posted
My Dr. currently has me on a Bicillin dosage of 1.2M units once a week. He is suggesting the dose be increased to 2.4M units once a week, given in a single injection each time. I have not had many problems with the 1.2M dose, except that my hips are sore after each shot. Does anyone have experience receiving this larger dosage?
Posts: 3 | From GA | Registered: Feb 2008
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Welcome Jana!
Ouch, ouch, ouch on your bee-hind! Sorry to hear it is being shot full of holes.
I am posting here to bring this question to the top for the early birds. I don't do the Bicillin so would rather leave the answers to those who do.
The pain at the injection site will be the same 1.2 vs 2.4, however the coverage is twice as strong. You'll be stuck either way.
I personally have not had this med for lymes but is a great antibodic that's been around for a long time and is cheap as dirt. We use it in the ER all the time.... great for strep throat, etc.
How painful is the disease untreated? How expensive is it with "newer" (non-generic)meds. If it were me, and I thought it had even a minimum chance at working I'd go for it.
Good Luck and let me know if it helps.
-------------------- Hartlygrl Posts: 3 | From Clover, SC | Registered: Feb 2008
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posted
I did 2 - 1.2 shots at the same time (1 ea side of the butt) every 5 days. My LLMD said the surge in meds was good to get the bacteria. They hurt but if you can take one stick you can take two.
Posts: 262 | From nj | Registered: Dec 2007
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You said it's "cheap as dirt". Where can I get it at this price? I found it to be very expensive, and my insurance didn't cover it. At 3 shots a week, I was spending around $600/month on it, not including what I paid to have a nurse inject me.
If I could find it "cheap as dirt", I wouldn't have any problem staying on it. As it is, I asked my LLMD to take me off of it the last time I saw him.
Patti
Posts: 975 | From California | Registered: Apr 2007
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
You can do it either way, 1.2 MU every other day -3 days or 2.4 MU once per week.
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Dawn in VA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9693
posted
Although it smarts like all heck to do so, you might want to try rubbing/massaging your injection sites as soon as you can after getting the shots. It hurts hurts hurts, but doc said this does two things: 1) gets the bicillin deeper into the tissue 2) helps prevent the lumps afterwards
I only have had 3 injections of it in the past, but never got the lumps. Don't know if it was b/c I didn't do very many injections or if it was the massaging.
Just a sugg.
Hope your bottom feels better!
-------------------- (The ole disclaimer: I'm not a doctor.) Posts: 1349 | From VA | Registered: Jul 2006
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I had my first of the larger dose shots yesterday. It really hurt going in, and my left hip is very sore today. The nurse told me that the 2.4M dose is a large volume injection that has to be given with a large needle which is why it hurts more. She said even though it hurts more, having only one shot per week gives the hip muscle more time to recover before the next shot.
We'll see how it is next week, but right now it is not very comfortable.
Thanks again to those who wrote to me.
Posts: 3 | From GA | Registered: Feb 2008
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posted
OOh, those 2.4 doses, done with one large shot, DO hurt! I had to do those for a while when the 1.2 shots were unavailable about a year or so ago.
The large needles look rather more like a garden tool than a medical device. I have a high, high pain tolerance, but those were truly tough on me (I was self-injecting).
I'd much rather do 2 of the 1.2 shots with the little needle -- that's what I'm doing now, and it isn't too bad -- just a bit of residual soreness for a day or two after each shot.
-------------------- "Looks like freedom but it feels like death.. It's something in between, I guess"
Leonard Cohen, from the song "Closing Time" Posts: 822 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
Why do some doctors use the higher dose of bicillin? Is there a greater herx with the larger dose? I have been on the 1.2 once a week for 3 months now and also started fluconazole 1 month ago.
-------------------- Margaret Posts: 103 | From CT | Registered: Feb 2007
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