Change in Meds - 6 days of Zithromax, now on Biaxin

I saw my llmd today. After being on tindamax oral since dec 1 (increased dosage over time to 250-375mg 2xday) my doctor wants me to stop the tindamax & start Zithromax oral 250mg 2x a day. Starting tomorrow. I herced from tindamax mostly depression & anxiety, headaches & body pain when I tried 375mg 2xday. I also take ADP oil of oregano.

I am treating for lyme & babs and candida. I have a lot of neuro symptoms & now more recent GI issues. I feel like I have a pretty good detoxing regiment in place. Always looking to step it up. Also super strict with my diet.

I did a little bit of searching the forums about this drug & now I am a little nervous! I wanted to take first dose in the morning & will be going into the office- it's a 10 hour day. Hour commute each way.

I read that the half life is very long. I've been treating since June 2015 but still feel new to treatment every time my protocol is changed... Can one herx from this in just one Dose? What are the herxes like? Will I experience similar symptoms to what I experienced with tindamax- or it's all going to be a surprise?

Interested in hearing others experiences. And what helped you! I have Saturday - Monday off work so I can take it easy those days which I'm looking forward to!

My llmd is very slow approach. It's frustratingly slow sometimes but in all these months of treatment I haven't herxed a lot, but the last few months pain and old symptoms have increased.

I got him to test me for MTHFR today via Labcorp - really "excited" about that! Anyone know how long to wait on results? I guess I could look that up!

Post Edited (eagle0eye0JC) : 2/17/2016 11:07:02 AM (GMT-7)

Watch your ears ...can be ototoxic . May not be as bad as tini...do you have bart?

Hi girlie sorry didn't see your post! He was treating the babs with tindamax. I THINK he is using the Zithromax for babs & lyme - but I'm not sure... He is a man of few words. A lot of the symptoms I described he said "that's the lyme" I.e. Severe pain my my foot that I broke 15 years ago is causing me to limp out of no where (my foot used to only bother me before storms due to pressure, now it feels fragile ALL the time, almost as feels as bad as when the original injury occurred. I just try to walk gently on it.

He may have plans for a combination - he likes to only start 1 drug at a time and see how I react. He did tell me to hold onto the tindamax, so he will probably have me rotate that back in soon

This is also my first experience of getting insurance rejected.. They would only fill 12 pills of the 60 rx. Hoping the dr can straighten it out/ I left a message with their office to call the pharmacy... Let the fun begin! Ha, just kidding..

Update! Due to the insurance issue I was having, they only filled a 6 day supply - but my dr has now opted to switch me to Biaxin 500mg 2xday - after I finish the 6 days of Zithromax 250mg 2xday

I think he was trying to avoid biaxin bc I had a bad reaction years ago (vomiting and stomach cramps - took it for a sinus infection but I can't remember if I took it with food or on an empty stomach) Not sure if one is better than the other? I know the mg doses are different - are they comparable to each other?

He was using tindamax (Tinidazole) as a cyst buster - but taken every day not pulsed- I worked up the dosage slowly. I think maybe after a month of this new RX he may put me on a combination. It's hard to say..

Do you think I'm delaying my healing by NOT being on something like Mepron as girlie suggested?

I've been on several different drugs for about 2months at a time and not seeing much change yet - every time I ask my dr what are the next steps he tells me he adjusts the protocol based on my symptoms, so there is no "future plan" in terms of what I'll be on next - more of a wait and see approach... I also have a lot of other confections - mycoplasma pneumonia, hhv6, and EBV to name a few..

I can fill you in on all the past meds if it means anything to anyone! I just don't have it with me now bc I'm in the office.

I keep checking out dr h's book from library to do my own homework while working with my doctor.

Thanks girlie! I will post it when I get home (or tomorrow) when I'm on a computer! Maybe you or someone else can figure it out based on medications.

He started treating lyme in June/July 2015 then when I hit a wall he decided to go for the babs!

Hi Rikky - thanks for the input! I think he was trying to get me on a combo with the tindamax but I was never able to get up to the full dose without a herx..

Hi Girlie! Sorry for the delay in my response - Please let me know if I should start a new thread since i think I got off topic - Im having a bad brain day so organizing my thoughts is a challenge.

Here is a "history" of my treatment so far. My dr likes to add only 1 drug at a time and see how I react before adding another. he always reminds me it is a marathon not a sprint.

Strict Paleo Diet began May 2015
June 2015 - Oral - Started ADP (Oregano Oil) 50mg 4x a day
July 2015 -added- Oral - Bactrim 2x a day
August 2015 -added- Oral - Fluconazole 100mg 1x a day (Strict Candida Diet started)
September 2015 -added- Oral - Doxy 150mg 2x a day
October 2015 - No changes to protocol
November 2015 - 1 week break on all meds & supplements due to rash a week after laproscopic surgery

December 2015 - NEW protocol
ADP Oil of Oregano 50mg 3-4x a day
Tinidazole - Was supposed to work my way up to 250mg 3x a day, but only made my way to the full dose for a few days before a bad herx. The average dose was 250mg 2x a day.

February 2016 - Another NEW protocol?
Stop Tinidazole
Continue ADP 50mg 3x a day
Zithromax - 250mg 2x a day (this was only for 6 days due to insurance reasons)
Biaxin - 500mg 2x a day (TODAY is my first day of this).

I wasnt sure what to expect with the Biaxin, so far no nausea yet. Im prepared though- I have a doggy bag in each of my pockets just in case I feel the urge coming on... nothing more embarrassing than getting sick in the work place (the workplace that you have not disclosed your illness to). So far, its been 5 hours, no ill effects.

My LLMD ran CBC and MTHFR. I am negative for MTHFR (labcorp) but for the first time I am seeing elevated ALT - at 56 (range is 0-32). I am guessing it was probably the tindamax, but not sure. (Prior to treatment, I had a 17, and a 32 when I was on doxy). The only change was the tinidazole.

If anyone has thoughts on labcorp MTHFR vs. 23andme testing, I would be interested- it looks like Labcorp may only test for 2 strains - not sure if I should "stop" testing, or test further.

Detoxing:
I am taking 250mg of Milk Thistle 3x a day (with meals) as well as ACV with Lemon in the morning, Oil Pulling, Dry Brushing before showers and Detox Baths. Detox baths I have been doing a couple a week. Ive also been sweating a lot with the help of a heated blanket (im always freezing!) Im also drinking various detox teas from Yogi brand as well as Traditional Medicinals & fresh ginger tea.

OH! Im also doing Alkaseltzer Gold with Lemon juice, followed by Trifortify Orange. not sure if I notice a difference, but I just bought myself 2 bottles, going to try to do it EVERY Day and see if I notice a difference -that will tell me if its worth the very expensive price tag or not.

Is there anything else i can do to help detox better? I am now concerned about my liver, but since the LLMD did not call me (I just got them through Labcorp Portal) maybe he is not concerned since its not drastically high.

Im sorry im all over the place in this post today - but would appreciate any feedback from anyone who has used similar protocol - or suggestions as to what the next med I should add in might be. Im not sure how to judge a herx when i've felt "mildly crappy" since September...

So, antibiotic protocols for lyme and co's are to use two at once.

As Sarah suggested - if you're going after Babs - you should be adding something else to it that has anti-malarial effects...(mepron/malarone...etc)


For detoxing - Sarah posted a thread that has a lot of good ideas.
Twice weekly epsom salt baths - can you increase the frequency?

i didn't see a binder...you could start taking one - I take Activated Charcoal.

My 'go-to' detox - when I'm in crisis is Nutramedix Pinella and Burbur.

As far as how much detox, it's really up to you. If you feel that additional methods or additional detox baths are helping you, it's not too much.

I'm starting up Biaxin shortly after being on Zithro for what seems like forever. Hoping for good things but I expect I'll be ok since I tolerated Zithromax quite well.