randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
another friend, pamey, has severe neuro lyme. alot of pain in knees and joints. doctor said fibro. uh huh
but she's had it a long time so he gives her doxy twice a day, 200 mg.
she took one pill, ONE pill only and immediately got very sick. she said her head was going to come off, her ear pain was unbearable and she was dizzy. she went to bed and just cried.
well she won't take anymore and i can't convince her to.
but can one pill of doxy make her this sick? i think it's a herx cause she's never treated lyme. just occasional abx for kidney, bladder, stuff etc, some severe sinus issues. normal stuff. but they never gave her doxy. usually penicillin.
i just didn't think one pill could do all this.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Yes. It can. And, yes, it can be a herxheimer reaction that quickly for some.
However, I wonder the WAY she took it. It can make anyone feels worse, especially if taken without food and if they did not keep their torso upright for at least 30 minutes.
And if not enough water was taken with the pill, too.
Or if taken with coffee, black tea (both contain acid) or (shudder) carbonated soda of any kind (that can really wreck the stomach).
As for her saying she's just not going to take it, I hope she becomes educated about the strong likelihood that she may not have taken proper food and posture precautions but also learn about a herxheimer.
Did she have liver support in place, FIRST? Likely not. And that is where treatment can get torpedoed from the start.
IMO, at least several days advance liver support is very helpful for those with long-standing chronic infection. The few days to hold off of an abx will not be so important as taking that time to get the liver ready to manage the abx treatment.
A herx is explained here, along with strategies to lessen:
LIVER & KIDNEY SUPPORT & and several HERXHEIMER support links, too.
PROBIOTICS should have also been started BEFORE the docycycline by a few hours. The reaction she got could also involve a blossoming of candida. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- After all that, while this sounds like either taking the Rx the wrong way &/or a herxheimer, an ALLERGY to the Rx itself should be considered, of course.
Just don't jump to that conclusion before considering all the variables.
She should know there are options and ways to make this work better.
AND she really should consult a LLMD or LL ND. Just tossing doxy at someone who may have lyme can do a lot of damage without support measures in place. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
i made sure she read up on it before. she took with a chili's dinner, chicken, pain rice, and water with lemon.
she got sick within oh i'd say an hour or so. i know she's been taking probiotics but don't know what kind.
she didn't have a rash or anything but lots of head pain and ear pain.
she's not taking anything else that i know of, some vitamins which she took earlier she said.
i'd say a herx. i told her to call the pharmacist and check out the reaction. the doc gave it to her for two weeks which ain't gonna do squat for lyme.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- I forget to mention this but, backing up, this should be done with every bottle that comes in our door:
Check the actual pill again the actual pharmacy website's photo for that Rx. Look at all the details, however subtle. Be sure it's the real deal. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- I forget to mention this but, backing up, this should be done with every bottle that comes in our door:
Check the actual pill again the manufacturer's (pharmaceutical company) website's photo for that Rx. Look at all the details, however subtle. Be sure it's the real deal.
It's probably a herx but counterfeit pills or allergy should always be considered, too. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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annxyzz
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20404
posted
The first doxy I took made me have a migraine, severe (VERY ) chills that caused me to shake all over and made me feel sicker than ever ! It was a herxheimer reaction and it was intense and had me flat on my back !
-------------------- annxyzz Posts: 1178 | From East Texas | Registered: May 2009
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posted
but having such a strong reaction might help her realize just how sick she is and how much she needs to treat her Lyme & how much she needs to get help from someone who knows Lyme.
Maybe you can help her see this once she feels less freaked out by the experience.
Explain to her that when we are very very sick with Lyme or whichever, we have a strong reaction to treatment. So she knows she is on the right track, and now she needs to find the right doc to gently help her the rest of the way.
Posts: 424 | From Connecticut, USA | Registered: Nov 2003
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posted
of all the abx I have taken doxy made me sick the quickest, threw up within two hours, and after a week had the worst herx EVER. A month or so later had a moderate herx complete with throwing up. horrible stuff but hope the bacteria hate it more than I do.
Posts: 234 | From BC Canada | Registered: Aug 2008
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Lymedin2010
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34322
posted
Doxy had been the best for me. It is known to increase intercranial pressure. So if you have increased pressure to begin with, then it will ge worst.
Mine got worst and I thought I was declining, but stuck with it. By week 3 all my head and neck pressures and pain melted. I was able to sit down and not get increased head pressure for what had been months.
Long term and on and off of various ABX I now have head and neck pressures, but not as bad as it was before when I could not walk and wanted to blow my brains out.
Posts: 2087 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2011
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
Emailed her today. She complained of chest soreness and short of breath. She said she has had a cough for months and coughs up small amounts of pretty solid like cheesy stuff.
She did continue the doxy and took plenty of water.
I think shes had Lyme a long time but has not been treated. I hope she continues.
I'm concerned with her cough and breathing issues.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
Doxy was my first drug for lyme. I picked it up and took my first pills on the way home from the pharmacy. Before I got home my whole body was aching and I had a headache. So yes, you can herx very quickly.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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