I'm wondering how long is "safe" for my 19 month old to be on Amoxicillin?
He's been on it for 30 days. Dr. J (from CT) is putting him on another month, and if he feels necessary, he may continue even longer.
I'm wondering how long is TOO long for him to be on the Amoxicillin. Won't he build up a resistance to it? I"m so worried and paranoid about all of this stuff.
Not to mention, sick to my stomach every day that he was bitten by that tick. UGH!!!!
Thanks in advance for your help Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
My children (6 & 4) have been on antibiotics since May of '07.
I would definitely trust Dr. J.
I worry about my children too, but they are doing well.
Hopefully someone else will come along with some other advice.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by tad (Member # 14433) on :
I think as a parent it is safer for you child to stay on the amoxy for as long as his doctor feels he needs to be medicated.
Both my children are on there second month of amoxy and are doing well. Though I worry about the "possible" complications of long term antibiotic use, I worry more about the reality of what this disease does if undertreated or not treat at all. I don't want my children to wake up one morning and be as sick as I am (I've had lyme unknown for atleast a decade). My children's symptoms while there, are more bothersome, than delibating and they function like any other 4 and 5 year old. Go to school everyday, play, swim, dressup. I am glad I thought to test them when I got my diagnosis, because now there symptoms are manageable and they are responding well to treatment.
I am viligant in making sure my children eat there yoghurt, drink lots of water, take their vitamins, nag like only a mother can (LOL). But we have had know problems so far (knock on wood).
Tracy
Posted by KS (Member # 12549) on :
My son has had endless ear infections (he's 2.5 now) and he has been on antibiotics for most of his life (yeah, in retrospect we should have opted for the tubes...). Anyway, I haven't seen any consequences for the extended antibiotic use except for good ears!
Posted by lymemommy (Member # 12495) on :
My son has been on abx for 8 going on 9 months now.
I'm much more worried about what would happen to him if he went OFF of abx. Lyme can do a lot of nasty horrible things to a person, and kids are no exception.
When he tried to go off of abx for a week in November, he was right back to laying on the floor under a blanket, unable to walk, after missing only two doses.
He lasted 5 days off of his second abx, before he bit me. Those five days were full of tantrums, screaming, hitting and verbally threatening behavior.
I credit all of those abx with helping my son go from a very sick little boy, to one who is able to run, jump, play, and learn, like any healthy 5 year old can.
He's not all better yet, but I feel like we are starting to get our baby back.
Lyme is a marathon, not a sprint. Be patient, your child will get better. Learn as much as you can about this illness, parents need to educate themselves, because no one is going to do it for them.
Best of luck with your little one. kp
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Many years ago we put my daughter (then 4) on long term abx for ear infections. Many months later she started to swell up (I think around 6 or 7 months) so we took her off. The ear infections never returned.
All of my siblings and I are sick. Out of our collective 6 kids, there are 2 that are functional. The rest are sick. My daughter is one of the functional.
I can't help but think that the abx are a big part of why my daughter was spared the major symptoms. She does have some symptoms such as problems with her immune system, thyroid, minor depression sometimes, air hunger rarely and trigger points now at 30 years old but in general she is doing very well.
My biggest fear is that she will eventually get sick because I think she still has untreated infections. If I knew then what I know now, I would be very happy to keep her on whatever treatment Dr. J recommends.
As older children/adults you won't have the opportunity to make them get treatment. Do it now. Their life will be better and they will not pass it on to yet another generation. 2 of my neices have daughters. One shows all the signs at an early age of living a life of suffering and the other seems to be sick a lot (in the hospital 2X's) and under 2. Please do what you have to do now, while you can.
Terry
Posted by JaimeeS (Member # 11983) on :
Thank you for your responses. It's very reassuring!!!
Lyme is such a nightmare. How I wish that tick had gotten me and not my baby.
Thanks again - I'll keep him on as long as Dr. J think's is appropriate.
Posted by lymewreck36 (Member # 4395) on :
You can trust Dr. J. I saw him in the beginning, when we lived hear by.
I can tell you that my 9 year old has been on antibiotics for half of her life. She contracted lyme at the age of 3, and began her treatment when she was 4 1/2. In all that time of treatment, she recently went off mediation for three months, but then relapsed.
My two other lyme daughters have been on antibiotics since 2004, and if they go off, have an immediate regression.
Although I have the same fears as all of you above, the fears of not treating the lyme are far greater.
Anyway, just to let you know that if you have to treat longterm, it has been done before....safely.
Take care, mary
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
My friends kids who have Lyme have been on antibiotics from months to years, one girl, for 5 years and still getting better. Everyone's different. 30 days is nothing though, that's a spec of time...usually takes many months if the child was not treated correctly the same day the tick bit them. Hang in there.
Posted by lymewreck36 (Member # 4395) on :
I should add, not to instill intense fear in anyone, but the truth is that lyme can cross the placental barrier during gestation. So, any young girl wishing to have children one day should do all possible to get the infection as under control as possible.
It did happen to me that I had a still born child, which in retrospect, I believe was caused by my undiagnosed lyme disease.
I did go on to have a fourth daughter, who lived, but she was then bitten by a tick and now is being treated.
It's just very important to be treated. Dr. J will monitor your child appropriately. YOu can really trust the man. He's a saint.
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