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Flagyl question; and antibiotic/probiotic question

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Posted 6/25/2009 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
1.  For those of you that have taken flagyl(metronidazole), couple questions:  How long did you take it, how much of it per day, what were your improvements and/or side effects, and was it the only antibiotic you took or was there anything prescribed with it; etc.

2.   When taking antibiotics of any type, is a normal(ie, what it says on the probiotic package) dose of probiotics sufficient to keep beneficial bacteria up during the antibiotic regimen?  Does anyone know of any research that indicates that antibiotics and probiotics at the same time is a more powerful treatment than antibiotics alone?

 

Posted 6/26/2009 1:42 AM (GMT 0)

Hi rcenters.  From what I understand, Flagyl or Tinidazole needs to be taken with another antibiotic.  Tinidazole is similar to Flagy but it is supposed to be easier to tolerate.  With Flagyl, it is a good idea to start off with a low dose and build up.   When taking Flagyl make sure you do not have alcohol of any kind (including mouthwash etc.) or you can get really sick.

Regarding your question about acidophilus, are you asking about taking them at the same time?  They need to be spaced out by at least two hours or the antibiotics will cancel out the acidophilus.

Posted 6/26/2009 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
Er; I wasn't exactly asking about taking them at the same time/2 hour spacing, but it's just as well since I needed to know that too. With that said, are normal probiotic doses sufficient to keep your beneficial bacteria levels up throughout a 4 week or more long oral regimen of abx?
Posted 6/26/2009 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
I take Flagyl one week per month and I take Biaxin every day. I doubled up on my probiotics because I started to get a yeast infection three days in. I get quality probiotics (the best are the kind you keep in the fridge) and take 2/day. I haven't had a problem (knock on wood!).
Posted 6/26/2009 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
Recenters,

What do you mean about normal probiotic doses? Do you mean the recommended dose on the bottle?

You should get a probiotic that has at least 2 billion live bacteria in it. The refrigerated is the best because it contains live bacteria. You should take at least 4 a day. 2- 2x's a day.
Posted 6/26/2009 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
It is also best to take them 2 hours after your antibiotics so your putting back what the antibiotics just killed off.
Posted 6/27/2009 9:08 PM (GMT 0)
Any chance you know of a brand name for the refrigerated probiotic? 
Posted 6/27/2009 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi rcenters.  I have used Natural Factors Double Strength Acidophilus & Bifidus which has 10 billlion active cells.  It is refrigerated and health food stores such as Whole Foods should carry it or a similar product.  There is also a refrigerated acidophilus powder available by prescription called VSL#3 or double strength VSL#3.

 

Posted 6/27/2009 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
I was at a health food store last week and I ended up getting "Perfect Food", which is a "Green Vibrance" copy(I'd heard of GV but didn't actually know what it was til I saw it at the store, I got the other one because it was cheaper). It contains several types of lacto and bifido bacteria types, unfortunately when I was there I was not actually looking for probiotics(I got this stuff because it contains a broad spectrum of things), so I'll check it out in a couple of weeks. There's a GNC not too far from here, but I am guessing that they won't have such a thing, for any other kind of store I have to drive 75 mins to Knoxville now that I live up in the mountains again.
Posted 6/27/2009 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
rcenters, GNC does not have the refrigerated ones.  Maybe you could ask your doctor to prescribe the VSL#3.  You add the powder to water and drink it.

 

Posted 6/30/2009 5:47 AM (GMT 0)
I'm supposed to take flagyl 3 times a day in a cycle of 4 days on, 3 days off.  I'm not taking any other antibiotic for lyme with it due to their conflict with mepron, which I'm on.  I am taking clarithromycin with the mepron, though it is for the babesia, not sure if it helps with lyme at all, anyone know?

I am having a real hard time with flagyl.  I had to stop taking it yet again.  It causes me way too much pain and nausea, especially in the liver area, and nasty headaches even worse than what I get from mepron/clarithromycin, and it makes it real hard to get me to eat like I'm supposed to for the mepron (needs fat to be absorbed).  Not to mention that if you don't eat a substantial enough meal with flagyl the nausea is even worse.   Ugh!

Could not say that I have had any improvements with flagyl, just know it is killing the little buggers from the toxic overload I get.  Even though the pain and nausea are side affects of the flagyl, I get other pains that I always get with lyme dying.  I've also not been able to stay on it long enough to really accomplish anything.

Posted 6/30/2009 11:43 AM (GMT 0)

Hi sher004.  From what I understand, Mepron needs to be taken with Zithromax, Biaxin, or Ketek to work properly.  Dr. Burrascano discusses this on page 24 of his guidelines at http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/B_guidelines_12_17_08.pdf  He also recommends adding the herb Artemisinin.

Tinidazole is similar to Flagyl, but it is supposed to be easier to tolerate.  Maybe you could talk to you doctor about it.

How long have you been getting treated?
 

Posted 6/30/2009 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
I've been getting treatment for lyme and babesia for about 6 months, but the flagyl is new. My doctor thinks that clarithromycin works like zithromax with mepron, they are both macrolite antibiotics.

I was on Artemisinin, but I needed to stop that for a while too, just to bring my symptoms down to tolerable levels.

Tinidazole sounds like it may be a good idea if my insurance covers it, thanks.
Posted 6/20/2012 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
biaxin is the same thing as clarithromycin just as flagyl is metronidazole. metronidazole is used to kill the cyst form of borrelia burgdorferi as is clarithromycin is used to treat the spirochete form. these drugs together should work fine and kill both forms in combination. i myself do not have experience with this combo but i am currently taking augmentin 875mg 2x per day(amoxicillin w/ clavulanic acid) with metronidazole 500mg 3x per day. i switched from 400mg of doxycycline per day to this combination due to the issues related to doxy and metronidazole use together. there is evidence that doxy can interfere with the metronidazole however i cannot attest to that. i know many lyme physicians who prescribe both meds together and have had success. my LLMD has informed me of research showing that doxycycline can infact raise cyst formation 200% due to the fact that it doesnt kill it only stop reproduction which is why the bacteria are forced to morph into cysts in order to survive. he also informed me that for some reason amoxicillin killed 85-90% of spriochete form but also killed 68% of cyst forms.
Posted 6/22/2012 11:34 AM (GMT 0)
I am on Mepron/Azithromycin and when I switched to Mepron/Clarithromycin, I had a pretty good herx for 2 days. Zithromax kills better in the tissues, Biaxin kills better in the blood.
Posted 6/27/2012 1:08 PM (GMT 0)
"I am on Mepron/Azithromycin and when I switched to Mepron/Clarithromycin, I had a pretty good herx for 2 days. Zithromax kills better in the tissues, Biaxin kills better in the blood."

Georgia, What doses of the meds were/are you on?

I have had chronic Lyme for 3 years (diagnosed). I have been on Zithrowmax 250 mg twice a day and also hydroxychloroquine 200 mg twivce a day for 2 years. It wa a miracle at first. Now I am trembling, my fingers, thumbs and eyes twitch and I am totally exhausted. I have uncontrollable shivers all the time, too. So I thought maybe I would give your meds a try.
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