I started Zith and Flagyl for my babesia WA1 a month ago. Since then I have become a big consumer of Imodium. The runs are a pretty consistent problem.
I told my LLMD about this and he scoffed saying that he uses zith because it causes fewer gut problems....I was stunned...In my experience it causes more for me than most antibiotics. This is really bugging me, to disagree so with my LLMD over this.
So, I would like to know how others here have experienced zith in relation to their gut....
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
Zithromax speeds up intestinal motility and can cause diarrhea, Biaxin does the same thing.
Make sure you are taking your s.boulardii and probiotics! The Flagyl causes diarrhea too, all antibiotics can do that. Again, make sure you take ample probiotics, and if the diarrhea becomes constant, or you have pain and cramping, get a c.diff toxin test.
Posted by breathwork (Member # 567) on :
I take all sorts of flora and fauna replacements....and eat bananas, yogurt, etc...It may be time to test for C. Diff....We shall see...I've been at this game since 1998 and have never had this much of an issue with my gut.
Until then I would still love to hear from others about their experiences...
Posted by MariaA (Member # 9128) on :
My zith didn't hurt anything (except wacking some Borellia very nicely!). I was amazed at how few side effects it had for me, no gut issues. However, I just researched the side effects of several antibiotics on the 'net, and found a disproportionate number of people saying that zith gave them really bad diarrhea.
All antibiotics can cause gut issues if your intestinal flora get out of balance (probiotics might help reduce that), but when I was reading up on this I was comparing this with what they were saying about other antibiotics and it really seemed like zith caused the diarrhea more than others did.
Posted by lymebytes (Member # 11830) on :
I second what Wildcondor recommends,Saccharomyces Boulardii (a good yeast) this can also be taken with a strong probiotic as well. I take this one by Jarrow: http://www.iherb.com/store/ProductDetails.aspx?c=Herbs&pid=JRW-03004 It is ok to take both. I am on Biaxin (sister drug) with Amoxi and had no GI issuess. I buy both at iherb.com they ship in cold packs because they are heat sensitive. Take care.
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
My LLMD has me on flagyl 250mg once a week to prevent C. diff.
I didn't have any lower GI issues on zithromax...I guess I am lucky.
My husband took one and had a severe stomach ache and fever.
Not a herx persay, but a bad reaction to zithromax which he will no longer take.
Our LLMD put him on 3000mg of amoxil instead.
This is in addition to the flagyl and malarone he is taking.
He never did get the runs, but he said he sure did feel like he had.
Hope you are feeling better soon.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
Zithromax causes having-to-run-to-the-bathroom kinds of "runs" for a lot of people, not necessarily diarhhea but having to suddenly GO- I've heard that over from support group people over the years- your LLMD (is that my old lovely one*)!*! is WRONG!&)!*) Even angels can be wrong once in a while-!*)! USUALLY does NOT do so unless longterm which is why he may have this idea... may use it more short term like for Mepron in which case I bet the intestinal stuff gets shrugged off as a Mepron side effect!!! Anywayz, even angels are not always right*)! Best wishes, Sarah
Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
Hi BreathWork!
This isn't the first time you have treated your WA-1, is it?
Is Mepron somewhere in that mix?
I experienced the same problem for YEARS! It took 1.5 years of lyme AND babesia treatment to make it cease. C. diff and other fecal occult studies were negative (whew!).
My doctor explained it as some kind of autonomic disfunction. In other words, when my brain started getting better, it would improve. And finally it did!
My problems were not caused by the Zith since they preceded its use.
I wish you luck beating down the WA-1. For me, it seems a couple months off treatment and it's back. It is one evil bug - worse than lyme itself! (Just my opinion, a'course!)
Michelle
Posted by chetesrus (Member # 10010) on :
Don't wait too long after taking the zith before you take your probiotics. I have trouble if I wait 3 hours to take the probiotics, but I don't if I take them an hour later. Also, make sure you are using a good quality probiotic such as theralac.
Posted by Penn92 (Member # 9207) on :
I agree you need to take probiotics in many billions of CFUs and especially get some S. boulardii in there.
The general rule for probiotics after abx is a wait time of at least 2 hours, though. I try to take them farther away (4 hours or more) and I always take my big dose right before bed so they can percolate all night undisturbed.
So far, so good. Daily right now I'm on Mepron 2 tsp., 500mg zith., and 2 Bactrim as well. Occasionally gurgly, but not running to the bathroom.
Hope you can work out a regimen for yourself!
Posted by breathwork (Member # 567) on :
Thanks everybody...and, yes, I do have WA1, again.
This is my treatment for WA1...Flagyl, Zith, with Fluconozole added in for yeast.
I'm using Shaklee probiotics, encapsulated to release in the gut, not the stomach...It got me through nine months of IV Rocephin without a hitch.
I'm also taking saccromyces, not at same moment as the other drugs..in between...
The reason Mepron isn't in my regimen is that I have celiac disease and in my case, do not process fats properly...they tend to go right on through. I've been gluten free for two years, so no more GI issues.
That is until I started the Zith and Flagyl...added in the Fluconozole a week later. The dashes to the restroom began a few days into the Zith and Flagyl.
Yes, Sarah, our lovley doc put me on these meds..and, yes, I still think he's a swell guy...I was his fist patient after returning from his two week vacation, so he may not have been in the groove yet. I'll chat with him again at my next appt. to see if he's still of the same mind.
I'm also chatting with my GI doc soon about whether or not I can take Mepron for my babs....
We shall see!
Thank you All!
Carol Ann
Posted by luvs2ride (Member # 8090) on :
My dog just had a very bad bout of diahrrea. I was very surprised to see the vet put her on Flaygl to stop the diahrrea.
Huh?
Luvs
Posted by tabbytamer (Member # 3159) on :
breathwork,
I've been on 600 mgs of Zith a day for at least 6 months now along with Mepron.
Have some stomach/heartburn type stuff, but the Zith has been the mildest abx on my gut so far. Occassionally a problem. Two or three times a month, maybe.
Sorry you're having such a tough time
Never have been on Flagyl, though.
Posted by Lymied (Member # 6704) on :
Zithromax was a wonder antibiotic for me.
I found when I herxed I would be running to the bathroom. I am convinced I had intestinal herxes. I could be on the same levels of antibiotics and not have issues for weeks then BLAM! when I was herxing and experiencing neuro herx symptoms my gut would go haywire too.
I remember reading in a book called 'The Second Brain' that our guts are lined with more neurotransmitters than our brains...
Something to maybe consider...
Posted by breathwork (Member # 567) on :
Thanks again everyone...sorry it took so long to reply...been sleeping like Rip Van Winkle.
I'll ask my GI doc about this gut reaction...It really is an amazing organ....or group of them...
As to the dog's treatment, parasites can cause awful runs in dogs, and flagyl is the first line treatment for parasites in dogs. Not unusual in any way.
When we adopted our last Springer Spaniel, a rescue, he had the same problem and flagyl took care of it nicely. So, don't worry Luvs...the treatment is pretty standard.
Carol Ann
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
Luvs- Flagyl is used for intestinal spirochetes by GI doctors for humans, too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is great for it, actually!!! Just fyi- Sarah/Cal
![[Frown]](frown.gif)