Since completing a 21-day course of Doryx (100mg2xday)on 8/21/06 for single EM rash at site of tick bite I now suffer from a dull ache at the joint on the left side of my jaw. When I awake from a full night's sleep it is worse. Two or three Excedrine Migraine or 800 mg of Advil sometimes help a little. Coincidentally, I noticed after my dentist placed a permanent crown on the back left molar in June that the joint was sore. Attributed this to the procedure. All dental x-rays of that area were normal. If my limited memory serves me, the soreness went away. Then came back and increased in intensity after finishing Doryx. Yesterday I experienced a series of sharp, jabbing pains in the same area. I have my first appointment next week with a supposed LLMD at Stony Brook. I am reluctant to even mention the fact that I had a crown for fear that he will attribute my worsening pain to dental problems, or TMJ. According to my dentist, my teeth are fine. I've never had a TMJ problem. In my heart, I know that this is a Lyme related symptom and lack the patience and stamina to explore other non-Lyme related causes. I have learned from reading other posts that jaw pain and neck stiffness/pain (which I have also noticed since finishing Doryx) are common. My question is: what should I be asking the LLMD for? Are there any non-narcotic medications that can relieve my jaw pain and possibly also help with chronic neck stiffness and temporal head pain I have been experiencing? Thanks in advance for all your help. Feel free to send me a private message regarding your experiences with this.
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
Hi Elliot
TMJ is Very common with lyme and Babs-
The dose of Doxi is not suffcent to treat lyme sucessfully--400 to 600mg aday is standard treatment--
21 days is not near long enough treatment Miminum treatment length is 2 months- usually much longer -
How long ago were infected? what are your other symptoms? Give futher info on your situation-Jay-