posted
Okay...I've been taking doxy for about 4 weeks. Last week doubled the dosage to 400mgs.
Tonight, as I was flossing my teeth, I noticed that they are turning brown in between.
The closer I looked the more I could really tell just how bad the discoloration is.
My doctors office is closed so I can't call. I've decided to stop taking it. I mean, if I were to continue all of my teeth are going to be brown.
This discoloration occurred just in this past week.
The worst part is that I was really feeling better...my fatigue is completely gone, my hair doesn't fall out in the shower anymore, my memory seems to have improved.
Has anyone else experienced this side effect with doxy?
Are there any other antibiotics that will work?
I am truly depressed now. I feel like I have a choice...be sick, have no energy, severe memory loss OR brown teeth.
I guess I'm gonna have to choose to be sick, unless there is something else out there that can help me. I cannot bear to have my teeth turn brown.
Any advise or related experiences would be greatly appreciated!
Posts: 50 | From Virginia | Registered: Jan 2006
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SForsgren
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7686
posted
Are you serious? You'd rather have Lyme Disease than brown teeth? I'm not sure what to say....
-------------------- Be well, Scott Posts: 4617 | From San Jose, CA | Registered: Jul 2005
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JimBoB
Unregistered
posted
Obviously the choice will be to get rid of the Lyme, FIRST. THEN worry about the teeth.
I took Doxy, 400mg a day for 24 days. I didn't notice any difference in my teeth, but it was terrible on my stomach, so I have quit the Doxy and am now taking Herbs ONLY.
The Lyme itself is hard on the teeth. Course I am older so that in itself is hard on teeth.
There are many different medications besides Doxycycline to help erradicate Lyme. Some are better than others, YOU will have to decide WHICH is best for you. Or else your duck will have to.
If you don't know what to say, they next time don't answer my post. I was looking for some advise & similar experiences...not a sarcastic response.
Posts: 50 | From Virginia | Registered: Jan 2006
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That is funny you have brought this up. I was having a simmilar problem. I was on IV primaxin
and at the same time I was using this teeth whiting stuff my dentist gave me. Soon after I
started the Primaxin I noticed that every time I drank coffee I would have discoloration between my
teeth. I began to go crazy. I would brush after every coffee and I would swish water in my mouth
after every sip. Then I bought this teeth scraping tool at target. It is like what the
dentist's use's to clean your teeth. It helped. I then used a needle to get in between my teeth.
I know a needle? Not a good idea, but I was going crazy. At first I thought it may be the whiting
stuff I was using. But then two weeks ago I switched to IV doxy and I no longer have the teeth
problem. So it must have been the Primaxin. The primaxin really helped me but then I plataued on
it. If I was you I would keep using the Doxy as long as it is working. Just brush your teeth like
a mad man and try to stay away from dark drinks..Soon you will try another med and maybe
the discoloratin will stop. I also got a sonicare tooth brush. It helps a lot! You can get rid of
the stains.
Hang in there. I know how you feel.
-------------------- Love, Merrie Believe in the power of your spirit..for it will carry you through the darkest hours of your life Posts: 261 | From minnesota | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
Thanks believe3, it helps hearing other similar experiences and outcomes.
I hope I'm not coming across as vain or anything...it's just that this disease has taken so much from me...I wasn't expecting this issue on top of it all. It's frustrating and depressing.
Take care!
Posts: 50 | From Virginia | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
I have noticed something'different' about my teeth too, and like you it was oh no not another thing attached to this @#%#$$ miserable condition! The plax ( sp) in my teth is much greater now as well. I am about to switch to Ketek and I am hoping that will help my teeth ( and allow me in the sun!) I am with you on this one!
Posts: 66 | From Texas | Registered: May 2005
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posted
That's normal when you are on longterm abx. Most of us have this. Since I'm in treatment I have to get my teeth professionally cleaned 4 times a year.
In between, every few days, I use smokers toothpaste. The whole thing is disgusting but I'm ready to pay this price for my treatment.
I was told it will stop again when we stop abx.
Gabrielle
Posts: 767 | From Germany | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
I have experiened the brown spots in between my teeth also. They've been around now for six months despite a change in meds. Doxy was not one the meds, either. I was on Mino, Zith, Leva and Plaquenil. Now I'm on Mepron and Zith. Maybe it's the Zith. I am also noticing a change in skin pigment on my face, dark patches, just below my nose. When will it ever end?!
Posts: 30 | From Kill Devil Hills, NC | Registered: Sep 2003
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Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
Don't stop the Doxy just yet! I had the same thing happen but for me, it turned out it was the Doxy causing a massive build-up of plaque. But it can be scraped off!!
Like others have posted, I, too, had to start having my teeth cleaned every three months. The poor hygieniest had to scrape and scrape - the appointments were tough on her but easy on me. She said it looked like I had little sweaters on my teeth. But it wasn't permanent.
Doxy helped me so much, it was worth going through this extra bit of inconvenience and expense to see the dental hygienist. I also bought a Sonicare toothbrush and that started helping, too.
The other abx so far have not done it to me as much, but I still have to have more frequent dental cleanings than pre-Lyme.
There is a solution!
Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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My front teeth have brown discolorations from using minocycline for a long period of time.
The doctors of course told me that it was impossible for it to discolor my teeth, because that only happens in children.
They were wrong as usual.
It sounds vain, but I think that was one of the things that made me try harder to find some way of getting off of antibiotics entirely.
I think it symbolized to me what the antibiotics did to my body even as they controlled the Lyme.
I am still very glad I did use minocycline, as it seemed to be the best fit for the neurolyme symptoms I had, and penetrated into the central nervous system better than many oral antibiotics do.
Farah
Posts: 208 | From New Mexico | Registered: Dec 2005
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AZURE WISH
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 804
posted
Hi,
My teeth have gotton very stained from abx (various ones)
they all seem to do it to my teeth...
If it is any consolation with me it is just stains.... I am 29 and never had a cavatity or anything.
I plan on whitening them when I am through with the abxs.
I found a toothbrush that helps with the stains took alot of them off
colgate whitening toothbrush - it has a little plastic thing in the center. I bought mine awhile ago at walmart.
posted
I don't think it sounds vain at all to notice that your teeth are becoming brown, even black. It has a big psychological effect on the smile.
I had been on abx for 6 plus months and my teeth got really disgusting, it made me not smile nearly as much and also had a psychological impact on how I felt about myself. It is not vain. Of course I do consider those in very poor countries, some who have no teeth, some whose teeth are all extremely rotted...and so it is an entirely different culture and mindset.
I went to the dentist and most of the brown went away after the scraping. I was very happy about that!
My curiosity was, are the teeth part of the bone? And if the teeth are browning, does that mean so are the bones inside?
My second question, which is not related to the browning teeth that come along with taking antibiotics long term...but has to do with what JimBob mentioned about lyme being hard on the teeth. I wil start another post about it to see what others say.
posted
My teeth turned brown on Doxy. They can get polished right off, the stains not the teeth. Just close your eyes and tell yourself this too will pass, or go get your teeth cleaned.
Posts: 243 | From chicago | Registered: Dec 2005
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Mathias
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5298
posted
Go see a dentist first. Doxy changes the bacteria in the mouth (Periostat is Doxycycline) and that could be contributing to it.
-------------------- Mathias Posts: 1250 | From New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2004
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