I first started rifampin about 3 weeks ago on full dose (this in addition to IV Rocephin that I've been on for 8 weeks). After about a week my lymph nodes were full of crap, I was so tired, felt generally ill and had the beginning of a mouth sore. My doc suggested I go off. At my most recent appt. with my doc he said he wasn't so sure it was a hypersenitiviy reaction and maybe a herx so would I want to try rifampin again but ramp up to full dose very slowly. I agreed. The third day (yesterday) at about 3:00 in the afternoon I took a spoonful of Colosmn (magnesium stuff to cleanse the colon) and then at about 4:30 took 300 mgs rifampin. About 45 minutes later I felt weird, serious heart palpations, some tingling down my arms into my fingers, a bit of weakness and just spacey. Much like a massive anxiety attack. I was freaked out and because of my previous reaction to rifampin I thought I might be having an allergic reaction but it went away within a 15 minutes or so and then I was basically fine - just still a bit freaked. I will call my doctor today to see what he thinks but want to input- does this sound like a herx (I do have CNS Lyme and it wouldn't be so odd to have these types of symptoms), a reaction of the magnesium and rifampin, or a bad reaction to the med. Please help!!!
Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
Hi. My daughter is on oral zith (500mg) and rifampin 300mg. I understand theraputic dose of rifampin is 600mg daily, but she has never been able to take that. In fact, she takes her meds ever other day.
When she started Rifampin last June,we expected the herx from hell, but it was only the herx from mid-hell. But, the doctor was expecting something huge, so there must be something to it.
One requirement our doctor has given us is not to supplement with magnesium. If you have any bartonella, it tends to build the protective biofilm. That's his finding, it's controversial, but it may be worth a try not to take magnesium, and ramp up slowly on the rifampin.
My opinion...call your doctor and run it past him.
My daughter's lymph glands in the neck are always getting inflamed with garbage. One thing that has helped her is a mini-trampoline/rebounder. You don't have to do anything strenuous, just a gentle bounce helps to keep the lymph glands moving.
Drink lots of water and with maybe a little lemon and olive oil.
Take care. Kelly
Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :
As you know, lymph symptoms can be a sign of Bartonella itself, so maybe this is a herx.
I am ramping up on Rifampin at a snail's pace. I am nowhere near a full or even half dose and I'm still dealing with headaches, spaciness, dizziness, balance issues, etc. It's a tough medication.
I, like you, have a lot of CNS symptoms especially in the nerves. So I'm kind of bracing myself for herxes like what you have described.
But obviously check with your LLMD because it's always tough to figure out a herx from an allergic reaction.
I know with all meds, I watch out for breathing problems, hives, itching, tongue or lip swelling as signs of possible allergic reaction versus herx but I know it's not as simple as that.