LymeNet Flash: Herxes

This is topic Herxes in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by Softballmom (Member # 6235) on :

I am not sure what this means and I was told that I need to ask about thes antibiotics. I am getting ready to start on
Biaxin 500mg
Flagyl 500mg
Difflugan 200mg

My Dr. said he didn't want to start me out too strong because my Neurologic symptems were so serious. Someone has suggested that I ask this question here. Because She thinks one of the drugs is very strong.

Posted by C (Member # 6203) on :

I have not taken Biaxin or Difflugan but I have taken Flagyl and I just want to warn you ahead of time that Flagyl is some nasty stuff. Not to scare you, but Flagyl put me in a deep, dark depression. It was during this stage of my treatment that I had to go on Wellbutrin to "balance out" my chemicals. I to have very bad neurological symptoms. Never any arthritis or pain, just a screwed up head. I am finally starting to see the light after stumbling through different abx treatments to see which ones worked the best. Good luck with the Flagyl. You have definitely come to the right place for info.

Posted by david1097 (Member # 3662) on :

Flaygl is the roughest to take and it has high penetration into the brain. Biaxin is kind of rough too. Diflucan is for yeast.

Do what the Dr says, but you might want to start each drug in a step wise fashion, at 4 to 5 days appart, starting with diflucan then add maybe biaxin then add flagyl. That way you can see what the effect of each drug is, as well as let your system get used to each. At 4 to 5 days interval, you should also have a good chance to see what type of herxheimer you will get.

If you start all at once, you don't really know what each one is doing and if you are allergic to one you will have to stop and restart in a step wise fashion anyway.

Posted by circuspeanut (Member # 6154) on :

My experience:

I'm taking 1000mg of Flagyl + 400mg Vantin daily.

I started out on 500mg Flagyl 3 weeks ago and ramped up to 1000mg after the first week.

I haven't had any hideously bad side effects, just what I believe was a "normal" Herxheimer reaction at first (fatigue, headaches, intermittent fever, night sweats etc). Some initial diarhhea, but that's calmed down significantly. You do have to watch for yeast infections while taking the antibiotics, but there are many ways to control that, including the Diflucan.

(Actually I was just about to post about Diflucan because I've been taking it daily for 5 days now and feel MUCH better, even above & beyond the yeast problems.)

I suggest keeping a daily journal to keep track of what meds you take when, and how you feel each day, morning/noon/night. That will also help your doc track your responses & work with you on finding the proper effective dosage.

Fingers crossed for you!
peanut

Posted by rosesisland2000 (Member # 2001) on :

Flagyl is VERY hard and the hexes, at least for me, VERY BAD.

This is what I should've followed, and I would'nt have gotten into trouble.

Also, I did not stop my Flagyl at the first sign of a herx (which by my LLMDs definition is INTENSE LYME SYMPTOMS that you have been experiencing, and NEW INTENSE SYMPTOMS that you may never have experienced before).

I lost a complete month when I had to go off Flagyl cause I did not follow my LLMDs advice of stopping abx (FLAGYL) at the first sign of a herx.

So, instead of loosing a day or two, I lost a whole month off abx, in order for me to tolerate going back on it.

Here's the schedule my LLMD gives his patients starting Flagyl for the TURTLE wins this race, not the HARE!!!

My LLMD starts out his Flagyl patients with 1/4 of a 250mg pill once a day.

Then day 2 1/4 pill twice a day...

3rd day 1/4 pill 3 times a day...

4th day 1/4 pill with breakfast and lunch,
1/2 pill with supper

5th day 1/2 pill with breakfast and supper,
1/4 pill with lunch

6th day 1/2 pill 3 times a day

7th 1/2 pill with breakfast and lunch,
1 pill with supper

8th day 1 pill with breakfast and supper,
1/2 pill with lunch

On day 9 goes to 1 pill 3 times a day.

Days 10-15 1 pil 3 times a day.

Days 57-63 500mg twice a day with breakfast and supper

Days 64-71 500 mg twice a day as above and add 250 mg with lunch

Days 72-120 500 mg 3 times a day with food.

Oh and by the way, I don't think that Diflucan is an antibiotic (abx), but, a drug to counter act the results of taking abx. Diflucan is for the control of YEAST which is caused by too much sugar and carbs and abx.

Rosemary