Aa
sharing my experience
Hello everyone...I've had lyme for 5 yrs & been on meds since 4. almost asymptomatic now....wanted to share some things I learnt in my lyme journey..
1. For those who have symptoms in their knees alone or predominantly....I wud suggest u buy an infrared lamp. Direct it to the back of your knee joint...this is where all the blood vessels supplying your knee joint are...not only does the heat weaken the bugs...the blood vessels also dilate...pumping a higher dose of antibiotics into your knees. U can do this 20 min at a time upto 6 times a day. Plz check ur lamp instructions for how near u can keep the lamp. It worked very well for me.this can't be done for the head region as it can be very dangerous and cause a seizure if used there
2. Do give fluconazole 200 mg a try....it works well for some people & worked for me!
Other drugs I've cycled are doxycycline 200 mg twice a day & erythromycin-septran.
3. Do read Dr Burrascanos guidelines...don't be careless with add ons (meds other than antibiotics) he's listed as mandatory....I didn't and nearly had a seizure from low magnesium.
4. Don't lose hope....I'm doing so much better I'm sure I will be sharing my complete recovery story in a couple of months!
1. For those who have symptoms in their knees alone or predominantly....I wud suggest u buy an infrared lamp. Direct it to the back of your knee joint...this is where all the blood vessels supplying your knee joint are...not only does the heat weaken the bugs...the blood vessels also dilate...pumping a higher dose of antibiotics into your knees. U can do this 20 min at a time upto 6 times a day. Plz check ur lamp instructions for how near u can keep the lamp. It worked very well for me.this can't be done for the head region as it can be very dangerous and cause a seizure if used there
2. Do give fluconazole 200 mg a try....it works well for some people & worked for me!
Other drugs I've cycled are doxycycline 200 mg twice a day & erythromycin-septran.
3. Do read Dr Burrascanos guidelines...don't be careless with add ons (meds other than antibiotics) he's listed as mandatory....I didn't and nearly had a seizure from low magnesium.
4. Don't lose hope....I'm doing so much better I'm sure I will be sharing my complete recovery story in a couple of months!
I have never taken levaquin luckily for me. A while back a doctor prescribed it for a sinus infection but the pharmacist handed me a six page warning when I picked it up....so I called the doctor and begged for penicillin. I'm so sorry you are having these terrible side effects. Have you learned what can be done about it?
hi dear, did you have all over pins and needles and a pounding heartrate that never goes.. I seemed to get that after 42 pills of levaquin that blew me apart. There is very little difference between levaquin toxicity neuro symptons and lyme.. I do not have a for sure diagnoses but my lyme doc feels I have both..
I have no joint problems, just all over pain and neurpathy all over that happened with the tendon ruptures from the levaquin. My heart wont stop pounding and yes is not that high.. I also go into horrific terror attacks where I pace and cry hysterically and look like a mad woman..
I have no joint problems, just all over pain and neurpathy all over that happened with the tendon ruptures from the levaquin. My heart wont stop pounding and yes is not that high.. I also go into horrific terror attacks where I pace and cry hysterically and look like a mad woman..
Thank you, Jackie! My friend who had MS gave me similar advice, and it is good advice. I am so terribly disorganized and memory challenged that I am just struggling to implement. I also need to track BP since I am hypertensive and that seems to be getting completely out of control.....trip to ER recently with 180 over 110' they thought I was having a heart attack!
and I think it's the bugs in my brain screwing up the autonomous nervous system - my eyes don't focus, my BP is way too high, my heart rate jumps 20 beats per min just by standing up and my temperature is never comfortable. Etc etc
I am going to pull a system together this weekend.....thanks for sharing.
and I think it's the bugs in my brain screwing up the autonomous nervous system - my eyes don't focus, my BP is way too high, my heart rate jumps 20 beats per min just by standing up and my temperature is never comfortable. Etc etc
I am going to pull a system together this weekend.....thanks for sharing.
Your doc sounds well versed in Lyme and its little friends. That's half the battle right there! Rebuilding your thrashed gut is indeed very important, and it's good that your doc understands how all this hooks together.
I didn't need IV antibiotics, but others here have taken or are still taking them. Those are indeed the heavy artillery against Lyme, to get into all the hiding places the bacteria find for themselves, particularly in the brain etc.
Starting slow with the oral antibiotics sounds reasonable to (untrained) me, for lots of reasons you already perceive. Because Lyme and the coinfections are so tricky, there is not one single approach to take -- it's like war: you prepare the best you can and have a plan, then improvise as the facts on the ground become clearer. That's imo the best mind-set for a doc to have, so that is indeed promising.
It must look like a long road ahead from where you are standing now, but it will go by faster than it might seem, and as you gradually begin to feel better and get your strength back, things will fall into place.
About doxy: The problem with doxy is that it doesn't penetrate the biofilms the Lyme bacteria create to hide in ... Shortly after infection, doxy kills the bacteria just fine, but at some not-firmly-knowable point, the biofilms are in place and doxy just doesn't have the tool kit to bust the biofilms open. My doc put me on Flagyl to handle the biofilms, and it worked fine, but there is no one single correct approach, and a wise doc keeps an open mind as to what's working and what is not.
I think I said previously that before treating the Lyme, my doc treated the babesiosis I also had, which was a more straightforward kill, then on to the Lyme. There may be other ways, other meds, and more effective approaches that your doc tries, and giving her feedback as to how you are progressing can be very helpful in keeping a nimble attack attack against the bugz.
My memory was so shot when I had Lyme and babs that I kept a chart on my computer (a Word chart or an Excel spreadsheet works fine), with columns for date, meds taken (how much of what and when), how I felt and slept generally, what sorts of foods I was eating, any new symptoms or effects, and so on. My doc liked that, tho he didn't ask me to track that way ... but reviewing it helped me refresh my memory before an appointment, and I would take a copy of the chart printed out for the doc and one for me. He would usually spend a few minutes reading it before calling me in to talk, so he was up to date on all things me.
I have found that some docs don't like to read stuff like that: "Just tell me how you've been." But I am not good at off-the-top-of-my-head summaries, so I always prepare my own notes and take them with me, even when I know the doc I am seeing could care less what I have written there -- but my Lyme doc DID want to know. He could see trends and symptoms that otherwise I wouldn't have thought significant.
Anyway, enough from me. Don't overwhelm yourself with notes and charts, but it made life easier rather than more complicated for me, so you might try it in whatever way suits you and your doc.
You're on your way! Keep us posted -- we're always hanging around the watercooler here. J
I didn't need IV antibiotics, but others here have taken or are still taking them. Those are indeed the heavy artillery against Lyme, to get into all the hiding places the bacteria find for themselves, particularly in the brain etc.
Starting slow with the oral antibiotics sounds reasonable to (untrained) me, for lots of reasons you already perceive. Because Lyme and the coinfections are so tricky, there is not one single approach to take -- it's like war: you prepare the best you can and have a plan, then improvise as the facts on the ground become clearer. That's imo the best mind-set for a doc to have, so that is indeed promising.
It must look like a long road ahead from where you are standing now, but it will go by faster than it might seem, and as you gradually begin to feel better and get your strength back, things will fall into place.
About doxy: The problem with doxy is that it doesn't penetrate the biofilms the Lyme bacteria create to hide in ... Shortly after infection, doxy kills the bacteria just fine, but at some not-firmly-knowable point, the biofilms are in place and doxy just doesn't have the tool kit to bust the biofilms open. My doc put me on Flagyl to handle the biofilms, and it worked fine, but there is no one single correct approach, and a wise doc keeps an open mind as to what's working and what is not.
I think I said previously that before treating the Lyme, my doc treated the babesiosis I also had, which was a more straightforward kill, then on to the Lyme. There may be other ways, other meds, and more effective approaches that your doc tries, and giving her feedback as to how you are progressing can be very helpful in keeping a nimble attack attack against the bugz.
My memory was so shot when I had Lyme and babs that I kept a chart on my computer (a Word chart or an Excel spreadsheet works fine), with columns for date, meds taken (how much of what and when), how I felt and slept generally, what sorts of foods I was eating, any new symptoms or effects, and so on. My doc liked that, tho he didn't ask me to track that way ... but reviewing it helped me refresh my memory before an appointment, and I would take a copy of the chart printed out for the doc and one for me. He would usually spend a few minutes reading it before calling me in to talk, so he was up to date on all things me.
I have found that some docs don't like to read stuff like that: "Just tell me how you've been." But I am not good at off-the-top-of-my-head summaries, so I always prepare my own notes and take them with me, even when I know the doc I am seeing could care less what I have written there -- but my Lyme doc DID want to know. He could see trends and symptoms that otherwise I wouldn't have thought significant.
Anyway, enough from me. Don't overwhelm yourself with notes and charts, but it made life easier rather than more complicated for me, so you might try it in whatever way suits you and your doc.
You're on your way! Keep us posted -- we're always hanging around the watercooler here. J
Yes thank you, I hear you. There are so many different opinions out there - I keep hearing about pulsing the antibiotics and low dose antibiotics, that antibiotics suppress the immune system, etc. Then I hear that the oral doxy I am on is probably not adequate if I am having cognitive issues, etc, which I am.....and have been for years.
But I do have a lyme literate doctor (she diagnosed based on her examination of me and my history, even though tests were not 100% certain - only one band on the Western Blot when two is more conclusive, but the CD57 was in the low 30s) . So I have decided to follow her course of treatment (and your advice!) and see what happens. I think she expects that I will need IV antibiotics ultimately, but she is starting conservatively, and I am fine with that. She told me this could take a year, two, maybe more. But in the meantime I know I need to deal with the devastation to my gut (where the immune system also resides) caused by the indiscriminate abx bombing that will kill my allies as well as my enemies......and leave me vulnerable to other invaders. To complete the analogy. :)
One thing I need to bring up with her when I go back is the cognitive issues. I'm thinking somehow that got missed in our previous appointments.
But I do have a lyme literate doctor (she diagnosed based on her examination of me and my history, even though tests were not 100% certain - only one band on the Western Blot when two is more conclusive, but the CD57 was in the low 30s) . So I have decided to follow her course of treatment (and your advice!) and see what happens. I think she expects that I will need IV antibiotics ultimately, but she is starting conservatively, and I am fine with that. She told me this could take a year, two, maybe more. But in the meantime I know I need to deal with the devastation to my gut (where the immune system also resides) caused by the indiscriminate abx bombing that will kill my allies as well as my enemies......and leave me vulnerable to other invaders. To complete the analogy. :)
One thing I need to bring up with her when I go back is the cognitive issues. I'm thinking somehow that got missed in our previous appointments.
"if the bacteria need magnesium to reproduce, is it a good idea to feed them magnesium?!"
What a great question! I never thought of it that way before. I understand the point, but because the Lyme bacteria seem to take first claim on any Mg you ingest, you will not ever beat them to the punch. It's like if they needed oxygen: you could stop breathing, and that would kill the bacteria, but it wouldn't do a lot for you either, if you get my drift. :(
So I look at it this way: I needed the Mg to keep functioning well, and I took antibiotics to kill the Lyme bacteria. So the bugz may get a Mg snack now and then, but there's an antibiotic steamroller headed their way soon. >SPLAT!<
I don't know about naltrexone, but I would rethink the approach of trying to help your immune system kill the infection. It's true that Lyme bacteria suppress the human immune system, but that doesn't mean the immune system (even with reinforcement) can, by itself, kill all the Lyme bacteria.
Lyme bacteria are in the same family as the bacteria that cause syphilis, and no way would bolstering the human immune system wipe out a case of syphilis. We're talking one big nasty disease family here.
Don't be afraid of antibiotics -- they are nothing compared to the thuggery of bacteria in the syphilis and Lyme family. There has been a lot of press lately about over-use of antibiotics, but the problem is not using the right antibiotics in the right amount for the right length of time -- the problem is people who take the wrong (ineffective) antibiotics for too short a time and don't take enough of it -- the object is to kill them all, and fast -- before they can become resistant to the antibiotics.
I have talked to people who take smaller doses and for a shorter time than their doc prescribes, on the theory that they don't want to 'get dependent' on antibiotics. Wrong, wrong, wrong -- that is exactly the worst thing to do, for the reasons stated above -- and not only for that person, but also for the rest of us who do not need medication-resistant super-bacteria created. Then we all lose all the time.
If you are not familiar with what syphilis could do a person before penicillin was discovered, do a little wandering on the 'net and see. Syphilis and Lyme are caused by bacteria in the same family, and both need serious and complete treatment. I took the meds, it was no big deal ... and I don't take meds for no reason, for the rationale stated above: antibiotics are for serious diseases, but they must be taken as prescribed, or we are all sunk in the big picture.
Sorry to rant here, but I know there is a lot of talk these days about not wanting 'get dependent' on antibiotics. Can't happen. But incompletely treated bacterial infections? Those are bad for all of humanity, directly and indirectly.
Go for the antibiotics, in full dose, for the full length of time. It's worth it. end/rant :)
What a great question! I never thought of it that way before. I understand the point, but because the Lyme bacteria seem to take first claim on any Mg you ingest, you will not ever beat them to the punch. It's like if they needed oxygen: you could stop breathing, and that would kill the bacteria, but it wouldn't do a lot for you either, if you get my drift. :(
So I look at it this way: I needed the Mg to keep functioning well, and I took antibiotics to kill the Lyme bacteria. So the bugz may get a Mg snack now and then, but there's an antibiotic steamroller headed their way soon. >SPLAT!<
I don't know about naltrexone, but I would rethink the approach of trying to help your immune system kill the infection. It's true that Lyme bacteria suppress the human immune system, but that doesn't mean the immune system (even with reinforcement) can, by itself, kill all the Lyme bacteria.
Lyme bacteria are in the same family as the bacteria that cause syphilis, and no way would bolstering the human immune system wipe out a case of syphilis. We're talking one big nasty disease family here.
Don't be afraid of antibiotics -- they are nothing compared to the thuggery of bacteria in the syphilis and Lyme family. There has been a lot of press lately about over-use of antibiotics, but the problem is not using the right antibiotics in the right amount for the right length of time -- the problem is people who take the wrong (ineffective) antibiotics for too short a time and don't take enough of it -- the object is to kill them all, and fast -- before they can become resistant to the antibiotics.
I have talked to people who take smaller doses and for a shorter time than their doc prescribes, on the theory that they don't want to 'get dependent' on antibiotics. Wrong, wrong, wrong -- that is exactly the worst thing to do, for the reasons stated above -- and not only for that person, but also for the rest of us who do not need medication-resistant super-bacteria created. Then we all lose all the time.
If you are not familiar with what syphilis could do a person before penicillin was discovered, do a little wandering on the 'net and see. Syphilis and Lyme are caused by bacteria in the same family, and both need serious and complete treatment. I took the meds, it was no big deal ... and I don't take meds for no reason, for the rationale stated above: antibiotics are for serious diseases, but they must be taken as prescribed, or we are all sunk in the big picture.
Sorry to rant here, but I know there is a lot of talk these days about not wanting 'get dependent' on antibiotics. Can't happen. But incompletely treated bacterial infections? Those are bad for all of humanity, directly and indirectly.
Go for the antibiotics, in full dose, for the full length of time. It's worth it. end/rant :)
Thank you all for your advice and information. Even though each of us is different, and responds differently to various drugs and supplements, it is still useful to understand what works for others and where things might be headed. One question - if the bacteria need magnesium to reproduce, is it a good idea to feed them magnesium?!! Just asking. I know the symptoms of magnesium deficiency are distressing, but we don't want to grow baby Lyme bugs, either......Second question: has anyone tried low dose naltrexone to stimulate the immune system and fight the disease?
Let us know what you hear from the pharmacist and how you do -- best wishes!
I am glad to hear Mg is helping!
The combination of magnesium and calcium is not a bad thing in and of itself -- my comment was made in thinking about a particularly well-advertised brand here in the US that does not have a good reputation among some.
But your pharmacist may be able to speak with you knowledgeably about what is the best approach to taking in more magnesium -- I have learned over the years that pharmacists in the US are not relied upon as much as they could be, because they have a wealth of knowledge. All the power here is given to the MD.
Telling your pharmacist that you want to increase your intake of "Mg [something ending in -ate]" may get you just the right thing, and the compounds of Mg and calcium that are available to you may be much better quality than what we have in the US.
Sorry if this is confusing. What I mean to say is: taking magnesium-and-calcium is not (as far as I know) a bad thing, but the brand of that combination most commonly sold in the US does not have the best reputation. Your pharmacist can likely guide you.
The combination of magnesium and calcium is not a bad thing in and of itself -- my comment was made in thinking about a particularly well-advertised brand here in the US that does not have a good reputation among some.
But your pharmacist may be able to speak with you knowledgeably about what is the best approach to taking in more magnesium -- I have learned over the years that pharmacists in the US are not relied upon as much as they could be, because they have a wealth of knowledge. All the power here is given to the MD.
Telling your pharmacist that you want to increase your intake of "Mg [something ending in -ate]" may get you just the right thing, and the compounds of Mg and calcium that are available to you may be much better quality than what we have in the US.
Sorry if this is confusing. What I mean to say is: taking magnesium-and-calcium is not (as far as I know) a bad thing, but the brand of that combination most commonly sold in the US does not have the best reputation. Your pharmacist can likely guide you.
Hi Jackie...my twitching is a lot better now after the mag shots...I managed to get oral mag ortate but not a brand with mag alone...it says magnesium orotate 500mg and di calcium phosphate 136 mg which provides free mag 32.5 mg...but it does seem like its having some effect....definitely better than not taking anything
I was wondering if liquid mag citrate that's used as a laxative is ok....that's the only mag it seems that's available without calcium? The store will get that for me tomorrow!.
I was wondering if liquid mag citrate that's used as a laxative is ok....that's the only mag it seems that's available without calcium? The store will get that for me tomorrow!.
I have read Dr B's guidelines in the past too, and found them very helpful. Do tell your doc that you are taking supplements etc., but you may not get much of a [positive] reaction. Docs aren't trained much on the topic, in my experience.
I told a (nonLLMD) doc early on in my dance with Lyme that I was taking Mg supplements, and he scoffed and said it would make things worse, or something to that effect. Well, he was wrong! And soon after I found my way to an LLMD who treated (and cured) me.
No one here is medically trained that I am aware of, so be watchful for your own well-being -- everyone is different in their personal reactions to meds and supps, and the various infections the ticks carry is different, so there's no one-size-fits-all --- and no one here is medically trained that I know of.
That said, take care and all good wishes to you! Keep us posted.
I told a (nonLLMD) doc early on in my dance with Lyme that I was taking Mg supplements, and he scoffed and said it would make things worse, or something to that effect. Well, he was wrong! And soon after I found my way to an LLMD who treated (and cured) me.
No one here is medically trained that I am aware of, so be watchful for your own well-being -- everyone is different in their personal reactions to meds and supps, and the various infections the ticks carry is different, so there's no one-size-fits-all --- and no one here is medically trained that I know of.
That said, take care and all good wishes to you! Keep us posted.
Thank you Jackie! I will keep u posted....I am hoping and assuming for now that mag is the only issue here....dr burrascano guidelines also say that mag should take care of the muscle twitching!
I'm not medically trained, so can't tell you how quickly the magnesium (Mg) supplements would work -- I would think it depends largely on how deficient your Mg levels are now.
I currently take 400mg of Mg twice per day (total per day: 800mg), and it works fine for me -- and I am generally sensitive to many medicines and supplements. I was told that if diarrhea occurs, then reduce the dose.
If the issue is only low Mg, then I would expect the twitching to subside fairly quickly -- within a few days perhaps? But that is a guess. I would not increase the dosage beyond your initial dose for at least several days (and perhaps a week) to give you body time to build up its reserves, but this is a guess.
Let us know how you do! Best wishes --
I currently take 400mg of Mg twice per day (total per day: 800mg), and it works fine for me -- and I am generally sensitive to many medicines and supplements. I was told that if diarrhea occurs, then reduce the dose.
If the issue is only low Mg, then I would expect the twitching to subside fairly quickly -- within a few days perhaps? But that is a guess. I would not increase the dosage beyond your initial dose for at least several days (and perhaps a week) to give you body time to build up its reserves, but this is a guess.
Let us know how you do! Best wishes --
That's right Jackie...I have been on injectable mag now as my low mag symptoms were rather severe....while the palpitations and fatigue have disappeared....the twitching has yet to respond....most antibiotics have warnings they should not be taken when there's an electrolyte imbalance....I hope I can get back on antibiotics real soon as I don't want the lyme to bounce back...
Have not taken oral mag so far as the oral plain ones aren't available where I stay....and its no use having the calcium-mag combination formulations...have arranged for someone to courier mag oritate to me.....so I should have them in a day or two...
What your experience with the oral mag....how long would it take for the twitching to subside?
Have not taken oral mag so far as the oral plain ones aren't available where I stay....and its no use having the calcium-mag combination formulations...have arranged for someone to courier mag oritate to me.....so I should have them in a day or two...
What your experience with the oral mag....how long would it take for the twitching to subside?
"I have had to stop antibiotics for the last month due to low mag[nesium]"
Take supplements! People with Lyme infections *often* have low magnesium (Mg) levels, because the Lyme bacteria use up Mg in their reproductive process, AND the American diet can often be low in Mg too.
I took Mg when I was treated for Lyme, and I still continue to take it daily now. It's really helpful to me and when I run out, I can tell the difference.
There is a kind of Mg supplement mixed with calcium (one brand is called 'CalMag') and I was cautioned NOT to use that formulation because it's not as effective. Dunno why scientifically, but I drink milk and so get my calcium already, and I take Mg every day still: any type that ends in "-ate" is supposed to be the most absorbable:
Magnesium citrate, orotate, aspartate, malate, etc.
I take a blend called Magnesium CAO, which has citrate, aspartate and orotate, and I like it a lot, but malate worked well for me too.
===========
About Flagyl, I took it for an extended period of time as part of my Lyme treatment, and I had no problems at all ... and I am very sensitive to many many foods and meds. Everybody's different.
Take supplements! People with Lyme infections *often* have low magnesium (Mg) levels, because the Lyme bacteria use up Mg in their reproductive process, AND the American diet can often be low in Mg too.
I took Mg when I was treated for Lyme, and I still continue to take it daily now. It's really helpful to me and when I run out, I can tell the difference.
There is a kind of Mg supplement mixed with calcium (one brand is called 'CalMag') and I was cautioned NOT to use that formulation because it's not as effective. Dunno why scientifically, but I drink milk and so get my calcium already, and I take Mg every day still: any type that ends in "-ate" is supposed to be the most absorbable:
Magnesium citrate, orotate, aspartate, malate, etc.
I take a blend called Magnesium CAO, which has citrate, aspartate and orotate, and I like it a lot, but malate worked well for me too.
===========
About Flagyl, I took it for an extended period of time as part of my Lyme treatment, and I had no problems at all ... and I am very sensitive to many many foods and meds. Everybody's different.
I took Tindamax for a short time, which is said to be easier on the gut. I was lucky in that my insurance covered it. (Some companies only cover Flagyl, even if it wrecks your gut.)
I really couldn't tell if it helped me or not. I didn't like how I felt on it, which I think was just side effects. (My husband felt terrible on Flagyl and he doesn't have Lyme.) Within a couple days it would cause a dark bacterial overgrowth on my tongue and gave me a constant metallic taste in my mouth. I really didn't like being on it.
I really couldn't tell if it helped me or not. I didn't like how I felt on it, which I think was just side effects. (My husband felt terrible on Flagyl and he doesn't have Lyme.) Within a couple days it would cause a dark bacterial overgrowth on my tongue and gave me a constant metallic taste in my mouth. I really didn't like being on it.
Thank u ricobord...It really is essential to keep the hope and not give up...as u rightly mentioned...many people seem to be near disease free around d 5 yr mark....as u have relatively fewer drugs that u can take ....I guess its all d more reason u shd talk to ur doc about taking fluconazole....all drugs have side effects of course...but with careful monitoring most people have no issue...
I for one gave fluconazole a try as I had run out of options...for reasons beyond my control I have had no access to injectable antibiotics.....when I stopped responding to roxithromycin-septran combination .....I searched the net for alternative meds n came across d fluc...thankfully its worked quite well for me!
I for one gave fluconazole a try as I had run out of options...for reasons beyond my control I have had no access to injectable antibiotics.....when I stopped responding to roxithromycin-septran combination .....I searched the net for alternative meds n came across d fluc...thankfully its worked quite well for me!
I haven't been treated for coinfections as I never had any of the symptoms....my symptoms have been almost entirely joint related...mostly the knee joint...the only thing that may indicate coinfection is lowering of my blood white cell counts by about 500 points...but that could be a side effect of antibiotics I guess....its a lot of hit n trial with dr burrascanos guidelines for me as there are no specialists where I live..
.sadly I have had to stop antibiotics for the last month due to low mag and as most antibiotics can't be given when your electrolytes have gone haywire....also there was a delay in treatment as most docs weren't convinced it was present....as it doesn't always show up on blood tests...I finally got 3 shots in last week n am feeling much better..
.sadly I have had to stop antibiotics for the last month due to low mag and as most antibiotics can't be given when your electrolytes have gone haywire....also there was a delay in treatment as most docs weren't convinced it was present....as it doesn't always show up on blood tests...I finally got 3 shots in last week n am feeling much better..
I have been cycling doxy and fluconazole 30 days at a time...I'm taking 200mg of fluc once a day.
As other members have rightly pointed out you should not be doing anything without medical supervision and regular testing of liver and kidney function.
Yes I've been taking the yogurt everday....about twice a day...but I may be overdoing the quantity....its definitely a good idea to have a 2 or 3 hr gap especially with doxy as it binds with it and reduces its effectiveness. And of course the doxy kills the lactobacilli in d yoghurt. Taking yogurt with the fluc should not be necessary as its basically an antifungal and should not disturb the good bacteria in the gut....but I took it anyway and have made it a part of the daily diet.
As other members have rightly pointed out you should not be doing anything without medical supervision and regular testing of liver and kidney function.
Yes I've been taking the yogurt everday....about twice a day...but I may be overdoing the quantity....its definitely a good idea to have a 2 or 3 hr gap especially with doxy as it binds with it and reduces its effectiveness. And of course the doxy kills the lactobacilli in d yoghurt. Taking yogurt with the fluc should not be necessary as its basically an antifungal and should not disturb the good bacteria in the gut....but I took it anyway and have made it a part of the daily diet.
I have been cycling doxy and fluconazole 30 days at a time...I'm taking 200mg of fluc once a day.
As other members have rightly pointed out you should not be doing anything without medical supervision and regular testing of liver and kidney function.
Yes I've been taking the yogurt everday....about twice a day...but I may be overdoing the quantity....its definitely a good idea to have a 2 or 3 hr gap especially with doxy as it binds with it and reduces its effectiveness. And of course the doxy kills the lactobacilli in d yoghurt. Taking yogurt with the fluc should not be necessary as its basically an antifungal and should not disturb the good bacteria in the gut....but I took it anyway and have made it a part of the daily diet.
As other members have rightly pointed out you should not be doing anything without medical supervision and regular testing of liver and kidney function.
Yes I've been taking the yogurt everday....about twice a day...but I may be overdoing the quantity....its definitely a good idea to have a 2 or 3 hr gap especially with doxy as it binds with it and reduces its effectiveness. And of course the doxy kills the lactobacilli in d yoghurt. Taking yogurt with the fluc should not be necessary as its basically an antifungal and should not disturb the good bacteria in the gut....but I took it anyway and have made it a part of the daily diet.
Hang in there! I'm glad you got a diagnosis.
Generally, people with bad cognitive and neuro problems from Lyme need IV medications in order to penetrate the nervous system. A high dose oral penicillin along with probenecid might do the trick, but pencilin doesn't work for every Lyme patient, not to mention that many people are allergic to it. It can stress the kidneys, too.
I found that Omnicef, supposedly a good oral abx for Lyme, resulted in me getting worse within a month. It was useless against my Lyme. But then I got my Lyme overseas. I'm confident I have a different species of Lyme.
Just know that different meds work differently in different people. Immune systems vary, strains and species of the bacteria vary, and it's not a one size fits all treatment, in spite of what the IDSA and CDC keep insisting. That's why you need a doc with experience in treating Lyme.
As far as the fluconazole, know that long term use can cause liver damage. Even short term use can be hard on the liver. If you have elevated enzymes, you really can't take it.
Supplements are much easier on the body. I tried several and Yeast Cleanse worked the best for me. But I take the max dose every day. If I drop the dose or stop, I notice an increase in yeast within 2-3 days.
Generally, people with bad cognitive and neuro problems from Lyme need IV medications in order to penetrate the nervous system. A high dose oral penicillin along with probenecid might do the trick, but pencilin doesn't work for every Lyme patient, not to mention that many people are allergic to it. It can stress the kidneys, too.
I found that Omnicef, supposedly a good oral abx for Lyme, resulted in me getting worse within a month. It was useless against my Lyme. But then I got my Lyme overseas. I'm confident I have a different species of Lyme.
Just know that different meds work differently in different people. Immune systems vary, strains and species of the bacteria vary, and it's not a one size fits all treatment, in spite of what the IDSA and CDC keep insisting. That's why you need a doc with experience in treating Lyme.
As far as the fluconazole, know that long term use can cause liver damage. Even short term use can be hard on the liver. If you have elevated enzymes, you really can't take it.
Supplements are much easier on the body. I tried several and Yeast Cleanse worked the best for me. But I take the max dose every day. If I drop the dose or stop, I notice an increase in yeast within 2-3 days.
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