posted
I've been pulsing Flagyl for a bout a month and a half now. I take it three days a week. I also take Zithromax, and Amox on the remainder 4 days.
I am a mess. I am SO weak! My legs feel like jello and I have no energy. It takes everything I have to get out of bed in the morning. I'm depressed and feeling very low.
My head is foggy, I'm dizzy, and twitching like crazy. Also in lots of pain... everywhere pain.
I'm so afraid this disease is progressing and I'm getting worse!
I feel like I could stay in bed all day and sleep and cry. I have nothing to look forward to.
Could these symptoms be side effects of meds? I've heard that Flagyl is a tough drug. Can it cause the horrible weakness? Or possibly, it is causing depression/lethargy which is then causing the weakness? I don't know.
posted
Cleo, What happened? Did it make you really weak? I don't know how much more I can take! I'm miserable. And I don't know if it's a herx, side effects, both, or disease progression.
The last few weeks have been hell and my head feels like mush.
How long does one usually take Flagyl for? My LLMD didn't say how long he wants me on it.
posted
I was only able to take it for about four days, severe diarhea five days, disorentiation, crying etc., it was a nightmare.
Went to emergency and the doc their said he travels to africa and usually has to take flagyl when he comes back. He said it was very hard on the body and a lot of people are unable to tolerate it.
I guess it depends on the person, I have a neighbour who's ten year old daughter was on it for 6 months and absolutely no side effects.
-------------------- 1999 CFS, 2002 CMV Myco pneumonia 1 year antibiotics on and off 2002 EBV, 2009 Positive Igenex Borellia and Babesia, Brain mri severe white matter disease Monoclonal Gammopathy. On and off antibiotics since sept. March 9 started iv antibiotics Posts: 328 | From somewhereelse | Registered: Apr 2009
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
i am on day 4 of 1500 per day.
man, i'm so weak i can barely get up off the sofa.
i hate flagyl but i have to do this.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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karenl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17753
posted
Flagyl is very toxic for the liver that is probably the reason you feel weak.
I am on day 4 of 500 mg per day and doing very well. Energy is better and I could walk.But I did not tolerated flagyl long time ago in the IV on a high dose.
Probably you could ask your doctor if you can now take a moderate.Otherwise if you get more trouble you have to stop the medication. That would be worse. Or go lower for some days and then higher again.
They had me on that extreme dose back then and I totally crashed on day 5, then I was allergic to flagyl for a decade.
Posts: 1834 | From US | Registered: Oct 2008
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posted
I agree with karenl, take it easy. I was on it over a month ago and I still can't get back on the other two antibiotics.
I was on azithro and hydroxyquin for two months doing just fine, then added the flagyl and now my digestive system seems to have crashed. I managed to get back on azithro after two weeks I added back in hydroxyquin and have had to stop both again. I am having severe abdominal burning pain.
Considering IV, which i really did not want to do.
-------------------- 1999 CFS, 2002 CMV Myco pneumonia 1 year antibiotics on and off 2002 EBV, 2009 Positive Igenex Borellia and Babesia, Brain mri severe white matter disease Monoclonal Gammopathy. On and off antibiotics since sept. March 9 started iv antibiotics Posts: 328 | From somewhereelse | Registered: Apr 2009
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I took flagyl daily for 2 months. That took care of the lyme for me. I took it with amoxi. The amoxi kills the lyme in the spirochete form, and the flagyl kills it in the cyst form. So, together, these meds wipe out lyme in both its forms.
I'll bet your doc will keep you on it until you no longer feel sick on it. That tells him that there are no more lyme cysts being killed and you don't need it anymore.
I don't see how your disease could be progressing on your treatment plan, so put that idea out of your head.
My lyme doc had me eat fresh lemons and drink lots of water all during lyme treatment. He said to eat 4 lemons per day. I cut them up and squeezed them in the water. This cleanses the body and makes the herx much more bearable. I really couldn't complain about my herx on flagyl. So, if you are not already doing so, start eating fresh lemons and drinking lots of water. I hope it makes a major difference for you.
I have since read various articles that explain what the lemons do in the body, and they all say the lemons really make a difference.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
I have tried the lemons in water so many times TF. It just doesn't work any miracles for me. Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Thanks for the replies everyone. I was pretty much bed ridden yesterday. Everytime I would try to get up I couldn't handle it... too weak and too dizzy. So I'd find my way back to the bed and cry.
This really isn't fun... I hurt everywhere and feel like I'm going to collapse when I'm standing or walking. My head feels all foggy and my muscles are still twitching.
Ugh! TF I've been doing the lemon water and can't tell much difference yet. Maybe need to do more. yesterday I had two lemons.
I was hoping that when I got up this morning I'd feel better, but I don't. Still the same. It's getting old.. really fast. Should I take a break from the flagyl?
Could be a herx I guess...My pain has been worse since the very beginning of the Flagyl, but the last two weeks the weakness has kicked in. Luckily I only take the Flagyl on FRI,SAT,SUN. But I really haven't noticed if I feel worse on those days.
Anyways, I guess I'll keep at it.
I wonder if I'm on too many meds... and my body just can't keep up. Right now I'm on 4 different ones... Amox, Zith, Flagyl, and my LLMD just added Artesunate. I've been taking the Artesunate for 3 days now. The first day was really rough on that.
If it was a herx, why is it happening so late? I've been on this combo for awhile now and I've had increased symptoms since about day 3 or so.. Why am I still feeling so crappy?
posted
Flagyl causes very painful feet in diabetics.
Posts: 921 | From CT | Registered: Apr 2009
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karenl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17753
posted
Artesunate is strong. Never take a higher dose earlier then 4 days. Always wait at least four days because the herx often comes only on day four. You take a lot of strong meds. To be honest I admire you, I would be dead.
Posts: 1834 | From US | Registered: Oct 2008
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posted
Wow, Flagyl was VERY hard for me. I fell asleep in the tub twice and flooded my bedroom. Yeah fun. I was very depressed and anxious. Couldn't sleep because I was in so much pain in neck & R. shoulder. I was soooo scared. I went to see my llmd one day and the nurse put the blood pressure cuff on so tight that it pinched me badly. I cried so hard that when my llmd came in I couldn't quit sobbing. When he asked me what was wrong I couldn't get the words out for the sobs. Awful. That was my first round of abx. Pls. note at that time I was also on an anti depressant called serzone which about took me over the edge as well. I think serzone is off the market now anyway but IT'S AWFUL. So flagyl to me was one of the most difficult for me. (I ended up in the er from pain with it.) To think of adding zithro to the mix would have done me in as it caused bowel incontinence at times. Sometime my llmd just had to decrease it at times so I could manage. Please take care. Sounds like you're at your limit. Thinking of you.
Posts: 153 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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