LymeNet Flash: Ammox with Probenecid?

This is topic Ammox with Probenecid? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by Christine202 (Member # 6158) on :

My LLMD wants to start me on this combo.

I wasnt able to get up to a high enough dose last time, and he is hoping that the probenicid will help so that I do not have to take so much ammox....

Any experiences would be really appreciated.

Thank you!

Posted by Pocono Lyme (Member # 5939) on :

I know of people able to achieve a high enough level with the Probenecid with less Amoxi.

I, being allergic to Sulfa, was unable to take the Probenecid. I took 2500mg Amoxicillin tid and could not achieve a high enough level. Had to change ABT.

Posted by Areneli (Member # 6740) on :

Addition of Probenecid 2x500mg is equivalent to double dose of Amoxy.

Probenecid has its own problems and not necessarily is better than double dose Amoxy.

Posted by bpeck (Member # 3235) on :

Amoxycillin doesn't stay in the body very long- so you have to keep taking it every few hrs. almost around the clock to get doses high enough at a steady state level.

Probenecid slows the metabloism of Amoxy - but as another poster pointed out - it has some side effects in some people.

But Amoxy alone can work if you can't take probenecid. I took Amoxy twice as a monotherapy (without probenecid) and both times I think the dose was between 4 and 6 grams per day... so I was taking a gram about every 4 hrs. That's sort of a pain- but it worked OK for me.

Barb

Posted by Christine202 (Member # 6158) on :

Thank you for your opinions. Its always a catch 22 with these treatments. It shard for me b/c I have such drug sensitivities and have trouble achieving high enough doses of all abx.. Bicillan is working for me but not on enough to get into the brain..... I can only tolerate 600,000 iu every 4 or 5 days......

Posted by Areneli (Member # 6740) on :

I will remind you that at one time I took 27 g of Amoxy per day for a while without side effects.

This dose was better than 18 g per day as more herxing was observed with larger dose.

Eventually Candida problem forced me to stop all ABX but fortunately natural treatment works too in my case.

[This message has been edited by Areneli (edited 07 July 2005).]

Posted by Christine202 (Member # 6158) on :

Thank you for the info...

Its good to know so that I can experiement with what will work for me.

I wish Bicillan got into the brain better...Its a great drug.....

Areneli: Did the oral ammox end up helping you at all?

Posted by Areneli (Member # 6740) on :

As it is usually a case, I used too many things to be sure what helped me the most.

But anyway, I am down to 20% of my original symptoms and started my treatment January 6th this year.

Posted by pq (Member # 6886) on :

while doing amoxicillin, i had to stop the probenicid after the first tablet due to kidney pain in the rt. kidney as a consequence of taking the probenicid, and just contiued with the amoxicillin. the kidney pain ceased upon stopping the probencid.

had i known at the time, i would have asked my doc to try augmentin(amoxicillin + clavulanic acid).

i believe one function of the clav. acid is to act as a "decoy" molecule to "capture" beta-lactamase molecules made by certain bacteria, so they don't render amoxicillin molecules non-functional; this leaves more amoxicillin molecules available to give
Bb a big "smooch."

check with your doc on accuracy of this information, to see if the clav.acid is suitable for you/appropriate, given your other meds.,if any, health history, and so on.

[This message has been edited by pq (edited 07 July 2005).]

Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :

I am finishing my first week on 3000 mg/day of Amoxicillin plus 1500 mg/day Probenicid.

Dunno if it's doing any good. The headaches have been pretty much non-stop since getting on it. LLMD warned me it might be that way and he was so right.

But my stomach sure is happy to see the last of the Doxycycline.

I have a neuroborreliosis/brain lesions DX. Was having some improvement on Doxy but hating it and looking to avoid PICC because insurance won't cover more than 30 days.

Michelle M

Posted by maxima (Member # 4615) on :

Christine,

I was on ammox w/ probenecid as well. I was up to 18G per day. It didn't do that much for me and after being on for a few months, i had side effects(intestinal probs, as well as liver issues because the probenecid kept the ammox in my system. Doc discontinued because of liver issues.

Posted by Areneli (Member # 6740) on :

Amoxy cannot penetrate inside cells where Borrelia lives. So if you want Amoxy to cure you you need to take it for really long time (and in large dose) as only extracellular bacteria got killed. But with time, as Borrelia wouldn't be able to travel and infect other cells, infected cells eventually die and will be replaced by healthy one.

Posted by Christine202 (Member # 6158) on :

Thank you once again - Areneli - I am so happy to hear that with continued treatment you have seen such improvement. I have had about 70% imporvement from Bicillan, but need something stronger now,

Intersting about the Augmentin b/c I tolerate Augmentin pretty well..

My LLMD usually does not use Aug, but he said that in a month if I do not feel that the ammox if doing it I could switch to Augmentin... Do you know if theer are any published studies on Augmentin and Lyme?

Seems like the probenecid gave most of you side effects.... I am now hesitant to take it...

I guess I can give it a shot..

Again thanks for all your input

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