I read over and over again that ABX are anti-inflammatory.
I can't make sense of the massively intense headache and swelling in my head from just 3 - 100 mg doses of doxy over 3 days. (There was inflammation everywhere but the head stuff was unbearable.)
There was too much pressure inside my head Top of head hot and pulsing Temples also throbbing and frontal headache All the bones in my face and head feeling like they are gonna blow out. Ringing in the ears and pressure Eye pain, pressure, vision disturbances...blurry, double, seeing patterns and colors Stiff neck dizziness
I searched and I read and I don't understand why.
I stopped; another dose would have landed me in the ER. Can someone explain this to me? Sorry to be so dense.
Thanks if you can make some sense of this to me.
Posted by minimonkey (Member # 8693) on :
Sounds like a herx (die off reaction) and it sounds like encephalitis/meningitis, in my non-doctor opinion.
I have had meningoencephalitis several times since starting treatment -- it is utterly miserable and totally incapacitating!
I herxed like the devil from doxy. Doxy hits the neuro stuff really hard -- I had to stop it when I started having seizures....
Hope you feel better soon...
Posted by Boomerang (Member # 7979) on :
I feel for you. Hubby has had that complaint for quite a long time now. He describes it as "pressure"....not really a headache.
It has gotten better after a long time on ABX. He doesn't have that pressure feeling any more.
Take care.
Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
What MiniMonkey said.
'Zackly.
Killing critters in your brain=brain inflammation. It gets better with time but can sure hurt like a mutha.
I'm in my first week of 300 mg/day of Minocycline and it puts me in mind of the brain pain of doxy.
Maybe an even smaller dose would be the thing for you.
Hoping it lets up soon,
Michelle
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Thanks! What puzzles me is it started an hour after the first 100 mgs. Overall inflammation anyway. The headache took a few hours longer and 2-3 days to became unbearable.
I haven't taken it in 2 days and am considering if 25 mgs would be too much. It was that bad. The headache isn't back to normal headache level yet.
Thanks you guys. I still don't understand the severity.
(I do seem to have p!ssed off the Babs and Bart from the look/feel of things, big time.)
Is there anything I can do to make it stop? Ow
(Cave, Medicare doesn't pay for any medication, ever.) Why would transdermal be of any benifit? The crap would still go to my head, no? My tummy has handled it fine (for the 3 days anyway). The rest of me is majorly inflammed since, though. Posted by pq (Member # 6886) on :
i had most if not all these Sx during a 4-6hr. drive to new england. the pdr, and other sources say doxy can cause "increased intracranial blood pressure." pulsating temples is one manifestation.
i stopped it until the Sx disappeared--between 1-2 days, and then continued taking it, but spacing intake by 12-36hr.
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Ah, thanks, Cave! I've thought about a different delivery system myself.
I do wonder about Doxy. Either it is just what I need or complete poison to me and not just to the bugs.
_________________________________________________
Thank you pq!
I did look it up after the fact. I'm a bit puzzled about it happening so fast and on 1 pill a day for a couple of days. The symptoms have about halved but have not stopped.
boy, I just want a few minutes relief from something.
Posted by charlie (Member # 25) on :
This is a new one on me...I never found doxy to do much of anything except it eventually took away that shoulder/neck muscle pull thing. And I was taking 3 of those generic green caps at a time on an empty stomach.
Maybe it's hitting just what you need it to, I'd quit for awhile then sloooooowly start back up.
BTW I have read (somewhere) that the tetracyclines clear parasites from the liver...
Charlie
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Thanks Charlie! I had taken the Doryx (timed release capsules before and had no problem, it also didn't do much).
It seems it's the tablets that are the problem. This is my 3rd time trying them. I can't seem to even get a regular generic in capsule form here to see if it's easier to take. (I could easily be reacting to a filler in those pinkish-orange tablets, or the dye even.)
quote:Maybe it's hitting just what you need it to, I'd quit for awhile then sloooooowly start back up.
I hope that's the case and I can pull this off.
And clearing parasite from the liver would be way cool. Providing my head doesn't blow off in the process.
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
quote:Originally posted by cave76: true,
Fill me in here---is the only reason you're stuck taking the doxy tablets (which seem to have an awful effect on you) because no m.d. will rx anything but those? (I know you've said, but of course I can't remember)
Is there a way you can talk an m.d. into a generic doxy rx?
Is it your phamacy that gives out the brand name doxy tabs or at the advice of your doc. (same as above)
I'm the one being dense here, I know.
Nope, you're not being dense at all. All the scripts have been for generic. I can only find the tablets here.
The second time I tried to take generic doxy I asked if they had generic capsules and the pharmacy said no. They could get the Doryx at about $250/month, hahahaaha. No PA program.
This time the doctor did tell me to get tablets as they felt they are more effective and I thought I'd give it one more go. The prescription is/was for just generic Doxy, not specifically tablets, though.
I will see the doc next week and ask him what to do next.
Actually, I just looked at the bottle and the script is over a month old. I think I'll call Walmart and see if they carry it in capsules. brb...
Ok, Walmart's out to lunch, hahahaha, like that's a surprise. My real pharmacy says they do carry the capsules now. I "could" transfer the script if I want but am not sure it's worth it.
Maybe I should just wait to see the LLMD on Wednesday.
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Bizarrely, Walmart said they would switch out the tablets for caps. I'm going to see what time they're open until today and maybe try soon and see if they're better.
Perhaps it is a binder or filler causing the severe problems.
Got nothing to lose I don't think.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Hmm, how about pulsing this, once or twice per week.
Also, please give yourself time to recover from it before you have to travel to see your LLMD. Heh, since traveling is so much fun.
Carol
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
quote:Originally posted by Carol in PA: Hmm, how about pulsing this, once or twice per week.
Also, please give yourself time to recover from it before you have to travel to see your LLMD. Heh, since traveling is so much fun.
Carol
Thanks Carol, I'm not even sure I can handle the 100mgs all at once even if I skip days.
I went to Walmart and traded them for capsules. I'm trying a half capsule and seeing if it does the same bad thing. (I know it's not an exact science but dumped half out into another capsule. But at least it'd be approximately 50mgs.)
I should know in an hour or so if it's just a very bad drug for me or if it's better this way.
That'll still give me enough time to recover by Tuesday for traveling, I hope. And I do so love traveling.
TB the guinea pig
Posted by DolphinLady (Member # 6275) on :
I'm struggling with this same problem when I herx on babs treatment (biaxin xl/quinine) and it is disabling. (When I'm not herxing I feel better than I have in over 5 years).
I plan to take Mangosteen juice for it as it helps with inflammation from what I've heard from many folks I've talked to. I just placed my order.
Will keep the board posted on my results.
Good luck in the meantime.
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
Ugh, sorry to hear it DolphinLady! I hope the Mangosteen stuff works.
I took 2 days off then tried 50 mgs and it was slightly better. So I took 25 today. I was gonna take another 25 and am glad someone talked me out of it.
This is the scariest thing I've ever taken.
I was on low dose Babs meds for a few months, not Quinine though, and that was interesting (and I need to go back) and different than anything I'd done before.
I think this is just a very wrong med for me. Too many side effects even on 1/8 of the dose I'm supposed to be taking. (They're the side effects on the list where they say to call your doctor. I did and tried lower after speaking to them but it's still a bad idea.)
I hope the juice gets there and works wonders and you feel better soon.
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
I was just thinking...
I don't know what med I'll be able to take but ironically the little bit of Doxy has subdued the gallbladder problems a little. (Too bad about the other stuff like exploding head, eyes, ears, face and neck.)
If only body parts could agree. *sigh*
Does Doxy do this to other people or am I just an anomally, again? (can't spell anomally, not even close am I?)
Posted by jmill2977 (Member # 10513) on :
My family doctor put me on 200mg of doxy when the test results came back. Having done a lot of research on this board since other family members were diagnosed, I knew this was not enough. My wife's llmd suggested 400mg and, fortunately, I have been taking that dosage for 5 days now with no major problems. I am taking theralac every day and take the doxy an hour after meals. I tried to take doxy prior to eating and that was a big mistake!!
Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
JM, Glad to hear you're able to tolerate the Doxy so well. Good going! I think you're doing the right thing in taking the higher dosage. Keep at it.
I am finding this is not the med for me. I had trouble with 100mgs so stopped for 2 days and went back and tried 50. Which was a little better. Yesterday, I only took 25 mgs and decided this is not a good idea.
I'm seeing the LLMD this week so will go to plan B.
I've been sick for about 25 years and was diagnosed 13 years ago. I think lack of proper treatment for the past 9 years has allowed this to get so deeply intrenched in my head that the Doxy is much more than I can handle. My bacterial load is enormous and I have mostly untreated Babesia.
It good to hear that someone is getting proper treatment in a timely fashion. Keep up the good work and beat this thing right off.
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