posted
I am herxing regularly, during the first two weeks of every month. I feel achey and my neuro symptoms increase and I have fatigue. I am taking 900mg neurontin every 5-6 hours to control the pain. I have a trip planned and need to be in decent physical shape for it. I am also type 2 diabetic, and for my best blood sugar control, need to exercise daily.
For the past couple of days, I have been using "kickers energy spray", which must be pure caffeine, in order to get the energy to exercise. I know it is not good to do that, but I can't get going any other way.
How hard can I push myself, exercise-wise, during a herx without it being bad for me?
I don't want to be a slug but without the caffeine, that's what I am. I sort of dismiss my physical sick feelings because I know where they come from and it is such a long term thing. I am sleeping an extra two to three hours, for a total of at least 12 hours every night during the herx.
I know I'm rambling but what do you do when you herx? What don't you do? The computer and the tv are about all I have energy for without the massive dose of caffeine.
-------------------- Lyme is like the flu. You can get it and recover, but you can always get it again. Posts: 607 | From (deer tick)Heaven! Angeles National Forest | Registered: Oct 2000
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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If you are looking to get past a day or two, and you must "caffeine-up" that can still bring your body down in many ways since you are forcing it.
Are you taking any adrenal support supplements? Those would not be damaging.
As for exercise, gentle weight lifting and other non-aerobic exercise would be generally okay but the caffeine will put added stress on your adrenals and you could do some real harm that would take a long time to repair.
The adrenals need rest when you are exhausting. Sometimes, a a nice walk or stretching can be helpful but if really sounds as if your adrenals just can't give any more right now.
In addition, exercise can really push the liver and, with a herx, the liver is usually pretty overwhelmed already. Liver support should help but still, gentle exercise is best for the liver at this time.
Support measures for the whole endocrine system are discussed in this book:
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By an ILADS member LLMD, this book holds great information about treatments options and support measures:
I was going to search "caffeine" here but my server will not connect. It is important to see what Dr. Burrascano has to say about caffeine. There is a search function here so it's easy to find just want you want:
I searched for the caffeine content of the kickers energy spray....nowhere to be found. I'm guessing it has close to 200mg per five spray serving, and I was doing ten sprays at a time.
-------------------- Lyme is like the flu. You can get it and recover, but you can always get it again. Posts: 607 | From (deer tick)Heaven! Angeles National Forest | Registered: Oct 2000
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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Oh . . . if you are used to a certain amount of caffeine each day, it can be very hard to just stop. Weaning off over a week or two is easier for your adrenals/ heart, etc.
- I don't want to rain on your caffeine but anything that is called "kicker's energy spray" really worries me. It could have serious effects on your heart.
Please look up adrenal herbs (or adaptogens) as they will give your body support without the jolt. Ashwagandha, Siberian Ginseng, Cordyceps . . . and magnesium, all help your body make energy in a safe way.
posted
I've started eating raw cocoa nibs, which are high in magnesium and some other good things, good for me as red wine....and as a bonus, I love them. Can't eat more than a tablespoon at a time, they're really concentrated...strong flavor.
They are the raw miminally processed cocoa bean. Hasn't even been roasted yet. Nutty, with the flavor of chocolate but with the intensity of espresso coffee. Low in caffeine.
-------------------- Lyme is like the flu. You can get it and recover, but you can always get it again. Posts: 607 | From (deer tick)Heaven! Angeles National Forest | Registered: Oct 2000
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aklnwlf
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5960
posted
Hey Bugbarb,
I wasn't able to exercise for a few years during treatment. I was working a small part-time job cleaning a church once a week and that was all I could manage.
Based on personal experience, I wouldn't push myself. Course, people's herxes are different. When I started treatment I couldn't get out of bed most days, so exercise was out of the question for me.
What I did during the first phase of treatment was cut out carbs and take epsom salt baths to help flush toxins and absorb some much needed magnesium through the skin.
I'm assuming your on orals, so it depends on what your taking if you should exercise. I know with Levaquin, they told me DEFINITELY NOT to exercise because I could tear a tendon.
Maybe some stretching and light weight lifting if manageable is ok.
Also, check with your LLMD.
But I think if you don't have the energy to exercise without getting caffiened up, your body is trying to tell you something.
I know my problems with severe fatigue stemmed from pituitary damage. Now that I'm on HGH injections I have more energy to exercise and do other things.
Good luck and I hope this helped!!!
-------------------- Do not take this as medical advice. This comment is based on opinion and personal experience only.
Alaska Lone Wolf Posts: 6246 | From Columbus, GA | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Well, I guess I'm doing one thing right. Due to the diabetes type 2, I severely restrict my carb intake. Any more than 20 carbs sends my blood glucose over my limit of 120. I want to keep tight control to avoid adding diabetic complications onto lyme disease damage.
-------------------- Lyme is like the flu. You can get it and recover, but you can always get it again. Posts: 607 | From (deer tick)Heaven! Angeles National Forest | Registered: Oct 2000
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How hard can I push myself, exercise-wise, during a herx without it being bad for me? 
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