Hello, I have osteoarthritis and recently got lyme disease.I am on my fifth week of doxy and my backache has been severe.I mean so bad I am haveing to take two darvacets at least once a day and I hate that.
Does Doxy cause backaches? Please don't tell me this is lyme...
My back has always been bad but not like this.Anyone?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Sounds like a herx....especially since it's occuring in the 5th week. Most herxes occur during weeks 3-5.
Yes, Lyme causes severe back pain!!! [or CAN]
Have you discussed with your LLMD the possibility of backing off the meds to ease the herx?
Posted by david1097 (Member # 3662) on :
I had a similar problem with Doxy but it was my sholder (which I had badly injured years earlier). There are a few possible causes but it did pass without stopping the doxy. If I recall correctly it took a few days to clear up.
8 weeks later, the pain reappeared and I ultimately had to switch drugs even though doxy had made a very significant positive difference for some of the very very bad symptoms. After I switched drug regimes the improvmeent has been steady ever since.
Thats all i can say, hope it helps.
Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :
hey Trina
I looked up the side effects in my pill book and back pain or joint pain wasn't listed .
Not sure doxy could cause back pain but a herx sure could!
And lymetoo's right that lyme can cuase back pain.
You should call your doc and let him/her know because back pain can sometimes be a sign of kidney trouble.
Have you had your labs done recently?
Take care
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
Mine has been continuous for 30+ years; lower back/hip and neck/HUMP area I now have. Hump just throbs!
I used frozen ice packs all day when I'm up exchangng them every 30-45 minutes for fresh ones.
Also have used MOISTENED heating pad that helped a bit.
I've had all kinds of pain pills ... no luck.
Also had 2 PAINFUL BACK INJECTIONS right before I left work & 2 wks. after I let ... NO HELP. Good luck to you...
Posted by lymeHerx001 (Member # 6215) on :
I had a herx 3 days after I started.
Pain burning depression all over my body.
Stopped then had 2 best days in 2 years.
Pain came back, took 1 doxy a day for a week.
Every day after I took the doxy I felt worse for an hour then better.
At the end of the week I was no longer feeling better from the doxy. The herx built up. I was having BAD back and neck pain.
Now I take 1/2 to 1/4 doxy and still have pain, but its less severe.
At this dose some say its not killing but instead increasing interluken 6 which increases borrellia antibody causing a cytokine cascade.
Posted by radiogirl (Member # 9202) on :
Dear Trina, I began Doxy 2 years ago after many years of telling the Doctors I did not feel well and gave them my symptoms.One of my major symptoms was osteoarthritis in spine knees and neck.All at a young age 20s and 30s.I had a radio show in Texas and had a scientist on who led me to www.immed.org and lo and behold after beginning the protocol that began with doxy I began to HERX in all the osteo affected joints and other places as well.I had been to the finest DR and Hospitals money could buy and zilch was done.Is it a coincidence that I have improved or is it that I said I felt sick because I was sick!I herxed in my neck knees spine and now they are greatly improved.
Read Post and Listen to Your Body and mostly GOD BLESS YOU,
RG
Posted by jblral (Member # 8836) on :
One of my daughter's main lyme symptoms has been severe back and knee pain. When she herxes, it all gets much worse. Still seeking a solution.
Posted by Trina (Member # 9270) on :
This is just this worst..I also have kind of a sick feeling in the base of my head/neck.
How long do herxes last? Every day I think I just can not take another day of doxy and then I think I am afraid not to.I did not feel like this the first couple of weeks.I got sick a couple of times.
How can you people stand this?? I have 6 days left.And then I need to be off the antibiotics 6 weeks to check for coinfections the doctor said.
I have had osteoarthritis for years as well as fibromyalgia.Had many tic bites before this last one that left the EM. Maybe the lyme had already spread to my spine? If that is the case then another week of doxy will not cure it?
I will pray for everyone on this board.You all have so much sickness to endure each and everyday. Thank you so much.I will try the ice packs.I had not even thought it might be a herx.That makes it more bearable. If I still have symptoms of lyme disease or coinfectons I will go to an LLMD regardless of the cost.
Posted by radiogirl (Member # 9202) on :
Dear Trina, I hit the doxy hard in the beginning at 100mgs 2x a day .This was to deal with the intracellular infections.Im now up to 200mgs 2x a day and again feeling that deep sick muscle pain that even pain meds barely touch.Chances are your killing off the offenders and it isnt fun.www.immed.org has info on getting thru the herxs as best you can as well ask people here what they do.Some times docs will let you back off the meds to lessen the suffering.
I will tell you the anxiety and depression can be a part of the herx process and it can throw a person for a loop when you are first going thru this.All of us here understand what your going thru and will try to help . First start drinking lots of clean water with a tablespoon lemon in tall glass and inquire here about good supplements to help the body cope with the die off.And remember if there is infection in there the doxy is now getting to it and thats the good part.
Blessings to YOU, RG
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by Trina: How can you people stand this?? I have 6 days left.And then I need to be off the antibiotics 6 weeks to check for coinfections the doctor said.
6 weeks!!?? You will REALLY be allowing the keets to get the upper hand. Is your dr going to use Igenex labs??
If not, then skip it! Go straight to an LLMD. You are wasting time.
Two weeks off meds should be sufficient. Many say you don't have to go off at all....ESPECIALLY since you'll be testing for co-infections, not Lyme.
The meds you are on will not affect co-infections, except ehrlichiosis, which would be taken care of by the doxy anyway....so no real need to test.
Posted by Foggy (Member # 1584) on :
Trina, have you had an MRI and what does your MD and/or LLMD think?
Posted by psano (Member # 7785) on :
I don't know about doxy, but Lyme definitely gave me terrible back aches for a while. They've gone away after 9 months of abx.
Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :
Hi Trina
I am so sorry to hear about your back pain.
I don't want to confuse you further with more advice but to share something a LLMD said to me once.
After first being infected with lyme many years before I had alway had very bad neck pain. I used to ice pack my neck as it did bring me some relief.
The doctor told me that was the worse thing I could be doing for my lyme. Because the lyme spirokete thrives in a cold envirnoment and it was creating a perfect environment for bb to live.
There are people who think differently about this so you can make up your own mind. I just wanted to share what I learned along the way
Take care and hope your pain lets up
Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :
In my experience with Lyme , all your bad spots become worse while on abx...they flare more etc.
While on doxy...my neck was very stiff....i felt like the tinman.
I have a very bad large herniated disc in my neck.
my right wrist also hurt a lot.
and my herx was what i call bladder paralyzation...everything just locked up in my pelvic region...i got cold and tingly, numb and could not stop crying.
I had chest pressure that would wake me from sleeping.
this was all on 200mg/day.
I would suggest using a heating pad on your back to help with the pain.
I would talk this over with your LLMD as well.
Posted by Lymester (Member # 5848) on :
Trina:
The pain is suicidal thought inducing. I am so sorry you're experiencing this. My initial lyme diag in '96 gave me lethargy, thought "mono". But the base of my skull, top of my neck (where the knobs are?)soooo tender, painful, stiff. Felt as though my head could fall off any minute.
My last bought just recently, late '03 through '05 (actually just came off abx) the pain was so severe I wanted to die. I called everyone, orthopedics, considered PT, massage therapy, chiropractics. Did all but PT. I got muscle relaxers and pain killers, but feared my heart would stop.
I got relief immediately with amoxy, but my system was used to it.
Went to heavy hitter Doxy with a splash of Zith. Yes the pain was excruciating but lessened each time.
The symptoms will come out with each herx, and you may experience symptoms you never had before. Wherein lies the question, is this the lyme or the abx? You will be in limbo. Keep a journal. Share your symptoms to those who understand.
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You will REALLY be allowing the keets to get the upper hand. Is your dr going to use Igenex labs??