Avelox Lyme Disease and Me???

[jdbooth]

For many years I have pains that pop up for no reason in joints and muscles and last for usually three to six months and then vanish.  I get rashes and tiny red spots on my shins and then clear up.  The rashes last about the same three to six months.  I had these pains in both my shoulders at once, which almost never happens, so I thought it was my rotator cuffs going due to the work that I do.  I recently developed an upper respitory infection and bronchitis and one of the medications was AVELOX.  Within 3 days the severe pain in my shoulders was GONE.  How is this possible?  Was it a viral infection causing my pains and if so could it be a form of Lyme Disease?

[Ricobord]

I was just prescribed Avelox as part of my Lyme regimen, somit does indeed kill the Lyme bacteria.

[nutrinut_bob]

I've had some recent experience with rashes on my shins, they can be a symptom of  infection with strongyloides, a threadworm.  A couple of species can be lifelong companions.  Also possible is filariasis, an even smaller worm.  Some antbiotics kill a bacterial symbiot that they can't live without.  If you do a google image search of strongyloides cyst, you'll find a picture of a shin rash, an extreme example, but one that I have seen on some people I know.

[JackieCalifornia]

Greetings --

Welcome to MedHelp.  

No one here is medically trained that I know of (I'm certainly not), but these are good questions you are asking.

I'm not familiar with Avelox, but looked it up online.  It's an antibiotic and therefore would treat bacterial (not viral) infections, and Lyme is indeed a bacterial infection.  Symptoms vary from person to person and over time in the same person, so whether you have/had Lyme only a doc could say, and the docs are in disarray on accurate diagnosis and treatment of Lyme.

In your situation, I'd certainly mention the now-gone symptoms to the doc if they come back, explain about the good effect you had from a course of Avelox, and see what the doc says.  There are a bunch of low-lying infections that could be what you had/have, and only a doc can tell for sure.  If things don't sort out for you, then you might consider looking into Lyme further, and on that point we here might be able to give you some pointers.

Best wishes --