Second Guessing

I've been on Doxy 200mg for 3 months and I've been doing acupuncture for 2 months. I saw my LLMD for the 1st time 1 month ago and she put me on Zithromax 250mg plus herbs and supplements. What concerned me is that she never upped my Doxy dose above 200mg (seems low to me). At my last appointment she told me that when I finish the 2 month supply of Zithromax I should be good to go, so it doesn't sound like she plans on adding or switching abx at all, which concerns me. From what I understand you should be completely symptom free for months at a time before thinking about stopping treatment.

She's got me on lots of good herbs and supplements, but never mentioned detoxing to me. I've learned everything I know about it from this site.

I also tested negative for all co-infections with Medical Diagnostic Laboratories. My LLMD told me they were good quality tests and not to bother with IgeneX - this surprised me too.

Thanks for the reminder to be patient. I often forget that. Overall I have seen some progress, I just thought I would be past the point of spending days on end in bed.

That's a good point, maybe she plans to keep me on garlic and cats claw after I stop the "real" antibiotics? She mentioned drinking lots of water, but said nothing about lemon, epsom salt baths, etc. I'm glad I got lots of good information from the internet, it's just odd that my LLMD wouldn't bring these things up.

When I first suspected Lyme 3 months ago, I saw a non-LLMD who gave me a clinical diagnosis of Lyme and prescribed Doxy. It took a couple months of not getting better before I realized I needed to see someone else. I first saw my LLMD 1 month ago. I was never diagnosed with any co-infections, but they were never even brought up to me until I asked my LLMD to test me.

That's correct, only 200mg of Doxy a day. I've also read that you need at least 400mg. It blows my mind that an LLMD wouldn't recognize that. I'm not sure why she chose zithromax specifically (aka azithromycin). I didn't know it wasn't very effective when given orally. Yikes. FYI, she also put me on alpha lipoic acid, milk thistle, magnesium citrate, vitamin d, taurine, coenzyme q10 and probiotics.

I think the stress of work did catch up to me. It's not a low-key, easy job! I honestly also wonder if drinking too much beet juice the other day had some effect too. It all gets confusing for me, trying to figure out if my feeling bad is "normal" for lyme or if I'm just not on proper antibiotic treatment. I think I will get a second opinion from another LLMD.

Success - I have an appointment with a highly recommended Lyme dr next Thursday. Feeling relieved. Thanks for the encouragement!

Well that is the last time I ever juice a beet. I've mostly been juicing swiss chard, kale and ginger but I always add apple or carrots to help the taste... good to know.

Just started antibiotics for Babesia.  LLND treating before Lyme disease, says Lyme disease may/will come back if Babesia not treated first.  I'm on Mepron 750mg for 3 weeks at first and Azithromycin 250 for 5 days and off 5 days for 3 weeks.  See him again at 3 weeks to see how I am doing.  I'm to phone him Mon. to let him know how I am doing too.  Sun. is the 5th day for Azithromycin.  Apparently 5 days on and 5 days off with Azithromycin because it stays in your system for awhile.  Maybe this will help stop the stomach problems I'm hearing about.  On probiotics and starting Kefir tomorrow.  All new for me so taking in all the info I can.  Dr. Burrascano's 2008 "Advanced Topics in Lyme Disease", suggests this combination for Babesia.  So far so good for me.  Only 3 days though.  Off to bed now. 

Post Edited (pinda) : 10/15/2011 12:59:52 AM (GMT-6)

Well, I've been researching Suprax and apparently there's a chance it could cause an allergic reaction it if you're allergic to penicillin, which I am. Ugh.

I think I'll call the dr in the morning and run this by him.

Traveler if you don't mind me asking was your allergy one of the reasons you took the all-natural route?

HMMMM...very interesting...

First of all, I'm a juicer and I've been juicing beets and carrots....Now I'm wondering if maybe I shouldn't be doing that??!!

Also, my LLMD is a top doc and he has me on Zithromax too. I'm also on Rifampin. I don't know which drug is working better, but I will tell you that I have definitey herxed from this stuff. Caused me some major flairs in symptoms (which have now for the most part subsided).

Yogi: I SOOOO get it when you say you are second guessing....OMG...I do it all the time and I have a positive lyme from Igenex. I worry that I have MS. I hate this fear with a passion but I just cannot help it. There are days though when I can sit and put things in columns and say, no this is lyme but my fears and worry do get the best of me. I'm so glad that you found another doctor because that first one just didn't sound right to me. Good for you for trusting your better judgement!!

Good to hear that you were able to take the Suprax, Yogilymie!

Carrie,
I would say to juice as well! I don't have a juicer, so I make green smoothies, but my Acu doc told me to use lots of carrots in it, as they help with detoxing. I was pretty skeptical about it, but I actually feel less toxic!!! I was pretty amazed!

Of course cukes are really good too, they have a ton of vitamins, minerals and even has OMega 3 and Omega 6 oils!! (nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2439/2