My LLMD (Dr. B in Rhinebeck, NY) is suggesting I start IV Rocephin and then orals as we just got an Equivocal Igenex IGM test back (the IGG was neg, but had the same positive bands). We are waiting on the CD57 test. He said I had to go out of state if I want to do the Bowen Test (NY state doesn't allow it).

Anyway, my d level was 35 and my 1,25 D was 87 (yikes! Very high!) so i am a definite candidate for The Marshall Protocol. He however is a naturopath/MD and believes in treating the whole body with many adjunct therapies at the same time so he really doesn't want me to do the Marshall as I would not be able to continue my IV C/Glutathione, Transfer Factor, herbs, vitamins etc...which have helped me greatly and I am now a 5-6 out of 10 and functioning again. I have never tried any antibiotics for Lyme and am very apprehensive as I have polyps on my gallbladder and heard Rocephin can cause stones and other organ problems. Any advice on which antibiotics are the most effective and the least damaging. One nurse at his practice did Ceftin and has not relapsed in 2 years.

Any advice would be appreciated! I think I am a chronic lymie as i first started getting heart arrhythmmias in 1995 and then GI problems, panic attacks, chest pain, neuro problems and weakness/flu-symptoms from 2001-on.

Thanks!

If you have gullbladder issues Rocephin really isnt the best way to go.

If your dr. want to give u IV there is clafaran or zinthromax that is used alot for lyme. There are probaly others as well.

also bicillin injections can be helpful.I took bicillin injections and when the flagyl was added to it it helped alot.

Then there are so many orals. Here are just some of the ones I can think of.
Cefzil
doxycycline
amoxicillin
vantin
ceftin
zinthromax
flagyl
biaxin
leviquin
ketek
rifampin
cipro
cedax
These are just a few I can think of off the top of my head there are many more.

Unfortunaltely different ones work for different people.

If coinfections are a problem than certain meds need to be used for those. Like mycoplasma not all antibotics kill all the coinfections.

Also different antibotics treat the various forms of lyme.... rocephin doesnt kill the cyst form.

From reading peoples posts over the years and my own experience it seems that people who are just given rocephin without follow up from a cyst killing abx seem to have a higher rate of relapse.

there are soo many options....Especially since you've never taken antibotics.

also if you have candida you should ask ur dr for diflucan or something because lyme symptoms and yeast symptoms can be very simular.

Positive Response Rates on the Top 3 IV Antibiotics;

Primaxin 97%
Claforan 85%
Rocephin* 65%

*Rocephin also carries a side note of very high recurrence of Lyme and Gallbladder issues. Dr Crist doesn't use IV as often as others, and will only do 4 to 6 week...unless you are improving markedly.

Trout

(Infected at the Eastern Tip of Oneida Lake, 30 minutes from Syracuse.)

The IV was what I felt best on and was a turning point for me. I don't have gallbladder issues but, I do have problems with my veins collapsing. So, I switched from IV Rocephin to IM Bicillin. It also seems to be working well. I am 53% better than I was in February.

I know that Claforan works well. However, I have heard that it is best administered with a constant pump type drip, which could be inconvenient. I would do it if I had to.

Just curious, if you are about 50% better without abx, why go on them at all? If I had a choice I would not do abx. But, I was not able to see ANY progress without them. Do you think you could improve more without, or have you sort of hit a wall with improvement?

Candida is a monster to deal with & will get worse on abx - not quite as bad on IV or IM.

Beachcomber,

I am 50% better, but will have episodes of fatigue and weakness with stress and too much activity. I can function pretty well most days on a good nights sleep, but if I don't sleep, forget it!

This summer I was a mess and had extreme weakness in my legs, flu-like symtpoms etc...

I now have muscle twitches every day and some fatigue and neuro-confusion moments. I will have great energy part of the day and then will bottom out (usually late afternoon) and then the energy will return early evening.

This is all without abx and with natural therapies to detox liver, Transfer Factor for the viruses and Vit C drips with Glutathione. Also other supplements (which I seem to take all day! ).

Anyway, I would like to recover and get back to my life and although if haven't tried any antibiotics long term, maybe this would help me get a grip on this illness. I am thinking about Marshall Protocol but hate the idea of being a hermit in a cave.

As my response has been great, I really dread stopping them because IMO I believe that they have been the best abx for me throughout the whole 26 months or so that I've been treated in the past including IV Rocephin for 4.5 months BEFORE I ever saw a real LLMD, DR. C who would not have put me on Rocephin in the first place for all the reasons stated above.

Sorry for that run-on sentence.

Muchless, consider the response to Rocephin is just not worth loosing your gallbladder over.

There are so many other good abx, besides Rocephin, to choose from.

I think I was where you are Summer of 2003. I had done IV Rocephin for 12 weeks, followed by 2 months of oral Ceftin. Oh, I did Doxy before the Rocephin. I stopped abx, thinking I was at least 60% better. I had sort of plateaued on abx. My Dr. and I mutually decided to try alternative therapies. I saw a Nutritionist and an Osteopath. Like you, I just wasn't feeling good all the time.

My Osteopath put me on Amoxy, which caused terrible Candida. I switched to Zithromax and the Candida got worse, despite a clean diet.

By February I could not walk and had been in the hospital more than a few times. My 60% dropped to 20% functional days/month. Back to my Lyme MD. We both agreed to go back on Rocephin & we added in Mepron. Within days I was feeling better. I am now back up to 50% good days/month. But, this time I am going to tough out the abx. I would like very much to go off abx but, it is not an option.

I am thinking maybe you need to address the Candida aggressively, as I did, and maybe try a round of non-oral abx for the Lyme. Orals can be very hard on your GI tract. IM Bicillin is a possible option. I am doing well on that.

I agree that the entire body needs to be treated. My MD is an Inf. Dis. MD and an Internal Medicine Dr. Although he has me on a strong abx, he does not bombard me with a cocktail that knocks me flat. On my current protocol I am functional and I am encouraged to keep rebuilding my immune system. Doing it this way will probably take a few years. For me, that is better than being knocked flat by a constant herx.

All that said, I think you should probably work with both your LLMD and your Naturopath to find the least offensive protocol that will still keep you at a functional level. It just sounds like you have hit a road block with the natural therapies.

I wish I had more to offer. Hope you find the right path. I don't know anything about the Marshall Protocol.

Where did you get the data for the Positive Response Rates on the Top 3 IV Antibiotics?

You cited the following:
Primaxin 97%
Claforan 85%
Rocephin* 65%

Also, I know that Rocephin crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB). My LLMD claims that ONLY Rocephin crosses the BBB. Do you know if Primaxin or Claforan cross the BBB?