This is my first post here, although I have been lurking for quite awhile gathering as much information as I can process.

I deeply appreciate the wealth of information, advice and support that is generously provided here by all you wonderful, knowledgeable people.

I was diagnosed with FMS and CFS four years ago and have been very ill and bedridden most of that time. I am convinced however that my root problem is Borreliosis.

I have been having difficulty getting my doctors to seriously consider this possibility. It was only after three days in the hospital with severe chest pain, arrythmias and dyspnia, followed by six weeks of the same unrelenting symptoms, which I attribute to Lyme carditis, that my ID doctor put me on 200 mg/day of doxy for one month.

I am on the eighth day now and I have suddenly developed symptoms of a severe urinary tract infection, with a great deal of pain, teeth-rattling chills, slight fever (99), burning pain in my sides, etc.

Has anyone else experienced this while taking doxy or other abx? Is it a common side-effect? Is it caused by bacteria, fungus or something else? What is the best way to treat it? Why isn't it killed by the doxy?

I would appreciate any insight and advice that anyone could provide.

Your reaction to the Doxycycline seems to confirm that. It's a Herxheimer effect. The Doxy is killing Lyme bacteria, which are producing toxins as they die and making you (temporarily) much sicker than before you started on the Doxy.

If it were ME, I would get off the antibiotics for two weeks, then ask your doctor to order an IGeneX western blot test - the IgM and IgG.

Then I would consider finding an LLMD, since infectious disease docs are notoriously anti-Lyme! (Yours may humor you for a while but don't expect much should you turn up with positive Western Blot!)

Good luck to you...

:-)

Started zith in May with doxy and had HUGE brain fog. I actually am feeling much better this month with more good than bad days.

I also thought of stopping the abx but fought on and feel (for me) that I did the right thing.

As Michele suggests, if possible get your testing done through Igenex. Remember that even if tests come back negative a clinical diagnoses by an llmd is necessary. ALSO, go to Seeking a Doctor.

Keep us updated.

I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that I will not be able to get the treatment I need from my current doctors; they simply do not have the knowledge or experience (or perhaps inclination) to diagnose and treat Lyme effectively. I will be making an appointment with a LLMD shortly and hope he will be able to take me as a patient.

I did resolve the urinary tract infection; I saw my doctor today and got a script for the usual sulfa drugs. I still don't know why I got it, if it is in any way related to the Lyme or Doxy and my Doctor didn't know. It's never ending with this disease as it moves from organ to organ, compounding symptoms as time passes. Always wondering what's next.

Welcome

I'm a fellow Californian. Just wondering, do you think you got infected here in California?

It is amazing how many doctors here are still saying "There is no Lyme in California" when the state Health Dept. says that there indeed is, throughout the state.

I'm wondering if your UTI might be related to what can be a common co-infection known as Babesia (or "Babs" here at Lymenet).

I had horrible UTIs, Bladder infection, Kidney infections that they would try to culture but could never seem to find an medicine to kill it.

Just when I would start to feel better, it would come back full force.

I even had so much blood in my urine at one point my doctor insisted I must have been on my period and "didn't know it."

Here are some links that might help you get around here at Lymenet and also give you some basic info on Lyme and tick-borne-disease (TBD):

Links for new members:

Treepatrol's Newbie Links, pg. 1

Tincup's links for new members
Dr. B's Treatment Guidelines Nov. 2002
ILADS Guidelines Summary
LymeNet Vocabulary
Also, you can do a search of all our past postings:
Click here to Search LymeNet

Let us know how we can help, okay?

------------------
Tabby

Oh dear, you think the UTI is caused by babesia? Yikes.

I do believe I have babesia and bartonella based on symptomology, though I haven't been tested yet.

Did you ever find anything to treat your UTIs? Have you finally gotten rid of them? I certainly hope so; they are really unbearable.

I think I may have contracted Lyme hiking in Malibu State Park. I found a blood-engorged tick on myself a day or two after an outing (forget how long), but wasn't concerned at the time because I didn't think there was Lyme in California.

Fast forward several years, bedbound and disabled by this illness, and there is now a big sign at the entrance to the trail in Malibu State Park where I hiked proclaiming the presence of Lyme there.

Thanks for the links. I have been reading through this forum for a few months, but it takes time to absorb and remember everything. I learn something new every day.

I am so appreciative of all the info posted here; it will probably save my life!

I had UTIs for years that the typical antibiotic macrobid would never even touch.

Levaquin and Zithromax were the only antibiotics that would cure these infections. Now it seems these are two of the choice antibiotics that seem to kill the strain of lyme I am dealing with.

I chalked the UTIs up to lyme not babesia. I was diagnosed with Babesia however and had a positive blood test for it so maybe it was causing the UTIs.

I would get a wopper herx like migraine complete with numbness in the face and hands and temporary visual aura after treating the UTI with antibiotics.

When I finally was diagnosed and started treatment for tick borne illness I would have this weird tissue looking stuff in my urine the first few months. It scared me until someone else reported it too on a board. That has stopped now.

Take care...

If I don't get better I'll know that it is probably lyme or babesia related. Not that that will help me at this point, not until I can see a LLMD and get on an appropriate abx regime.

Thanks everyone for your replies,
experiences and advice.