Antibiotics + side effects.

[neatbik]

I've been prescribed Doxycycline (suspected Lymes disease) and after 2 days of taking it (i'm on day 5 now of a 2 week course) i'm finding it impossible to eat and im constantly either feeling or being sick. This is fine for a day or two but its really starting to piss me off.

I spoke to the doc on the phone this morning, but he is a useless twat and could offer no advice other than to just keep taking them.

I'm drinking probiotic drinks, keeping hydrated (well, trying to anyway) and resting up.
I cant think of anything i else can do...?

Unfortunately i dont think i can swap to another drug as these are (according to my doc) the only ones that will work.

Any useful hints/tips from the good people of bcf to avoid feeling as sick as a dog?
Cheers.

[mad4it028]

yes i take them everytime i go africa its also used to help combat malaria
if you read the pack youll see accute sencitivity to light , and beleave me there not kidding i have to wear sunglasses inside to avoid being sick, and they always give me the trots but that could be the african food
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[GhostRider]

Lyme disease? In England? Have you been fratternising with farm livestock or something? Would have thought Lymes was relatively rare in the UK...

Anyways, I'd knock that probiotic shit on the head for starters....antibiotics can sometimes upset the natural GI bacteria as a side effect of their actions anyway, so I'm not sure how throwing in more bacteria is going to provide any benefit.

Also thinking maybe it's not a side effect of the antibiotics but maybe a symptom of the disease itself? I think Lymes presents with fever and nausea so it could be the death-throws of the condition taking effect

Either way, seems you must soldier through it, and in the meantime keep the food simple and easy to eat, sips of water small and often, pretty much the same as food poisoning really I guess.

GhostRider
____________________
I have all the characteristics of a human being: blood, flesh, skin, hair; but not a single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust. Something horrible is happening inside of me and I don't know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflown into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip.

[doggone]

You can get it from Ticks which are widespread anywhere with rough long grass or bracken.
If a tick bites you won't feel it for some time as they inject anaesthetic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease

[neatbik]

The docs reckon its Lyme disease, waiting for blood test results to come back to confirm or deny.
Believe it or not i got bitten by the creepy crawly when i was in my garden, although i didnt see any tics on the two bites.

Hadnt actually thought that maybe its the disease making me sick, i think because it coincided with starting the Doxycycline i put it down to them.......

Oh well, the horrendous rash is fading away, so at least thats something i guess.

Cheers

[stinkwheel]

Make sure you wash them down well after taking them.

Doxycycline isquite irritant to the lining of your gullet and can cause ulceration if it doesn't go all the way down leading to a sensation of epic scale heartburn.

Probiotics aren't a bad idea if it's upsetting your gut flora. Remember, you can just eat normal natural yoghurt to have the same effect. The whole concept that these probiotic yoghurts are in some way different to normal yoghurt is a triumph of marketing. Tesco value natural yoghurt flavoured with a spoonful of fruit puree does the same job.

Unfortunately, nausea is one of the more common side effects of doxyclcline.
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[GhostRider]

I was thinking along the lines of if the bacteria are killing off gut flora, then adding more gut flora might increase any gut inflammation that might be resulting, thus lead to discomfort and vomiting.... but I am just speculating.

GhostRider
____________________
I have all the characteristics of a human being: blood, flesh, skin, hair; but not a single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust. Something horrible is happening inside of me and I don't know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflown into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip.

[stinkwheel]

[neatbik]

Cheers guys, i'll keep taking them and see how i get on.

The leaflet that came with them says to drink a glass of water with each pill, but it doesn't really seem to make much difference.

Oh well, no pain no gain and all that.

[Gawain]

Doxy is horrible stuff.
The only thing I can suggest is avoid alcohol, caused some pretty horrible side effects in me with even very small quantities.

[Rockhopper]

If been taking them as an anti malaria drug for the past four months now, hapilly with no side effects whatsoever (including taking large quantities of alcohol!!).

Try and take them with food and make sure they get well washed down.

[neatbik]

Cheers guys.

I saw the doc again the other day and he told me to cut it down to 100mg once a day. The sickness isn't so bad now, so i can at least eat.

Still waiting for blood tests to come back, he now seems to think it may be tick fever rather than Lyme disease, because of the way the bites have gone black...

I've googled it, but everything seems to be about cats and dogs getting it..

Stinkwheel, i'm guessing your the man with the knowledge on this...

[J0Al1]

Some antibotics can do this to some people.

One make give sme a dickie tummy too, Dad used to just swap them over for me, then all was fine.

[neatbik]

Thats true, i've had amoxicilin countless times for persistent ear infections and that one doesn't phase me at all.
For this persistent little bug I've had Co amoxiclav,Tetracycline and now the Doxycycline - The doxycycline is the worst ive had, but i guess i need to bear in mind that some symptons are because of the virus/whatever it is...