Lyme disease symptoms and conditions

Kenalog destroyed my life! All corticosteroids are dangerous. Almost 4 years now of intolerable suffering. A doctor gave me trigger point injections w/Kenalog and it spread a "hidden" bacteria throughout my body and reactivated dormant viruses (that we ALL have). It shoots down immunity for MONTHS and gives opportunity to bacterias and viruses to disseminate throughout the body. The FDA should ban all corticosteroids. The pain and suffering from a bacteria I didn't even know I had, that was co-existing in my body fine until "set free" was Lyme Disease. Lyme disease is the most insane disease there is, trust me and it is NOT easy to get rid of, especially when your body has been slammed by these immunosuppressants. Also, I was on Ibuprofen for pain, but the doctor never asked if I was on any NSAIDs and the two combined are like a bomb. If this helps anyone ....thank God, because I go on trying to survive.

I've been taking doxy for lyme disease. tomorrow nov.2 is my last day of a 30 day cycle. my dizziness is gone, but still getting rapid heartbeat, and feel very weak..does any one feel better after their done with doxy or has any one fully recovered ?? please post reply...

sorry forget to mention. any recovery from Lyme disease?

Hello friends, thanks for posting all this information about Doxy and Lyme disease that makes me feel I’m not alone here, I finished my 21 day treatment for Lyme disease yesterday, but after completed the treatment I feel so weak, tired and little dizzy I have not energy left, I m wonder it’s part of the side effects, and still in my system. I hope these symptoms go away soon and be normal again. The joint pain seems to get little better or maybe it’s too soon to tell.
Has anyone gone through all these? Thank you friends and we are not alone out there…

i was diagnosed with Lyme disease and was prescribed doxycycl hyc 100mg for 30 days the doctor told me take with food so i take it with breakfast and dinner..one pill twice a day. the first two days i felt great everything was going away but on the third day everything was coming back dizziness,fatigue,tired,blurred vision,rapid heart beat..the doctor specifically told me to take with food or i will get severe stomach cramps and nausea with food and a large glass of water after i take it no nausea or cramping.. but I've been also getting a tingling feeling in my feet and hands has anyone else felt the same? he also said to stay out of the sun or u will burn easily..

I've now taken 12 days of 21 day course of treatment. After struggling with acid reflux, nausea, etc., I thought I'd share some things that I found that helped me tolerate it better in hopes it may help others.

I take a pill as soon as I get up and then another as soon as I get home from work - 5:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. I drink a good 4-6 oz. before I take the pill and another 8-10 after swallowing the pill. I try not to eat any later than 2 hours before going to bed, which has dramatically reduced and mostly eliminated the acid reflux.

I've been following the instructions to the letter - not eating 2 hours before or 1 hour after taking the pill and no dairy for 2 hours in hopes it would give maximum absorption to get rid of the Lyme Disease. However, I've found that by keeping something on my stomach during the times I can eat, my nausea has also been lessened. I was really struggling with nausea about 45 minutes after taking the pill, but have found increasing the water to the levels indicated above helped reduce the nausea.

All that said, I'm feeling some fatigue, am a bit lightheaded and my stomach is bloated and a bit tender. Still, it's not nearly as bad as some of you are reporting and while I wondered at Day 4 if I could complete all 21, I'm now hopeful I'll be able to make it. I will, however, be doing a happy dance when I take the last of the pills next Friday. Good luck to all - hope maybe something I've suggested may help someone!

I've been prescribed 100 mg. of Doxycycline Hyclate twice a day for 21 days for Lyme Disease. I was tested to rule that and rheumatoid arthritis out because of hand pain - and I don't know who was more surprised when I tested positive - my doctor or me. Any symptoms I had, including the hand pain, I attributed to the aging process (51/female).

Took the first pill in the later evening on a Friday and waited the 30 minutes before going to bed (instructions said not to lay down for 30 min.). I woke up in the middle of the night with terrible acid reflux, which I've never had. I found it difficult to time taking pill after not eating for 2 hours and waiting 1 hour afterward - never realized how often I ate small snacks. Same thing the next two nights - I also had heartburn, which is rare for me.

I realized it would be far easier if I took the pill immediately after rising and as soon as I came home from work. That has greatly reduced the heartburn and eliminated the acid reflux.

I am fully committed to taking the pill to have the best results in eliminating the bacteria from Lyme Disease, so I'm taking it exactly as prescribed on an empty stomach. This is causing some stomach upset and nausea, which is the worst in the hour after I take the pill while I wait until I can eat - especially in the last 15 minutes, when I feel on the verge of vomiting. I try to keep myself busy, but even without looking a clock, I can tell where I am in the hour. I am hopeful that by taking the meds on an empty stomach, I'll get maximum absorption - but it's been a struggle for me.

One other discovery I've made is that the nausea is less the rest of the day if I eat - and carbs seem to be what is most appealing. I'm far more easily nauseated during the entire day, some days more than others. I feel some fatigue, but nothing that is so severe I'm not able to function and go to work. I feel bloated and my stomach just vaguely hurts, so I'm trying to wear loose clothing.

I'm finding this drug therapy a bit difficult, as I felt pretty well beforehand. My doctor has recommended I give this my best effort, as it is the "go to" drug for Lyme Disease, but has said if I can't handle it, she will give me an alternative. I am trying to stick this out, partly out of determination and silly pride, but also because I am allergic to a lot of drugs and since I seem to be able to tolerate it, albeit with some discomfort, I figure I should suck it up. I have a little bit of the tingling, am occasionally feeling a little flushed - usually when I'm highly nauseated (which is a typical reaction for me), but nothing horribly bothersome.

I'm hoping I don't develop the sleeplessness, anxiety or depression that many of you have reported, as I feel terrible for you. That would become a deal breaker for me.

Unless it's my imagination, my hand pain is reducing and some achiness I just figured was normal has been lessening. If this was the result of Lyme Disease and I can get rid of that, this (hopefully) temporary discomfort will be worth it. Good luck to all.

The weight gain is horrible and the headaches are happening daily. I feel really tired and achy all day and restless during sleep. I have Lyme disease and not sure if these symptoms are from the drug or from the disease itself but I'm pretty sure the weight gain is from water retention caused by the Doxycycline. I hope this will go away after my 21 days is up.

Took Doxy for 2 years for Lyme and Babesia. Never had a problem with it. I stopped taking it for 8 months, then the Lyme disease symptoms returned. So I started back up on it. I noticed migrating pain in all of my joints...even every toe. I stopped taking it for a week and the joint pain pretty much resolved. I started it up again and sure enough, joint pain returned mainly in my knees and hands. Constant cracking of my thumbs, knees, toes,elbows. It also caused my tendons to become very tight and sore in my right hand. Making it hard to hold my dog's leash or open a door knob. Whether it was a bad herxheimer reaction or just my body deciding it was sick of this drug......I may never know.

Last month, I went to see a dermatologist as a result of being bitten by bugs while staying in a motel. The doctor looked at the bites and one particular bite on my right arm, which he said was a tick bite. For that bite, the doctor prescribed to me a drug called Doxycycline HYC for Lyme Disease that I had to take for 30 days. Number one, I hate taking drugs and I have never taken any medication for that long a period of time, except for the Centrum multi vitamin I take on a daily basis.

I went back to the doctor's office earlier this month showing him more bites on my back and a rash on my right leg, the latter of which he said was an allergic reaction to the drug prescribed. He said Doxycycline HYC was the drug that is used to treat Lyme Disease and that I had to finish the course.

On Wednesday of last week, I had four pills left when I noticed a slight change in my vision. I took the pills Wednesday and Thursday and was done with them on Thursday to finish the course. By Saturday, my vision was very blurry and I only have one eye. I wear safety glasses to protect that eye with no prescription in the lenses.

On Saturday, I walked over to the pharmacy and the pharmacist printed out a report on that drug and there is an indication – along with many other side effects – citing blurry vision. On Sunday, I spoke with the doctor's colleague, who asked me whether I was also having headaches while taking that drug. I told the colleague I was having headaches but that I was taking Tylenol when the headaches occurred. The colleague not only told me I could have been prescribed another drug (which I was surprised to hear but would it have mattered anyhow because I only had four pills left) but he also said that my vision will get better but it will take time. I really wish I knew in what time frame my vision will come back because the colleague also mentioned that I may have to see a neurologist and I am wondering because of that statement if something happened in my brain during the times I was getting the headaches that could have affected my vision.

Then I was talking to a nurse friend yesterday concerning the blurry vision – which is still blurry since Saturday of last week – and she asked me if I have diabetes. I told her I do not have diabetes but she said blurry vision is associated with diabetes and that I could lose my sight.

I cannot believe all that has happened as a result of taking that Doxycycline HYC. I also went to have an eye exam and the eye doctor scheduled an appointment for October 8 to see me again to see if the vision clears up on its own. He said if it does not, I must now start to wear prescription lenses. But I am really skeptical about waiting that long because every day I wake up, my vision seems to be getting blurrier and blurrier. I am blown away about all of this -- all as a result of taking that drug. And I have to sit very close to the computer screen in order to see to type anything.

Because my nurse friend was talking about diabetes being associated with the blurry vision, I also went searching about that yesterday and found this statement:

"The use of antibiotics can affect blood glucose levels, at times contributing to elevations and in some cases a decrease in blood glucose levels, depending on the antibiotic used, as well as individual response. Antibiotics are also used for the treatment of infections, which often contribute to elevations in blood glucose, in and of themselves. In the case of Lyme disease the relapsing cyclic activity of the Borreila spirochete, may also contribute to times of elevations in blood glucose, due to the increased presence of infectious organisms during periods of such activity. It is important to discuss your blood glucose response to treatment with your Doctor, as improved blood glucose control during times of treatment
for any infectious state, helps the body put up a better fight."

I am stuck in my apartment scared to death and very, very, very depressed about this blurry vision. Moreover, I unable to drive to the locations I need to get to for my job because not only is it hazardous for me to drive on a consistent basis, but my bills are coming due and no way of paying them.

I was on doxycycline for three weeks because the doctor believed I had Lyme disease due to the slight headache, mild fever, and aching joints that I was experiencing. I was fine for the first few days, but then I began to develop some unusual symptoms. The symptoms fluctuated day to day, but I was never free from one or more of these symptoms: severe headache, chills, night sweats, tingling in my arms, weakness in my legs, ear ache, numbness in my face (especially my eyes and lips), anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain in my eyes, and neck, and stiffness in my jaw. At the end of three weeks, I seemed to have more Lyme symptoms than before I began the medication. My Lyme test was negative, but with my continuing symptoms my doctor recommended that I take the medicine for ten more days, and retest for Lyme. The first day back on the medicine I was sicker than ever. I waited it out because the doctor insisted that it was the best thing to do. I finished the medicine, and the effects were less intense. My second Lyme test was negative. I am being tested for Fifth's disease (my son was ill with it just as I began to experience my swelling joints - a condition that can not be treated, uggh). I seem to get worse if I don't drink all day and night - a lot of water is needed, all the time. The effects also increase when I go to bed, recline on the couch, allow myself to become nervous about my condition, or over work myself through the day. I was at the pediatrician with my son yesterday, and mentioned my problem, wondering how long it could take to get the medicine out of my system. She told me it could be as long as a few months. It's been two weeks since I took my last pill.

I have been on Levaquin 750mg for an infection in the bone of my toe. I am also on a daily IV drip of antibiotics. Since I have been taking the Levaquin, I ache all over. Every joint aches from my hands to my ankles.
I'm wondering if this is all a side effect of the Levaquin. I have nothing else to blame the aches upon.

Hi All,

I am so glad that I found this group of postings. For the past 5 days I have been experiencing muscle pain which began on the inside of my left knee day 1. On the second day I had significant pain in both calf muscles as if I had begun a new calf workout routine(I haven't) as well as pain in the large back muscle that runs down either side of the spine. Day 3 I noticed serious pain in my forearms and wrists. The forearm pain is causing hand cramping and my thumbs don't seem to function properly. I tried to sign a credit card receipt today and could barely grip the pen. I now have pain in my neck muscles as well.

I know I have taken Levaquin in the past 6 months, I am just not exactly sure when it was. I am definitely going to research that. I went to the Dr. yesterday to discuss my muscle pain. He took 2 viles of blood. He said he is going to check for Lyme's disease and other infection. I am hopeful it is not something serious. I must say thought, many of the posts above sound a lot like what I am experiencing. I am going to be beyond angry if I have a permanent condition from taking Levaquin. Some pain I believe I can deal with. It is the current poor function of my hands I am most concerned with.

I wish all of you the best in recovering. If my condition turns out to be something else I will repost.

I was diagnosed on June 13, 2009 with cellulite. I had a bump and rash on my right elbow and was given 2 antibiotics for it. After 3 days and no results form the antibiotics I went to my primary doctor who told me it was lyme disease because with lyme disease the rash goes away from the heart. I had no other symptoms from it and no bulls eye and the blood tests were negative. I was put on dioxycycline for 21 days and on the 19th day I missed a dose and took another one 6 hours later and then another one another 6 hours later and developed itchiness all over my body. I called my dr. who told me that with only 2 pills left and being on for 20 days I can stop the dioxycycline. OK great! a few days later still itching and he told me to take Zyrtec symptomatically as needed. Still no rash anywhere on my body. OK, so I am on Zyrtec and 2 weeks later I develop a tash on my face. I go to dermatologist and he says it is just acne and gives me tetracycline and erythromycin and call him in 2 weeks. I don't know if I am having an allergic reaction or not and decide to go to another dermatologist who tells me it is an allergic reaction and gives me xyzal for itching and corticosteroid for face and tells me I have high histamine levels. I then go to an allergist and he tells me he thinks its just acne from shaving using electric razor and use erythromycin but NOT to take tetracycline just in case I am allergic to antibiotics. I then go a different dermatologist who tells me I have folliculitis/acne and to take Keflax and a sulfate cream to use. A week and 1/2 after my face is OK with the rash down considerable and I am able to shave again. 4 days into the KEflax I develop a rash on both my elbows. I go to my primary and he says it is contact dermatitis but to take blood test and stool sampler to see about possible infection from antibiotics that destroyed good antibodies. It may be that my good antibodies are not strong enough so continue with yogurt and we will see. I am today having a sore throat, diarrhea and little stuffy nose so who knows what is going on. Also, I am 37 year old male who has nt been the same since going on doxycycline for supposed lyme disease-
I will post again when dr. gives me blood results and stool results.

today is my first day off doxycycline. i was prescribed 100mg twice a day for 14 days for lyme disease which it got rid of. i already had some nausea and fatigue from the lyme , but this drug is wicked. while taking the drug i have had heartburn even with the glass of water, extreme nausea( lost 6 pounds in a week and a half) having to force myself to eat, depression with spells of wanting to cry and not wanting to go out and be active or talk to anyone which is unusual for me, and no appetite at all , seeing this site is a big relief for me , but how long does it take to make these side effects go away ( that the doctor says rarely happen) and any suggestions for helping them go away?

Hey people, I'm glad that I found this posting myself! I've battled depression/anxiety for the past couple of years but thought I had gotten. Then I was Rx'd doxy 100mg twice a day for my cornea in my eye not working based on a clogged gland. Since I've been taking it I have been sick to my stomach (OK I new that was coming) and have had hot flashes and sensitivity to light (didn't see that but OK), and yesterday I felt totally detached from rational thinking. I felt nervous all day, was a bit light headed, and battled a bad case of depressive thinking. Today has been a bit better but I worry about this feeling returning. I need to continue taking the meds for I need to be able to see clearly. Has anyone else felt 'nervous w/hot flashes' while on doxy? I'm also taking fish oil omega-3 but it hasn't ever affected me like that.

After 10 days of taking Doxycycline Hyclate for Lyme Disease, I noticed a rash on both my forearms. I learned that this a side effect due to increased sensitivity to sun. Within a few more days it looked like a bad sunburn and started to itch intensely. I found that mixing a paste of good old baking soda and water and putting it on my arms stopped the itch almost immediately. I'm taking the last pill today (hooray) and am assuming that the rash will fade away. If anybody else has had this, I'd like to know how long it takes for the rash to disappear once the antibiotic is out of one's system.

I have been taking Doxycycl 100 Mgt twice a day for 9 days. I'm experiencing some nausea..what I didn't expect is the extreme fatigue and dizziness. I tested positive for Lyme disease and definitely want to get over that.

Not sure what to do..is this is a normal side effect of the drug? Should I contact the doctor? Don't know what to do?..
I have had other allergic reactions to Cipro and Biaxin (but I know there are a different class of drug. I seem to do better when I eat and drink a lot of water throughout the day. JFJ 7/25/09

I thought my dose of 100 mg. twice daily was bad but my distant cousin has lyme disease in Pennsylvania and said she was on 600 mg. I love eating yogurt during the day and will miss it around the times I really need it.

It seems that everyone is having similar symptoms. I have been on Doxy for about 14 days now and I'm feeling worse every day. I am on it because i had been bitten by a tick and contracted Lyme disease. I don't know much about the disease but it has me freaked out. I started taking the antibiotic 2 weeks after being bitten; losing my balance and almost falling to the ground. I also had a couple of dizzy spells after eating. I seemed to feel a little bit better the first week of taking it but started feeling the side effects. It started out with the occasional dizzy spell then came the exhaustion, anxiety, depression, lower back aches, soreness in the back of my eyes, stiff neck, headache in the back of my head, flu like shivers, racing heart, and complete body aches. I also found out the hard way not to go out into the sun while on Doxy. Felt like the tops of my hands were being pricked with a million needles and burning. I wish I could stop taking the drug and be done, but I am already scared about the outcome of the Lyme disease. I hope I can feel normal again soon.

Started on Doxy 200mg every 12 hours for Lyme Disease about 7 days ago and have had painful pins and needles sensation in my hands - on and off since about day 4. The top of the hands seem most affected and any exposure to water (and the resulting evaporative cooling) causes elevated sensation for about 1-2 hours. Any exposure to sun causes a painful sunburn-like sensation. I will be staying out of the sun and hope the pins and needles will go away soon.

To everyone out there that has issues with doxycycline...
Now i fully understand the old saying that nothing is free in life.

I got it for lyme disease 7 days ago, and it was one of the free prescripts from my grocery store (great i thought). Little did i know how powerful this stuff can be. For the last week i have basically had severe headaches and wanted to give up on life. I didn't want to work out, didn't want to go to work, had chest pains, muscle spasms, and DEEP DEPRESSION....
now i know why this is free, because after it gets you so depressed, they figure your doctor will put you on something to get you out of depression, a money making drug. This is probably the meds talking still (i stopped yesterday after what felt like a complete and utter mental breakdown). Regardless of my silly conspiracy theory, i am glad i stopped taking it, and i hope that i start feeling like myself again.

I started having pains in my fingers about 2 months ago,the doctor suspected Lyme disease and put me on antibiotics for 10 days yet the pain in my fingers and the cramps in my hands continue to plague me and robbing me of much needed rest .I also hurt some where new everyday that last for a few days and goes away ,but the pain in my index fingers are constant. I m sick of the pain and would rather take my chances with high blood-pressure.I am so glad I found this page. it was amazing how many people have the same symptoms I have ..I am convinced that the meds are causing my pain.If anyone has any suggestions for me I will be happy to hear them.THANKS

I was taking doxycycline for a lesion on my face. I started to have tingling of my feet and fingers but did not associate it with the medication. I only used the doxycycline for two weeks. The tingling in my feet lasted for almost 5 weeks.

Several months later I went on Doxycycline because I thought I had lyme disease. After being on the Doxy for one week I started up with burning sensations of my hands and feet. Puffy, red hands...burning on different parts of my body. My Md said it was anxiety! An immunologist said it was peripheral nueropothy from drinking too much!!! I knew both diagnosis were bogis....then I started to research doxy and came upon this site...thank God. I finished the month of the Doxy. I have been off the med now for two months and the symptoms are finally starting to subside.
I can remember waking up one night and my entire chest felt like it was on fire. Wearing shoes was so painful that I wore slippers to work...I was a burning tingling mess and I am convinced it was the doxycyline.