Herx on Doxycycline ? :( :(

[disneydaze]

I'm new to these boards, my wife has been on here and it has been very helpful for her.

Here is my Bio, I have not been diagnosed with RA, nor have I been tested yet. I get joint pain every so often. I have had Asthma my whole life, it has not been horrible, and in my adult years for the last 7 years I have been in Advair to keep it under control.

Last week for a skin condition I was put on Doxycycline 100mg, since then my joints have been hurting, I have horrible headaches, and my lungs have been real tight. I've also felt real bloated. Last thing is I can't sleep. My wife said that this could be a hex from the doxy? I'm wondering if she is correct and if there are any suggestions?

Thanks

[PhilC]

Hi,

Yes, it definitely could be a Herxheimer reaction. That's what it sounds like to me. You should consider yourself as very lucky because your reaction to the doxycycline could turn out to be an early warning that allows you to get started with treatment before more serious/severe symptoms appear.

Phil

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[Trudi]

[user=1429]PhilC[/user] wrote:

Yes, it definitely could be a Herxheimer reaction.

I agree.  A therapeutic probe of an antibiotic is often recommended to see if one gets a herx.  Looks like your unintended “therapeutic probe” is positive.  I would check into it further, no doubt–

Trudi

Lyme/RA; AP 4/2008 off and on to 3/2010; past use of quinolones may be the cause of my current problems, (including wheelchair use); all supplements (which can aggravate the condition) were discontinued on 10/14/2012. Am now treating for the homozygous MTHFR 1298 mutation. Off of all pain meds since Spring '14 (was on them for years--doctor is amazed--me too). Back on pain med 1/2017. Reinfected? Frozen shoulder?

[orchid]

Thanks – all! My husband wrote that post!

My husband has a history of asthma (on advair for that) and he's on propecia (for hair loss) but no other meds.

Wasn't sure if he was having some sort of drug reaction – he was only on the doxy for three days.

I always get nervous when the lung symptoms set in — he's dealt with asthma for most of his life and it's been under control so this was new and kind of scary.

Not sure if he should go back on it (for mild eczema)- never heard of treating eczema this way. For acne yes but he doesn't have that. Might call his doctor.

[Maz]

[user=515]orchid[/user] wrote:

I always get nervous when the lung symptoms set in — he's dealt with asthma for most of his life and it's been under control so this was new and kind of scary.

Not sure if he should go back on it (for mild eczema)- never heard of treating eczema this way. For acne yes but he doesn't have that. Might call his doctor.

Hi Orchid and hubby, Disneydaze! Nice to make your acqaintance…I remember you looking over Orchid's shoulder, supporting her, when she first arrived here. 🙂 

Might interest you to know that there have been a few studies in recent years on minocycline for asthma! Here is just one, but there are others out there if you search and easily found:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18534087

Minocycline treatment results in reduced oral steroid requirements in adult asthma.

The combination of symptoms – headaches, joint pains and exacerbations of existing symptoms, like asthma – could very well point to herxing. I wholeheartedly agree with Phil and Trudi that it's a good job that you're on treatment and that you may be averting some other issue that could have erupted later.

Of course, apart from mycos (pleuro-pneumonia-like organisms or PPOs that Brown talked about), what also came time mind – okay, sound like a broken record here, I know – is the possibility of latent Lyme disease and possibly babesiosis, which can cause lung problems. Might not be a bad idea to look into IGeneX testing to see if there may be some clues as to whether Lyme may be involved here or not, because a combination therapy may be helpful. There are a lot of folk out there walking around with Lyme who may never know it…they're the lucky ones!…until, of course, they need to take an antibiotic and begin herxing, or some stressful life event brings it to the surface. :doh:

As for the bloating, are you taking probiotics? Am sure Orchid will be on your case if you're not! :roll-laugh: If you're suffering from constipation, try and get that resolved as quickly as you can, because you want to keep those toxins moving out as quickly as poss, if you can. Drink lots of fresh water, high fiber foods, fish oil….and the lemon/olive oil detox drink should also help. Aside from constipation, bloating has a number of causes and a few that immediately come to mind are die-off (gases released by dying bugs in the gut), candida in the gut (gases released as part of candida metabolism), and sometimes a sludgy gall bladder. The detox drink should help with all of these things as well as a 'clean' diet, but keeping bowel movements regular should also help, as well as probiotic intake. There are also some natural anti-candida remedies out there, like grapefruit seed extract drops (need to dilute in something like V8 as it is very strong tasting) or olive leaf capsules.

Also, check into NAC (N-acetylcysteine), an OTC supplement, for your lungs. NAC is a precursor to glutathione, one of the liver's master detoxifying agents, which has also be helpful in lung complaints of various kinds, including lung fibrosis often seen in rheumatic patients and is a mucolytic agent.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcysteine

Just some passing thoughts…hang in there DisneyDaze, but do check with your doc if your symptoms become a concern, especially if you get any breathing difficulties. 😉

Peace, Maz

[PhilC]

Something that I was thinking, but didn't mention in my first reply is that there are several rheumatic diseases with lung involvement. If I were you, I would definitely want some testing done to try to determine whether there's something else going on besides the asthma.

Phil

P.S. Would it be possible to post a picture of the eczema?

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[Author]

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