posted
I was on Bicillin injections for 3 wks but just switched to Amoxicillin (insurance would not cover Bicllin).
I was fine during my 1st week of the shots, but during the 2nd-3rd week I noticed I would get short of breath alot. The same thing has been happening with the amoxicillin as well.
Not sure if this is a herx or allergic reaction to medication? I called my LLMD and am waiting for a call back from him to see what he thinks.
I assume if I was allergic to penicillin it would've happened after my first dose, right?
Have any of you experienced this before?
Thank for any feedback!
Hildy
Posts: 29 | From Texas | Registered: Mar 2010
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
This sounds to me like air hunger--a symptom of babesiosis. It is common for the symptoms of coinfections to come out when you are treating one of the other diseases.
Bicillin and amoxi do not cause shortness of breath. This is not a listed side effect for either of these drugs, let alone both of them. The fact that you are experiencing this same symptom on both drugs tells the tale.
So, it looks like the babs is coming out. May be time to add something to treat that.
If you are really worried that you happen to be allergic to BOTH drugs, call your pharmacist and ask for the signs of allergy. That should ease your mind. (Or, the package insert may list them.)
Did you test positive for babs?
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
My LLMD tested me for all co-infections and they all came back negative. I wonder if I should get re-tested for Babesia again since this is my only new symptom since starting treatment???
Posts: 29 | From Texas | Registered: Mar 2010
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
The coinfection diagnoses are clinical diagnoses just like lyme, because the coinfection tests are so unreliable. They miss many, many cases of babs.
So, I most likely would not ask for another test. I would ask to be treated for babs.
Were you tested through Igenex in Calif? That is the best lab, most likely to find it.
Here's what Burrascano lists on pages 26-7 as the way to sort out babesiosis symptoms from lyme and the other coinfections:
"BABESIA SPECIES- � Rapid onset of initial illness, often with sudden onset of high fever, severe headaches, sweats and fatigue, thus it is easy to know when infection began. � Obvious sweats, usually at night, but can be day sweats as well. � Air hunger, need to sigh and take a deep breath; dry cough without apparent reason. � Headaches can be severe - dull, global (involves the whole head, described like the head is in a vise). � Fatigue is prominent, does not clear with rest, and is made worse with exercise. � Mental dullness and slowing of reactions and responses. � Dizziness- more like a tippy feeling, and not vertigo or purely orthostasis. � Symptoms cycle rapidly, with flares every four to six days. � Hypercoaguable states are often associated with Babesia infections. � Rarely, splenomegaly . Very severe Lyme Disease can be a clue to Babesia infection, as it will make Lyme symptoms worse and Lyme treatments less effective."
I really didn't have any of the symptoms of babs, but yet I tested positive for it. Igenex saw it in my blood through the microscope.
Once I started treating it, then it became very, very obvious. I had a crazy 7-day flare--same day of the week each week like clockwork. So, that may be the same with you.
Nearly everyone with lyme disease also has babesiosis.
Here is a quote from p. 23:
"Babesia infection is becoming more commonly recognized, especially in patients who already have Lyme Disease. It has been published that as many as 66% of Lyme patients show serologic evidence of co-infection with Babesia microti. It has also been reported that Babesia infections can range in severity from mild, subclinical infection, to fulminant, potentially life threatening illness. Subclinical infection is often missed because the symptoms are incorrectly ascribed to Lyme."
Here Burrascano says that as many as 66% of lyme patients test positive for babesiosis in their blood. So, the true percent that have it is much higher than 66%--that's nearly everybody.
And, the mild or subclinical infection is what I had since I didn't have any symptoms of this disease. At least, you are noticing the air hunger.
All I had was prominent fatigue and a slightly dizzy or tippy feeling. Nothing else.
You may want to read around in them and learn more.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
Lymeorsomething
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16359
posted
Allergic reactions may occur at any time. Just because you tolerated penicillin once does not mean an allergic reaction won't pop up later. My LLMD says that it's more common when you try to pulse penicillin.
Anyway, it may not be an allergic reaction but keep some benadryl handy.
-------------------- "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." Posts: 2062 | From CT | Registered: Jul 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I recently started amox and my breathing issue returned (it had disappeared while on other treatments).
Posts: 252 | From New York | Registered: Apr 2010
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic