposed to make you tired completely don't work for me, they either don't make me tired at all, or make me tired in a really bad way where I can't function nor sleep.
Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
In my experience I have never found that biaxin caused insomnia. Treatment, in general, can sometimes bring on anxiety especially with deep penetrating ABX.
You might want to have your adrenal function checked. Elevated evening cortisol levels are one of many reasons for insomnia.
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
I did adrenal tests before starting treatment. I guess it might be worth doing it again while on it? It was done in the morning, wondering if I should get it done at night instead perhaps?
Only two weeks on Biaxin so far, going to add riafpham most likely at the end of this month at my next appointment.
Web searches for "Biaxin insomnia" seem to indicate this is a very common side effect.
Posts: 526 | From NJ | Registered: May 2007
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I have heard others say it does this to them or their children. Also causes nightmares. Of course the LLMD won't say this is true. He says a herx. But I don't think so. It started when he reached max dosage of Biaxin. It's been weeks!
-------------------- My lyme disease blog: http://lymetimes3.blogspot.com/ One BIG Lyme family! I tested CDC + 10/08 My mom Igenex + 11/08 & My brother Igenex + 4/09, My 2 boys some + & IND bands, clinical diagnosis 3/09 (youngest has Aspergers too) Posts: 470 | From Painesville, Ohio | Registered: Mar 2009
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Abxnomore
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18936
posted
The best adrenal tests are done via saliva and must be taken four times a day. Neuro science is a cutting edge lab.
Getting your neuro transmitters tested, too, is an important part of adrenal evaluation.
Posts: 5191 | From Lyme Zone | Registered: Jan 2009
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posted
Grrr!! I've been expericing some mild throat swelling and pain the past few days. It isn't too bad, but it is starting to get worse. I think its an allergic reaction to Biaxin so I have stopped it.
I have the same exact reaction to a constipation medication (Amitiza) too, but its even worse on that med.
Going to wait for it to get back to normal and try taking it again and abort taking it and call my LLMD if it starts again.
I have known allergic reactions to penicillin, levaquin, doxy gives me vision so blurry that I can't work, and zithromax gives me too much GI pain and disfunction for long time use. Frustrated right now. I've tried herbal treatments for about 2.5 years and only recently started going to a LLMD. Part of the reason I waited so long is that I have bad reactions to many meds I really wonder if we are going to be able to find something I can tolerate that also works. I have bart, lyme, and suspected babesia.
posted
No tiredness from it for me! Made me feel like I could be up all night.
Last dosage was a 1/2 one at 250mg instead of 500mg yesterday morning, instead of 500mg twice a day.
Sleeping powers came back already and my throat swelling is a bit reduced too.
Posts: 526 | From NJ | Registered: May 2007
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Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
I'm on Biaxin and last night was wide awake between 3 and 4:30 am, and have had nightmares and bizarre dreams ever since starting it a couple of weeks ago. So I think I'm one of those that Biaxin affects in this way, which sounds fairly common to me.
Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
See I knew it was the Biaxin causing insomnia and nightmares for my son!! His LLMD won't change his meds. I am looking for a new LLMD I think! UGH!!
-------------------- My lyme disease blog: http://lymetimes3.blogspot.com/ One BIG Lyme family! I tested CDC + 10/08 My mom Igenex + 11/08 & My brother Igenex + 4/09, My 2 boys some + & IND bands, clinical diagnosis 3/09 (youngest has Aspergers too) Posts: 470 | From Painesville, Ohio | Registered: Mar 2009
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posted
Throat swelling is almost completely gone now.
Sunday morning I might give it another go just to determine if it really caused that again, so I know whether to call my Dr to try to work out the sleeping, or to say it seems I'm allergic to it.
Posts: 526 | From NJ | Registered: May 2007
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posted
My insomnia started the day I started Biaxin and Plaquenil and I had NEVER had that before.
I am sleeping fine now (it just went away somehow) but it took over a month for me to stop waking up constantly and dreaming all night.
I was going crazy cause I didn't want to stop the meds but damn I was tired.
Posts: 410 | From Victoria BC, Canada | Registered: Jul 2008
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
I have had insomnia since the age of eleven and found out later in life that is was caused from low progesterone so you may want to have your levels checked if you are female. For the insomnia I have now what works best for me is Zhang's Herbsom which contains corydallis and jujube seeds. Google those herbs online. You can buy from heparo.com or you can get the herbs from other companies - cheaper. I have used all the herbs you mentioned (and then some) but this is the magic bullet. I cannot tolerate the side effects of the chemical sleeping aids.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
Sore throat presists still. I don't think its an allergic reaction too many days without it for it to be. I also remembered that I get these odd sore throats without any other sign of having caught something else sometimes. So this is probably one of them.
I've order Herbsom and some other things to try. I think I will try taking Biaxin when I go to bed instead of with dinner, that way when it hits its peak in my body I will hopefully already be sleeping.
Biaxin isn't like Doxy where you can't lay down for a while if you take it, is it?
Posts: 526 | From NJ | Registered: May 2007
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posted
Herbsom actually works for me. I've been sleeping again on the biaxin by taking three capsules at night, but I keep waking up before 5am. Better than no sleep though!
Taking it (Biaxin) right before bed, instead of with dinner, had no benefit in terms of the sleep so I went back to taking it with dinner.
Posts: 526 | From NJ | Registered: May 2007
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posted
Melatonin has been working for my 10 yr old son that had the really bad insomnia and nightmares!
Yeah for sleep
-------------------- My lyme disease blog: http://lymetimes3.blogspot.com/ One BIG Lyme family! I tested CDC + 10/08 My mom Igenex + 11/08 & My brother Igenex + 4/09, My 2 boys some + & IND bands, clinical diagnosis 3/09 (youngest has Aspergers too) Posts: 470 | From Painesville, Ohio | Registered: Mar 2009
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posted
Grr, It was bound to happen. Herbsom is no longer working for me . I need to sleep on Biaxin it continues to make me feel better and better except for the sleeping problems.
I'm also on 500 MG Biaxin extnded release now once in the morning. The insomnia is preventing me from doubling the dosage since I don't want to get even worse.
Posts: 526 | From NJ | Registered: May 2007
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. I need to sleep on Biaxin it continues to make me feel better and better except for the sleeping problems.
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