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Feeling sick - just started doxy

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Posted 4/29/2013 9:44 PM (GMT 0)
I have taken two doxy pills so far (I'm on a low dose and I'm going to get that sorted) but I feel very nauseous and a bit weak. Is this normal? Would it be from the doxy or the lyme toxins? What kind of side effects should I expect that aren't cause for concern?

Thanks everyone
Posted 4/29/2013 10:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Anxiousgirl,
Are you eating just before taking the Doxy? Some find that they must eat a substantial amount like 1/2 a peanut butter sandwich or the equivalent.With high dose abx, you really must protect your stomach! Also be sure to sit completely upright in a chair (don't even recline) to help with the nausea.

If the nausea continues, try sipping on peppermint tea - some people will get relief by just smelling peppermint extract. Or you can try sipping on ginger ale, ginger tea or nibbling on some candied ginger (but because of the sugar, don't do this often or consume much). I take 1500 mgs of ginger in capsules 3 times a day to completely control my nausea that even the prescription meds couldn't touch.

Have you started detoxing like is described in the "New to Lyme? thread? If not, please do get started as it will help alleviate some of the symptoms. Be sure to do it all - detox soaks, dry skin brushing, eating right, drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day (this helps flush the toxins out of your kidneys and liver too), as well as doing things like avoiding sugar and getting enough sleep.
Posted 4/29/2013 10:30 PM (GMT 0)
I felt pretty nauseous on doxy also, especially for the first few days. Eating something with it definitely helped as Traveler mentioned. Just try to avoid eating dairy and products containing magnesium(antacids,etc.) for 2 hours before and after you take doxy as this will prevent you from fully absorbing the doxy.
Posted 4/30/2013 1:31 AM (GMT 0)
anxious_girl,

I am very sorry that you are feeling nauseous. Doxy is known to be hard on the stomach. Can you talk to your LLMD about that, and possibly switch to Minocycline? Minocycline is also a member of the Tetracycline family, but it has some advantages. Its "half-life" is a lot longer, and therefore you only need to take half as much of it as the Doxy.

I hope that you are able to solve your problem with the nausea.

Don
Posted 4/30/2013 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
I was very nauseous when I started Doxy. I was also weak. I experienced a herx for about 7 days. The nausea did get a lot better after a while. I found that eating something before taking my meds helps my stomach. Remember to drink a lot of water, detox as much as you can. I was also advised to wait 30 minutes before laying down while on Doxy to avoid issues with your espohagus.
Posted 4/30/2013 4:25 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everybody for your help. I'm still getting to grips with everything. It would have been so much harder without all this great information!

I did lay down soon after taking my first dose so that was a bad idea which maybe caused the nausea, but now I know. As for diet, I've done Paleo before but I strayed off of it, however I've started again so no gluten sugar, dairy etc from now on. I have had some fruit which I suppose is okay in moderation? I don't want to give the bacteria too much to feed off of. I'm trying to drink as much water as possible, I have an app on my phone that reminds me when to drink because before the bite I didn't drink as much as I knew I should have.
I've taken some notes from the New to Lyme section and from your replies and stuck them on the wall where I can see them. I feel so much more prepared with all the advice that's been given to me on here so thank you.
Posted 4/30/2013 5:29 PM (GMT 0)
As far as my opinion will count, moderate consumption of fruit is still good for us - as long as you aren't dealing with Candida anyway!

Good for you for using whatever means you need to in order to get yourself to drink more water! It really helps!

Of course we are all here to help you learn everything we can help you learn, and I would like to say a 'thank you' from all of us for your kind words about this forum! It really is a community effort!!
Posted 5/5/2013 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
Oh Doxy. I hate it, I love it. For me, it has helped with the neuro symptoms more than any other treatment ive tried. I have also been on the side of the road throwing up because I tried getting away with an egg or a cracker. For me, I have to eat A LOT. Good luck and push through if you can. Minocycline seems to be very easy on the stomach. I try to take it during the summer because of the sun sensitivity with Doxy :-)
Posted 5/5/2013 4:34 AM (GMT 0)
It's sunny in England right now (would you believe!) so instead of changing abx I'm staying inside in the shadows, like a vampire :P


Just an update with some questions -

I am doing surprisingly fine on 400mg doxycycline, I was worried I wouldn't, but I have had no herxes. I know herxes are a good thing but the only things I can think of that could have been mild herxes are odd fatigued body feelings, I have also been getting red painful knees but I wondered if that was actually from the body brushing? Sometimes happens when I stand up though on a day when I've body brushed. It's just the skin on my knees that hurts, not the joints and they don't swell. I am also emptying my bowels only once every 2 days but I think this may be due to my strict very low carb diet. I had a banana yesterday and felt like a criminal :P

The one thing I am concerned about is a slow heartbeat. It's not always slow but when I make any sudden movements like adjust myself in bed, it pumps hard and slower than normal. Usually my heartbeat is in the 90s due to my weight but I think in these moments it's much slower than that. Is this a side effect of the meds? Should I be worried?

I take the supplements omega 3, b-complex, vitamin c, vitamin d3 and a probiotic 2 hours after the doxy in one go. Could these be affecting my heartbeat?

Thanks everyone for your help. I seem to have the food with pill/stay upright thing down now as I thankfully haven't had much digestive upset.

Post Edited (anxious_girl) : 5/4/2013 10:37:12 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/5/2013 7:47 AM (GMT 0)
A resting heart rate of 60-100 is considered normal. However, heart symptoms can be scary so if you have concerns you should definitely bring it up with your doctor.

I don't think any of your supplements are known to affect the heart rate. Magnesium can sometimes lower it.
Posted 5/5/2013 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi. When I was first diagnosed I had a very hard time with Doxy. My new LLMD instructed to take Metamucil multigrain wafers 5-10 minutes before you take your meds. Then eat a full meal. It has worked like a charm. I no longer have any type of GI upset. Plus I am taking two antibiotics at once. You can find them in the pharmacy area of Walmart or Target. Best wishes to you.
Posted 5/5/2013 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
Oops.... Sorry, forgot to mention you must drink a full glass of water after you eat the Metamucil wafers. So eat the wafers, drink a full glass of water, wait 5 to 10 minutes, take meds, then eat. I hope this helps.
Posted 5/5/2013 10:01 PM (GMT 0)
Anxiousgirl,
You really need to have your bowels move every day, and more than once, to be honest! Toxins of all types are in there and the longer the stool stays in the body, the more toxins that will be re-absorbed. Then your body has even more toxins to deal with!

And a word about herxing - I know I'm in the minority, but do a bit of reading on herxing - it's not a good thing! Although it does indicate that the bacteria are dying, what it does to the body isn't good! This is why we must minimize herxing as much as we can and never allow it to continue on for days and days, or weeks or months! smhair The body can't deal with a herx and continue to heal well at the same time and the stronger the herx, the less healing that will be going on.
Posted 5/6/2013 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
I will say houttuyunia elevated my heart rate.
Posted 5/6/2013 2:36 PM (GMT 0)
Wow! I'm sorry to hear that, Opugirl! But thanks for letting us know!
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