Doxycycline 100mg 2x daily for 21 days

I was first treated in 2012 with ceftriaxone through a PICC line for a month. I have been told that this was not adequate treatment for the symptoms I had (unlocalized erythema migrans all over my body, accompanied by a 'cyst' which burst in my knee causing severe swelling and a fever misdiagnosed as mono). Two months ago I started having joint issues in my hand including inflammation, redness, tingling, and a sharp pain that would shoot down my arm. I had a suspicion that it had something to do with Lyme disease again and after searching desperately for a solution a new doctor diagnosed me with Lyme again.

A new infection is what I was told. Doxycycline 100mg twice daily for 21 days. Starting today. Will this be adequate treatment? I don't ever recall being bit again.

Relapse or reinfection....... Do doctors really ever stop to think about it? I've had progressively worse symptoms over the years and I am afraid that my nervous system is beginning to show symptoms as well. I'm frightened, confused, and I feel like I'm losing it.

dacarte3 said...
It's a good first abx to slow down/stop the spread of lyme and co. However it's bacteriostatic (slow down or halt spread of infection). It is not bacteriocidal. At some point bacteriocidal whether it's abx or herbs will have to be taken. Also other herbs or supplement that support immune function and halts bacterial cytokine cascades must be added to the mix.

disrupting the cytokine cascade really is the key. halting this takes away the bacteria's ability to do the things it has to do to survive and it's ability to reproduce. It's not really about killing the bacteria directly like a game of space invaders but more about disrupting/halting the bacteria's ability to do things it needs to do to continue to survive.

When this is disrupted or halted it dies. So it's synergistic. Kill+disrupt/halt survival activity+immune boosting.

Thank you dacarte, I've done some researching online but treatment does seem to be more complicated than first meets the eye.

When it comes to bacteriocide, would you recommend that I read into it on my own or mention it to my doctor? Possibly both?

Since you had inadequate treatment the first time around, you are dealing with a relapse - this is quite common unfortunately.

If you feel your doctor is exceptional in listening to their patients, you could try explaining that the standards they are treating by have been removed from the NGC (National Guidelines Clearinghouse) and the ILADS treatment standards are now the currently recommended treatment guidelines. Here is a link to them: www.ilads.org/lyme/treatment-guideline.php

Neither Doxy at 200 mgs a day, or the 21 day treatment is sufficient for these infections when more than just the bulls eye rash is present. Combination therapy is the only way to beat a bacteria that can change it's outer surface protein many times, and find it's way into tissues, bones and the brain.

As PeteZa said though, not many doctors like to hear this from their patients, so tread lightly. It's best to use a LLMD to get the antibiotics (abx) that you will need, or use alternative means to heal. If you need to find one, we may be able to help.

Traveler said...
Since you had inadequate treatment the first time around, you are dealing with a relapse - this is quite common unfortunately.

If you feel your doctor is exceptional in listening to their patients, you could try explaining that the standards they are treating by have been removed from the NGC (National Guidelines Clearinghouse) and the ILADS treatment standards are now the currently recommended treatment guidelines. Here is a link to them: www.ilads.org/lyme/treatment-guideline.php

Neither Doxy at 200 mgs a day, or the 21 day treatment is sufficient for these infections when more than just the bulls eye rash is present. Combination therapy is the only way to beat a bacteria that can change it's outer surface protein many times, and find it's way into tissues, bones and the brain.

As PeteZa said though, not many doctors like to hear this from their patients, so tread lightly. It's best to use a LLMD to get the antibiotics (abx) that you will need, or use alternative means to heal. If you need to find one, we may be able to help.

Thank you, I will look into it

Bluelyme,

If doxy makes more cysts then is it worth taking?

mb@udel said...

PeteZa said...
it will be too late to try to treat it properly.

It's never too late. The concepts that it takes to successfully treat lyme and co. doesn't really change, how intense and duration of treatment can very well change.

But it's never "too late".

Traveler said...

Taking Doxy can "buy" you some time, but you don't want to use it for long. Many LLMD's will start a patient on Doxy so that they have time to figure out what infections to treat first and the best approach.

+1.

Other than this doxy is "useless".

Traveler said...
Actually, Doxy is very effective in the first stages of Lyme - when there's only the rash and no other symptoms. 60 days of 400 - 600 mgs a day (in divided doses) is said to be very effective at this stage - before the bacteria ever leaves the skin.

True. However I just assumed if someone is on this forum they are past that very early initial stage.