1st Stage Treatment VS 2nd Stage Treatment

[brad4]

I was given a prescription for Doxycycline 100 mg tabs just after I had been bit by a tick and before being tested.  I was told to either take the antibiotic or to come back in a month for a test.  Foolishly I did neither.  For the past two months I have had moderate joint discomfort and lately I've been getting a stiff neck and headaches.  My question is:

Can I take Doxycycline 100 mg tabs to effectively treat my possible Stage 2 Lyme Disease?

Thank You For Your Time,

Brad

[brad4]

I'm glad to hear you're feeling better redhed.  I'm disappointed to hear that 100 mg won't due.  I decided to fill and take the prescription she gave me and get tested in the mean time.  I was also wondering if eating probiotics like yogurt would diminish the effectiveness of the antibiotic.  Thanks to both of you for all the information.

Brad

[redhed]

hey brad, i was not diagnosed until into late stage. no, 100 mg won't do it.  in fact, i never took less than 850 mg of any abx per day.  usually, two abx 1000 mg each daily.  and yes, it was very very hard.  i've come off treatment after two years.  took that long.  i'm so much better tho.  i played tennis yesterday.  amazing.  
my biggest problems were joint stiffness, tendonitis, neck stiffness and "locking"  fatigue, brain fog and muscle weakness.  i think perhaps you should try to hit it hard with abx, but if you have advanced lyme, be prepared for herx.  my first two weeks with abx was really bad.  

[Carol in PA]

Brad, you haven't actually been diagnosed yet with Lyme Disease.
It sounds like this antibiotic was prescribed as a "prophylactic," to keep you from getting sick.
Although you don't have a diagnosis yet, your symptoms and history do sound very suspicious.  

According to Dr. Burrascano, for tick bite, Doxycycline should be administered 400 mg daily, in divided doses.  This would mean to take 200 mg twice daily.  
See "Advanced Topics in Lyme Disease," September 2005, by Joseph Burrascano, M.D.
http://www.ilads.org/guidelines.html    or     http://www.ilads.org/files/burrascano_0905.pdf

Lyme literate M.D.'s will prescribe this dosage for at least two months.
Many adhere to the policy that the patient must be treated until all symptoms have subsided, and then for a couple more months.
The Lyme bacteria replicates on a 28 day cycle, so one month of treatment won't get it all.
The physician who diagnoses and treats you can decide when to switch antibiotics.
You also need to be tested for coinfections, which are other tick borne infections that you can acquire at the same time.

Since long term antibiotics often cause side effects like digestive problems, yeast infections, Jarishe Herxheimer reactions, etc., it is helpful to have a support group to ask questions and find out how others have handled these problems.
The flash discussion group at LymeNet dot org is good for this.
http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php
They can also help you find a doctor who is very experienced in diagnosing and treating Lyme.

Wishing you the best,
Carol

[brad4]

Thanks for the response.  I thought the posts only came from doctors.

Brad

[davet497]

you are asking a question that a doctor needs to be answering.  It is your health and I would not trust this to someone who can answer a post.  In general, it is cheaper to take 30 days of abx than to have the lyme test run but that to can come back negative if you have lyme.  Once again, go see a doctor who is familar with treating lyme disease.