posted
I am due for my third bicillin shot today and I just don't know how to face it. My symptoms have intensified and I am so sick and filled with despair. Neuropathy has always been my dominant symptom and since starting the shots it is magnified beyond comprehension. I am so afraid that I am going to do permanent damange.
My LLMD is long distance and communication with him is via fax and then you have to wait days for a response. This is not working for me either. I feel so alone in this.
I keep telling myself this is a herx and it is a good thing but it just may be a good thing I can't handle. Please let me know what you have experienced and how you got through it or not.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart in advance for any responses.
Posts: 12 | From Tallahassee, FL | Registered: Jun 2010
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posted
Bicillin has been the drug that worked the best for me, and it was also the one I herxed the worst on. It took me many months to build up to 3 shots per week. In the beginning I took 1 shot every 10 days. You might consider slowing down how often you get the shots.
Posts: 366 | From Louisville KY. | Registered: Nov 2003
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merrygirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12041
posted
I took 2.4 mu 3x a week for 14 months. That's a lot of injections! I have a rather big butt which helped. I used lidocaine cream prior to the injection. Then after the injection, I would put pressure on it by laying on the area. Once I was done doing that, I would soak in a warm bath. I think for me this was the key. Also don't be surprised if it bleeds heavily for a short time after a injection. Apply pressure it will stop. Also make sure you draw bak before you inject. Ice prior to injection made things more painful to me. All the lumps went away after therapy. The key to bicillin is that it takes a loooong time to see positive changes, like months. It did get ridd of most of my neuro stuff. I treated for all forms of lyme at the same time, as well as coinfections.
I would also suggest an epi pen just in case of bad allergic rxn. Doc can rx it. My bicillin herxes were extreme fatigue and pain.
Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
How often are you doing the shots?
Most people do the 1.2 mu ones, just to give you an idea. Though it doesn't matter either way.
If you are worried, talk to your doctor about spacing the shots out some. They last for so long in the body, that waiting a few days or perhaps even a week before getting the next one should not matter. You'll still have the Bicillin in your body a week later.
This is a very powerful medicine against Lyme, so it is not unusual to have SEVERE herxes in response to it. I have heard some insane herxing stories firsthand (people going into mini-seizures after each of their first few Bicillin shots, as part of a herx). So you are not alone in having alarming reactions.
But if you are worried, talk to your doctor about the spacing of the shots.
Bicillin takes patience, but in the end, the results can be worth it! Ask your doctor how long he/she expects this to go on before it gets better. I don't see tons of patients, because I'm not a doctor...I only know of a few experiences...so I wouldn't be able to give you a guess on what is an average amount of time before this passes, but your doctor would be able to.
But I do think that this can be a necessary part of the process for some people who have a lot of Lyme to kill. But spacing the shots out more is fine....don't try to be a hero and power through it! But you also gotta remember that some herxing my occur, because this med is powerful.
Good luck.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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LabRat
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 78
posted
It's not very pleasant but the up side is Bicillin LA (long acting) combined in my case with flagyl, gave me back a clear mind and while not eradicating my lyme, brought it under control. It is probably the only drug that works fast enough that you can notice a difference in a few short weeks. 2.4 seems to be standard, I was given a tad over 4.8 once a week. I recall it's not that bad unless you try to push it in (the Bicillin) on top of a nerve, that's a bit painful and you'll have to pull back a bit on the needle or move over a inch or so. Your on the best treatment plan!
Posts: 1887 | From Corpus Christi, Texas | Registered: Oct 2000
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