I never really thought about this until I spent the entire month of December with mind bending headaches.
I had been on Amoxicillin for 2 months with steady very good results when my perscription ran out. Instead of calling the doctor, I used a perscription from the 1st LLMD- same dosage. 500mg pills, 2 3xday. Pharmacist said it's all the same generic stuff.
The headaches started a few days later. I called the drug store to make sure. "Amoxicillin does not cause headaches" I was told. The headaches got worse I decided after 3 months of having no herx this must be it..
By Christmas I thought I Should try to get an MRI, which turned out to be impossible. Im still trying to get a call back from a neurologist that I saw at Mt. Sinai in September!!
I stopped the Amoxicillin for 2 days, Still had the headaches not as bad. Several drs. that I saw that week after Christmas said bad idea go back on the Amoxicillin I did. Bigger badder headaches. So now Im at the end of the month I get a new perscription (original amoxicillin that I had taken for 2mos) and between 5-7 days the headaches dissipated and completely went away.
The hangover from the month of head pain is still with me. It was exhausting. Advil nothing touched it. My empathy for migraine sufferers now is huge
So today I call the company that manufactures the Amoxicllin and this is a partial list of the INACTIVE ingredients.
Does anyone know if any of these ingredients are headache material? I dont want to ever go through this again that's for sure. The herbs just keep looking better and better.
Titanium Dioxide Silicon Dioxide Propylparaban Methylparaban propylene glycol shellac FD & C Blue #1 FD & C Red #10 D & C yellow 10 Aluminum Lake Black Iron Oxide Sodium Laurel sulfate. FD & C #40
Just to name a few.....
[ 16. January 2007, 01:08 PM: Message edited by: MarsyNY ]
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Sheeeeesh!! The junk they put in our meds!!!!!!
Have you checked the list for the other amoxy??
I know this list contains stuff that is NOT considered "good" for us, including:
Then there's the food coloring. UGH!!!! I think the best thing to do is compare the two lists.
Posted by MarsyNY (Member # 7766) on :
Tutu,
Yes, Im still trying to find out what is in the other so I can compare and find the culprit.
I just wonder how many people really know what the heck is in their antibiotics, etc. There are a few supplements that I noticed people here avoid as they contain titanium dioxide But its on the label so you can avoid it.
Since alot of people here using supplements check their labels carefully I'm wondering do you also check the binders fillers and dyes that are in the prescription drugs that you are using for months or years.
Since these ingredients are not listed on the label or with the insert they are not so easy to find.
Just curious since the lightbulb on this has gone on for me. Thanks
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I wish they would limit the amount of junk they put in the meds. It's ridiculous!
Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :
I feel for you.
My bladder reacts to most all added ingredients.
Amoxy burned my bladder terribly felt like acid...and it was not a herx!!! Im sure that it was the added ingredients in it that helped contribute to the nightmare.
It may not just be one of the ingredients for you , but a combo of the bunch of them.
Best to get the list of the ones in the amoxy you can tolerate.
Im glad that it passed for you :-)
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
Yup- I know what is in my antibiotic-
SANITY and the ABILITY TO WALK*)!*)!*)!
I've been on amoxicillin for almost 3 years now, no side effects, no problems and it enabled me to give birth to a Lyme free baby best of all*)!!
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Good topic!
It makes me wonder what would happen if all that junk were removed.... for all we know, herxing might be minimized and more "uniform" across the board. Heck, maybe most herxing is from the inactive ingredients, rather than the drug.
For all we know, it is exposure to these kinds of chemicals for years that made us susceptible to Lyme, ad nauseum, in the first place.
Any studies done on THAT? No, I didn't think so.
Tracy
Posted by notime2work (Member # 6092) on :
Amox and other Rx meds that have been around for awhile will have several companies making generics available. You would probably have to know who is manufacturing the particular brand you are given, as each will probably have different additives in the inactive ingredients. This would involve knowing what brand the pharmacy sells BEFORE having the script filled.
Posted by MarsyNY (Member # 7766) on :
I would like to narrow down which of the additives caused the terribly painful headaches so I can avoid them with any other perscriptions in the future
I guess Im lucky I did not start out on the brand that caused the headaches. For sure I would have thought it was herx had I not had the experience of taking another amoxicillin brand to compare with.
Unfortunatley all the great progress was obliterated by losing a whole month. Definately there were other signs of a reaction but I simply chalked it up to herxing. Severe skin itching and bumps the 2nd week was one, followed by stabbing bone pain like I never had before.
What benefit is shellac? anyway..
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by MarsyNY:
What benefit is shellac? anyway..
Maybe it helps the pill go down easily. YUCK!!!!
Posted by MarsyNY (Member # 7766) on :
The orignal Amoxicllin (the one that did not give me any headaches or rashes) contains most of the above ingredients plus a few more.
What it did NOT contain was Methylparaban and Proplyparaban. Do these cause headaches? After reading about Parabans I think this is something I will try to avoid anyway. A quick search in the bathroom 3 or 4 products containing several parabans.
Parabans are estrogenic and have been found in Breast Cancer tissue. Not surpising since alot of moisturizers and most cosmetics contain parabans.
It's mind boggling how many ingredients are labeled inactive when in fact they are active in some way otherwise why use them.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Parabens should be avoided for exactly the reason you've stated. And yes, they ARE in just about everything!!
Posted by MarsyNY (Member # 7766) on :
T,
I wonder why they use it in medication if this is a know fact?
Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :
Parabens are probably a relatively cheap preservative.
Isn't shellac made from bugs or beetles or something? GROSS!!!!
Posted by SForsgren (Member # 7686) on :
GiGi has posted on this in detail in the past. Take a look at this one:
GiGi previously noted here on the board that all parabens and preservatives are known carcinogens. Titanium dioxide is a proven carcinogen, etc. etc. She had posted about it numerous times as well as posting a list of most every substance that should be avoided when chronically ill.
Hope that helps.
Posted by MarsyNY (Member # 7766) on :
Scott,
In things like Wobenzyme you can go for the one that doesn't have the Titanium Dioxide. But what about the drugs? After a quick look on rxlist.com the following drugs that alot of people here take contain Titanium Dioxide. How do you avoid it? Is there something that counteracts it? What effect do things like titanium dioxide have when you take it multiple times every day for months or years.
I just never really thought about the inactive ingredients, I was more concerned with the effects and side effects of the drugs themselves.
and Mepron contains Saccarin, I thought that was banned already for causing cancer in rats!
------
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by MarsyNY: and Mepron contains Saccarin, I thought that was banned already for causing cancer in rats!
------
No, it's used every day by folks who use Sweet N Low. I personally think it's "safer" than aspartame, however....and may be safer than Splenda.
Why can't they use safe ingredients?.......a Very good question!
Posted by MarsyNY (Member # 7766) on :
Aspartame thats another one that causes major headaches and neurological symptoms for many.
Ate a big bowl of FiberOne one night and had a headache the next morning. ASPARTAME in your fiber cereal who woulda thunk it?
Posted by Vermont_Lymie (Member # 9780) on :
I am not sure that titanium dioxide is a carcinogen. My understanding is that it was a pretty inert compound. I am no chemist though, nor a toxicologist. But I did do research years ago on titanium dioxide and remember believing it was pretty inert.
having said that -- my amoxicillin pills are flourescent pink! really unnatural, and I wish they did not dye these things so much, I would be happier taking it without the dayglo hot pink color coating the pill!
Posted by MarsyNY (Member # 7766) on :
I think that Titanium Dioxide was recently re-classified. It is not a proven carcinogenic in humans but it is in animals.
----
I guess it was. (It appears the nano-particles in cosmetics and sunscreens can be more dangerous because they are absorbed into the skin better.)
Titanium Dioxide Carcinogen Level Reclassified The International Agency for Research on Cancers (IARC), a division of the World Health Organization (WHO), has reclassified titanium dioxide from a Group 3 to a Group 2B carcinogen, leading OSHA to announce that the carcinogen status must be listed on material safety data sheets (MSDSs) once the IARC monograph is published. When titanium dioxide was a Group 3 carcinogen, no such information was required on labels or MSDSs. However, the change in classification necessitates noting that it is a carcinogen on MSDSs, although the actual IARC designation need not be listed and no product label changes must be made.
OSHA requires such changes be implemented within 90 days of the actual publication of the complete IARC monograph but its publication date has not yet been set.
For further information: http://www.iarc.fr/ Posted by Vermont_Lymie (Member # 9780) on :
Ug! They better take it out of all these medications then --- thanks for the info.
Kind of like putting mercury as a preservative in flu vaccines -- what the he!! are they thinking? What happened to the "first do no harm" ethic?
Posted by Littlesprout (Member # 7406) on :
My doctor did a test 2yrs ago that showed i am allergic to proplyene glycol. It is in everything, toothpaste, shampoo, makeup, lotion, etc. Even in my IVIG, shooting that crap in my viens. It makes me very dizzy in I come in contact with it. Big one for me
Blue dye really affects me in the gut, major bowel problems. Pink, yellow dye is OK for me. Even Blue dye in makeup, eyeshadow effects me.
Posted by Allysp (Member # 10937) on :
Sometimes I think they add that junk just to keep us sick. Might sound strange but I wouldn't doubt it. I've also heard that flagyl causes cancer in mice. Makes you wonder why they keep the stuff on the market if it ends up making us sick. Go figure??
Ally
Posted by MarsyNY (Member # 7766) on :
Since I was on the case with this I looked up Synthroid, Ive been taking it for 15 years. Hello, never knew it conained confectioners sugar cornstarch and talc.
LittleSprout how did the dr determine that you were allergic to propylene glycol? Turns out that was in the headache amoxy thought it was polyethylene glycol.
Ally, At least with Flagyl the warnings are there so you can decide. YOu might be right or its just been going on so long everyone has to get a cut $$$$. Dupont-titanium dioxide, etc.
[ 19. January 2007, 02:08 PM: Message edited by: MarsyNY ]
Posted by Littlesprout (Member # 7406) on :
I can't remember which lab did the testing that showed I was allergic to propylene gylcol. I was having a cortisol salvia test done and they just did the PG test at the same time.
My DO Doctor said "Oh, No...it is in alot of things" And sure enough it is. I recently tried Ketek and took 1/2 of a Tab (I also start slow) Within a short amount of time, I started getting "drunk" and KNEW that it had propylene gylcol in it! I call the pharamcist and Yes, it was there. It is in Questran also.
Isn't PG in antifreeze? Also look for PEG, that is the same family, similar chemical, different name.
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
It makes me very dizzy in I come in contact with it. ![[dizzy]](graemlins/dizzy.gif)
Big one for me