Amoxicillin vs Doxycycline

Thanks to the caring folks on here and the advice given to me I have seen a dr. (well two actually) to get antibiotics. The first dr. I saw didn't think I had lyme but gave me a weeks worth of doxycycline just to get me to leave. The dr. (free clinic) I saw today I don't think believed me either but at least he took my blood and sent it off to be tested for free. This dr. gave me a two weeks supply of amoxicillin. So will amoxicillin work as well as doxycycline? And does it matter if I am taking two weeks of one and one week of the other?

These are the best guidelines I know of and various abx are discussed.  Not sure if there is a later version?

http://www.chroniclymedisease.com/burrascano_lyme_treatment_guidelines

Amox. is used to treat Lyme and is commonly used during pregnancy, for example, since it's minimal risk to the baby.

It's a little hard for us non-medical people to recommend specific doses and combos of abx.

The thing about Lyme - there are a ton of possible symptoms.  This is due to it being a spirochete - can literally bore its way into almost any body system - or combinations of systems.  Some of this may be due to strain variations. 

And that's why there can be misconceptions among health care providers that haven't actually treated and followed a number of Lyme cases.  I had one Dr. say it's all about joint pain.  So ... I said not necessarily.  Many here have joint pain.  But a lot of us have things other that joint pain - fatigue, malaise, cognitive difiiculties, anxiety and depression are mine, for example.

When your test results are in - be sure and get a copy of the results.  There are Lyme specific bands on the Western Blot.  Having even one of these bands can have clinical significance.  There's a whole mess with diagnostic criteria. but let's hold off on that til you have your results and can post them.

 

I, too, would refer you to the treatment guidelines - I believe they confirm what Mamyou stated, that ammoxicillin should be combined with something. My personal experience was that Augmentin (Amoxicillin with a "booster" is how my doctor described it - not sure what that means exactly, but you get the point!) was the ONLY antibiotic I made through the Herx reaction and was able to tolerate. I did have major improvement (went from not being able to walk without help and screaming all day and night in pain, to just being severely uncomfortable and basically housebound)...BUT, after about a year there was no more improvement and I sort of plateau'd. The second I tried another antibiotic, I was in the hospital with a Herx that was basically killing me, at a TINY dosage.

I tried Doxycycline twice and it was brutal. You just have to see what's going to work best for you and what dosage you can tolerate. I'm so sick of being sick that I would love to take the strongest, most powerful, biggest dose I could (LOL) just to get better and get over it, but I'm stuck with herbal remedies for now...

Good luck to you,

Rachel

When taking any abx, first thing that we should do is to find out if you can take it with food. I have managed to 'save' my stomach because I would eat something before I would take any abx. Sometimes it does interfere with abx absorbence, but I haven't had any real stomach issues due to abx that way.

Hang in there Tribal!! So far you are doing well with learning all of this info & getting yourself on abx!

Is it possible the abx caused a herx which increased the tiredness in your legs? I have had sooooooo much trouble with weak legs and I have gone off all abx for a couple of years. It could be a symptom that might improve with the abx after you ride the herx out, just a thought, hope it gets better!

OneWearyChick....Wow...are you kidding??? magnesium deficiency???? Never thought of that although I've been reading about magnesium more and more lately. I use it for leg/foot cramps but never thought of weakness. Something else to think about...thanks.