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Experience with Ceftin?

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Posted 9/22/2011 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone! I'm currently taking doxy and tindamax (as well as some supplements) and now I'm about to add ceftin (orally). I know everyone's experience is always different but I'm just curious if anyone's taken it and how well it worked, if it helped, side effects, etc. I've also heard some people with penicillin allergies are allergic to this...any thoughts? I do energy testing on all of my new meds and ceftin tested weak (meaning my body doesn't like it) so I'm a little nervous to start.

Also...I just had a SPECT and MRI of my brain and both were unremarkable. My dr still wants to push (depending on insurance) for IV clindamycin. I was under the impression that IV antibiotics were only for when the infection is affecting your brain directly. Does IV just work better because it's a higher dose and more direct (I'm convinced with all my tummy issues that I'm not digesting the antibiotics 100%)? and is the herxing worse with IV? Because I can just barely tolerate herxes from what I'm on now.

Sorry for being so all over the place! Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
Posted 9/23/2011 12:20 PM (GMT 0)
Hi borderlyme,

Sorry no one has stepped up and answered you. I can't speak about the Ceftin as it is one of the many things I'm allergic to. It is a very valuable tool in the Lyme doctors' toolbox. It looks like you are in very good hands -- there is no doubt that your doctor is taking your infection very seriously and is really going after it pretty aggressively.

The Lyme doctors seem to vary greatly in their use of IV antibiotics. Some don't like them at all, others use them in extreme cases, or when recovery stalls, others as a first line of attack.

I guess it is important to have confidence in your doctor's line of treatment. But remember you do have a choice -- you can choose not to have an IV if you feel your doc's reasons don't suit your situation. The IV does get around the stomach issues but opens up potential problems associated with the PICC line. You are right to want to weigh this choice up carefully.

BTW often the effects of Lyme are not visible on SPECT & MRI scans. Doesn't mean that you are not having troubles. Your doctor may have been trying to rule out other problems or trying to see the extent of the problem.

Well, that's my thoughts for all they're worth!!!
Posted 9/23/2011 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
I have penicillen allergies, but was able to take ceftin. In fact, it was the only oral I ever was able to withstand. I stayed on it for seven months. I don't think I had any side effects, but I was proactive and taking a good probiotic, eating well and juicing cabbage and ginger to protect my GI system.

I was given IV rocephin because the brain was involved. Herxes were not worse on IV, but I think I improved more quickly than if I had just been on orals.
Posted 9/23/2011 7:57 PM (GMT 0)
I was on Ceftin for a couple of months, along with doxy. My LLND and I think the Ceftin may have helped with my brain symptoms, but then I started mepron and not I'm such a mental mess that we switched off the ceftin. I didn't seem to have any problems at all on ceftin.
Posted 9/23/2011 9:10 PM (GMT 0)
Ceftin helped me tremendously-- really got me over the hump to feeling 95% symptom free.

However,  I can only take the brand Ceftin, which is a coated tablet. The non-coated version gave me GI issues almost immediately.  So you might want to discuss this with your doc.  and get the coated tablets. 

Make sure you're taking good probiotics-- more than you think you need--

Ceftin is pretty powerful IMO.

 

Posted 9/23/2011 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
I've been taking it for a month, with no obvious problems. The only major problem I've been having lately is SO TIRED. It does seem to be helping with my neuro stuff, especially the headaches. Good luck.
Posted 9/25/2011 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
If I may ask, what is the dosage that everyone is taking of ceftin?
Posted 9/25/2011 8:31 PM (GMT 0)
500 mgs. 2 x day.
Posted 9/25/2011 8:49 PM (GMT 0)
1000 mg 2X a day.  Plus biaxin 500mg 2X a day.
Posted 9/26/2011 1:27 PM (GMT 0)
500 mg 2x a day plusd 250 mg 1x a day of azithromycin for a co-infection (bartonella)
Posted 6/12/2012 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
I am currently on ceftin and I was so tired the first month . I was like the walking dead on top of the ladling dead already. I feel sooooo much better now , three months in and I am like a new girl. Doxy makes me vomit, and want to just have lymes! Ceftin is also not sun sensitive. It is a cousin on penicillin , but a lot of pele with allergies can tolerate it. Good uck,
Posted 6/13/2012 1:49 AM (GMT 0)
Ceftin was the only oral abx I could tolerate. I was on it for 7 mos. and it definitely did help.
Posted 6/13/2012 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
1000 mg 2 times a day with lots of probiotic.
Posted 6/13/2012 2:24 AM (GMT 0)
1000 mg 2 times a day with lots of probiotic.
Posted 3/13/2013 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
Im on 5oomg twice a day, have been for 5 months, i feel no improvment. Its the only abx im on to treat lymes.
I actually feel worse then before :( hopefully it'll get better
Posted 3/14/2013 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
Tazzie23, is it possible you have a co-infection that you should be treating? It is very unusual to not have a co-infection with Lyme disease. Also, I think it is unusual to treat with only one abx. I could be wrong, but most people take a cocktail of abx to prevent resistance and also to get at all the different forms of Lyme (e.g. spirochetes, cyst form, etc.)

If you have an LLMD, you should ask him about possible co-infections as you have been treating for a long time and depending on how long you've had it, you should at least be feeling a little better. Have you read through the 'New to Lyme? thread at the top of the forum page? It has alot of information about co-infections. You can easily cross check your symptoms from those listed.

Good luck!
Posted 3/15/2013 10:04 PM (GMT 0)
I tolerated Ceftin ok (was on it IV for a while, and then switched to getting it orally), but don't feel it did much for me. I'm making much better headway on Flagyl and Andrographis...
Posted 8/24/2015 2:40 PM (GMT 0)
Just started ceftin a few weeks ago. I have been so dang tired, some symps seem to be c owing back. Thanks for reminder about probiotic s
Posted 8/24/2015 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
^ Roxie, you might want to start a new thread as this one is over 2 years old.
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