Unlikely Coincidence?

[L4UR3N]

Has anyone here ever taken the antibiotic Keflex?

This is the second time I have taken it and I find it too unlikely to be a coincidence that I feel BETTER while on it. I have taken other antibiotics before that do not positively affect my POTS, so it must be some side effect that this particular one is creating. I have been trying to figure it out because it has absolutely made me much less tachycardic-- to the point that I am really sad to be finishing up the last few doses. I'm talking about a 15-20 bpm decrease according to my heart rate watch.

I finally found something with positive reproducible effects and it has to be an antibiotic of all things.

[ramakentesh]

does it have other side effects that could account for the benefit?

[L4UR3N]

Not that are reported in the drug info, but it is definitely doing something right. I am wondering if it makes you retain fluid, though I cant seem to find any information on that. My blood pressure is actually a bit better as well.

[ramakentesh]

ill see what I can gfind out

[issie]

Oh how funny. That's the ONLY antibiotic that I can tolerate without having issues. Yes, I've taken it - but, not on a long term in a long while. I used to have to use it before dental procedures - but, my mitral valve stuff is better - so they say- and I don't take it any more before the dentist.

Issie

[AllAboutPeace]

I took Keflex last month. I did feel a little better when on it, but in my circumstance I attributed that to the fact that I received IV saline (with the first dose), plus I was taking it for an infection (so I was likely feeling the benefits of that clearing up).

Prior to taking it, my heart had been in a really reactive flare, so the combination of IV/med did settle down the crazy tachy and irregular rythyms, but it just settled back into my 'usual' tachy. I had no change in blood pressure.

I'd be curious to see the effects without IV or infection.

[Dizzysillyak]

My dysautonomia got much worse, I could barely stand up, when I got h pylori and parasites. Possibly at the same time but since

testing for parasites isn't as good as it should be I don't know. Fwiw, I hear metametrix is the best.

This is who did my last test and found the parasite dna.

I felt much worse while treating h pylori and parasites but better afterwards. It was slow tho. I was killing off a really bad bacteria

tho so the toxic die off would've been hard on me.

Have you asked your doc about staying on it for awhile ? I know some bacteria need multiple

treatments.

Tc .. D

[brethor9]

Rissy

I am the same....each time I have to be on antibiotics (I get frequent sinus infections) I always find my POTS symptoms are better....I am only able to take amoxicillian due to allergies...but I do find it strange and wonder what the connection is?

[bellgirl]

It is a broad spectrum antibiotic, which makes it more effective on many bacteria, so it's bound to make you feel better, and I feel since our immune systems tend to get suppressed from being chronically ill, that we probably have a lot more of those bacteria which aren't necessary, then the average person, and it probably causes our bodies to be more at rest, less on the defensive, warding off attacks of infection.

[sue1234]

That is great! We take respite in whatever weird thing that comes our way and makes us feel better!

[Wendy C.]

Rissy, I took Cephalexan/Keflex for a sinus infection a few weeks ago and I was noticing how I felt better during it, too. They also had me take Advil every 6-8 hours, too, to help the antibiotic get past the swelling. So, I don't know if it was the 10 days of antibiotics or the Advil, but it was nice. I kind of dismissed the feeling better as just part of the antibiotics getting rid of my infection, but i did wonder if it also helped my POTS for some reason. I feel like I have another sinus infection this whole week, worse than the prior one, so I may be going back to the doctor soon and may get on it again if they think I should. Let's see if it helps again...

[Katybug]

Rissy,

As horse chicks we are more exposed to ticks. Have you been tested for Lyme and Lyme co-infections (Babesiosis,Bartonella, Erlichiosis, etc.)? It would explain why you feel better on the antibiotics.

[ramakentesh]

something similar is reported in R arthritis. Weird.

[bellgirl]

Anytime there is decreased bad bacteria, there is decreased inflammation, as well...right?! No more of the body fighting the beasties...

[arizona girl]

I too have felt better on some antibiotics, not all, like cipro or levequin they flared the neuropathy. Are rocephine shots the same medication as Cephalexan/Keflex? After not having several antibiotics work for me when my wbc elevates, we have found that the rocephine shots knock down what ever is causing the rise in wbc. I have a standing cbc, that I have done when ever I feel like I'm fighting something, because I don't run a fever due to low immunoglobulins.

[issie]

Maybe ----good probiotics to repopulate the good bacteria, enzymes to help with food digestion and to help with inflammation and helps eat up the bad things and olive leaf helps with virus and bacteria and would maybe help to regulate whatever is going on with either things - a natural antibiotic with a whole lot less potential issues in the long run.

Issie

[bellgirl]

To be honest, I can't remember the last time I was on antibiotics....maybe for a UTI or conjunctivitis. I took care of too many patients who became resistant to antibiotics, and when I really need them, I want them to work!! Issie, you have a good point

[Dizzysillyak]

I started Keflex tonight. I have a raging uti so my doc prescribed this. I've been taking azo with probiotics

Off and on for years for chronic minor uti symptoms, possible stones, so maybe this will finally beat the chronic infection. If there is one. I could have

a stone but I'm not in pain. Constant urinating is what I did once previously tho.

I have a 7 day script 4 times a day.

My oi has been bad again the last few days and h pylori did this to me too.

I would love to know how others did on this. Did you continue to feel good after your treatment was over ?

Fwiw, my labs show i'm over h pylori but I still have parasites. Fun, fun ..

Tc .. D

Ps. My doc is an integrative doc and would've gone the natural route if she thought it would've worked.

[anna]

Could it be that most of us live in a state of low level infection of one sort or an other, which keeps our ANS symptoms elevated. When we have antibiotics the symptoms reduce because we are for a while in a lower state of infection.

[issie]

Interesting idea. They are using low dose antibiotics in trial for CFS people. Since POTS and CFS are so similiar - it makes you wonder.

Issie

[bellgirl]

I have an infection on my lips that won't go away...I've tried everything!! I was constantly taking cranberry and vitamin C to ward off UTI's as well. Yeast problems, too...Depressed immune systems, and Inflammation are a perfect breeding ground for infection!!

[L4UR3N]

Not sure about everyone else, but for me I dont think it was the bactericidal properties that were helping me. I have taken many other broad spectrum antibiotics in the past but never felt any better. Keflex was the only one that had this effect on me (twice!), so I have to believe it is some side effect of the medication which turns out to be beneficial for POTS. Just not sure what that side effect is.....

[Dizzysillyak]

Hi,

I'm wondering about the chronic infection angle too. When I first went this health kick in 2005, I was

making antibacterial and antifugal teas and drinking them daily for a couple of years. They always made me feel a

little better but since they didn't cure me I stopped.

I used grapeseed extract and oil of iregano off and on but not to the extent it was recommended.

I ate more raw garlic than the Italians use in a year .. Lol ..

I've been on probiotics for 7 years. I need these for digestion. I even made my own for awhile.

Before I knew what I had, I tried treating h pylori this way but it wasn't enough. My doc said she

hadn't seen any natural remedies work for h pylori and put me on 2 antibiotics that worked.

Hi rissy,

I was hoping you'd see this. So did the improvement last ? How much did you take ? And if

you don't mind me asking, was it for a uti ?

So far, I've taken 4, and I'm just a little tired after taking it but nothing serious. I'm allergic to penicillen

so I'm watching for rashes.

Hi kim,

I've read that fixing yeast can make a huge improvement for some. I finally cured my yeast problem as of dec 2011. Kow .. I'm not exactly sure how. It didn't change my life but I have a lot going on.

I was on the candida diet, candidase, yeast killers and probiotics for a couple of years and that got rid of the symptoms but my labs still said I had it. I'm

also post menopausal and I'm not sure what role hormones played. Maybe women would just need to

treat at some point in their monthly cycle to prevent this tho.

tmi warning - Eliminating toxic female products (pads and tampons) made a HUGE difference here. Whole foods and trader joes sell

organic female products. I really wonder what they're thinking here !

Tc .. D

[Dizzysillyak]

I finished the keflex yesterday and started on probiotics late last night. I'll be taking a variety of probiotics and s boulardi too. I even made 2 jars of coconut kefir today using Metagenics probiotics.

I'm feeling better / physically and mentally stronger than I did when I was sick with the uti. I even did 5 loads of laundry at our local laundry mat and felt fine. I even folded most of them ... BUT, I'm still having to lay down every hour at least. My body just gets too weak to be upright. I was having to lay down every 15 minutes before treating tho and I felt horrible even staying up for that long.

Does anyone else think it's odd how our oi is soooo affected by bad bacteria ? Does everyone experience this ?

FWIW tho, I'm not seeing any miraculous improvement here. Not yet anyways. It will take awhile to get my gut biology replenished.

There's a thread on Pheonix Rising about antibiotic use for CFS if anyone is interested. Many of us have oi too.

http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showthread.php?17802-CFS-is-a-Bacterial-Infection

tc .. d

[bellgirl]

I took oral medication for yeast once, but I know it can be liver toxic, so I'm not crazy about doing that again. My weakness is cheese and mushrooms, so I guess I'll always be plagued...My GI told me it is normal for intestinal flora. He doesn't understand POTS, because it is NOT normal for it to be growing where food goes in and comes out . At least my colonoscopy showed only one polyp Probiotics is a very good idea...I am also fully menopausal.