posted
I was diagnosed with LD about 4 months ago, since starting my antibiotics I have episodes of swollen face/lips and severe hives. In the begining the hives were all over my body, and now they are only on my face. I started doxycyclin at first and then got the hives and the Dr. took it as a reaction and switched me to amoxcillin..they thought I was allergic again (I have never been allergic to these when I was younger) After trying more antibiotics I finally decided to try doxycyclin again and had no reaction. I finished 3 weeks of doxycyclin and now, 4 months later get hives and swelling in my face about every 4 weeks. Is it possible to have a J-H reaction last this long after treatment? And if it is still a reaction does this mean that I didn't get enough treatment? I have been in and out of the ER for the hives/swelling and have been treated with many steroids. Could this have prolonged the reaction by suppressing my immune system? HELP! Any information would be GREATLY appreciated!!
Posts: 3 | From Galena, IL | Registered: Nov 2010
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Are you saying that it has been 4 months since you took any lyme medications?
Lyme disease has a 28 day cycle, so lyme patients are told to look out for lyme flares approximately every 28 days.
If you have not taken any lyme medications for 4 months, then this is a 28 day lyme flare in all likelihood, and not a J-H reaction.
It is a long slow process to get rid of lyme disease unless you started treating it within a week of your tick bite. So, if you just had 4 weeks of doxy, you still have lyme disease.
How long were you treated for lyme disease?
Once you answer the questions about your lyme treatment, we will be able to help you more.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Here is a quote from the Burrascano lyme treatment guidelines, mentioning the 28 day lyme flares:
"Several days after the onset of appropriate antibiotic therapy, symptoms often flare due to lysis of the spirochetes with release of increased amount of antigenic material and possibly bacterial toxins. This is referred to as a Jarisch Herxheimer-like reaction. Because it takes 48 to 72 hours of therapy to initiate bacterial killing, the Herxheimer reaction is therefore delayed. This is unlike syphilis, in which these reactions can occur within hours.
It has been observed that symptoms will flare in cycles every four weeks. It is thought that this reflects the organism�s cell cycle, with the growth phase occurring once per month (intermittent growth is common in Borrelia species). As antibiotics will only kill bacteria during their growth phase, therapy is designed to bracket at least one whole generation cycle. This is why the minimum treatment duration should be at least four weeks.
If the antibiotics are working, over time these flares will lessen in severity and duration. The very occurrence of ongoing monthly cycles indicates that living organisms are still present and that antibiotics should be continued.
With treatment, these monthly symptom flares are exaggerated and presumably represent recurrent Herxheimer-like reactions as Bb enters its vulnerable growth phase and then are lysed. For unknown reasons, the worst occurs at the fourth week of treatment. Observation suggest that the more severe this reaction, the higher the germ load, and the more ill the patient."
I highly recommend you read this entire document and study it to learn as much as you can about lyme disease. Glad to see you are looking for a lyme doctor also. Good for you.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Steroids sure didn't help the lyme situation. Hope it was of short duration. Were they topical or systemic (on the skin, or taken orally as a pill, or maybe a shot?)
In severe cases, sometimes steroids are used, but as little as possible and never without concurrent antibiotics.
I had quite severe hives on an antibiotic but could never figure out if it was serum sickness or allergy or herx. It was the only drug that caused this, so I was inclined to think it was not a herx.
BTW, if this is your real name, it is not a good idea to use it on a public forum.
[ 11-18-2010, 12:34 PM: Message edited by: lou ]
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic