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Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 05:45 pm
We're going to hit me with Biaxin (clarithromycin) at first, and I'll need Diflucan (fluconazole) to keep yeast levels down as well as a massive probiotic (way beyond yogurt) to make my gut keep working. I will need to log pain levels, fatigue, sleep time, and anything I find unusual -- extra aches, flulike symptoms, anything. Unless a Herx reaction is too awful to bear, I'll see the doctor again in six weeks.

We discussed one antibiotic option known to cause bad sun sensitivity. My doctor said she was reluctant to use that one in summer. I said "Oh, I'm never outside. I can't walk far or bike, so I drive everywhere. I can't run or hike or go backpacking. I work in an office all day. Sun sensitivity really isn't a big problem here." And she said "But that might change," and put me on Biaxin. That was really weird. The thought that I might enjoy the outdoors again -- this summer, even -- is just alien. I'm having a hard time picturing it. I can only barely remember what that was like once upon a time. Maybe I am the zoo tiger who, when released in the wild, paces a space the size of his cage for a long time.

I fill my prescriptions this evening.

I'm trying so hard not to get my hopes up. The crashes are always so painful. It took me too long to reach any sort of mental and emotional equilibrium about this stuff in the first place; I don't want to have to go through that again.
Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 01:15 am (UTC)
A good question I'm not sure I know the answer to. The doc put it this way: 80% of the patients she treats for Lyme have a definite Herx reaction in a week or less, indicating at least that they're on the right track. That would be one sign. Five percent never respond in any way, so they're on the wrong track. The remaining fifteen percent just show steady improvement in their symptoms. I'm guessing that's the six week mark where she wants to see me again; if I don't show any improvement then, maybe we're barking up the wrong tree.

Hey, did you know you could edit a comment just to change the userpic? :-)