What is the prognosis for alcoholics with Lyme disease?
I guess flagyl would be out of the question.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
DR B says the 2 main reasons for someone not responding to treatment is the use of alcohol and lack of adequate rest.
Flagyl is out of the question.
Posted by charlie (Member # 25) on :
...they may just be showing exaggerated effects from alcohol. When I was in the acute phase I couldn't drink a beer without feeling(and acting) wasted.
once you get towards remission alcohol tolerance returns to normal.
NO flagyl.(although it may stop the drinking)
Charlie
Posted by minoucat (Member # 5175) on :
I think this is an excellent question because I'm sure many undiagnosed lymies (and even diagnosed lymies) self medicate with alcohol because of the pain, anxiety, depression, rejection by the medical community, etc. that LD causes.
One of my husband's good friends, a severe alcoholic, recently died. We'd been out of touch for a long time, but hearing the family recite his symptoms and his abysmal history of trying to get help -- and given that he lived in a lyme-endemic area -- we're sure he had LD for many years.
The problems that I would foresee for an alcoholic are issues with the liver and abx; the problem of staying on a steady regimen, the problems of blood sugar regulation and the immune syxtem, and the problems posed by candida and other opportunistic bacteria that alcoholics face in any situation.
Posted by Cobweb (Member # 10053) on :
With or without Lyme- the prognosis for the active alcoholic is not good.
Posted by just don (Member # 1129) on :
I quit drinking entirely in Oct. of 1999,,,havent had a drink since.
Even ONE beer or drink made me feel like I was on fire. Once had 3 beers with a high school friend who was in town cause his dad was dying. Had three day hangover from them,,,might as well of had 33 or 333 of them, same result!!
My guess is drinking and treatment isnt co-habitaive. Made me feel so bad I havent touched it since.
Makes one wonder how the world goes on with so much drinking going on. Around HERE,if you dont drink, you are WAAAAAAAY out of place,,,and dont fit in 'anywhere'!! Thats how ingrained it is around here!! sadly--just don--
Posted by Cobweb (Member # 10053) on :
New bumper sticker:
REAL MEN DON'T DRINK
or
REAL MEN EAT LEMONS
or
REAL MEN DETOX (double entondra-sp-a little help here please-meaning double meaning)
JD Cobweb
Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :
My LLMD said that drinking would be one thing that could severely limit how much I would heal from Lyme.
something she felt really strongly about.
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
SOmeone in our local group just had a dreadful reaction to dirnking who formerly before Lyme had never had such a physical reaction- from my experience I personally believe Lyme can make people alcoholic- I am or was because I don't want to go back to it- a drug & alcohol counselor by profession.
My personal sobriety date is April 16, 1990. I think the prognosis is great for alcoholics who stop drinking.
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
p.s. I've written of the only treatment failures in our local group who were RF patients- a man and a woman- (relapsing fever, he had borrelia Hermsii, she had Borrelia Parkeri)- the RF woman who did horribly- and died of breast cancer and Lyme- she drank a lot and considered herself an active alcoholic, a factor in the way she did, I am sure. She had once been sober but had relapsed.
Posted by locdog (Member # 10372) on :
My doc says no alchohol. But thats hard.
I just try to keep it to a minimum.
I love a good cocktail but it is never neccesary.
I find i drink more when im feeling better and less or not at all when feeling bad.
Especially with the babs headaches alchohol makes em so much worse feels like a permanent hangover.
I drank a LOT for a long time and finally cut it out completely for 2 months when started treatment.
No caffeinne Little(should be none)alchohol Lots of excersise Low Sugar High Fat Low Calcium Plenty of Ginkgo Mepron and Zith
Thats my regiment and it seems to be doing good...slow but good!
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
I drank so much in college it is a wonder that I and my liver lived to graduate.
However, I voluntarily gave up alcohol about 9 years ago.
Hated feeling like dirt.
I don't miss it. I never missed it.
Maybe having a Dad who is an alcoholic is a good cure.
![[hi]](graemlins/hi.gif)
JD