LymeNet Flash: Starting Doxy

This is topic Starting Doxy in forum General Support at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by jbgoth (Member # 5567) on :

I had my first appointment with my LLMD today. Based on previous western blot and symptoms i have officially been diagnosed with LD!!!!

She is running i think every test you can imagine to find out just what else i may have. Im even going for a MRI and a SPECT scan of my brain.

So, she is starting me on 400mg of doxycycline. I am so excited, scared, and overwhelmed about starting treatment. I just wonder what my body is going to do.

Im supposed to go to NY in 3 weeks and hope i wont be herxing.

Anyway, thank you for all of your support.
I will search for doxy personal stories, but if anyone wants to tell me theirs i would love to read it.

Jordan

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Posted by lymie tony z (Member # 5130) on :

Hi,
I am really sorry to hear you have LD. However I am glad you are going to get help.
Why are you going to new york? If you are going to participate in the Columbia University study I don't think you want to start any ABX's just yet.
I was a prime candidate this year but because they were slow in their response I got on IV abx's and then I knocked myself out of the study by getting better...
Anyway...I initially got on ammoxycillin and doxycillin orally as my first official lyme disease treatment...for six months....they took me off even though I still had symptoms (only) three days a month.
IN one month and a half I was worse than I was before the diagnosis. So be careful not to come off if you still have symptoms...even if your doc tells you you're "CURED" cuz I've been told that at least three or four times since 98 and I'm still sick after three rounds of IV abx's and a whole host of orals....if you get it on the run keep it on the run...and good luck.
My prayers go out to you
the zman

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Posted by jbgoth (Member # 5567) on :

zman,

Thanks for writing me back. These support boards are so important and helpful. It makes you feel like others care and they want to help.

When or if i get well, i want to give back to all the newbies who have questions.

Im going to NY just for fun actually. We have tickets to The Producers so its something i have really been looking forward to.

Im so nervous to start taking the doxy. Maybe i will just take one 100mg pill tonight.

Thanks Again

Jordan

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Posted by Beverly (Member # 1271) on :

Hi Jorden,

I'm glad you have a proper diagnosis, it sounds like you found a great LLMD, hopefully soon you will be on your road to wellness.

I hope you don't end up herxing In New York. Some people never herx, and some midly, so maybe you will be on of them.

Doxy was the very first drug I took, and I was real scared to take it at first because I had a lot of reactions to abx in the past. But everything turned out fine, I actually did good on doxy.

Just be careful of the sun, eat with it cuz it can cause stomach upset, and take lots of acidophilus to replace the good bacteria that gets killed.

Let us know how everything is going for you and I hope you have fun in New York!

Beverly

Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :

Good evening Jordan,

I'm so pleased that you have been diagnosed and have found a LLMD to work with.

I would just like to add a bit to what Beverly has already touched on re: Doxy...

There are several Doxy Do's (or Don'ts):

-avoid milk and all dairy products within 2 hours of your abx - including ant-acids, many dairy products are hidden, so check labels.

-avoid all iron supplements within 2 hours of your abx. Otherwise the potency of the abx could be reduced. This is true of all drugs in the tetracycline family.

-avoid the sun- including protecting eyes and hands even in the car. Burns can happen very quickly.

-avoid laying down for at least half an hour to avoid esophageal burning.

-be sure to take with food.

-do not ever crush your meds.

-do a thorough drug interaction check with any other meds.

-be sure you are doing pro-biotics to replace the `good' bacteria' being killed by your abx.

-be sure you are following the special low-carb/ low-sugar diet.

-be sure to drink tons of water with fresh lemon.

-and...be sure to go easy on yourself...doxy is known as a tuff med...so give yourself a little break when needed.

For more information re: doxy treatment, please see Dr. B's guidelines...
Dr. Joseph J. Burrascano's Guidelines http://www.ilads.org/burrascano_1102.htm

Also, keep a good attitude and positive outlook...people DO get better

Success Stories: http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/022173.html

My very best,
Melanie

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C O L O R A D O * S U P P O R T * S Y S T E M
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Posted by CNS (Member # 5527) on :

I dln't want to make you worried, but I am on doxy and have been having a terrible time on it. I started at 400mg and they had to cut my dose in half cause it was making me soooo sick to my stomach, no matter what I did. so I am going to tell you what my llmd told me,
It'll probably get worse before it gets better but doxy is a good medication. Be patient with it and let it do it's job.

Also listen to melanie, take care of yourself while you are taking it.
-what I had to do, I have to take it at night about a hour before I go to bed, and after a full meal. It seems to help cause I sleep through alot of the side effects.

good luck, and I sure hope you feel better.
Corinna

Posted by Babygirl (Member # 5330) on :

I too have just started on doxy. I take 100mg twice a day and wow oh wow does it do a job on my tummy!! It's only been a week, but I can tell you... I am now glad that I decided to take some time off work! I NEVER would have been able to do my job!

Melanie... thanks for the info and the link!

Posted by rambleguy (Member # 5389) on :

Hey Jordan,

Good luck with the Doxy, and everything else. I've been on it for almost 4 months now. The others have pretty much summed things up, but I'll add this warning: you don't necessarily have to take the doxy just after eating (in fact, it is supposed to be better if you wait a couple of hours after eating) but don't EVER take it on an empty stomach, because you will hurl.

Also, sometimes with me, about an hour after I take it, I get a weird sensation, almost like I'm going to break out in a cold sweat. I think that might be related to taking it on an empty, or nearly empty stomach, too, but I'm not sure.