posted
Hi! I am back again. I have been having bicillin LA 1.2mg since last november,one a fortnight combined with orals.I started to slip so the doc doubled the dose in about july. Then they withdrew the bicillin LA from the market over here and replaced it with Pan Benzathine from France.This new drug is not long acting so they have increased my dose to two lots of 1.2 mg per week.
The new shots were too painful so they started mixing it with lignocaine.This meant that each single injection had to be put into 2 syringes as it was too much solution to put into one site.So now I am having 2 shots on a monday and 2 on a thursday.
The problem is that they are now having trouble getting it to go in.I have massive bruising which is not going away.My whole hip area is different shades of permanent bruises and the last shot has left a hard lump like a cyst.They are now having to inject more times because the first sites they choose the injection just won't inject any more.
The nurses believe it is because of scar tissue and are trying to use my thighs and the same thing is happening. Humungous bruises which take 2 weeks to disappear. They are worried that the bicillin is causing the muscle to atrophy and may cause the muscle permanent damage.
At the moment the whole process is becoming very painful and distressing.
We are using 22 guage syringes ,but this is still happening.
I am slipping as well because the new drug is not long acting.
What do you think I should do? Has anyone else experienced this??
Really need your help on this one as I am at a loss of what to do and I don't want to go back on IV's if possible.
Thanks,Sue.
Posts: 801 | From Kiama,Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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dontlikeliver
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4749
posted
It sounds like you should perhaps taking a break from Bicillin and trying something else.
Bicillin should NOT go in the thighs.
Posts: 2824 | From The Back of Beyond | Registered: Oct 2003
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David95928
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3521
posted
It's surprising that standard Benzathine Penicillin (Bicillin LA) isn't being imported as it is used extensively to prevent recurrences of reumatic fever, it is my understanding, you have a good bit of among the aboriginal people. No other drug, to my knowledge, is indicated for that purpose. You might want to research this. Let me add that
I'm surprised you are able to get the medicine through a 22 gauge needle, I NEVER have and use 20 gauge, which still clog on occasion. I seem to go through phases of bruising.
-------------------- Dave Posts: 2034 | From CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
Sue,
I hope the nurse is injecting you very, very slowly - I cannot emphasize this enough. Bicillin is thick as glue. It takes awhile for the muscle to absorb it.
The more slowly it is injected, the less discomfort there is and also the less tissue injury.
I'm having Bicillin-LA injections twice a week with minimal issues. I do not have it mixed with lidocaine.
However, a Lyme friend of mine found her injections to be too painful. So the nurse mixed with lidocaine and split it into two injections as you are doing.
While my friend said it was not painful that way, she got lots of bumps and lumps (but not bruises).
A possible downside of mixing with lidocaine is that since it reduces the pain, the nurse may tend to inject it much more quickly. So that can cause tissue injury, or at the least, doesn't allow the Bicillin to be fully absorbed into the muscle (some can leak out, causing the lumps and bumps).
It sounds like Bicillin may just not be the right choice for you. Frankly, I'm handling it well but it isn't helping me a lot. Others say it helped them immensely.
If you do a search here on Lymenet, for a thread called Minimizing Bicillin Discomfort, in April 2006, it is a post I started and many people added to. I don't know if it would address your issues because yours are far more severe. But it might be worth a read.
Lastly, I don't know if this applies to you or if this is an overgeneralization, but I have found that some of my Lyme pals who are very slender find the Bicillin to be more painful and cause more injury.
I had put some weight on due to a different medication and maybe it's actually allowing the Bicillin to be a little less uncomfortable for me - I have no idea - it's just a wild hypothesis.
Take care, 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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posted
If you look it up, the 2.4m Bicillin comes equipped with an 18ga needle. Probably the excessive bruising is from the repeated attempts when the needle clogs.
From the name, that does sound like Benzathine Penicillin, which is the slow release kind whether they call it that or not. (Not to be confused with Benzyl Penicillin.) Just look at the ingredients on the label. It could also be a mixture of several.
In any case that all needs to heal up.
Posts: 714 | From San Antonio TX | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
My LLMD recommended ultrasound for some sterile abcesses I developed with Bicillin injections. Now I have my PT/DC ultrasound weekly to help my legs heal. Maybe that will help you to heal, too. I do two 1.2 mu Bicillin LA shots two times a week.
BTW 2 LLMDs are fine with me injecting in my thighs since my gluts no longer will hold the Bicillin - it leaks back out. I self inject with no problem.
Denise
Posts: 261 | From San Mateo, CA | Registered: May 2005
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arg82
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 161
posted
I'm so sorry you're having these problems, Sue. I don't have any good advice since I only had a very short stint with bicillin a number of years ago but I wanted to say hi! I'm thinking of you and hope you find a good solution soon!
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