Lyme and Steroids

[Winnie1040]

Hi, I have lyme and bartonella and was given a steroid for 7 days (prednisone) a few weeks after being infected (I didn't know I had lyme then). This caused the bacteria to spread and cause my eye symptoms. Will I ever be able to put this in remission since I took steroids for a week? I know it lowered my immune system's response, and now I'm scared I won't be able to recover. I've been treating for 6 months with rifampin and Cefdinir, herbals, vitamins and a diet change. I was sick for 5 months before being treated.

[JackieCalifornia]

I still take big doses of Vitamin C everyday -- unlike some other supplements, I have never read anything that says lots of Vitamin C is bad.  The kind I take is called 'super bio C buffered', and it releases the Vit C through your body during over time.  So yes, I tend to agree, it can't hurt.  

[Katya4]

Yep, that sounds exactly like what happened to me. Not a lyme thing. The prednisone does cause acne (sometimes long term) in certain people. I read a few people had success with vitamin C supplement, I'll try that I think, couldn't hurt.
Thanks!

[Winnie1040]

Also, please don't take any more steroids unless life threatening if you even suspect you have Lyme. They lower your body's immune system response and allows the bacteria to spread. It happened to me.

[JackieCalifornia]

I just searched online for  -- prednisone acne -- and there were quite a few articles etc.  You might get some good information -- let us know how you do, okay?  

[Katya4]

I don't know if I have lyme, but I did take prednizone, and I have had awful acne ever sense even though I have been off it for ages. I also tried 2 months of minocin without much result, a little, not much.

Could that be a lyme thing? Or just hormones changing like I thought (21, female)

Now I too, and curious.

[Winnie1040]

Wow- that's horrible! It allowed the bacteria to spread into my eyes. Now I see floaters and visual snow (static in my vision) because of of the steroids. Hopefully that symptom will fade with time.

[mojogal]

When I took steroids before knowing I had Lyme, I woke up in the hospital on a respirator. I will never take them again after that experience.
You will come back from it but when I was in the hospital in April and they wanted to give me steroids I refused so heavily, they probably thought I was a nut case. Oh well.

[JackieCalifornia]

Ouch!  I didn't realize how long the effect of steroids could linger.  Take care, keep us posted, and all goods wishes to you --

[Winnie1040]

Thank you, Jackie. My Lyme doctor thinks it will take me longer to recover than others. I didn't realize what a big deal it was until I read Dr. Burrasco's report that the steroids could stay in your system for up to 6 months and cause a disaster for someone with Lyme. I think I'll mention it to my Lyme doctor at my next appointment. I guess I thought that the steroids would be out of my system earlier than that. I was hoping someone else had taken steroids and gotten better. It just worries me.

[JackieCalifornia]

I'm so sorry that happened.  I'm not a doc, but I would guess that your immune system will return to normal.  What does your Lyme doctor say?