Newbie question about son just starting antibiotic treatment

Welcome to our community, Lymiemomster!

I'n glad you decided to join us.

For adults, the usual dose of doxy prescribed for lyme is 200 mg twice daily. I don't know how much your 15 year old weighs...maybe 300 mg per day is enough.
Adding the azithromycin to it is good.

Looks like your ND has started him on some good support supplements. It's really important that he take the probiotics regularly. Have him take a dose of them a couple hours after his last antibiotic of the day. That will allow the probiotics to replenish the bacteria in his gut throughout the night while he sleeps.

Since your son has had symptoms for quite awhile (since October)..it isn't surprising that he doesn't feel any better after only 11 days on the antibiotics. It could take a while longer.

The worsening of the joint pain and fatigue after a week sounds like he was experiencing a herx reaction.
When we kill off the bacteria, it produces endotoxins into our systems which results in inflammation - we experience a worsening of symptoms and sometimes new symptoms. This is called a herxheimer reaction.

To help flush out those toxins, and lessen the herx, your son should be detoxing. Employing multiple methods of detox will result in the toxins being flushed out.

Here's a link to a website with many detoxing ideas:

www.tiredoflyme.com/detox-methods.html

Please keep reading, posting, asking questions. It can be overwhelming -with all the information to absorb.

Welcome Momster!

I am glad that you have joined and also glad you have been "lurking" for awhile! Hopefully you have found the information and knowledge on the forum helpful.

Your son is blessed to have such a caring mom. There are many on this forum who have sick kids and use the forum for support. You will find a lot of great advice and support here.

Hi Lymemomster,
We have an almost 15 yo DS who was finally diagnosed late Oct last year. His first month of doxy was really rough and allowed us to see some of his co-infections. Taking daily doxy (100 mg) 2x a day was too much for his body to handle detox wise so he was very sick for about 6 weeks. We tried all detox methods to see what would work and stuck with lemon water, milk thistle, dandelion, parsley extract, epsom salt baths, warm showers with cool rinses etc. One detox method that we didn't get around to trying until earlier this summer is one I wish we'd tried earlier - activated charcoal away from all meds/supplements. It mopped up stuff amazingly well and helped a ton with the extreme exhaustion.

DS did go on mino daily at one point and again, his body just couldn't keep up with detox so his LLMD practice pulled him down to M, W, F which really helped.

I've seen people say low and slow and it does seem to work - especially since we are often trying to keep our kids in school or learning, if at all possible.

Good luck! It's quite a journey. Folks here are fonts of knowledge so keep checking in.

I was going to ask you if you are in Canada - particularly BC.
I recognize the supplements your son has been prescribed. I'm thinking your son might be seeing my LLND.
Dr. E.C.


I order my Alka Seltzer gold from either iHerb or Amazon - as I am buying other supplements from them anyway.

You can ask your ND about Pinella and Burbur...or you can just order it, and tell your ND that you have started him on it.
I told him I was using it...and he was fine with it.

I think the antibiotic combo is a good start...it's not too 'heavy'...which is good...you don't need a severe herx happening.

So, the ND thinks your son has Babesia? What has he said about Bartonella? Did you tell him about the feral cats?

I have made some improvements - have 'lost' several symptoms, but am feeling 'stalled out'.
I have already seen another LLND for a 'second set of eyes' so to speak.

I was really happy with Dr. C. in the beginning...and he does know his stuff. But, when you have LD, you are forced into educating yourself...and I am sort of at a cross-road now. I am wanting to pursue Babesia treatment, and am finding he's not supporting me the way I'd like. I have started to take Artemisinin (a non Pharma treatment) for Babesia...and am looking for someone to add a pharma med to it.
So, that is my dilemma.

I don't want my decision to 'search' out another LLND to influence you...I know many people who have been healed under him...and many more who are in treatment with him and are very happy.

I'm kind of a picky person by nature...so it figures that i would be antsy now...lol
I don't like leaving my health in the hands of another person...and I am wanting to get rid of this ...yesterday...lol

Take a picture of the stretch marks...in case they fade. That is definitely a symptom of bartonella.

That is great that you found a GP that was willing to look 'past' the Canadian lab and send the sample to Armin.

I'm wondering if that GP is Dr. L. Z?

Regarding Pinella Burbur - I agree you can order it (cheaper to buy the combo) and use it and let your LLMD know next time you are there. To my knowledge it won't interfere with much if anything. We add it to the lemon water/steva/parsley extract drink since DS is SO tired of taking multiple pills all day long. We didn't notice any herx on it and use 20 drops of the combo daily. I hope it helps your son. Our DS only seems to have brain fog on Lyme tired days but I still give it to him 5-7 times a week.

Yes , your analogy of how the DNA testing works is spot-on.


Negative doesn't mean negative, but positive means positive.

Blather away...lol.

That is what we're here for.

Hi vancync!

So glad to hear your son is improving! Yay!

My son is on a probiotic called HMF forte and also takes Biok. I'm trying to make my own kefir and sauerkraut.

He hasn't been able to go to school since November. He has managed to do one online course. He has trouble reading/concentrating.

He is not really able to walk right now due to his joint pain. Hard to believe three years ago he was one of the fastest kids at our district track meet.
We will never give up looking forward to healthier happier days :)

It is really soon for him to feel better. He has been sick since October, so it will most likely take awhile for improvements...

I didn't feel a slight improvement (after 15 months undiagnosed/untreated) - I herxed on Day 4...and it was months for me to have any symptom improvement.

Everyone is different, though...


You should consider warm epsom salt baths for your son...that was one of my 'go to' detoxes when I was/am feeling horrible.


Pinella Brain-Nerve Cleanse and Burbur (both Nutramedix) are something else to consider for detoxing.

I can't say I feel great. Even though I have had some symptoms resolve...and others improve...but I have some that are bad enough that I often don't feel well.


I find Pinella and Burbur do help me. I have bought mine from iHerb and also Amazon.
When I herx, I immediately do Pinella and Burbur....sometimes two rounds of it.

I think I got the best improvements from the brain fog with Minocycline.
I still have some brain fog...and short-term memory issues. I am considering going back on the minocycline again.


I have read about the Daptomycin...but not that combination (haven't read about cefoperazone.)

Don't apologize for the questions....that's how we all learn.