I know doxy isn't enough to treat chronic Lyme, and that stronger drugs and co-infection drugs are needed. But is doxy worth a try for a while, perhaps with tini, as a combo? I'm not asking if it will cure Lyme, just asking what people's experiences are with regard to whether its worthwhile to use for a few months. Thanks.
Posted by dan67 (Member # 20344) on :
up
Posted by cheffer (Member # 28737) on :
I took Doxy for months by itself. It helped but I took double the normal amount 4 pills a day - 2 in the morning and 2 at night. Beware of the sun if you do this
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
My LLMD used doxy in combination with other drugs. You might check out Dr. B's treatment guidelines to see what he says.
Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
Doxy was the only abx I was on for 9 months. (I'd gone through the 18 months of a variety of abx previously and had reached a plateau.) The doxy was low dose. Only 100 mg 2x/day.
I took myself off it while waiting to see a new LLMD. Been without it for almost 4 months and have REALLY deteriorated.
New LLMD started me on zith this week.It will be one week on and one week off for a while.
Wondering why that's pulsed and doxy isn't.
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
After trying an array of other antibiotics for 1 year, I have now been on just Doxy for the past 2 years. I have had the most improvement on just Doxy.
I am now at a plateau and maybe getting close to remission. My doc wants me to continue on Doxy for a while longer. I am dealing with some psych issues at the moment and that is my focus for the time being. But as far as lyme goes, Doxy has been the best med for me.
Posted by dan67 (Member # 20344) on :
Marz, Suthern, which other antibiotics have you tried?
Also: Have you guys tried other tetracyclines, specifically mino? If so, how did they compare to doxy? Thanks.
Posted by melindacf (Member # 5412) on :
my llmd has me on doxy and clarithromycin and it's worked pretty well until lately. I think I need to change up as I've gotten worse lately. I was on mino for probably a year or so before the doxy (with clar) and I had to stop it due to getting lots of black spots on my skin, all over. They look like little bruises. Evidently this is a common side effect for some people. I had previously been on Rocephin, zith., flagyl, mepron(only breifly) and ceftin. I never got much better on any of those. I've tested negative for babs and bart. and all others except EBV, CMV, and coxxaci B (sp)? I'm not sure what 2 try at this point. Going to see llmd next week, hoping 4 some answers then. Best of luck 2 you.
Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
Dan67, during those 18 months I was on doxy, flagyl, ceftin, zith and metronidazole.
Also tried cipro as a challenge for bart more recently.
I've wondered if mino wouldn't be a good idea, since I think it's supposed to penetrate the brain well.
The reason new LLMD chose zith now was so I could be in the sun this summer. Not sure if they're really interchangeable as to what they do.
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
I was on zith, flagly, biaxin, mino, malarone, and probably at least one other before going on doxy. I basically had no improvement until starting doxy.
However, we are all different. We have different strains and variations of infections. So what might work for one, might not work for another. Its basically trial and error.
Posted by dan67 (Member # 20344) on :
all these positive reports on doxy seem to agree with Dr. C's recent youtube video on Lyme -- he says doxy helps many people.
Posted by CherylSue (Member # 13077) on :
Yes, I took doxy 200mg BID. That was my second drug, and it really cleared my brain. I did relapse on it, though, but I had taken it a long time off and on. I think my body became resistant to it. It didn't clear up everything, though. Cefuroxime Axetel (ceftin) later put me in a longer remission.
I did get a darker pigment patch on my face that I attributed to the doxycygline. You can't take it in the summer either if you plan to be in the sun. It also discolors your teeth a bit.
It's a good drug, but you really need to take 400mg a day for it to work.
Don't take it with milk products or recline for a least an hour.
Posted by dan67 (Member # 20344) on :
Up... curious to see if there are any more responses to this - anyone else succesffully use doxy for chronic Lyme? Interesting discussion in this thread......
Posted by erikjh1972 (Member # 20964) on :
for me it helped with a combo, by itself not so much.
Posted by t9im (Member # 25489) on :
Hi dan and all:
I attended Dr. Sapi's seminar at the UNH in May and she showed results of various drugs against LB in its 3 forms (spirochete, bleeb, and cyst (with bio films).
All was in vitro (test tube, not human).
Doxy lowered the spirochete load by 90% BUT increased the development of round body (doubled).
Amoxicillin reduced spirochetes by 85% & round body by 60%.
Flagyl reduced spiros by 90% and round body by 80%.
Tindamax lowered the spirochete and round body load by 90%.
You can read the results on line.
I think the gist is if you stop doxy the cysts / bio film colonies break up and the spirochetes come back.
On screen you could actually see live spirochetes within the cyst / bio film colony (they used an atomic microscope)
Doxy and Tindamax was the best combination from what I remember.
Posted by dan67 (Member # 20344) on :
Tim, interesting. Actually, my guess as to why doxy is so helpful to people is that it probably hits many co-infections not included in Dr. Sapi's study. Just a guess.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Sure. It's very good, but if you plateau on it, move on. It's good in the beginning because it hits ehrlichia and other co's.
and yes, be sure to add flagyl or tindamax eventually, or you will have many cysts
Posted by t9im (Member # 25489) on :
I've read that doxy really does nothing for chronic Lyme. Google it. Very affective in early Lyme if taken right away.
Posted by lada (Member # 32618) on :
I've read that doxy really does nothing for chronic Lyme. Google it. Very affective in early Lyme if taken right away.