Sarcoidosis and Antibiotics

• By Cloudnine
• Posted September 6, 2008 at 12:23 am

Is this the medication you are taking?:

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

There is some side effects listed for this medication. I am also allergic to most antibiotics. I am able to Levaquin. I had to take it in May, because I had some infection, I am thinking sinus that I got in Feb and they thought it would go away, but it didn't. I had to take it for 14 days.

It might be time to put a call into your doctor, or to see one, even if it isn't your own. If you are chemical sensitive things can change at any time.

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• By priscurl
• Posted September 6, 2008 at 7:34 am

Hi BobbieM,

As it is theorised by some that sarcoidosis could be caused by bacteria rather than be the body turning on itself, it is not surprising that many sarcoid patients experience a rise in symptoms on certain antibiotics. This happens to patients of other chronic diseases when they start on antibiotics also, notably with TB, leprosy and syphylis.
This worsening of symptoms is known as the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. It is caused by the release of endotoxins as the bacteria die off.
I undergo them constantly as I am on an antibiotic regime having given up on MTX, Imuran, Prednisone, plaquenil and all their side effects and inability to control the illness.
Antibiotic therapy for sarcoid is not for the fainthearted. You do inevitably feel much, much worse. I am giving it two years and if I don't see much improvement I will decide on a new treatment. However, since beginning the antibiotics I have had a perceptible increase in thyroid function and have not had a migraine at all. These plagued me for most of my adult life but I have not had one in the 28 weeks since I started on tetracycline. This is a record for me, because I used to get at least one, if not two a month after prophylactic treatments. Pre-prophylaxis I used to get one or two a month that would last a week to ten days.

Pris

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• By gonenatural
• Posted September 6, 2008 at 7:51 am

Thanks Pricurl,

for the info and sorry Bobbie that you are feeling so bad.
I have an allergic effect to only 1 antibiotic but I have a host of meds that in the past some 3 yrs that the list suddenly started and growing.
Nurses, drs, whom ever, get tired of writing them all day and state this is not possible to be allergic to that many and I only give them 7. I am allergic to some 5 more but have to get the names of em.
On my last surgery?, I had so many last yr, I suddenly became allergic to moriphine and this yr I became allergice to latex. What I found strange is that I bought latex free bandades for the house and when I use them I still get extremely red with welps. I don't know what to do.
Bobbie, call the dr. I know we are tired of em but betta safe then sorry.
Gentle Hugs,
Gone Natural

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• By BobbieM
• Posted September 6, 2008 at 10:03 am

Thanks everyone, for your input. I guess I was spelling it wrong - it IS Levaquin. I only have to take it for 3 more days, and I'm not getting hives or asthma, so I will continue it till then. Pris, I find your experience with antibiotic therapy to be quite intriguing, although I don't know if I'm up for it just yet.

I thought I was really getting a little nutso, so I'm glad to hear maybe I'm not! Ha-ha.

Thanks again,
BobbieM

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• By hope777
• Posted September 7, 2008 at 4:00 am

Hello To all

The Predsiones have a lot of side affects but its the only drug and the methretraxes that have help me. I did change the way i was eating certain foods. A lot of red meats was not working for me. I started to eating more green fresh veggies without all of the pestcides which is very dangerous for us. Try growing your own veggies that might help. Again find some good DVDs and laugh your heart ,spirit and soul into joy.Find out what works for you. My brain seem to be stable but i do have some days that i am really tired but the predisone does that by the end of the day.You really can't let your body become too tired at all do you will suffer. It gets better as you learn what works for you because we have the same illness but it affect everyone different. I can't take all of the antib. pills that some pill takes. My Predisones are increase to 20 or 40mgs. when i have a bad flare-up. but i intend to fight it until i can't anymore.Its not easy but i am better living then dead,okay,Aleast i can help some one know that we have Hope if nothing else.

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• By mariposa
• Posted September 8, 2008 at 12:55 pm

Gone Natural,

You may be allergic to the adhesive in the bandages instead. That is my problem. I end up using cotton with paper tape, it works much better and I don't seem to have the same reaction to the tape as I do bandages. I still take them off as soon as possible.

Hope this helps.

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• By gonenatural
• Posted September 8, 2008 at 1:25 pm

Hi Mariposa,

That is what I was thinking too. I was trying to hold up my skin higher where they operated on my neck to help the keloid that was forming. There is not a dr I see that wants to discuss my keloid. Oh how it hurts.

Thanks for the info, I'll go out and buy some paper tape,
Gone Natural

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• By mariposa
• Posted September 8, 2008 at 11:13 pm

I hope the paper tape works for you Gone Natural. Good luck.

Mariposa

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• By schnauzermom
• Posted September 17, 2008 at 10:56 pm

I am NOT a MD, but I have heard of people feeling sicker on ABX (antibiotic) treatment. This may be the Herxheimer reaction. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herxheimer_reaction

Hope you are feeling better.

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