Lyme medication Summary- common doses
Written by Lisbeth Roy
Updated at April 13th, 2025
Table of Contents
MEDICATION SUMMARY - COMMON DOSAGES
| Penicillins: | ||
| Amoxicillin | 1000mg | 3-6 daily |
| Augmentin XR | 2000mg | 2x daily |
| Bicillin LA | 0.9 mill | 2 vials injected IM 3x weekly |
| Cephalosporins: | ||
| Cefuroxime | 500mg | 3x daily |
| Ceftriaxone | 2 gram | 2 grams twice daily IV 4 days/week |
| Cefdinir | 600mg | 2x daily |
| Macrolides: | ||
| Azithromycin | 500mg | 1x daily |
| Clarithromycin | 500mg | 2x daily |
| Telithromycin | 800mg | 1x daily |
| Tetracyclines: | ||
| Minocycline | 100mg | 3-4x daily |
| Doxycycline | 100mg | 2 twice daily |
| Tetracycline | 500mg | 3-4x daily |
| Cyst-form medications: | ||
| Metronidazole | 500mg | 2x daily; 2 weeks on/ 2 weeks off |
| Tinidazole | 500mg | 2x daily; 2 weeks on/ 2 weeks off |
| Plaquenil | 200mg | 2x daily |
| Babesia medications: | ||
| Mepron | 750mg/ 5mL | 1-2 teaspoons twice daily |
| Malarone | 250/ 100mg | 2 twice daily |
| Lariam | 250mg | 1 every five days |
| Alinia | 500mg | 2x daily |
| Bartonella, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Rickettsia medications: | ||
| Rifampin | 300mg | 2x daily |
| Levaquin | 500mg | 1x daily |
| Bactrim DS | 800/160mg | 2x daily |
| Azithromycin | 500mg | 1x daily |
| Doxycycline | 100mg | 2 twice daily |
MEDICATION SUMMARY
| Form of Borrelia | Medication class | Commonly used examples |
| Spirochetes | Penicillins Cephalosporins |
Amoxicillin, Bicillin LA Cefuroxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefdinir |
| Cell-wall deficient | Macrolides Tetracyclines |
Azithromycin, Clarithromycin Doxycycline, Minocycline |
| Cyst forms | Tinidazole, Metronidazole Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) Alinia |
The ultimate goal of therapy for Borrelia –
- 1 cell wall active medication (for spirochetes)
- 1 intracellular medications (for cell-wall deficient forms)
- 1 cyst form medication (for cysts)
Plus medications added for relevant co-infections.