This is topic anyone NOT sun sensitive with Doxy? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.


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Posted by ThursdayNext (Member # 12198) on :
 
Am I the only one?

I've been on Doxy for 6 weeks now, and have noticed no real sun-sensitivity issues.

Sometimes i don't even put on SPF. Do you think this might mean Doxy is less effective for me?

Or should i just be thankful i don't burn easily?
 

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Posted by MamaWolf (Member # 10578) on :
 
I was never overly sensitive while on doxy, either. Of course I was careful and tried to always use sunblock.. just in case.
 

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Posted by EyeBob (Member # 12572) on :
 
Minimally sensitive. I'm an active cyclist and I've only minorly burned once, that was after a 3.5 hour training ride. I didn't use SPF for that ride, nor most ones that I take.

BT
 

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Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :
 
I get blistering burns on my hands, right through the windshield of the car, when I forget a 70 SPF sunscreen & gloves. I've gotten burned in full shade.

Judging by the low number of posts for each of you, I might suspect the work of trolls, baiting people to leave off the sunscreen & fry themselves. Of course I have, on occasion, been paranoid.

What dose of Doxy are you on? Are you taking it at the same time as probiotics or with calcium, magnesium, zinc or iron?
 

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Posted by MamaWolf (Member # 10578) on :
 
I will be more careful in future postings.
 

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Posted by charlie (Member # 25) on :
 
Not trolls....some people just aren't made sun sensitive by it, including both of us in this household and we live smack in the middle of the sun belt and never use sunscreen anyway, being tan most of the year.

we also both found the terracycline group to be of very little therapeutic use so maybe there's a bit of significance there..and I've used all brands including the expensive vibramycin.

Yet we have a friend who took some tetracycline out of the same batch and burned thru his truck's windshield.

Charlie
 

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Posted by ThursdayNext (Member # 12198) on :
 
I started with 200mg of Doxy. Now I'm up to 300mg a day.

I was just wondering if the degree of sun-sensitivity in an individual might be tied to the effectiveness of Doxy.
 

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Posted by charlie (Member # 25) on :
 
....May be something to your effectiveness theory...the same friend who roasted thru his windshield can use tetra or doxy to get rid of a raging sinus infection when I'd have to use biaxin or zithro.

People are all different....that's why the doxy regimen as first line of attack against Bb isn't valid IMO.

Charlie
 

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Posted by MamaWolf (Member # 10578) on :
 
Thank you, Charlie.

I have been off and on doxy for over 2 years. I was started on 100 mg a day for the mycoplasma (before we knew there was also Lyme and company) and was recently moved up to 400 mg a day.

I had to stop last week due to swelling of the optic nerve and a suspicion of Pseudotumor Cerebri. (another nightmare altogether)

I also live at high altitude and in a very sunny location. I am just apparently not that sensitive to burning.

Although YES.. sun sensitivity with the possibility of severe burning is common to the tetracyclines.
 

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Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :
 
That's really interesting, Charlie.
Glad it's just the paranoia acting up. Sorry, folks.

I wonder if anyone here might be able to figure out the metabolic why.

Antioxidants or melatonin levels maybe?

Nobody's been taking calcium, magnesium, or probiotics with Doxy? Any of you taking or eating/drinking anything regularly that Charlie's friend or I might not?

How about probiotics - how much? how often?


Is it possibly dose related? I'm frying at 300mg/day and I weigh about 120 lbs.
 

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Posted by ThursdayNext (Member # 12198) on :
 
I take probiotics, and sometimes magnesium depending if i have muscle twitching .

AliG - Are you finding Doxy to be a good treatment for you? (minus the sunburn)

Charlie - Have you tried Amoxicillin?
 

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Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :
 
It has helped me immensely with the neuro stuff. I do have to keep going back & treating Babs when it flares because no ABX will work when it acts up and I've been having a problem completely getting rid of it.

It seems that if I get the Babs down, the Doxy works. I was also taking Doxy with Mepron this last round and now that I think of it, I had noticed less photosensitivity when adding Mepron. I had wondered what that was about, maybe the Mepron interfered with the action of the Doxy??

How's your timing with the Magnesium & probiotics? 2-3 hours after Doxy?
 

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Posted by stella marie (Member # 7216) on :
 
Hey there Thurs, I never had a problem w/ burning while on doxy to date. I am keen on gardening and so far no problems for me!
 

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Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
 
I live in Ohio, and this spring I did fine with the doxy. I tried to get out in the sun for a little bit each day because I think it's good for you.

However, I went to Florida over spring break and got blisters on my hands ... looked more like sun poisoning than sunburn ... I was wearing #35 sunscreen and got these blisters through the windshield.
 

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Posted by achey (Member # 6284) on :
 
I took IV doxy and for months had no sun problems, and then one day got pounded with a sunburn . After that first sign of sensitivity, I remained super sun sensitive until a few weeks after I terminated the treatment.

All along I had been warned by other to be careful, and boy were they right! Once the sensitivity develoed, there was no end to it. I even burned in my fingernail beds, and that ached for months after the doxy was discontinued.

So my advise to those of you who have been fortunate enough to not burn yet, please be careful!
 

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Posted by MamaWolf (Member # 10578) on :
 
I take probiotics daily (several times) and also take magnesium daily.. mainly at night. (it was always far away from the doxy dose by at least 2 hours)

I do believe that antioxidants play a role in protection, too. I do still take several supplements and also use a sunblock that contains Vitamins A, C, and E.

I also eat/drink alot of high-flavanol chocolate. Probably not the best thing to do.. but true. Now before you laugh.. read this:
High-Flavanol Cocoa Provides Photoprotection

I make hot cocoa with almond milk and stevia. Not saying it will help but I sure enjoy it. *laughs hysterically as I wipe chocolate from chin*

But it is so true... be very careful with the sun and apparently the sensitivity can happen at any time.
 

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Posted by Itsy_bitsyone (Member # 12635) on :
 
Do not rely on sunscreen alone to protect you.

I got cotton gloves and cut the fingertips out to cover my hands..which will also blister through the windshield...or out walking the dog for 5 minutes.

I wear white long sleeve shirts.

For skin protection and for the healing of the burn I used topical Zinc, because my doc wouldn't help, but my pharmacist recommended it. It worked wonderfully. Now, I still cover up along with the zinc. However, as opposed to the sunscreen that still lets the light through, the zinc on my hands block the sun like a lifeguard using it on his nose. Its not pretty but it works, and it is helpful in healing the rash and burn and blisters caused by the sun. My knuckels, fingers, and toes seem the most sensitive.

Covering up means I can still get out and get a little sunlight...wearing white cotton clothes helps me stay as cool as possible covered up...and it was a GREAT excuse to by a new wardrobe.

Nancy
 

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Posted by Penn92 (Member # 9207) on :
 
My husband had no issues. Did yardwork without sunscreen and didn't burn, while a friend covered up to her wrists and managed to blister the back of her hands! Everyone's different...
 

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Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :
 
Ro,

Thanks for the info on the High-flavonol Chocolate. It's certainly worth a shot, I don't know how long he's going to keep me on this.

quote:

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Originally posted by Itsy_bitsyone:

I got cotton gloves and cut the fingertips out to cover my hands..which will also blister through the windshield...or out walking the dog for 5 minutes.

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Nancy, you sound as bad as me!

I did the same thing with cutting the tips off the cotton gloves and BURNED MY NAIL BEDS!!!!

I had blisters underneath that caused my nails to lift in those areas as they grew out. I didn't realize what the white spots were, at first.

Please be careful!
 

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Posted by trueblue (Member # 7348) on :
 
I haven't read the whole thread so forgive me if I repeat something already mentioned, k?


I am not sun sensitive on Doxy but have only been on it for short times (a few months tops). I did take a years worth of Tetracycline (mostly while in FL) and had no problem with that either. (neither did I gain any ground with them)


I read somewhere, and have no clue where right now, sorry... that the people who get the most sunsensitive reactions to Doxy might have the genes for a Porphyria (The one that affects the skin.) I thought that was interesting.


I do think your likelyhood of being more easily burnable might be moreso on higher doses.
 

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Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by trueblue:

I read somewhere, and have no clue where right now, sorry... that the people who get the most sunsensitive reactions to Doxy might have the genes for a Porphyria (The one that affects the skin.) I thought that was interesting.

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Oh POOP! That would be ALL I'd need, something else to worry about?

Thanks, pal!
 

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Posted by LuLuFlorida (Member # 12066) on :
 
I live in Florida (high UV index) and am out in the sun everyday. I have never been sun burned in my life even though I have fair skin.

The only time I ever got sun burned on doxy was when I was outside floating down a river for 3 days with SPF 15 on.

My whole body ached, but the next day only my nose was pink. My nose peeled a week later and has been pink every since. Overall, I wouldnt really call that a sun sensitivity.

LuLu
 

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Posted by ThursdayNext (Member # 12198) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by LuLuFlorida:
I live in Florida (high UV index) and am out in the sun everyday. I have never been sun burned in my life even though I have fair skin.
LuLu

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