LymeNet Flash: Instant herx w/ BACTRIM?

This is topic Instant herx w/ BACTRIM? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by Bobidor (Member # 14453) on :

Hi,

I took 1/2 a Bactrim (i.e. 1/2 of 800mg/160mg) at 1:00 this afternoon, and now I have intense air hunger. I'm not sure I should take the other half tonight; maybe I should increase the dosage very gradually.

Can this medication be so effective that only half a pill causes a babesia herx???

I will soon have to add Biaxin and Malarone to this abx. What will it be like when I'm hitting babesia + Lyme full force?!? Yikes! [Eek!]

Thanks,

Julie

Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :

julie [group hug]

so sorry to read this; i have NO experience ...

what do your pharmacy comments on meds say?

if you don't have anything, try the NIH'S medical library ....

www.medlineplus.org

go to their medicines & read there; very user-friendly; it's helped me alot ... good luck!

Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :

Bactrim gave me an instant herx, within hours.....but I think mine was a Bart herx.

I wouldn't doubt you could have a Lyme or babs herx quickly too though.

Good luck...hope this means it's working. It got better for me. And Bactrim was a very effective drug for me!

Posted by Bobidor (Member # 14453) on :

Well, looks like the good old trick -- lime juice in water -- works! I'm much better now.

Thanks for your replies!

Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :

Be careful. This happened to me pill #1. Pills #2 and #3 were better. By pill #5 or #6 I got very ill and started having swallowing issues, neck felt swollen, etc. LLMD thought it was possible allergy to Sulfa. I think I was heading down a dangerous path.

Posted by losferwrds (Member # 19741) on :

Yes be careful with Bactrim, it could be side effects, it has very little action if any for Bb.

I have not seen alot of evidence of Bart or Babs causing herxes, I thought that was more of a Spirokete thing.

I had an instant reaction to it, and after 2 weeks of high blood pressure, tachychardia(100-110 bpm constantly), airhunger. sleeplessnes/insomnia, I stayed on too long buying into the crazy sick to get better mentality, I bailed on it when I googled Bactrim side effects and found ALOT of people with similar reactions and they were treating UTI infections!

Posted by Bobidor (Member # 14453) on :

Seekhelp:
I'll keep an eye on my symptoms, to make sure I'm not allergic. The weird thing is that I've been having strange neck issues lately...but I was not on any antibiotics! It feels like I have a lump in my throat, like my whole neck area is swollen, and swallowing is at times difficult.

I think when you have a sulfa allergy, the first symptom to show is a rash.

Losferwrds:
Oh yes, killing babesia can make you herx big time! Die off can happen when you're killing many pathogens, like Candida albicans and Chlamydia pneumonia.
Last winter, two days after starting Mepron, I began having terrible air hunger episodes. They would come each day, but after a few weeks the intensity started to gradually fade. I too thought only killing spirochetes could make one herx, but I was wrong!

Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :

Bactrim gave me a huge, almost instant herx, too.

When it passed though (yes, I stuck it out) - wow, did I feel better.

Your neck issues though, before starting abx again - have you mentioned those to your LLMD?

Lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing, feeling like your neck is swollen... how is your thyroid?

Just a heads up that you might want to keep an eye on it, ok?

Those could all be attributable to something else - but mentioning it to your doc is a good plan, just in case.

Posted by Bobidor (Member # 14453) on :

I will do that; thanks Cactus!

Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :

I DEFINITELY was having a herx or a flare from Bactrim DS. Even though I do understand that medical literature doesn't really suggest the "herx" happens with much besides Lyme or syphillis.

Intense headache, skin hot to the touch, achey, laying on couch like I had the flu for a day or two. Also, crying for no reason. This all happened within hours of the first pill. Then it faded.

It knocked my socks off. It was definitely killing something....whether or not you want to use the term "herx" to describe what happened.

And after about 6 weeks, I was noticably better, in my brain. Could think much more clearly. The actual "flare" probably only lasted 3-4 days, in the beginning. It sure seemed like a "herx."

And Lyme typically would have not responded that quickly to a new med, (and also yes, Bactrim doesn't really treat bb), so it was pretty obvious it was treating bartonella henselae for me, which I did test positive for.