I took it for 18 months because I was doing so well on it.
I would go with doxy first because it will knock out ehrlichiosis, which can kill you in a matter of days. I'm not sure about Biaxin working on ehrlich??
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
Yes it treats Lyme, but is not typically used by itself. Biaxin is usually used with Ceftin and Bicillin plus Flagyl. It is also used along with Plaquenil for Lyme. For babesia, it can be paired with Mepron and artemesia.
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
I believe biaxin kills the intercellular form of lyme.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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cantgiveupyet
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8165
posted
someone on LN posted their child was given this after a recent tick bite.
and someone I know woke up with a bite and was Rx Biaxin.
any ideas on why it seems Dr(non LLMD) are Rx Biaxin over Doxy for bites? other than it being summer.
-------------------- "Say it straight simple and with a smile."
"Thus the task is, not so much to see what no one has seen yet, But to think what nobody has thought yet, About what everybody sees."
-Schopenhauer
pos babs, bart, igenex WB igm/igg Posts: 3156 | From Lyme limbo | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
Well... kids can't take doxy... that's all I know. Biaxin is a little easier on the gut.. but I wonder about it taking care of "eric" as Tincup would say!!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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'Kete-tracker
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17189
posted
My PCP (pretty L.L.) had me on clarithromycin (Biaxcin) by itself for my remaining (Lyme?) symptoms. I think it was because the only "macrolide" I'd been on while under care of the LLMD was Ketek, but I'd discontinued it because of liver & sleep problems.
He reluctantly added some Plaquenil at my request, citing some abx Guidelines for Lyme I'd printed. (I think he'd had some bad experiences in some of his elderly patients using plaquenil... permanent vision issues.)
My "Dr. B's" (2005) says to add 200-400mg/day. of hyndroxynchloroquiyne (Plaquenil) OR 100-200mg/d of amantadine (Symmetrel). Something about "alkalizing" the slightly acidic intra-cellular environment so the Biaxin gets in there & works better.
I suspect it's effective against early-stage Lyme, though usually not the 1st choice, & used in combo-protocols for later stages.
-------------------- Not a doctor but I do technical diagnostics for a living.
Posts: 1233 | From Dover, NH | Registered: Sep 2008
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
since i've lost my llmd and have only biaxin here at home, well, that's all i've got.
will it help, just a little? i've got tetra and doxy. can't take the doxy here in texas heat and summer.
i figure the biaxin is better than nothing at all right now.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
Biaxin is the abx. of choice for me - for both new and old infections. Been on 7 months - which includes 2 new bites.
Did add Doxy for a short period of time after new bites to cover co.' but I can not stay on it long due to very bad side effect I get.
I cannot say how Biaxin works for new infections cuz it is too soon to tell, but for old infections it gave me my life back.
Posts: 376 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jun 2009
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
I took Biaxin mono! I had already taken Flagyl though.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
For those of you that said Biaxin helped...how long did it take to, well, start to kick in?
-------------------- ? date of bite/no rash 10/09 symptoms, 4/10 diagnosed, after 6 mos. ER visits, tons of docs/tests CDC+ 23/39/41/45/58/66/93 currently on oral plaquenil, doryx, rifampin, pyrazinamide, nystatin, numerous supplements Posts: 718 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Jun 2010
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posted
tri; For me it took about three weeks to go from bed bound to back to some easy running again..
Posts: 376 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jun 2009
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17hens
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23747
posted
This is all very interesting! Thanks everyone!
The reason I ask is because at our new Harrisburg Area LD Support Group meeting last night, the guest speaker was a "lyme sensitive" FP who is willing to treat lyme patients up to 3 months, until they can get in with an LLMD.
He was talking about a Canadian lyme protocol that has gotten very good reviews. It is 60 days of treatment with Biaxin (or doxy as the 2nd choice)and Diflucan and if symptoms persist, repeating treatment as necessary.
It just caught me off-guard as I'd never heard anything like that. Especially as I had Biaxin on my list for Bart treatment only, I couldn't figure it out, but now it makes a bit more sense maybe.
Anyone heard about this Canadian protocol?
-------------------- "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalms 73:26
bit 4/09, diagnosed 1/10 Posts: 3043 | From PA | Registered: Dec 2009
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17hens
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23747
posted
up
-------------------- "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalms 73:26
bit 4/09, diagnosed 1/10 Posts: 3043 | From PA | Registered: Dec 2009
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
IMO, it's the best drug for Lyme I've tried. I strongly suspect it has serious anti-inflammatory properties. The problem is it doesn't cure at all, just prevents symptoms. Nice, but...
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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17hens
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23747
posted
oh now, seek, that's interesting. can you explain that more to this lyme brain?
-------------------- "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalms 73:26
bit 4/09, diagnosed 1/10 Posts: 3043 | From PA | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
seekhelp; Hey...I wrote about the anit-inflam. properties of Biaxin in another posting.
But yeah, according to my LLMD and research on Biaxin it does have a.i. effects which is why it is one of the best abx/'s for sinus and lung infections.
I agree about the reduction in symmptoms (arthritic) vs. true cure.
Definately helped my lyme but when I began pulsing some of my little non-lyme related aches and pains came back - now I know why.
Posts: 376 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jun 2009
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