LymeNet Flash: when to stop treatment

This is topic when to stop treatment in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by annettsky (Member # 5670) on :

i went to my pcp yesterday he says i am progressing very slooooowly but i am taking 1 foot in front of the other not ready to do anything strenuous but at least being able to start functioning, he is concerned because i have been on zithromax iv for at least 10 months wants to know how do we know when to stop and how long it si going to take i told him usually when a person goes symptom free for at least 3 months, which i am far from then i told him i have read it is double the time you have been sick any thoughts on this, i am not in a hurry and i told him i am not stopping any medicine to soon been there done that and there ain't no way i am going throught that again..

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waiting and praying for a miracle

Posted by Beverly (Member # 1271) on :

Hi Annettsky,

I agree with you! It takes a long time.

I have been on abx now for three years and just starting treatment for Babesia. I still have a ways to go, but I can see the improvement I have made so far. It has been very slow for me, but I ain't going through this again either....

I hope you have a good day,
Beverly

Posted by mlkeen (Member # 1260) on :

Our llmd also says 3 months symptom and herx free before stopping abx. My son and I aare at 15 months non-stop abx and getting better all the time.

I'm near the end of my second course of Mepron and feeling great, didn't test positive for Babs, but llmd feels Mepron is needed because testing is 100% and because ticks could be carrying things we don't know about yet.

Posted by Nancy-OH (Member # 3567) on :

Please tell me I'm not reading your post correctly.

You have not been on Zithro IV for ten months straight, have you?

Have you done oral antibiotics?

Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :

I would not stop abx's until all symptoms are gone for at least three months.But thats me

Posted by lymie tony z (Member # 5130) on :

I have been told that it takes one full year of symptom free that will be considered lyme free.
The above advice was given to me by two separate LLMD's one in PA and one down here in Florida.
I would take three months...heck I would take one...

I seem to have major flareups every six months in June and December and minor flares every month around the 20th of each month plus or minus a week.

I have taken abx (vacations) and this is because the pic line went bad or the medication itself was causing some other symptom like lung problems with ceftriaxone and muscle pain with clindamycin.
I've never been on IV meds for the length of time some of our folks here have been on them. Have not had even LLMD's I've been to treat me that aggressively. Probably why I have'nt gotten enough progress or recession long enough to get off disability.

Everyone is different and somewhat alike so go with your gut feeling about it....if it were me and the IV was'nt causeing any problems nor the abx I think I would continue. Hopefully you are realizing some continued progressive improvement??
If not you may need to shift to a different abx as the spirochete may have developed an immunity to the zithro and like some of the AIDS folks they come off their meds so a new generation of bug is produced that is not immune to the drugs they were on.
good luck and God bless

the zman

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