Scared to take antibiotics for this long… suspected Lyme disease

[Yesssi]

I’ve been given a three week course of doxycycline for suspected Lyme disease. I feel ok but I had it after being bitten in a very heavy Lyme disease area. I’m dreading taking them as apparently it can affect gut health and I’m feeling sorry for myself taking it even though it’s not 100% certain I have the disease (though likely).

Just wondered if anyone had taken them or had any advice or reassurance!

Hi OP. I really don't like taking antibiotics either.

Recently had a miscarriage and shortly after ended up in hospital where I had IV antibiotics twice, oral antibiotics on top while in hospital and then a week of two different kinds - one 3x a day and one 4x a day. If you need them, you need them. It's not ideal but remember is also literally lifesaving.

To help my gut I've been making smoothies most days with kefir (my favourite is plain kefir, a banana, some frozen pineapple whizzed together). Kefir is great for gut health. I had one day of watery diarrhoea but not like a stomach bug, just went to the toilet normal time. Since then it's been fine. Eat probiotic food such as kefir or probiotic yoghurt (look for it saying 'billions of cultures' or fermented food, as well as plenty of veg.

Much better not to get Lyme disease.

I’ve had 12 weeks off doxycycline and also erythromycin in the past . Just get on with it, you will be fine.

Take them. Yes it's three weeks but they are extremely effective at treating Lyme's disease and the long term consequences of that untreated can be horrendous. I know someone who is now unable to work (extreme ME fatigue symptoms, too tired to do much at all) because of undiagnosed Lyme's and it means their other half is the sole earner. Has really affected them both. I took them when I had suspected Lyme's because I was scared of what happened to my friends. I had no side effects from the antibiotics. It's annoying that the blood test result doesnt confirm if you have Lyme's until after the antibiotics but it just isn't worth the risk. I did have Lyme's and thankfully am totally fine now.