Flagyl tastes bad and you can't drink alcohol with it: two negative. It causes a significant Herx.
It is thought to only kill Lyme cysts. The alternative drug is Tindamax. Many internet entries claim that Plaquenil also kills Lyme cyst. I have found no substantiation of this claim.
Some patients respond great to Flagyl while others do not. Again, Stratton has found it to be a critical part of his CPN protocol.
One could argue that cysts convert back to the other active forms and that long term therapy against spirochetes and L-forms is adequate. My experience is that Flagyl is helpful.
Spirochetes bathed in Rocephin or Doxycyline have been shown to convert to the cystic form within hours. I don't want to give the Lyme any place to run to. Have meds on board which can kill any of the three forms.
I will reiterate that pulses doesn't make sense to me. This allows for periods of time for the accumulation of large cyst loads. Once daily Flagyl, 250 mg or 500mg is adequate. (Don't tell anyone, but most patients who take low dose Flagyl in the morning seem to be able to drink at night without throwing up).
Cysts show up in the brain tissue of people with brain Lyme. So I can't say it is they are not disease causing. Nobody really knows. I don't use Flagyl in early therapy because patients Herx too much.
It should work as well orally as it does IV. Although there is no evidence based research to support this; many of my worst patients with neuroborreliosis have responded remarkably well when IV Rocephin, Zithromax and Flagly are given.
Another plus of Flagyl is that it treats C. diff. Any patients with a history of C. diff, pseudomembranous colits, are routinely given Flagly to help prevent recurrences of this potentially serious infection.
[ 08-01-2010, 01:26 PM: Message edited by: janet thomas ]
-------------------- I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice but only my personal experience and opinion. Posts: 2001 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2005
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karenl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17753
posted
Janet, my doctor has me on doxy 200 mg and wants me to start today in addition 1,500 flagyl.
I also have cpn.I understand he wants to address the cyst form of lyme. I was on flagyl 750 mg a day without doxy and was not doing too bad.
I think I get started my flagyl on 250 mg and work my way up as I have no time for a mega herx.
But as I understand the flagyl is a must in lyme treatment. I was doing so much better on doxy but probably only because the lyme went in the cyst.
Posts: 1834 | From US | Registered: Oct 2008
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posted
I did not make progress until I gritted my teeth and stuck the flagyl out. First thing to clear was the fog and depersonalization and ear stuff. Then energy got better and the rest is slowly coming along.
Posts: 433 | From new york | Registered: Dec 2004
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Lymeorsomething
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16359
posted
Cleo, are you pulsing your flagyl or running it daily?
-------------------- "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." Posts: 2062 | From CT | Registered: Jul 2008
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BackinStOlaf
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23725
posted
Weird that this doc is giving us hints on how we can drink alcohol
-------------------- First Symptom 9/09 Multiple docs, negative Labcorp test LLMD: 1/10 Positive Igenex/CDC test Treatment 2/10 2/10-8/10 Amox, ceftin, zith, flagyl Currently: Bicillin, Minocycline, still dealing with severe breathing issues
Posts: 1121 | From New York, New York | Registered: Dec 2009
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