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Doxycycline and Anxiety Attacks

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Posted 3/8/2010 1:55 PM (GMT 0)
So , I have been on Doxycycline on and off now for 4 months let's say... And in April I will have to start the IV treatment since the doxycycline is not working for me. My question to all of you is - Have you experienced higher levels of anxiety attacks on the doxycyline pills? I don't necessarily feel better on this antibiotic and I also get really bad dreams. I was completely fine before I went back on the antibiotic - since my blood still tested positive for Lyme . I also get anxiety attacks now ... I never use to have them but it's like I don't feel safe some times at places I go to and I start freaking out , and boom that's when the anxiety kicks in and I feel as if I am going to pass out . So what type of symptoms does everyone else get on doxy and the IV treatment and what have you heard about it ??
Posted 3/8/2010 2:08 PM (GMT 0)
Doxy is NOT one of my favorite abx. It also gave me extreme anxiety, anger and sometimes rage episodes.
Made the pain in my body more intense, had more difficult time in thinking and concentrating. Yeah Doxy is
no fun for some of us. Had more symptoms with doxy but those were the main ones that bothered me.
However being on the IV Rocephine was a life saver for me. I had really bad neuro lyme and brain fog and the
Rocephine is what got me out of the dark so to speak.

Hope this helps
Posted 3/8/2010 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
That is EXACTLY how I feel - I have brain fog - it almost feels like my brain is on a "wave" and I started to notice more and more with the doxy that I get angry as well and have really bad mood swings.. it's so hard to stay positive but that's all I can do. Thanks for your help.

BTW - How long were you on the IV for if you don't mind me asking?? And did you get any symptoms or started feeling better right away??

My symptoms are more neurological as well.. I have no aching or tiredness etc. didn't get a bulls eye and never knew what was wrong with me until my doctor caught in in September 09
Posted 3/8/2010 2:42 PM (GMT 0)
i am finding the doxy is causing the same problems for me...thanks for posting this...im suffering horribly..with lyme and babesia..i noticed more feelings of not being able to relax my body at all on the doxy...not even for a little while..and stomach issues no matter what i do...i feel like i cant relx for a minute...its horrible...it wasnt this bad on amox..but i had other horrible sympotms with it...some people are saying they used herbs to fight lyme...im so frightned.. i was given ativan a tranquilizer back in Nov.07 and was never tested for lyme..and i had to suffer for a year and a half..trying to get off it...and i think i also had lyme the whole time too..im living in hell...the symptoms are so bad..and i cant take any pain meds at all or anthing for anxiety...any suggestions for me....my lyme doc want do iv...also many people say antiboitcs and supplements really rev up withdrawal..bad..ive been off the ativan for a year..now..but peole suffer for years...and with the lyme and babesia its like a nightmare..i know the doxy is causing problems for me cause about an hour after i take it i feel like ive taken speed.or had lots of coffee and i dont do either...and also get real nausea...im so scared i just dont know what to take or do...so many people here have been so helpful...i have lots of physcial and neuro symptoms...im in agony.....
Posted 3/8/2010 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there "mom"

I am sorry to hear about your symptoms! I really wish you well.. and anyone who has Lyme.. it completely changes your life and it's unfortunate that a tic bight can do such horrible things.

As for the Ativan.. I am not familiar with this . ...I can't believe you've been dealing with this for that long.. why hasn't your doctor put you on the IV?? You should speak to him/her right away and tell them that the doxy isn't helping you...and hasn't been.. did they say that ativan helps with anxiety or lyme?? You may need to have the IV in for 6-8 weeks depending on your stage... I hope you find the help you need and hope you and everyone else out there including myself :) get's better from this one day. All you can do at this point is try your hardest to stay positive and seek out the help you need -- your body needs.
Posted 3/8/2010 3:23 PM (GMT 0)
So sorry everyone is suffering so horribly. I was on IV Rocephine the first time for 28days and after the first 2 wks
I felt the fog slowly lift. I was not symptom free but also was not being treated by a lyme doc either. I found a lyme
doc and he put me on IV Rocephine. I had around 65 different symptoms just like you Mom, and I thought I was dying.
My husband in the beginning was just like yours very abusive and confused, he was the one in denial not me. What I was
feeling was real but it was so hard to explain. Just didnt seem normal to have all this going on when I was never sick. My
symptoms started slow, with hormones and lil things that were not very noticeable or maybe I just overlooked them.

But back to the IV treatments. The second round of IV Rocephine was 28 days and few months after the first. Still was not
symptom free but was able to walk without pain, have a conversation without forgetting or studder. Was getting better sleep.
Was not ready for this IV to be pulled after 28 days but I was not the doctor and I didnt know any better. After that IV treatment
I was still not 100% and a couple months had went by and got another IV making this the 3rd treatment of Rocephine. Feeling
myself getting better with every treatment. This time was a 90 day treatment. Followed by 7 months of oral med in the same
family as rocephine. After all that I went back to the LD and he said the I no longer have lyme and what I am left with is post-lyme
symptoms.

Considering how I felt I knew I had to seek another Lyme Doc. So TODAY actually I am seeing him for the second time. My first
visit and every visit is at least an hour long. OK OK getting side tracked. UM! lets see dang this brain...LOL!

I first saw this new lyme doc in Sept 09 and he ran co-infection tests and found I had Babesia. I am now treating that and lyme with
a combo of Mepron and Zithromax. Feeling a little better on this treatment. But am curious what he does for me today when I see him.
I am hoping we are finished with Babesia treatment after 6 months and maybe he can put me on IV Rocephine. The Rocephine is the
drug that gave me a pain free and fog free body. I want that back again.

Sorry for rambling, I think I am just excited about what the next step in treatment and reaching my goal of a healthy and energetic
body again.

Have a Happy Day!
Posted 3/8/2010 3:34 PM (GMT 0)
wow... I hope you are on the right path to a successful healthy life! :) Hope all will go well with this treatment... it's a long road. But it will end soon.
Posted 5/6/2010 10:13 PM (GMT 0)
What a bad time in my life... just started having a second round of anxiety after being basically free 4+ years, they started again about a week ago, just got diagnosed with a kidney infection 3 days after , this past tuesday and am on my second day of doxycycline 100 mg 2x aday and the anxiety has gotten worse. I guess I will stop the doxy until I ask my doc. I wonder if my illness, the kidney infection plus seeing my uncle carted off in an ambulance saturday very ill just pushed me over the edge with anxiety again..
Posted 5/6/2010 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
YES! it made me anxious and on edge, it was horrible. I would flinch at the stightest movements. It was like I was hyper aware, my hearing/eyes were so sensitive. I was a walking raw nerve!
Posted 5/7/2010 1:59 AM (GMT 0)
Harley rider, do you mind if i ask has insurance paid for all the IV treatments? If so, did you test positive. Thanks.
Posted 5/7/2010 3:43 AM (GMT 0)
V,

just wanted to chime in that I hate Doxy too, maybe not for the same reasons as you.  I have a LOT of heartburn, and it seems that upon learning I could have no dairy products 2 hrs before or 2 hrs prior -- well, that caused me heartburn just looking at those big, ugly bottles of nasty pills! 

It was prescribed to me by an LLMD -- on the very day that I saw him (first visit), I got another tick and called in a panic.  So since he had only just ordered lab tests, and so hadn't prescribed anything yet, he called in Doxy as a prev for Rocky Mt spotted fever.

Fortunately, before that (doxy) script was done, my test results indicated Lyme and we no longer felt RMSF was a concern, so he put me on Amox.

But I am here to tell you that the Amox caused HORRIBLE anxiety and unbearable depression. I did not know if this was herxing or caused by the Amox, but did note that depression was a possible side effect of Amox.  I completed 2 mo. of it and felt a lot of relief when that was over.

Having problems again, but I do not yet know if it's because the lyme is back, or a co-infection didn't get knocked out (positive for Babs), or if I am left w/ issues from having had Lyme.  That will be another post.

Just wanted to sympathize w/ you --  I have never in my life had a problem w/ any abx, but something about that Doxy seemed to make me sick just looking at it! 

Posted 5/7/2010 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
Do IV treatment require a port, that I'm scared of. Seems like all orals give me bloody, tissue from colon, and diarreah. Just wondering what to suggest to my doc.

Thanks for sharing.

Posted 5/12/2010 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
I am sorry for your pain, I also thought doxy was gonna kill me (or i wish it would) and I found the amox to be easier. easier is not always better is it possible the doxy is promoting die off making u feel horrible but cleaning out your body of the "poison" If memory serves when i rode it out i could have weeks of normal. when doxy quit working (i knew i'd go from good to sick again) then doc would try a different antibiotic or combo then I'd get real sick then better better better. I am now no longer on antibiotics. but I have no doubt that in the beginning of my illness the antibiotics and "helpfuls" very well may have saved a life, mine. Hang in there there is life after lyme, a different life maybe only in the sense that as a human one has changed his or her views, looks at things differently, I know I do. Hopefully physically you will be as strong as you were before you got sick if not stronger if you consider the spiritual/ emotional growth that has occcured through the ordeal/ If nothing else I am no longer naive, I used to be the most naive person I ever met, no more. I realize drs are people people usually with more education than myself but they are still very very human. My healer is God, he (or she?) uses lots of people drs included but also the homeless man in LA to help me and it is my hope that in this life or next I can help others under the guidance of my doctor, god. Not only is there life after lyme maybe more importantly there is life with lyme, this is what I choose to focus on but periodically have to back up and reset some buttons.
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