I am told I must be off antibiotics for two weeks in order to test recent total knee replacement for infection before doing the surgery all over again, the implant has broken or loosened.
But terrified of becoming bedridden sick again. Been on antibiotcs only 5 months so far.
Anyone have any experience or insight into what happens if you stop antibiotics for two weeks?
Planning on stopping as of today, but again, hoping someone out there has input as I am so worried about this - probably will get sick either way just from thinking it might happen!
Thanks
Beagle
Posted by Deb133 (Member # 18544) on :
Its good to give your body a break from the abx anyway. 2 weeks isnt that long off abx for all hell to break lose. My daughter has been off 7 weeks to do a prasite protocol and so far so good.
She will probably go back on some sort of abx regimen soon. Give your body a rest.
Deb g
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
In my experience, 2 weeks is not a big deal.
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
Actually it depends on the infection. Borellia takes about a month to get going strong again but bartonella and babesia can be in full relapse in a matter of days.
The best thing to do is take a LOT of herbs - not the recommended amount which is useless but about 7 times that much (in my experience).
If you are concerned about Bb teasal root, samento, and andrographis are good. Allicin if you can tolerate the smell (garlic).
For bartonella Zhang's HH-2 (I took 8-10 a day) or clove bud oil (burns the stomach). I don't know how well A-bart works. Japanese Knotweed also helps.
For babesia, artemisinin - work up to 900 mg a day. Artesunate is even stronger and you take a lot less. A lot of people have reported good results with Cyrptoleptis and A-babs.
I stayed in remission for 5 months on herbs. You have to take them several times a day and be consistent. I don't recommend using only herbs because I believe your immune system needs to be covering the infections pretty well on it's own before you quit abx. Otherwise you will relapse and then the infection will be more resistant.
Posted by WhitneyS (Member # 25666) on :
just take it day by day. If you start to feel like youre getting worse-- listen to your body. Dont make yourself sick with worry, but pay attention.
Good Luck
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
I agree with Whitney.
Borrelia is slow growing so you should be fine unless you have a major bacterial co-infection that is being treated by your current abx.
Babesia needs antiprotozoal meds to be treated so going off antibiotics shouldn't be a problem in that respect. Some bacterial co-infections infections can come back quickly.
I wouldn't take high dose herbs that are antibacterial if your doctor wants you off abx because they can have a similar effect.
I had to go off abx for a month after the first 6 months of treatment and to my surprise I could suddenly reach up over my head with my right arm again. I hadn't been able to use it that way for several years. We think my inability to use my arm was due to infection and stopping abx gave my body time to clear out some of the toxins from the die-off.
I had 2 surgeries this past year and I did pretty well. Hang in there, I kow it can be scary. Make sure to avoid steroids (including during the surgery and in the anethesia) if at all possible.
Wishing you the best.
Terry
Posted by Beagle (Member # 29698) on :
Thanks everyone.
Terry, it is encouraging to hear that you had surgeries during Lyme illness and made it thru.
Cuz it was the original TKR that seemed to turn my immune system away from the TBI's which even made me aware I had Late stage Lyme. I was just mildly weak since 2005, but did not realize it was from Lyme and Co's until the TKR, when I became bedridden type sick. Finally have a littl improvement from 5 1/2 months of treatment and so scared a revision total knee replacement will put me back to bedridden from Lyme and co's.
Thanks for you all being there to listen - everytime I have a question or fear, I come here right away and I hope someday to be able to recipricate and be of some help to others!
Beagle
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
neff-the herbs might hide the knee infection
i have bilateral knee replacements and have recently been having trouble with them that has not yet been figured out
beagle-i have also had a number of surgeries-ilke 10 or more-and done well on all but one.
i think i do well cuz they give you intravenous abx and heavy duty pain meds
i'm not thinking all that clearly these days but i think it is worth repeating
ITS IMPORTANT TO FIX THE THINGS YOU CAN...and not blame everything on lyme
having my knees done and getting out of the wheel chair did so much for me in many many ways
i would not mess around with the knees. i would get 2nd opinions and be sure you have a great doc to do the surgery...mine was done in concord nh and i have heard that philly is the best place to go in the country
are you going back to the same doc that did them? why did they go wrong? should you really go back to that doc?
i'm sturggling with these issues now...so i may be over the top about it...
ps-puppy is coming along. going to daycare helped a lot. groomer and trainer are working with me to get the grooming down.