Cannot continue Amox as I am allergic to it. I am covered in a red rash.
Is Biaxin OK alone? My test results just show Lyme, no co-infections. Sure appreciate the help- Lo Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
I would ask what your symptoms are telling you. Much more important than any test, IMHO.
I don't think Biaxin does much when used alone but I'm not a doctor.
I do hope you're able to figure it out.
Posted by Lo (Member # 987) on :
Thanks for the reply. Up until now whenever I went off of any abx, I went in to a herxing. This would be after only 3 or 4 days. I would also develope a Lyme rash on my neck that was huge and ugly.
It has been about 4 days now since I stopped amox and as of now so far so good. I just do not really know anything about Biaxin. When the doctor put me on it, he thought I had a couple of co-infections but they came back negative through Igenex, a San Diego lab and one in Denver I believe.
Lo
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
It sounds to me like you might have Bartonella. Maybe the abx you have taken have kept it at bay or if you've been treating it for a long time, you need something different or stronger.
I am treating Bart and not having completed treatment, everytime I stop Bart abx, the symptoms come back in 3-4 days. Maybe that's what you're experiencing?
I have many symptoms of Bart & Babesia and have tested negative 2 times. Coinfection diagnosing very much needs to be clinical.
What are your symptoms? What abx have you been on?
Posted by jkmom (Member # 14004) on :
I took Biaxin alone or zith alone for about a year, then another 6 months later. It kept my symptoms under control, but they would come back within a few days if I stopped.
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
Try checking out this symptoms list. It's very good. Maybe it will give you some direction.
Biaxin is supposed to be given with either Amantadine or Plaquenil if you are treating lyme. The lyme hangs out in the cell wall in a pool of low PH where Biaxin isn't effective. The Amantadine / Plaquenil will raise the PH in the cell and make the Biaxin work better.
This is mentioned in Dr. B's treatment guidelines.
I was on Biaxin w amantadine for 3 mo.
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
One thing about Bartonella is symptoms will return in 3 to 4 days. If you have Bart but treat lyme, you can treat another 10 years and still not feel better. Bart must be treated before lyme treatment can be effective.
Also you said, "Lyme rash on my neck that was huge and ugly". I don't know what the rash looked like, but Bartonella is known for its rashes.
Please consider and look into this. Consider looking at that symptom link I posted above.
The abx that have really helped Bart in my family are Rifampin, Cipro, and Bactrim DS. Have you ever taken these? If so, how did you feel?
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
I think you have to address lyme in all three form and biaxin only attacks the intercellular form.
If you are relapsing in a few days rather than weeks, it is probably bartonella. It is very common for people with bartonella to test negative because the labs only test for two strains. I am one of those people. You have to go by symptoms.
Biaxin has some activity against bartonella but it is usually combined with Rifampin or Bactrim DS. You might try adding Rifampin for a while to see if you improve.
Posted by lululymemom (Member # 26405) on :
Biaxin and Flagyl are actually good treatments for Lyme and Bart.. I know of someone who got over their illness with this combo. Flagyl works agains the cyst form of Lyme as well as the bart infection.
Posted by janet thomas (Member # 7122) on :
CEPHALOSPORINS must be of advanced generation: first generation drugs are rarely effective and second generation drugs are comparable to amoxicillin and doxycycline both in-vitro and in-vivo. Third generation agents are currently the most effective of the cephalosporins because of their very low MBC's (0.06 for ceftriaxone), and relatively long half-life. Cephalosporins have been shown to be effective in penicillin and tetracycline failures. Cefuroxime axetil (Ceftin), a second generation agent, is also effective against staph and thus is useful in treating atypical erythema migrans that may represent a mixed infection that contains some of the more common skin pathogens in addition to Bb. Because this agent's G.I. side effects and high cost, it is not often used as first line drug. As with the penicillins, try to achieve high, sustained blood and tissue levels by frequent dosing and/or the use of probenecid. Measure peak and trough blood levels when possible
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