posted
I just rotated through 10 days of Clindy + Q. I started out with the Clindy slowly (had a mild herx) then added the Q as directed. Got the Big-D once the Q was added.
After I few days on both meds, I wondered what happened to my fibromyalgia. I'm very PMS-y and the fibro is usually bad during this time of the month. Since this is the treatment for Babs does it mean for sure that I have it? I have night sweats but no fevers. My temp is 96-97.
At the end of the 10 day cycle. I broke out in a hive like rash on my hands and feet. I have blisters that didn't pop/ooze like hives. The hives I've had in the past from allergies to aspririn, penicillin, morphine, sulfa, and HCTZ itched like the dickens.
Now my skin is peeling off in some spots. After smearing the rash with hydrocortisone cream and bumping up my compounded dose of hydrocortisone from 10 mg to 20 mg for 2 days the blisters are drying up.
I'm supposed to switch to Biaxin & Plaquenil for 10 days and go back to Clindy/Q for 10 more days. How do I tell what's a herx and what is an allergic reaction? I'm nervous about repeating the cycle. Any educated guesses as to what's going on would be appreciated.
Posts: 192 | From Dwight, IL USA | Registered: Mar 2007
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minoucat
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5175
posted
You really need to discuss all reactions like this one with your doc. For one thing, she may have seen it before and know exactly what it is (and how alarmed to be). For another, it may have clinical significance in deciding tx course. Mostly -- well, she needs to know just in case.
Hubby has had some non-itchy rashes in the past that we at first thought were reactions to meds but later seemed to be due to die off (because the reaction went away while he was still on the meds and at the same time that other die off sx went away). He's on clindamycin/quinine and had some wild reactions to the meds at first, but not the rash you describe.
But possible allergic reactions are nothing to fool around with and you really don't want to guess on this stuff if at all possible.
Is the rash on the palms and soles, or on the top of your feet and backs of your hands? Hubby's had several die-off rashes on the backs of the hands, ankles, and top of feet, but not on palms or soles.
Acrodermatitis (not uncommon with chronic lyme) can appear on hands, fingers, and feet as well as other places. Is often but not always painful. See http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic4.htm (also someone ?California Lyme? -- recently did a great post about LD and skin conditions.
Maculopapular {change in color, raised rash) and urticaria (raised, itchy) have been observed during drug therapy.
Generalized mild to moderate morbilli (looks like measles) form-like skin rashes are the most frequently reported of all adverse reactions. Rare instances of erythema multiforme, some resembling Stevens - Johnson syndrome have been associated with clindamycin.
Dermatologic: cutaneous rashes, including urticarial, papular, or scarlatinal rashes, pruritus, bullous dermatitis, exfoliative dermatitis, erythema multiforme, Stevens Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, fixed drug eruption, photosensitivity reactions, allergic contact dermatitis, acral necrosis, and cutaneous vasculitis.
We've found it very difficult at times to tell the difference between some allergic reactions, things like acrodermatitis, and die off sx. Especially with combination meds. Very scary and frustrating, but we're still standing...
-------------------- ********************* RECIDITE, PLEBES! Gero rem imperialem! (Stand aside plebians! I am on imperial business.)
posted
I called my LLMD. He thinks it was a herx since the rash was just on my hands and feet (not body wide). He wants me to forge onward with the rest of protocol. Meanwhile, did I say how much I hate Biaxin?
Posts: 192 | From Dwight, IL USA | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
Is your fibro still down? Mine went to about zero within one week of starting clindamycin. It still goes down when I take it. Also ankle swelling, chemical sensitivity and fatigue go down.
I took 150 mg 4x/day when I started. Had a herx -- ie, very tired, took it 3x/day then. Now I'm doing 300 mg every 12 hours, seems to be helping.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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posted
I'm on the second 10 day cycle. My fibro is horrible. Maybe I'm taking too much and not understanding the concept of just enough meds not to provoke symptoms. I go back to LLMD in a few weeks.
Yesterday, I was driving and threw up because of the glare from the cars ahead of me. When I passed through a long tunnel in heavy Chicago traffic the shifting sunlight made me jump. It was a hallucination of sorts. It seemed like something was moving towards me but there was nothing there. Took awhile for my heart to stop jumping out of my chest.
A few days ago I was changing CDs in the car and got a blinding migraine from the sunlight reflecting off the CD. Had to take a bunch of Imitrex and I was gagging. Movement in my rear and side view mirrors is also making me dizzy. These are all new symptoms.
Posts: 192 | From Dwight, IL USA | Registered: Mar 2007
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