Topic: Is Rocephin supposed to make one so Nauseated. Feel like I'm getting Chemo
lymetwister
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19590
posted
I havn't barfed yet, but I'm belching up a storm and feel so god awful sick just after the second IV dose of 2gm. I also feel dizzy.
I have no energy and very fatigued and achy which is not my norm.
Feels like air hunger is hitting me as well, or I might just be holding my breath from the discomfort. Anxiety is very very high too.
I am very pale when looking in the mirror.
I took some Phenergan I had laying around the house and ate some toast and not getting too much relief. Will try some Ginger now. My stomach is making crazy sounds and feels like diarrhea is headed my direction.
I have never slept during the day through my battle, but I might try and take a day nap today.
Might try some Percocet for the body aches.
Thanks in advance,
LT
Posts: 1227 | From District of Columbia | Registered: Mar 2009
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springshowers
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19863
posted
I get this way and have to have a medicine added to my IV that is anti nausea or I can not tolerate it. THat is on the ZIth. The Flagyl does not bother my stomach though for some reason. But I do feel hit of flush and fainty and pale and all that..
Maybe they gave give you something to put in the IV for nausea instead of a pill. FOrgot the name they use and a nurse gives it to me too though.
But worth asking.
Hope you feel better. I know its hard!
Posts: 2747 | From Unites States Of America | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
Are you eating some protein before getting infused with it?
Also are you dripping it over a 1.5 to 2 hour period? I know one lady on that stuff that is having some of the problems you are having.
Posts: 458 | From Miss | Registered: Mar 2009
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- From what I hear, yes, the stomach can turn into a roller coster.
Yes, as Buster says, the SLOW - SLOW drip of 1.5 - 2 hours is best. If that is pushed too fast, there will be more GI distress and you could also loose your gallbladder really fast.
When do you start the gallbladder medicine? That might help. (it is always given with IV rocephin to protect the gallbladder but I don't know at what stage of treatment).
I'm concerned that Percocet could actually make this worse as it adds to the liver stress (it's oxycodone hydrochloride and acetaminophen - acetaminophen is very hard on the liver). The more stressed the liver, the worse the pain will be - and the nausea.
Are you also taking good liver support?
I do hope you can rest well - treatment is a rocky road but many have gotten through it. Good luck. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
I have been on rocephin for a month now. The first few days I would get nausea if I had an empty stomach or was hungry. Once I ate it went away. Now I'm not getting nausea at all, empty or full. Have not had any of the other problems.
I started the Actigall on Day 1 and have had no problems concerning the gall bladder. Hopefully, this will only be a temporary issue for you. Good luck.
Posts: 847 | From upstateNY | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
You need a great (not good, great) probiotic. I use Healthy Trinity.
Also, try 1 gram instead of two. I like the "go slow, go low" approach. God bless you.
Posts: 374 | From United States | Registered: Nov 2008
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lymetwister
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19590
posted
Just woke from almost a 2 hour nap, which I never take.
I am aching like I have never ached. The Nausea is all but gone.
My head is spinning and I'm cold, achy and very Tremorous like I've never been.
I can't slow the infusion rate as it's in a medicine ball and all goes in over 1 hour.
Not sure what your saying to take for the Gallbladder, but I don't think I have anything here for that.
Anxiety still very high.. The only thing missing is depression, but I do feel as if I got ran over by a truck.
Don't forget, I do still have the IVIG in me. Wondering if I should skip a day tomorrow. Certainly if I feel like this I will take a day off. Will be listening loud and clear to my body.
Is this a Herx ?
LT
Posts: 1227 | From District of Columbia | Registered: Mar 2009
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posted
Ask your doctor for ursodiol- it is a prescription gallbladder protectant that is well worth it.
Posts: 236 | From Washington | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
You really need the gallbladder med. Can't believe your doc didn't prescribe it. I work with a guy who was on rocephin only a week, and ended up having his gallbladder out.
Posts: 847 | From upstateNY | Registered: Dec 2007
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
I can't believe you aren't on Actigall either. Your doctor should have prescribed that. Ursodiol is bear bile. It's synthetic bile, that is given to treat bile reflux. You want to use it with Rocephin to prevent gall stones. Im not sure if it does much to prevent biliary sludging. If the stomach pain keeps up I would stop the IV for a few days, give the actigall a chance to work, then try it again, if it's still bad try switching to a different IV like IV Zithromax or IV Claforan.
posted
Wildcondor...Isn't Ursodile the generic. That's what I take. The bottle also says Actigall, but the gemeric is Ursodile. You confused me(not hard to do).
Posts: 847 | From upstateNY | Registered: Dec 2007
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
I never took any gallbladder protectant in 3 months, 7 days per week, 4 grams daily of Rocephin.
My ID doctor said it (actigall) was useless because the gallstones created by rocephin are actually chrystalized rocephin and not 'true stones'. I did not have a problem.....maybe I was lucky?
The second time around, different doctor, I took actigall 2x daily.
I became very nauseous on my first round of rocephin but this did not happen until 2 1/2 months in. I was bedbound nauseous and using phenagren suppositories. I laid with a bucket by my bedside.
This was my first treatment. I thought I was supposed to go through this horrendous suffering in order to get well.....I know better now!
Rocephin also made me sleepy. I slept better at night and napped during the day....
So, give it a day or so and see if you adjust? Always eat before infusing as well.
feelfit
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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lymetwister
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19590
posted
I was barely able to get the Rocephin, so I would think Actigal is out of the question.
Feeling better now, but what a god awful day I had.
Severe flu like symptoms most of the day and I napped, like I said, first time I ever napped during the day.
I did a coffee enema and an Epsom salt bath and that seemed to "Save the day".
Amazing how I can go from feeling like death to a clear head with little to no anxiety.
LT
Posts: 1227 | From District of Columbia | Registered: Mar 2009
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- If you don't protect your gallbladder you are very likely in for a very bad ride. You must get that medicine.
Some may be lucky but a high number of lyme patients have to have emergency surgery to remove gallbladder when in IV rocephin UNLESS they take the gallbladder RX in advance (and some, even with it).
--
I hope the drips have been slow. That is also essential. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
its ok Keltyl i confused myself too, edited it, yes it is the generic to actigall.
I just want to add that when I did IV Rocephin I didn't get gallstones, but i did get gallbladder sludging and the nausea was horrible. The GI doc I saw wanted to remove my gallbladder after I took a CCK HIDA, pipida Nuclear Medicine scan and the ejection fraction was like 25%. I was like..no....and waited a few weeks for the Rocephin to clear out of my system, and it did, and my gallbladder went back to normal. So, unless your GB is really bad, you might not have to get it removed if you have sludge. Some folks may do liver/gallbladder flushes but i don't know how safe that is if you have alot of stones. In any case, I would certainly get on Actigall to protect against stones.
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posted
If you can't get a prescription for Actigall, then buy Ox Bile supplements instead. Hubby has taken these for years. The extra bile will help your gallbladder even when not on IV antibiotics.
Nutricology or Allergy Research brand are both good -- made by the same company. VitaCost and Vitamin Shoppe both carry this supplement. Bottle has 100 (500 mg) capsules. Hubby takes one with lunch and one with supper.
Actually it sounds to me like you are tolerating the IV Rocephin very well.
This was the first antibiotic hubby did 5 years ago and I started him off at 125 mg per infusion. Think it took at least 3 weeks to work up to the full 2 gram dose. We only did the IV's 6 days a week instead of 7.
Even using IV glutathione daily, I still had to stop just about every single IV 1 or 2 times to give hubby IV Ativan to control seizure-like episodes. This happened even on the initial low doses.
Hope you are looking for a good LLMD (not a specialist at a University Hospital but a real doc who treats mostly or exclusively tickborne disease patients) to continue with your treatment once the Rocephin is over.
Remember, this is just the beginning of your path to healing. Especially if you have any coinfections you still have a long road ahead of you.
Castor oil packs would be another option to help with liver detox.
Have you ever tried SAM-e for the anxiety -- this works much much better for hubby than any of the numerous antidepressants he has tried. He is down to 1 mg of oral Ativan daily from a high of 8 mg IV while in the hospital for a month back in 2007. 400 mg daily in the morning or even 600 or 800 mg of SAM-e might be needed initially. Jarrow is one of the better brands.
Hang in there and you will get through this.
This is not medical advice, just my opinion based on hubby's experiences.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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lymetwister
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19590
posted
Is this why I'm having a tough time ? Is it the 2gm being too high to start on ?
Trust me when I tell you I'm not tolerating this very well at all.
I feel sicker than I ever have. I was in the tub twice today just to deal with the aches and pains I was having everywhere.
Every symptom I had prior to the Rocephin is exacerbated now x 5.
This is why I'm supplementing the Xanax and Percocet.
I can't even get out now to even get Sam-E.
LT
Posts: 1227 | From District of Columbia | Registered: Mar 2009
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springshowers
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Member # 19863
posted
I can so relate to you LymeTwister. Its so hard and at the same time you want to hit the bugs.. So I too am in the bath multiple times and doing coffee enemas and meditating and breathing and body scrubs and then doing it all over again. Drinking tons of water and getting through day by day. I am going to be doing some infared ozone sauna treatments starting tomorrow and I hope they help.
I have felt like stopping treatment or cutting back but at the same time I may not have another chance at this sort of treatment and want to give it all I have.
I have to take Ms Contin and Lortab and Soma and I even add napraoxon and aspsrin when it gets really bad to just get through a couple hours at at time with out screaming.
I have found though I am getting a few hours here and there now that feel better even if they are small windows.
I know detoxing is big and I wonder how much I am killing and not able to detox. But I can only do what I can do.
I am getting a rife machine too and I am not ready to add that but will. And then i am going to be doing just rife and maybe oral abx again and maybe salt c.
I hope you feel better... your not alone... and I know your pain and maybe some of your thoughts....
Oh.. I was going to give you the name of the nauseau drug they give me if you would like it let me know. I have it written down. It is a med they put in my IV though so though maybe you can ask your doctor. I can not tolerate the IV Zith without it. I get so sick while it is going in that i am about to pass out.
Even when they give the med I do not feel the nausea so much but my mouth is watering and my stomach churning and I can feel the sensations still. its weird..
But I would not be able to do them without it at all. It makes a big difference. I am still very flush afterward and weak and sweaty an stuff and it calms down about 8 hour later just in time for my IV Flagyl.
Anyway let me,know. And take care
Posts: 2747 | From Unites States Of America | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
Only you know what dose and what symptoms you can tolerate.
In my opinion, based on hubby's experiences it is better to start any med at 1/4 the normal dose or even less and then increase from there. For example he started Rifampin at 50 mg and the target dose was 600 mg.
Some people including some docs would not agree with me, but I think it is better to start slow and increase gradually rather than start high and have to stop or quit altogether.
It is not a race -- if you end up in the ER or hospital then to me that defeats the whole purpose of treatment.
If you ask this question in another thread I would guess that about 50% would say start at lower doses and the other 50% would say start at the target dose. This is one of the reasons we need research funding -- there are no studies that I know of showing the outcomes from different dosing. LLMD's are divided on this issue as well.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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springshowers
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19863
posted
I have found on certain drugs I have no choice but to start very small doses and work up. The herx and reaction is so severe and my body is so sensitive to it.
The weird thing is the for me the IV drugs feel quiet different. I am able to do the full dose and even though it feels like a herx it is in a different way. I wish i could describe it better. It just is like it comes in waves and then you have some openings and that makes it more doable and the actual herx feeling for me is different.
I think there is something to this.
Again i can not find a way to describe this but oral meds I am much more sensitive to as far as dosing and there has only been one or two that i have been able to take without very slow ramping or just pulsing or cycling due to not tolerating it at all.
The IV is smoother. I still cant find the words.
Posts: 2747 | From Unites States Of America | Registered: Apr 2009
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