Hello all my name is Dennis, I was bitten by a tick back in Sept 2008 (see pics) I didn't realize it was a tick bite until Oct 2008 when I started getting shoulder pains near left center of the shoulder blade. It would travel down to my shoulder joint ..to the tricep and forearm, my doc prescribed the usual muscle relaxers anti inflammatory ,,,etc etc,, the pain wasn't slowing down! I found the pics of the bite & rash that i took back in Sept and figured i better get to the doc ASAP....
He sent out blood (MI version) well it came back neg?!?! I talked him to sending blood to IGeneX (results below)just to be safe he put me 10 days of Doxicycline (50mg) 2-times daily.. Well it went away for 16 months. Then in late 2009 all the back pain shoulder pain tiredness all returned he said I had an ear infection and prescribed me augmentum... oddly after 2 weeks all symptoms were gone!
Fast forward to mid July 2011 during a major Michigan heat wave I started feeling back pain, night sweats tiredness (all the previous symptoms) Went back my Doc he prescribed me doxy 100 mg 2 times a day for 10 days he is not a LLMD so he thinks that I don't have Lyme?
So I found a LLMD and cannot see him until 9-26-11
My question is I have been taking the doxy 100 mg 2-times daily as long as I can stand it 3 to 5 days but the nausea is awful! I also have a prescription for 50 mg doxy if i stagger from 50 100 will this still be doing good? I dont want to quit taking it and let it get worse.
I have had some good days and some pretty horrible days..Tired feeling like this is never gonna be over!! pain keeping me up at night! The pain actually travels..sometime my shoulder joint aches, sometime my tricep..bicep.. At time I just get panicky and the anxiety is awful! it comes out of nowhere! the thoughts of am I dying here?!?!
Im attaching the pics of my bite - rash and lab results from IGeneX I have never been officially diagnosed with Lyme but the pics and IND at bar 41 on Blots has me somewhat convinced! I have only had 2 flare ups and this being my 3rd.
any thoughts or advice on how to deal with the helplessness and anxiety would be much appreciated!
Thank you, Dennis
[ 09-06-2011, 09:00 PM: Message edited by: db1561 ]
Posted by fflutterby (Member # 28081) on :
Make sure you take Doxy with food. Meaning half way through a meal.
Posted by db1561 (Member # 25695) on :
I have been doing that...sometimes its okay, it seems like after a few days of the 100 mgs 2-times a day it doesn't matter. But my concern is will the doxy still keep doing its job at 50mg's 2 times a day? just to give my system a rest.. and i can eat more...
thx
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
You should check with a pharmacist, but I don't think a low dose of doxy is going to do much for you. It is going to kill off bacteria in your intestines, and that's going to cause problems.
If the nausea is so awful, stop the med for several days or a week and see how you feel. While you are off, take a good magnesium and good probiotics.
Lyme causes low magnesium, and low magnesium causes anxiety and many other problems.
Supplementing magnesium is something you can do for yourself. Mag glycinate and mag citrate are good, just DON'T get the cheap stuff, the magnesium oxide, as it does not absorb well.
It's another couple weeks until you can see the LLMD. One suggestion would be to take Cat's Claw, which stimulates the white blood cells to phage, or eat, bacteria.
You can look up cat's claw at iHerb.com and compare the different brands. Reading reviews by people who have used it can be helpful. And you can google for articles.
You really do need to take probiotics. Kefir is good, it's a food available in the dairy section of the grocery store. I make it with the starter powder, which is very easy and much less expensive. The best way would be with Kefir grains, which you can read about at kefirlady.com and at dom's kefir site.
So those are my suggestions. Stop the antibiotic, since you are so nauseated. Take magnesium. Take probiotics...you'll likely need them for a long time.
Also remember, we are just strangers. Although we speak from experience, we are not qualified to give medical advice. That's why you pay the big bucks to the physicians.
Posted by db1561 (Member # 25695) on :
Thanks for the reply! Lots of info.... I am so new to this im afraid to stop taking any medications due to fear of getting worse? I guess im kind of panicking because i want this gone over night!! Which i understand is NOT going to happen... But my biggest issue is the impatience of seeing a LLMD i guess a few isnt really that far away in lyme time. And i do take a magnesium supplement normaly.... But i have been taken them sporadicly due to stomach issues. I have been takinh more than a mulitiple which has magnesium in it..
Posted by db1561 (Member # 25695) on :
Also i have been eating yogurt and ensure imune booster.. It has probiotics... Not sure if it has enough but better than nothing?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I really think you should just post that you have band 41 .. not the actual test result with your and your doctor's names on it!!!
your doctor really screwed up by giving you a LOW dosage of doxy for 10 whopping days!!!
You need 200mg twice a day .. but at this point you may as well change to another antibiotic if 50mg is making you that ill.
Glad you found us!! Do lots of reading here!!!
PS Ensure contains a lot of sugar and yogurt contains very few probiotics.
Posted by db1561 (Member # 25695) on :
The 50 mg is fine it was the 100mg that was making me pretty nauseated at times.... So many suggestions boy am i confused!! Ha ha ha! As far as my name and my former doc on the test didnt think it would matter? Why is that not advised? Just curious...
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
This is a very PUBLIC board.
Posted by db1561 (Member # 25695) on :
Removed test results thanks for the heads up!
Posted by db1561 (Member # 25695) on :
I'm not sure what to do now... Just stop taking everything and wait to see the LLMD.... I'm getting more confused by the minute?!?! arrrg! its like I'm throwing glasses of water at a forest fire! hmmmmm..
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
quote:Originally posted by db1561: And i do take a magnesium supplement normaly.... But i have been taken them sporadicly due to stomach issues. I have been takinh more than a mulitiple which has magnesium in it..
Look at the list of ingredients. Does it say magnesium oxide? Ugh...mag oxide is cheap, so they use it, but it doesn't absorb well.
Multiple vitamins don't put alot of magnesium into the tablet because it is so bulky. You need 400 mg daily, and many people take more.
Lymetoo's suggestions for probiotics are very good. I think yogurt is fairly useless for probiotics.
So many suggestions? Stop the antibiotic because it's making you so nauseated. A low dose of doxy is not going to kill Lyme bacteria, but it will kill the bacteria in the intestines, which you NEED.
Take a good magnesium. Take a good probiotic.
Look into Cat's Claw.
p.s. This is for the beginning...you'll be getting lots more advice when you see your LLMD.
[ 09-07-2011, 07:18 AM: Message edited by: Carol in PA ]
Posted by db1561 (Member # 25695) on :
Thanks for the advice.... Im going to order the stuff mentioned above! Is there a certain time to take these.. With food without? Sorry about all of the questions... I guess im just panicking! but from what i have heard this is a fairly slow moving disease so i should just calm down and look forward to seeing the LLMD. Thanks for your patience.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Right... waiting a few weeks won't make much difference. So be calm.
Take probiotics at least 2 hrs away from any antibiotics.. as the abx will kill the proiotics.
Most probos say take without food, some with. I usually take mine without food.
Posted by db1561 (Member # 25695) on :
I purchased the Ultra Mag.. Theralac, And received some cat claw (Free) from a friend who manages a vitamin shoppe! now I have a few questions:
1.) Ultra mag: I am going to take this with dinner? 2.) Theralac pro-biotics: Should I take these with food or any special time of day is better?
3.) Cat Claw I have read that these can cause herxing??
Thanks for your input
Dennis
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
1. probably
2. i would take it alone .. good to take it at bedtime
![[shake]](graemlins/shake.gif)
