Has anyone experienced severe head pressure on these medications? I am not sure if it is a side effect or a herx, but i am getting severe head pressure at my temples and at the base of my skull. Also feel as if i am wearing a tight helmet.
These medications also make me incredibly off balance and i can't walk in a straight line. I'm a bit concerned about it and my doctors isn't open today so i can't call Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I was on clindamycin and did not experience that. It may be a good idea to back off taking the meds and check in with your doctor. I am not a doctor myself, just an opinion.
Posted by SLML (Member # 42986) on :
Sounds like it may be hitting Babesia to me....head pressure and off balance. Clindamycin hits babesia.
Posted by LymeNotLymes (Member # 45544) on :
Head pressure goes along with my Babesia.
Posted by tiredoflyme89 (Member # 46199) on :
I don't usually get the head pressure as a symptom. It only started while on abx. I have been very concerned as i read mino can cause intracranial hypertension
Posted by lolo (Member # 43186) on :
That head pressure with doxy and/or mino my doc said is the one dangerous thing to watch for……yes its intracranial hypotension. Please contact your doctor about this. I started to get some head pressure after 3 mos on doxy(mino apparently is the most likely to cause it) and I stopped taking doxy at that point. You do not want to run the risk of getting it as it does not always go away when the meds are stopped.
Doc sent me an article about it.
Posted by tiredoflyme89 (Member # 46199) on :
Thanks for the info. I do not know for sure if it is this but i have only been on mino 3 days and have stopped. How do you know if you have it?
Posted by SacredHeart (Member # 44733) on :
My do said you will have a headache with head pressure all the way around your head. I think it causes some swelling on the brain and it can be serious.
Call your doc.
Posted by shoeless joe (Member # 45835) on :
Oh I remember minocycline,I had brutal head pressure.
I never made it to the full dose and had to stop.
That was a tough one to take.
Posted by jackie51 (Member # 14233) on :
My lyme doc prescribes minocycline with a caveat. If head pressure begins within a few days, you must stop. I've never received that warning for clindamycin. Clinda is known for producing c diff (nasty horrible diarrhea that can be deadly).
Yes, getting well is a rocky road.
Good luck.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I never took mino, just clindamycin. I took it for 5 years and never got C diff. I got C diff once from erythromycin. Go figure...
Posted by jackie51 (Member # 14233) on :
Robin--that's good to know. So far, so good for me. I'm on 300 4x/day
Posted by tiredoflyme89 (Member # 46199) on :
I went to the ER as my doctor recommended better safe than sorry because he thought if it was a herx that iburprofen and benadryl may have taken it off. The ER doctor said due to red in my throat and fluid in my ear he thought it was a respiratory infection. He said my optic nerves were sharp so he didn't think there was any brain swelling and he never did an MRI or anything like that.
He gave me a different cyclin antibiotic and tylenol codeine to help the pain. I took the codeine today and it hasn't helped my head pressure at all and has just made me feel even more off. I am also having weird eye symptoms and the light looks so bright to me. I also feel like i have no support network. I live with my parents because my husband and i separated. I do not currently work while going through this. I have no income either which doesn't help things at all, especially as i don't feel up to working currently. My parents just say it's all too overwhelming and they need a break from it and can't take all the negativity. When i text my dad asking if he could take me to ER because i was very concerned he just ignored me. They constantly get annoyed by it all and act like it is all an inconvenience.
I don't even know what to do right now. I am scared and don't know what is happening to me or where to turn.
Posted by Jane2904 (Member # 15917) on :
Hang in there.
How r you feeling today?
Posted by SLML (Member # 42986) on :
I am so sorry that your parents are not supporting you in the way that you need right now. That is really hard.
I believe it is head pressure. You could lay off the medicine a bit until it dies down.
A couple of things that might help:
Ginkgo Biloba - helps reduce head pressure by increasing micro-circulation. ($8 on Amazon)
Nattokinase - thins your blood a little (lyme produces thick blood). This helps with micro-circulation. ($10 on Amazon)
I believe head pressure has to do with reduced circulation of the blood to the brain.
Today is free shipping on Amazon "Prime Day".
Posted by ksmargeson (Member # 46408) on :
Yikes, I have this too. Constant mild headache, worst at temples and base of skull. I also have tight jaws, sort of plugged ears and very very blurry vision with pain behind the eyes. It started for me on my 3rd dose of Mino. I called my doc and she said it was just a herx, and to power through (we did reduce my dose to 50mg 2x a day). It's 6 weeks later now, and all of my other herx symptoms have come and gone. But this terrible vision and head pain continues. I'm terrified I'm doing permanent damage. I called my doctor again today and I hope she'll take me seriously. If not, does anyone know where to get evaluated for this?? Or should I stop mino on my own and see if it improves? What do you suggest? (BTW,I am newly diagnosed- this is my first time treating Lyme after 23 years infection). Thanks.
Posted by ksmargeson (Member # 46408) on :
Where does one go to be evaluated for intracranial hypertension? Eye doctor? ER??
Posted by dbpei (Member # 33574) on :
ks,I would think that if you are having vision problems, perhaps an eye doctor could at least examine you? I wouldn't want to fool around with vision changes. Here is a good site that explains Intracranial Hypertension and how it would be diagnosed.
So sorry you are going through this tiredoflyme. I hope your LLMD will guide you and you begin to get some relief from your head pressure. It is very scary to have this, I know.
Sometimes, the dead spirochetes have nowhere to go and your body is getting signals to get rid of these toxins, so inflammation (cytokine production - the soldiers!) is increased.
It helps some to take epsom salt baths, to drink water with squeezed lemons, and to use Alka Seltzer Gold while dealing with these symptoms.
But head pressure is nothing to fool around with. You did the right thing by going to the ER. Keep in close touch with your doc about this.
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