posted
Horrible head pressure/pain 24/7 for many years. My pain doc thought diamox may help, haven't tried it yet. Many years ago before I know what was happening I did have two lumbar punctures, which definitely did not help. Following.
Posts: 219 | From pacific nw | Registered: Jun 2009
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GretaM
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 40917
posted
Yes. Helps me loads. Been using it almost 2 years.
Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
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posted
I heard you need to take baking soda to keep your body alkaline and that diamox can be hard on the kidneys.
Has anyone found this true?
Posts: 538 | From kentucky | Registered: Nov 2011
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- soccermama,
This drug removes bicarbonate from the body.
Just thinking out loud, it would seem to me that taking baking soda likely would not help and, perhaps, could make things worse with a yo-yo / teeter-totter / boomerang effect -
- the drug is trying to get out all the bicarbonate (baking soda) it can and then could go into overdrive with kidneys overworked by the addition of more in the body.
Aside from that matter, as to your question of kidney (renal) risk with Diamox, certainly seems risky.
Acute renal failure from the use of acetazolamide (Diamox).
T. Higenbottam, C. S. Ogg, and H. M. Saxton
Abstract
The clinical histories of two patients are presented, who both developed haemorrhagic anuria after a short course of therapy with the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, acetazolamide (Diamox).
The clinical findings, in particular the radiological changes, are illustrated in this potentially fatal condition.
The therapeutic success of immediate relief of the ureteric obstruction is emphasized and it is hoped that this report will act as a reminder of the importance of this agent as a cause of anuria. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Here, it says baking soda has potentially dangerous interaction with the drug & could cause kidney stones.
Because this should not be used for anyone with liver or kidney impairment, it seems to me very risky for anyone with lyme as lyme most often impairs / stresses the liver & kidneys.
That it also decreases ammonia clearance seems another contraindication for those with lyme as lyme can increase ammonia levels and further stress the liver in the first place. To hamper what might be left of our liver's ability to clear ammonia seems dangerous - and painful.
The common side-effects don't seem to be worth the risk.
The fact that it TRICKS the body - and forces breathing to become faster -- just seems like a time bomb to me. There are other ways to reduce inflammation and swelling / water retention. Much safer ways. IMO.
. . . acetazolamide forces the kidneys to excrete bicarbonate, the conjugate base of carbonic acid.
By increasing the amount of bicarbonate excreted in the urine, the blood becomes more acidic.[2]
As the body equates acidity of the blood to its CO2 concentration, artificially acidifying the blood fools the body into thinking it has an excess of CO2,
and it excretes this imaginary excess CO2 by deeper and faster breathing, which in turn increases the amount of oxygen in the blood.[10][11] . . . .
. . . Side-effects . . .
Common adverse effects of acetazolamide include:
paraesthesia,
fatigue, drowsiness, depression,
decreased libido, bitter or metallic taste,
nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps,
diarrhea, black feces,
polyuria,
kidney stones,
metabolic acidosis and electrolyte changes (hypokalemia, hyponatremia).[4]
Whereas less common adverse effects include: . . . .
Hypersensitivity to acetazolamide or other sulfonamides.
Marked liver disease or impairment of liver function, including cirrhosis because of the risk of development of hepatic encephalopathy.
Acetazolamide decreases ammonia clearance.
Interactions
. . . [see list]
. . . Sodium bicarbonate, potential for kidney stone formation. . . . -
[ 01-01-2015, 03:02 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Was just reading from many past threads on this topic. Nine out of ten posting of their experiences had problems.
Also consider the ototoxic nature of this. Tinnitus is just one problem in that department.
Neil G. Bauman - 3rd edition - Ototoxic Drugs Exposed is a "must" book to have at home to check all Rx. It's so extensive that the detail just can't be found on the web.
I have the 2nd edition of that book.
Diamox (Acetazolamide) is listed on the Ototoxic Drugs List. Page 143, Chapter 12: Table 12-1
Notes: See Ch. 7, "We 'Hear' With Our Eyes" for further information on this drug. [Moving over that that, then]
Ch. 7, p. 98: Table 7-2
Acetazolamide is listed on the list of "Drugs that can have adverse side effects on both our eyes and our ears."
-----------------------------------
More detail here about why ototoxic matters so much (not just to ears, but to eyes, balance, walking, talking, thinking, everything we do involved our inner ear system) . . . & all the ways we might prevent damage:
Search the archives here at LymeNet. Staring with the Medical forum, with "Diamox" in the subject line.
Many thread on this are there, going back over ten years. As mentioned above, though, most did not have good experiences with this and many said it made them much worse. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Lymedin2010
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34322
posted
With Lyme your body struggles with homeostasis. Diamox can lead to many metabolite & homeostasis disruptions.
They gave me diamox when I first went chronic & it just messed me up & lead to new Lyme symptoms within days/weeks.
When getting off diamox, I could not stop salivating for 24 hours & had to spit every few minutes and my electrolytes were off.
Posts: 2087 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2011
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