posted
July 9 I started Mepron and Biaxin for lyme and babesia. No problems until today when I discovered my body trunk and upper legs covered in a raised red rash that itches. The pharmacy said to call my doctor, but he won't be in for awhile.
Is this a common reaction to one of these? Although I have been treated for lyme for years, this is the first time I have had a positive babesia test, so first time on mepron. Seemed to be doing OK with them except for the rash today.
Oops, now it is on my arms as well.
Thanks for any help!
Ann
I am stopping until I hear from my LLMD. Assume my local doc would tell me to stop.
Posts: 287 | From Northern California, USA | Registered: Oct 2000
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Pinelady
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18524
posted
Ann be sure if you are not seeing doc. to get plenty of pics. It could be allergic or it could be an immune response that is finally coming out.
-------------------- Suspected Lyme 07 Test neg One band migrating in IgG region unable to identify.Igenex Jan.09IFA titer 1:40 IND IgM neg pos 31 +++ 34 IND 39 IND 41 IND 83-93 + DX:Neuroborreliosis Posts: 5850 | From Kentucky | Registered: Dec 2008
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posted
Just had a call back from my LLMD's office and was advised to get Zyrtec, and keep up the Mepron and Biaxin. I am covered with itchy rashes, and really don't want to do that, but they seemed certain that would be OK.
My last Igenix babesia test was not back when I had my last appointment, so I asked about it today. It was negative, and that was before I started this Mepron/Biaxin combo, but since the earlier one was positive, he said to continue with these abx.
Anyone have experience with Zyrtec...I never take anything like that. Guess I will go look it up. They did say do not use benadryl, don't know why.
How can you tell if it is an immune response or an allergy?
Thanks.
Ann
Posts: 287 | From Northern California, USA | Registered: Oct 2000
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Haley
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 22008
posted
HI Ann,
Are you taking Cryto-plus by any chance? If you are, it is likely that is causing your rash. It contains something called Lomatium. I know that there is a doc in N. Cali that prescribes this that is why I ask.
I believe Zyrtec is usually for day time use as it doesn't make you sleepy but I don't know what the ingredients are.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
Thanks Haley, I am not taking cyto plus, just the biaxin and mepron. Actually I have stopped that for today. My husband just went to get me some Zyrtec, although I really don't like to take anything more than I absolutely have to.
Before I heard back from my LLMD I called my primary care doc, and his office said he would use zyrtec...but there are terrible reviews on one of the drug sites. Of course, if we paid attention to all the side effects, we'd never want to take anything.
The rash has moved up to my face now, so I am probably going to give zyrtec a try.
Ann
Posts: 287 | From Northern California, USA | Registered: Oct 2000
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Pinelady
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Member # 18524
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Zyrtec is given to a lot of peds. As it is one that has the least amount of side effects.
-------------------- Suspected Lyme 07 Test neg One band migrating in IgG region unable to identify.Igenex Jan.09IFA titer 1:40 IND IgM neg pos 31 +++ 34 IND 39 IND 41 IND 83-93 + DX:Neuroborreliosis Posts: 5850 | From Kentucky | Registered: Dec 2008
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More side effects I can do without. Have never had a problem with most abx, but this rash is over the top! Itchy, red and getting worse. Since both mepron and biaxin list rash as one of the side effects, how does one know which caused it?
Ann
Posts: 287 | From Northern California, USA | Registered: Oct 2000
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Haley
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Member # 22008
posted
I think I read that Mepron causes rash in like 30% of people. That's a high percentage.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
Hubby had what we were told was an allergic rash from Mepron. It started on Day 10. He had one or 2 hives to start and within 24 hours he was covered with hives from head to toe. His skin turned beet red and he retained 10 pounds of fluid weight overnight. The skin on his ears and nose and fingers peeled off after the rash left.
It took at least a couple of weeks I think for the rash to completely go away. i remember his doc giving him a fluid pill to take for a few days, but don;t think he did anything else except maybe a couple of Vitamin C IV's.
His PCP said it looked like a classic textbook allergic rash.
The Dr B was his LLMD at the time. He advised stopping the med. This is one of the reasons hubby has done so many different malaria meds -- trying to find something that would work on babesia besides Mepron.
If the rash continues spreading or you have any other allergy symptoms -- please call your doc back.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Thanks for the advice. Guess I'm one of the lucky 30%! What do people use if not mepron?
Having never had much of a reaction to any abx, this is as good (or as bad) as it gets. Temperature last night was 101.8, and since my temp is normally 96-97.6, that is high for me. Today some of the rash seems to have faded a bit, but my trunk is now solid red..having expanded to one big blob. Also there appear to be little blackish bruises under some areas of the rash, and it still itches like crazy.
I stopped the mepron/biaxin as I just couldn't see antagonizing my body any more, and the zyrtec has not seemed to have much effect yet. However, what to do next?
Your poor husband! I hope I don't get that bad, although my ear lobes are red and itchy now too, and my face is red, but not so much a rash. Eyes hurt...what a bummer.
Will see my PCP tomorrow, but he and my LLMD have never worked together. Guess I will call the LLMD and let him know I stopped the abx. He may have thought this was just a lttle rash, not a whole body mega rash.
Best wishes.
Ann
Posts: 287 | From Northern California, USA | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
I emailed my LLMD late Thursday night, and he emailed me back within about an hour (new record!!) to stop the mepron/biaxin and start zyrtec, and add Benadryl if it's really bad.
Friday afternoon, my PCP app't confirmed that it was a classic allergy reaction to most likely the Mepron, as it has a high percentage of rash reactions. He actually had taken Mepron for a year while he was doing Malaria research in the tropics, so was very personally familiar with it.
He also said I could take two of the 25ml zyrtec a day, if needed, and that the rash could take up to two weeks to go away. It has slightly faded, but is more itchy than ever. Even adding one benadryl.
The information available to doctors shows a much higher rash reaction than the info for patients, so I am surprised that with the number of people taking mepron, there have been so few responses here. Would have expected more people affected in the same way. Happy that not too many others have had to experience this.
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