My dear friend was just diagnosed at the ER with Ehrlichiosis and was given 2 weeks of Doxycycline. Obviously that's not enough...what should she be getting? And can someone forward me the list of LLMDs in South Jersey/Philadelphia area? The one I saw for my Lyme Disease is no longer practicing. I'd be glad to hear any other advice to help her. She was a huge support to my during my Lyme and subsequent problems.
TIA, Karen
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Two weeks MAY be enough for ehrlichiosis...but it would be best for her to follow up with an LLMD. As you know, she'd be awfully lucky to have "only" ehrlichiosis.
You're a good friend!!
I'll PM you!
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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It may be up to 2 months at 600 mg. of doxy a day. that is what I did for ehrlichia about 8 years ago - according to the ILADS guidelines at that time. I never got better though and, even with babesia and neuro-lyme as well, that was all the treatment I could get. I hope she fares better.
you can see the current ILADS guidelines at www.ilads.org
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This book, by an ILADS member LLMD, holds many answers:
- by Kenneth B. Singleton , MD; James A. Duke. Ph.D. (Foreword)
You can read more about it and see customer reviews.
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p. 258 of Singleton's book: suggests treating for at least 28 days . . . with doxy (100-200 mg twice a day) or rifampin (600 mg once a day). For difficult cases: combination of the two drugs for best success.
p. 78: . . . ehrlichia can be life-threatening - treatment should be started immediately even before testing . . . p. 79: two months' treatment with doxy resolved ehrlichia symptoms . . .
He explains more about all the tick-borne infections in the book but, of course, it's just for background. I hope a good LLMD can guide treatment here.
And, of course, as LymeToo mentioned, other TBD should be considered.
Good luck in finding a LLMD.
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Posted by Clarissa (Member # 4715) on :
I was under the impressin that Rifampin hits Ehrlichia.
LymeToo, thanks for the PM...you listed one of the docs I was looking for but couldn't remember his name. I believe it's the one you highly recommended. I will give her the phone numbers. She had LD many years ago and knows firsthand the severity of this disease. I'm so glad they've caught it early!!
Karen
Posted by njlymemom (Member # 15088) on :
2 weeks of Doxy was given to my daughter and seemed to take care of the erlichiosis.
However, we did not know how inaccurate the WB was and her lyme went untreated and undx for over a year.
I don't know of anyone that just had erlich without lyme or other coinfections.
Posted by hiker53 (Member # 6046) on :
I did a month of minocycline and that seemed to take care of the ehrlichiosis. I only had mild titer and no symptoms. Hiker53
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Hiker, what was your titer? I was just diagnosed with Erlichiosis, but I've had Lyme for four years. Could I have had Erlich all this time, and maybe no one tested for it?
They said my titer wasn't high. I am wondering if this explains all those symptoms I thought were Babesia.
Posted by hcconn22 (Member # 5263) on :
Doxy is used as the ABX of choice. Many feel that 2-4 weeks can kill this. Not all infectious agents are as complex as Lyme
Would get tested for other co-infections and Lyme.
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