my friend, anne, is totally computer illiterate so i'm posting for her.
she's going on abx from this doctor. he gave her biaxin, cipro, flagyl, for two weeks to start. he gave her a long term prescrip for the biaxin tho, and only two weeks of the cipro and flagyl "to see how you do".
to me, that's enough to kill a horse. i didn't want to nay-say what any doctor does so i told her i would check here for her.
also i did tell her about theralac and florastor. but i'm not sure that's enough with all those abx. her doctor, of course, never mentioned them at all. she seemed startled that i even recommended something like that.
has anybody ever done this combo? and what dosages should she take of the probiotics? i know at least two hours apart.
i'm just afraid he's using a shotgun and killing an elephant instead of a flyswatter to kill the fly!!
Posted by Marcie (Member # 10070) on :
I'm on Mino, Biaxin, pulsing Flagyl on Sat. and Sun. and going to start Mepron. These abx kill all three forms of lyme. Just tell her to start slow.
I would take multiple probiotics a few times a day, not sure excatly what dose.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Many here take more than that. I don't know HOW they do it, but they do!!
Does she have bart?? Cipro doesn't do much for Lyme. I guess she is taking these for Lyme??
Whatever you take, take a minimum of at least 100 billion CFU's per day. Wish someone had told me that 10 yrs ago!
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
yeah, she's got bart. in fact, symptoms are similar to mine only she has more neuro i think. plus she gets really bad muscle pain and cramps, me not so much.
i can't figure out the cipro either but then hey, i ain't a doc. i also don't agree with the "see how you do" thing. and why only two weeks of flagy. curious and curiouser...
i did recommend the probiotics but again, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
ah, well.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Cipro works for bart.
Show her that link that sparkle posted about the gut and abx.
I took biaxin, amoxy, and flagyl together. I took the flagyl for 3 wks then off for 3 weeks, then on again. But this is my third combo in my seventh month of treatment.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
Beth how many probiotics did you take? Have you made progress on this regiment?
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
Wait...you CANNOT take a macrolide (Biaxin) with a fluoroquinolone as it can severely impact QT interval.
Doxy Flagyl Cipro ... Fine
Biaxin Rifampin Flagyl...Fine
Biaxin Cipro Flagyl...No
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
What are qt levels? I think she's only done one day of this. I'll call and check.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Google it.
QT interval
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
As bcb1200 said, quinolones (cipro) and macrolides (biaxin) are usually not taken together because they can cause prolonged QT interval. That is a dangerous irregular heart rhythm. It can cause heart palpitations, fainting, and sudden cardiac arrest.
Sometimes doctors need to prescribe meds that interact like this. When they do, they usually monitor the patient closely and check frequent EKGs.
Maybe your friend should call to clarify her doctor's instructions.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
Thanks. Just talked to her. She's stopping the Biaxin immediately and going to call him first thing Monday. She did say he's not a lome but somebody who jus wanted to help.
Posted by Beth22 (Member # 30232) on :
i take s boulardi and the probiotic from my doc. it's not near the numbers you all talk about, but it's what she recommends. i think it's 30 billion. so far so good. the combo seems to have helped quite a bit. i am waiting for good news soon. cd 57 test in 10 days.
Posted by daniel (Member # 22201) on :
i would stay on the biaxin for lyme.. it would keep barts in bay as well.. call your doctor and ask if you can switch the biaxin to a tetracycline drug or to replace the cipro with rifampin
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
thanks. Ain't for me but my kooky friend anne
Posted by Jason21 (Member # 16393) on :
Recent studies have shown that Tindamax is better than flagyl (and much superior to other abxs) for LD in at least the spirochete and cyst form. (I would guess it is probably just as good for the L-form.)
Tindamax can be combined with cipro. I did that combo for 6 months for LD and bart and got back to 100% with no significant side-effects.
The nice thing about this combo is that tindamax is an abx and an antiprotozoal (so it treats babesia as well). Also, the cipro not only treats bart, but it supposedly helps to shuttle other abxs into your body's cells where they can get to TBDs.