Home Forums General Discussion Recurring Strep?? Yikes!!

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  • #307370
    jelretiredmama
    Participant

    After finishing 10 days of penicllin over a week ago, I am back on for another round. Strange though because originally, I never knew that I had strep but just tested per the instructions in Dr. Brown’s book. Now after taking penicllin for the first round, I actually have been experiencing typical strep symptoms this week — sore throat, swollen glands and the stiff neck again. I did have the stiff neck before which was just tagged as “could be the scleroderma”. This is just scary! I feel like I have awakened a monster, but thank goodness, I am not on any immunosuppresents.

    Does anybody have any info on how long it sometimes takes to eradicate strep? I am on penicllin VK, 2-300mg twice daily. Also on the drug instruction sheet it says, “if taking tetracyclines, DO NOT Take this”, yet the pharmacists just say it may reduce effectiveness. I did take the tetracycline away from the penicillin last round but I think this time, I will just take a break from the tetracycline. Appreciate comments?

    I haven’t completed the Igenex lyme testing. Got the requisition filled out by my doctor. On a bit of a wild goose chase in getting a lab to draw my blood. Will try on Monday or Tuesday next week.

    #367558
    Maz
    Keymaster

    Jelretiredmama, I think you will find a science daily article at the following discussion thread (scroll to fifth post) about strep to be very interesting in light of your need to re-treat your strep infection! I was unable to post it here, because of a new spam-blocking system we have now had installed that is screening out much more than we anticipated by the looks of it!!!

    viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4358&hilit=strep+science+daily&start=10

    Strep is not resistant to penicillin, but they are now discovering that other bugs within a person’s pathogen load are likely protecting strep (in biofilm) within the body, as the article outlines, and that re-treatment is needed, often with a second abx.

    You will also need to be very careful of candida overgrowth while on penicillin. My first LLMD never prescribed a long-term penicillin to me without a systemic anti-fungal.

    When treating with high daily doses of a penicillin for strep, one needs to stop the tetracycline as the two drugs interact, causing the tetracycline to reduce the effectiveness of the penicillin that is treating the acute infection. Here is the Drugs.com interaction checker word on this:

    http://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=1636-0,1815-0

    So, if you continued your mino while on the penicillin, this may have reduced its effectiveness.

    It’s very possible that in treating an acute infection (or underlying chronic strep titers) that things can get stirred things up in the pathogen load that is hiding out in biofilm colonies within the body. It’s not necessarily a bad thing…just an indication that more needs to be done.

    It’s great that you’re getting your IGeneX Lyme testing run soon, Mama. Quest or LabCorp should draw the blood and pack it in the kit for you – Quest did it for free for me, but they may now charge a nominal fee. My LLMD advised me to get the blood drawn early in the week, so the blood wasn’t sitting in the FedEx mail depot over the weekend. So, I just got all the paperwork completed in advance, added my check in the kit, got the blood drawn on a Monday, added it to the kit in the packing materials provided and then took it in the return mailer supplied to my local FedEx store right after the blood draw. Takes about 2 to 3 weeks for ordering doc to receive results, but really important to get hard copies as most docs have no idea how to read the results. There are informational links we can supply to you when you get your results back to help you interpret them. Hopefully, your doc signed off on the basic western blot test (test #s 188 and 189)?

    #367559
    jelretiredmama
    Participant

    Hi Maz

    Thank you again — it is always very comforting to get your feedback, suggestions and encouragement.

    And yes, my MD signed off on the 188 and 189 tests. Will tackle it probably Monday or latest Tuesday with the lab.

    Best wishes!

    #367560
    richie
    Participant

    Penicillins and tetracyclines do not mix –you should inform your doctor —-
    richie

    #367561
    jelretiredmama
    Participant

    Thanks Richie for the suggestion. Am half way thru the 2nd round of penicllin (without tetracylines).

    Question — am thinking you are the Richie who’s story is mentioned on the Canadian Scleroderma website (http://www.scleroderma.ca)?

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