LymeNet Flash: Is 900 mg Doxy per day a bit much?

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Posted by EllenB (Member # 5764) on :

Hello all:

Just started Doxy tonight. My doctor perscribed 300 mg 3 times per day. The typical dose seems to be about 200 to 600 mg per day.

Is 900 mg per day too much? I have late lyme disease, untreated as of yet. I'm a little nervous about taking so much of this stuff.

My doctor is new to Lyme also. Out here in MT, there's not an LLMD for hundreds of miles as far as I can tell. So I'm kind of nervous about my care in general.

What's the best way to take this? Any tips?

Much appreciated,

Thanks a bunch,

Ellen

Posted by tickedntx (Member # 5660) on :

Yes, that sounds VERY high. Here is what Dr. Burrascano recommends if doxycycline is the chosen antitiobic:

*Doxycycline Adults: 100 mg qid with food; doses of up to 600 mg daily are often needed, as doxycycline is only effective at high blood levels.
Not for children or in pregnancy.
If levels are too low at tolerated doses, give parenterally.

I was being treated at 100mg bid for six months (a LOW dose based on which I decided that my LLMD was not as LL as I thought and I switched) and nausea is a problem for many with doxycycline. (In fact, I read recently that there is now a doxy patch. Also, many take it by IV.)

I have a pretty iron stomach and even I got sick the first time I took it, and that was only 100mg. For the most part after that, my only problem was some mild nausea and if it got to be more than I wanted to handle, I ate a little food. (Doxycycline is best taken on an empty stomach to make sure all of it is absorbed but many cannot handle it without food due to the nausea.)

So even if this were the proper dose, I would think it would be something you have to work up to.

Regardless, this seems like a very high dosage. If your doctor were an experienced LLMD, I would say he/she has a reason.

But under the circumstances, I think your doctor has misunderstood some instructions. Perhaps thinking that 300mg tid is the recommended dosage when really it is 100mg tid for a total of 300mg.

You were very smart to ask this question. I strongly suggest that you get a copy of Burrascano's guidelines to your doctor ASAP and further that you do not start treatment until reviewing them with him/her.

You can find these guidelines at http://www.ilads.org/burrascano_1102.htm .

[This message has been edited by tickedntx (edited 19 June 2004).]

Posted by HaplyCarlessdave (Member # 413) on :

When I was given doxy by llmd, it was 200 mg twice daily; 400 mg altogether, per day. However, I was very soon put on ceftin simultaneously. Thus the "rudeness effect" is probably about the same. I also was taking some strong herbal stuff, as I've written about in other posts. If I were given such a high dose, I'd start a bit ;lower-say, 200 mg twice daily increasing over a couple weeks to your prescribed dose.
I did think the combis were very good. It took a couple years but did the trick, eventually. Clarithromycin 1g/day + Amoxicillin 6g/day was one I was on that I think helped substantially.
DaveS

Posted by HaplyCarlessdave (Member # 413) on :

It later occurred to me- I hope your doc mentioned- youve GOT to TOTALLY avoid the sun like a friggin hairless albino opossum! They make a sunscreen called 'Durascreen" with zinc oxide in it. It only claims spf 30, but I found it was the best. And waterproof, too. Wear super-uv-blocking sunglasses even while indoors- Yes people will think you're trying to be cool, but it's well worth the effort.. If you wear glasses and don't have contacts, they might have some that kind of fot over your glasses. They definitely don't look very cool, but have the advantage that there's no uv leakage from the sides, which could be a problem. While on the high dose of doxy I got sunburnt on a cloudy day hanging laundry for less than 10 minutes! (on the 'regulat dose i didn't have to be nearly as careful)
DaveS

Posted by rosesisland2000 (Member # 2001) on :

Well, my soon to be brother-in-law got bit summer before last, and was got very sick, very quickly and even went to the emergency room where they found the bulls-eye rash on the back of his neck. He just thought he had one of the worst case of the flu there ever was and thought he was going to die.

Since he was already up on LD through my ordeal, and knowing many people who have had to or still does, living in Mass. with this DD, he asked for and got 1000mg of Doxy for one month.

He recovered quickly at that dose and has not had any trouble since.

He, however, is about 225lbs. Don't know if weight would be involved with this or not.

Rosemary

Posted by MammaLyme (Member # 1257) on :

I heard for every 50 pounds of body weight, you take 100 mg of doxy per day. Hope you get well soon.

Posted by EllenB (Member # 5764) on :

Thanks everyone for posting - it's as I expected. The perscription is only for 14 days. She wants to see how I'm doing and adjust the dose from there. Does this change anyone's opinion?

I'm going to call her on Monday, but I love to hear what others' experiences are, since this is new territory for both of us!

I'm going to take 200 mg 3 times per day instead and see how that goes. 300 mg made me feel pretty sick...

Thanks so much for the tip on the sun - my doc didn't tell me that, but the pharmacist did.

Best to you all,
Ellen

Posted by smiles (Member # 5635) on :

Ellen,

Make sure you take it on a full stomach - i.e. right in the middle of eating your meals.

Remember no dairy or supplements within 2 hours of taking it. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Posted by trying2bsunny (Member # 5798) on :

My Doc had perscribed 800mgs of doxy. I took it for a year straight and after retesting took 800mgs for another year. I found eating a half a peanutbutter sandwich helped wiht the nausia. Also as HaplyCarlesdave said be careful of the sun. My doc failed to mention it so when i seen the warning on my info that came with my script I wasn't too worried. I ended up fried and with my ewyes swelled shut. So be carefull. Hope you feel better soon.

Posted by mikken (Member # 2276) on :

Ellen,

Definitely protect yourself from the sun - even driving in a car, your left arm can cook pretty quickly before you know it.

We shop at
www.sungrubbies.com (no commercial interest)

where we buy COTZ sunblock - spf 58 and sun protective sleeves for driving and gardening. Sadly, all of their gloves are fingerless, but Mom uses golfing gloves on both hands to drive. She also wears wrap around sunglasses and hats all the time when on Doxy.

No kidding - eat food with it and COVER UP.

Hope you're feeling better, soon! Oh, and don't forget the probiotics!!!