Topic: N a u s e a! Doxy basic info needed asap, plz! Merci...
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Hi. Just got Rx for Doxy due to clinical dx of Lyme from recent tick bite w/ rash.
Haven't had Doxy in many yrs, so need basic, easy tips. Please share insights beyond print-out from my pharmacist. This has been asked thousands of times, but i'm too spent to scout around in the [excellent!] Lymebrary 'cause i always get lost in the stacks...
I understand to take 200mg 2x/day, for several weeks and shun the sun but need to know more!
YES, i'm a newbie to the latest sound ILADS antibiotic treatments. Read & read fast as i could past 2 mons, but hadn't gotten to all the drug info yet!
My first-ever LLMD appt is at the end of the week. Will call their offices Mon a.m. Are there a bunch of tests i needed that'll be ruined by me starting Doxy now?
- Empty stomach (dose btwn meals)is best, but if one has a very sensitive stomach (like me) one could take it closer a meal, right? How's 15 min before eating meal?
- NO dairy at all while on this, right? (I'm already on a Candida control diet, so GF.)
- I drink 3 or 4 oz coconut kefir daily. I should take all my probiotics at least 3 hrs away from the Doxy, right?
- I have to pull a bunch of supplements off my shelf that can interfere with Doxy. Does it mean i can't have these at all during my weeks on Doxy, OR just not within 2 or 3 hrs of Doxy? (Referring to Magnesium, Ca+, Zn)
- Any other supplements I must avoid now that i'm on Doxy? Okay to drink herbal red clover tea?
- Best herbal, homeopathic, or nutritional supplements to be certain to take while on this Rx? I can still take Curamin for inflammation, right?
- If i get bad nausea, any thoughts about ginger caps, charcoal, or Rx Zofran?
- Should i eat bananas to help bind diarrhea, or skip ALL fruit 'cept organic blueberries?
- Yes, if anyone will herx on this, it'll be me. My bugs have been havin a field day and there will be feedback. Tips appreciated.
I'm VERY tired, slow-thinking, little sleep last night due to new, widespread numbness & pain from this recent bite.
Short, simple, clear posts about the very important things to do/remember/avoid would be so gratefully received.
Sorry this was so lengthy! Thanks so much for your time & consideration. Sincerely, Smile
posted
dont eat or lye down within an hour of taking. other supps can be taken 3 hours before or after doxy. i.e. magnesium.
-------------------- 3 months Doxy 8 months of Tetra 7 months of Biaxin/Plaq. 4 months Doxy/Biaxin/Plaq. 5 months Biaxin/Plaq. Back on Doxy/Biax/Plaq On the road to recovery. Trying to make people Lyme Aware....... Posts: 289 | From R.I. | Registered: Jun 2009
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TF
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The most important thing is to take the doxy in the middle of a meal. Otherwise, you will have horrible nausea, reflux, or worse.
Eat a good amount of food. THen take the doxy, then finish the meal. Don't take it just with a snack. You need lots of food with it.
You won't be ruining any tests by starting the doxy now. The doc gets lots of people on meds as new patients. Dairy, calcium and metals should be taken at least 3 hours away from doxy.
Anti-candida diet means to not eat fruit at all.
Take all probiotics at least 3 hours away from any antibiotic.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Thanks, TF. Sounds like Doxy will be best mid breakfast & dinner, then work all the other supplements around that timing.
Appreciate the upright reminder, erik! Should i keep Rolaids at the ready in case reflux starts?
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since when do you take doxy with a meal??? am i missing something?? i thought you should take it an hour before or 2-3 hours after.
-------------------- 3 months Doxy 8 months of Tetra 7 months of Biaxin/Plaq. 4 months Doxy/Biaxin/Plaq. 5 months Biaxin/Plaq. Back on Doxy/Biax/Plaq On the road to recovery. Trying to make people Lyme Aware....... Posts: 289 | From R.I. | Registered: Jun 2009
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Dear erik, i asked my non-LL local prescribing doc about timing of dose re: food or anything. Was told, "best to take just before a meal", so it wouldn't be so harsh.
I asked, "Half hour?" and got, "No, just before" repeated. Then i asked, "Like right while you're sitting down to eat?" and that drew "Yes."
My pharmacy insert says take on empty stomach, but then also states MAY BE TAKEN WITH FOOD if it upsets your stomach. When i see that on any med, it means i MUST take it with plenty o' food or NEVER take it at all. ymmv. Each human is unique.
I'll sleep upright on the couch if my slight incline bed isn't adequate for doxy. Hoards of 'chetes, Bart, Babs, and their co's won't take this doxy lying down!
i welcome more doxy tips. Thank you. Smile
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I just seen llmd last tuesday . I take doxy 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after meals . drink lots of water a Qrt. or 2 to keep down nausea .
probiotics with meals or snacks
BILL
-------------------- Wishing us all well ! Posts: 99 | From Southern Illinois | Registered: Feb 2010
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littlebit27
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Doxy can be taken on am empty stomach but for me it caused severe nausea. I couldn't do anything but lie down-and you aren't supposed to lie down right after taking it. So I had to start taking it with food.
I do only take it with a little snack sometimes and that curbs the side effects. Now I know that between the first time I took it without and food and then the time with food, I herxed a TON more without food. And I was on a low dose.
It didn't kick my butt nearly as bad with food, which made me wonder was is working as well?
The only thing the Rheum. that prescribed me the Doxy. was what I COULD take with a meal if it caused upset stomach. Since I am always nausea's I didn't take a chance and take with food.
I was not informed about the dairy. A neighbor of mine that is a Pharm.Tech. told me NO dairy at LEAST an hour before and after the Doxy. Two or more hours is better.
I didn't know about staying out of the sun. I stay out of the sun anyway because of the Lupus. But apparently you get very burnt is on Doxy.
I was only given 100 mg 2 x day which I also was informed not near enough to fight this Lyme.
This probably isn't any new info for you, but all I know. Wanted to share.
Take Care and talk to you soon.
-------------------- Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired!! Posts: 153 | From St. Louis, Missouri | Registered: Jun 2010
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Thanks, all. My head hurts... But i'm O.K. for now.
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I always take Doxy with food. I take it with breakfast and supper. I get really sick to my stomach if I don't.
Kathy
-------------------- You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. Posts: 807 | From South Dakota | Registered: Jul 2005
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i understand that people get nausea from taking it on an empty stomach but all the cyclines are best taken on an empty stomach. food will interfere with absorption.
-------------------- 3 months Doxy 8 months of Tetra 7 months of Biaxin/Plaq. 4 months Doxy/Biaxin/Plaq. 5 months Biaxin/Plaq. Back on Doxy/Biax/Plaq On the road to recovery. Trying to make people Lyme Aware....... Posts: 289 | From R.I. | Registered: Jun 2009
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sutherngrl
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I was told by doc to always take Doxy with food!
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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WildCondor
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Yes ALWAYS take Doxy with food!!
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TF
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My now famous lyme doc told me to take it with food. The package insert said to take it on an empty stomach, and after doing that a few days I got the nausea and reflux.
Doc agreed that with this med, you can't go by the package insert.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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I've been taking Doxy with breakfast & dinner, 200 mg 2x/day.
Tonight i have pretty bad nausea, all the way up to my chin. It just feels like a chemical churn.
Can I use activated charcoal if it's long enough away from the meds, or not at all with Doxy?
How about Zofran?
I took a ginger capsule. Noticed nothing.
Any ideas about taking Olive Leaf caps along with Doxy?
Thanks, everyone, for sharing your insights. Half a Smile
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Made it thru night by sleeping upright on couch. Some regrets about dosing Doxy w/ breakfast, 'cause nausea is back. Any tips appreciated. Nothing complex, brain dysfunction...
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momintexas
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When I was taking Doxy, I always took it with food and I took ginger root capsules at every meal.
On bad days, I'd take 4-5 ginger root caps a day.
What I found helped me was about an hour after taking the Doxy, I'd have a cup of green tea and some gluten free pretzels.
If I had some form of carb it seemed to help with the nausea.
Sorry you're feeling bad.
Posts: 1408 | From Tx | Registered: Nov 2009
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sutherngrl
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I have been taking Doxy for 1 year. It has helped me more than any other antibiotic.
I always take it in the middle of a large meal.
Also do you take probiotics at least 2 hours away from Doxy?
Another thing that helps my stomach is to drink 4 oz of Kefir every day when I take my probiotic.
I also had to take Prilosec every night before I went to bed. Also needs to be taken at least 2 hours away from Doxy.
After a while I have been able to take Prilosec only a couple of times a week.
It might help if you skip Doxy a day or two and work on your stomach.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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I have been on doxy for about 7 months now.
When I first got it, I read the pharmacy info, took it on an empty stomach, and promptly threw up. Anybody who can keep it down on an empty stomach must have one made of cast iron.
My doctor also says take it with food.
Always drink a full glass of water, and don't lie down for at least half an hour afterwards. You can get a burn in your esophagus.
His other idea is to take it an hour and a half or two hours after the meal so the food is just leaving your stomach, and it will move through it quicker.
The problem for me for taking it during the meal is that I eat a lot of dairy products, and I would have to stop eating them and remember what time it is and whether I can have them or not, so taking it a couple hours after the meal is more convenient.
It also seemed to be worse if I took the doxy and Biaxin both at the same time right after eating, so now I have been taking Biaxin at the end of the meal.
After the first three months on doxy, when I added Biaxin, the doxy started killing my stomach, and I fought daily nausea and vomiting for 6 weeks.
Then I started taking carafate (sucralfate), which has helped a lot. The timing with all my other meds and food is complicated, though.
Sometimes if I have already eaten a meal, and then I eat a small snack when I take the doxy, it averts the nausea.
Before I had carafate, ginger capsules and ginger tea were some help, and nibbling on something salty like potato chips (I know, that's a no-no for yeast, but I haven't had trouble with that yet so I took the risk).
-------------------- Don't forget to laugh! And when you're going through hell, keep going!
Bitten 5/25/2009 in Perry County, Indiana. Diagnosed by LLMD 12/2/2009. Posts: 756 | From Inside the tunnel | Registered: Jan 2010
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WildCondor
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It does not natter what the prescribing directions say, you have to take it with food. When I was under Dr. Burrascano's care I was always taking it with food and so were the rest of the patients. You can get gastritis if you do not do this! Not just a cracker either, a full meal and some water.
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sammy
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You could try taking the doxy in the middle of your meals. If you have to take other meds with the same meals take them after you finish eating.
Could also try some chewable DGL about 20min before your breakfast and dinner. It will help coat the throat and stomach, maybe prevent irritation and nausea from the doxy.
posted
Thanks again, All! It's very comforting to have your input.
I have been taking 200 mg Doxy mid-meal B & D. Trying to eat more (which never used to be a problem!)
I'll try sammy's suggestion to take the other meds at end of meal, not middle too. And more ginger caps!
Yes, taking probiotics 2x/day (NOT with Doxy) and drinking kefir at start of lunch.
Yup, been reaching for brown rice crackers and drinking plenty of water... Good thing my nausea is not constant. i get a few hrs off! Smile
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quote:Originally posted by sutherngrl: I have been taking Doxy for 1 year. It has helped me more than any other antibiotic. [snip] I also had to take Prilosec every night before I went to bed.
Good to hear you had success with Doxy. It is churning in my stomach. I don't think my inclined bed has sufficient slope for this Rx.
I think Prolisec, protonix, and the like are harmful garbage that can create a dependency in its users. If i were to "need" a product like that, i'd only trust Nexium.
posted
Try a prescription for Carafate, it helps coat the stomach and protect it against damage and works better than DGL. Also, make sure you are on Florastor to protect your gut against c.difficile, it is a must for anyone on antibiotics.
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I'll ask for Carafate, and TF also suggested i get Florastor. It's on my shopping list. Thx.
Timing of meds now is SO HARD w/my neuroborreliosis. Had a friend helping me last night, and it's still not all re-organized. I think i take more than 60 pills/day now.
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Newchapter supercritical omega-7 saved my stomach while I was taking doxy. Vitamin Shoppe has it but it is cheaper on amazon. My LLMD told me that florastor is a must.
Posts: 19 | From Rockville, MD | Registered: Nov 2009
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Florastor is a must ... UNLESS you're intolerant to yeast. I knew I couldn't tolerate baker's and brewer's yeasts, but I took a chance and orderd a bottle of Florastor. I took one capsule one night and tried one more the next day, even though I had already begun to react. Yeasts kill my gut, and the Florastor was no exception. So, the Florastor is back in its box, but I can't return it!
Posts: 277 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Apr 2010
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When I was on doxy, it gave me terrible heartburn.
I had to take another prescription just for the heartburn/stomach acid.
Once I switched to Doryx (brand), the heartburn issues went away. I no longer had to take the additional Rx.
My LLMD advised to take it with food, but I guess opinions vary.
Good luck!
Posts: 711 | From Bucks County, PA | Registered: Apr 2008
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Hello, Lyme-aware friends. Thx for all the helpful notes!
I've been on 200 mg/doxy 2x/day for more than 2 wks now and had forgotten about all my initial nausea! LOL!
I may ask to up the doxy to 500 mg/day (split a pill to take 250 mg w/ B & D) when i see my LLMD for the second time.
My brain fog has lessened and I felt the difference of being "more present" several times vs watching life (Is that "depersonalization"?). Can doxy reduce Ehrlichiosis in just 2 wks?
Is the following maybe a herx, die-off, or other symptom? Last week i had one very hectic morning and ended up with outrageous stabbing pains in my head like never before in my life. (I've been blessed with infrequent headaches, except "hunger headaches" yrs ago before i managed hypoglycemia better.)
It felt like ice picks stabbing in above one eyebrow or the other, or into the L temple. It was the tail end of several days of my 28-day LD flare, which means horrid hyperaccusis & tinnitus for me. I could barely walk (had to creep slowly while holding someone's arm). Stairs were really tough. Most sounds were hell unless it was someone speaking softly in a low tone. I couldn't attend the meeting i'd gone for.
The stabbing pains came back almost exactly one week later, but not as severe nor for as long. Do you think the head pain is doxy working or one of my other parasitic issues? Your thoughts appreciated.
I attribute most of my improvement to the homeopathic vibrational drops i've been taking 2x/day since my Asyra PRO bioenergetic assessment. I felt better that evening, and more so the next day, and the next... SO worthwhile!
I have driven safely several times now after 6 wks of no driving due to focal seizures. I don't think i've had a seizure in wks cause i'm more aware and ready to stop everything & sit with eyes closed to avert trouble.
I definitely do not lie down after eating, and if i occasionally feel some doxy stomach upset coming on, i drink more water/tea and may nibble on brown rice crackers. I take Florastor and other probotics.
It's challenging to keep sunlight from ever falling upon my skin, but i'm excited about finally reducing my pathogen load!
TF
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Wow! Great to get this report from you, Smile.
Very happy that you are doing well.
Yes, 2 weeks of doxy can put a big dent in ehrlichiosis. And, being "more present" indicates a lessening of the de-realization.
It's all good!!
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Dear TF, thanks for your ongoing encouragement. I'd tried sending you a PM about a week ago, but your box was full. Hope you're not wilting in this drought!
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