confused- my dr switched my antibiotics after only 1 month- please explain
I am so perplexed.... I went to my LLMD's office today, but saw his PA. Up till now, I have been on doxycycline 400 mg for a month and also plaquenil 200mg and I have been only having a worsening of symptoms and no real improvement (like a constant herx that comes and goes) He said that I am herxing too much and the med doesn't seem to be working, so he switched me to:
Omnicef (like Ceftin) 300 mg day
Probensid (he said keeps the abx levels steady in the blood)
Zithromax liquid- once a week (my insurance will not cover pills)
He told me to stay on the plaquenil
I am shocked he switched my antibiotics so soon. I thought maybe he would have me stick it out and that maybe I am not giving it long enough. I am confused why he switched so soon- some people have said it took them months to see a benefit from antibiotics. Also, why I am on a combination of so many?. Anyway, anyone experience this? Also, anyone been on any of those antibiotics or that combination?
Re: confused- my dr switched my antibiotics after only 1 month- please explain
I guess you might want to ask the doctor, it sounds like he has a plan but he isn't communicating it completely. He'll probably give you more information if you talk to him about your concerns.
I take zithromax and plaquenil (with flagyl) and they work pretty well for me. My insurance wouldn't pay for the zithromax either. They said I could have ten days of it and then no more for 90 days. Once every three months isn't going to take care of my problem. I pay for it myself and it costs me $450 a month. That's why the insurance gives you a hard time about it, it's really expensive.
Re: confused- my dr switched my antibiotics after only 1 month- please explain
I am surprised know one knows this. If you have been on these drugs for a month and had no herx reaction than they will switch them out to other abx that might cause a herx. A herx means the drugs are killing the bacteria. The longer you stay on these abx without a herx the bacteria will become more resistant to them. Even if it does cause a herx the Bb bacteria will eventually become resistant to them. In the 5 months I have seen my LLMD my drugs have been changed 5 times. The only drug I have taken thus far that has caused a reaction is mepron and flagyl. Zithromax has caused intense ear ringing and rocephin caused more headaches. My Dr. still changes mepon and flagyl, month on month off, they call it a holiday.
Re: confused- my dr switched my antibiotics after only 1 month- please explain
Derek-
The thing was.... I WAS having a horrible herx, but constant herxing and no improvement..... i thought it took a long time for improvement so that is why i am confused. Maybe the dr either thought it was not working or thought it was too much for my body. Don't know.
Now I am on new stuff. Good thing is, don't have to worry about sunburn anymore so I can enjoy the weather before it gets cold!!
Re: confused- my dr switched my antibiotics after only 1 month- please explain
Hi Nancy,
I was out today and it was beautiful outside! So there are benefits from switching medications.
Nancy, maybe I asked you this before (now I am confused), are you taking any products to detox like colon cleanse, etc., etc.,??? I believe they would help lesson the pain of herxes, let me know..... I worry about you.
Re: confused- my dr switched my antibiotics after only 1 month- please explain
Hi,
Not sure what your doctor has in mind, but mine changes my combo every month. At first it felt like nothing much was happening. Then I felt worse. But after several months I realize it is definitely working.
Re: confused- my dr switched my antibiotics after only 1 month- please explain
Dear Tinuviel,
As you know I will be seeing Dr. Crist in a few weeks and want to be prepared. I am sure he is well versed in what to prescribe and dosage and so forth but I want to go there informed also. I had been taking the samento for about 1 1/2 months and wasn't sure it was doing much until I came off of it for the visit. He requires this for testing to be accurate. Since coming off some of my symptoms have escalated so I know it was helping.
I know you are having great luck with the artemisinin and want to be prepared to discuss this with him. I am presuming you are seeing a regular type MD since you are taking prescription meds along with this. Did your MD prescribe this because other babs meds wern't working or to keep changing the mix. I believe it is widely accepted for malaria treatment so I am sure he has heard of it. I would prefer to stay the natural route but don't mind a combo either. The people on here who have taken the traditional route to get rid of babs don't seem to be doing so and just short term artemisinin sounds better to me.
I am not sure I have babs but after reading the Buhner book and how it can cause mobility and arm problems it makes me suspicious. That may be why the IV didn't get a good hold on the lyme.
What combos are you on now and what did you start with if you can remember. How long have you actively been fighting lyme and did you have positive tests for what you are treating. That is one thing I need to have Dr. Crist check since I only showed band #23 even if that is specific. I feel the positive for sure will help in getting the insurance to pay for the meds.
I take it from your threads that after the initial feeling like you're going to die with the artemisinin you feel you are progressing. Sleeper said that after adding the cholestryamine to the mix she felt a real turn around. She hadn't had a lot of improvment until after adding this and that's after a very long time on meds with not much change and I am wondering if you would classify how you are feeling in the same way since starting the artemisinin. As I said I want to be as informed as I can be when I head to Missouri. Not a know it all, just informed. Thanks.
Re: confused- my dr switched my antibiotics after only 1 month- please explain
Betterdays--just want to clarify, I hope I didn't imply that I had "a long time on meds with not much change" as that is not the case at all. I did have consistently good results with respect to attacking the lyme even from day one on the antibiotics.
Unfortunately, while the lyme was being killed off at high levels, I didn't know much about detoxing, so I had a lot of trouble. The cholestyramine was the catalyst to change in that it really helped me with herxing pain and fatigue. It took out the toxins better than anything else I have tried, so I felt relief from herxes very quickly.
Good luck at your appointment with Dr. Crist, I'm very excited about your going there because I heard so many good things about him.
