I'm currently taking zith and I'm still doing better than I imagined I would at this stage of the game. The LD has been left untreated for so long I assumed I'd always have severe symptoms, but that doesn't seem to be the case (big sigh of relief and thanks to the Almighty).

If you were me . . . would you do IV or stick with orals? Could IV raise a red flag with our insurance company and possibly end up in denial at a later date? I have a little boy and a husband with lyme as well, so I must look at the big picture.

When you can, would you mind posting your experiences and opinions?

Thank you in advance. I would be lost without you.

I only used orals-
any they were very sucessfull... I always opt for the least invasive route first (plus I figured I really didn't want to by pass the intestinal
tract.).

My current Lyme abx is: ketek, omnicef (same drug family as rocephin).

I have only been on oral abx, and so far it's working for me, I am also treating for the co-infection babesia. I have gotten the most help while treating for babs.

If you haven't tried orals first, I'd recommend doing that to see if you can get any improvement without IVs. But, IVs may be helpful for you. For me, IVs gave me the best remission I've had in my seven years of treatment. Unfortunately, I didn't stay on them long enough and not with a good combination so I relapsed about five months after stopping them and also lost my gallbladder because of it.

IVs aren't a walk in the park but they're not as difficult to deal with as they used to be (I assume). My advice would be to see if orals can help you (go on a good combination), get tested for co-infections if you haven't already and get treated for any co-infections that come up, and keep IVs as an option if you need them.

--Annie

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``The best way out is always through.'' -Robert Frost

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I am doing orals an IM injections now and having a heck of a time with my intestines. I'd take IV over orals any day. But, that's just me.

I've had this forever and suspect my husband has it too...[how could he not?] so I wouldn't want to lose the ins.

IF I were to do IV, I would go for claforan. I think you're less likely to relapse on it. All I hear about on here is how everyone relapses the minute they go off Rocephin.

I agree with Beverly that you need to be sure you don't have babesia. Forget the testing, go straight to the treatment phase. That may be all you'd need and then wouldn't have to go the IV route. Just my thoughts. [guess what? I'm not a dr!! ]

I went undiagnosed for probably 30 years as the result of a tick attachment when I was a kid. My llmd thinks the lyme probably laid dormant in my system for years before rearing its ugly head.

I have been in treatment for 3 1/2 years and have been treated for babesia and bartonella as well as lyme. All treatment has been oral meds.

When I first started out, I read a lot here and saw that many people were treated right from the get go with IV. I asked my lyme doc about IV therapy and it was his opinion that there are many oral meds that have as much effectiveness if not more, than some of the IV meds.

IV has its own set of complications... there is the concern of keeping the site clean, infections, blockages, etc. Then the more 'practical' matter of insurance covering the treatment. If you are a seronegative person, the insurance companies may cover it with a letter from your physician, but probably only for 4 weeks. So the process could be very costly to a person if they can't get the insurance company to support the treatment.

Over the years I have had the good fortune of working with two lyme docs and have been treated exclusively with orals. Unfortunately this disease just doesn't want to give up residence in me, so my oral options are running out. I'm currently on a combo that is showing success, but unfortunately I have plateaued in the past, so for now we just continue on course and see what happens.

Personally, I am a huge chicken sh$% when it comes to the whole IV concept, but if it does come down to that, then hook me up. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.....

So I guess what it comes down to is if you haven't tried orals and you want to give them a try, then I say go for it. If you have had success with IV in the past, then that too could be a very good option for you....there is no right or wrong choice between orals or IVs to treat this disease, and it really requires alot of trial and error to see what is going to work for your particular variation of the illness.

quote:

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Originally posted by beachcomber:
IV Rocephin was the turning point for me. It gave me a semblance of a life back. My GI tract had suffered greatly from different orals. I would still be on IV if it were not for a slight heart problem and a very sensitive superior vena cava (vein to heart).

I am doing orals an IM injections now and having a heck of a time with my intestines. I'd take IV over orals any day. But, that's just me.

Bc

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