All I have heard is how having Herx reaction will make you feel like you are dying.
My lyme symptoms were things like severe anxiety and panic attacks, which make me feel like I'm dying anyway, head pressure, numbness, headaches, and depersonalization.
Will these just get worse? I'm really very scared of Herxing. What can I expect? When can I expect it?
I'm on Doxycycline right now, on my 3rd day.
Thanks!
Posted by charlie (Member # 25) on :
....Really the dreaded herx is highly overrated....probably 50% of us don't herx at all. I hate to see patients delay treatment over this when they will likely only feel moderate discomfort for a day or so.
And you can always back down on doses and ramp back up if it's too severe.
Please don't delay treating this stuff because people scare you with herx and die-off stories. The window of opportunity to cure quickly is short.
Charlie aka herxmeister
Posted by MirandaVB (Member # 16581) on :
Well I didn't delay treatment because of herxing, I was just scared of it.
Today, day 4, I have been experiencing some of the most intense panic attacks I have ever felt.
Head numbness throughout the day. Very intense headache too. I just want to cry myself to sleep.
Possible herx?
Posted by charlie (Member # 25) on :
If it's really a doxy herx it'll ease up in a couple of days in most cases...If it's unbearable you could lower your dose till it lets up a bit then resume.
A lot of the LLMDs don't want you to make yourself so miserable that you just get sicker.
hope you feel better quickly
Charlie (not a doctor but I've been around this stuff for what seems like a lifetime)
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Are you afraid of getting well?? IF not, then don't worry about herxing. It's your ticket out of this mess!!!
Day 4 is the classic herx day. If things get too much to handle, ask your LLMD about backing off the meds briefly.
Posted by proudmom (Member # 15532) on :
posted by MirandaVB
quote:My lyme symptoms were things like severe anxiety and panic attacks, which make me feel like I'm dying anyway, head pressure, numbness, headaches, and depersonalization.
Will these just get worse? I'm really very scared of Herxing. What can I expect? When can I expect it?
I'm on Doxycycline right now, on my 3rd day.
Thanks!
Hi MirandaVB,
I'm not on Doxy, I'm on Rifampin only and this is my first round of actual treatment. For me the third day was difficult. I'm now on day 6?(can't remember) and having another difficult day.
What I did on day 3 was I drank as much water as I could tollerate. About 8oz or so every hour. I felt pretty good the next day.
Because I felt so good that day I forgot to drink that much water and sure enough the next day it was back to feeling crappy.
It's funny, today I swear I can feel the little buggers fleeing for their lives.
My symptoms have been everything from head to toe over the last 35+ years so my expectations of a herx are at least what I have gone through in the past.
Yes, it can be kind of scary but at least when you're going through those symptoms you now know what's going on. That makes quite a difference in how you cope with your herxing.
I was put on zoloft last year for my anxiety attacks and I'm going to continue to take it at least until I've been on treatment for awhile.
My advice? well, I'm new to treatment but not new to the pain and nero symptoms. I'm not sure how valuable my advice is to you because we all have different levels of tolerence for pain and anxiety.
But so far for me, drink lots of water, watch comedy channel, listen to favorite music and don't focus on "waiting" for Mr.Herx to come knocking.
Good luck and hope you find some positives to help you get through this.
Proudmom Posted by MirandaVB (Member # 16581) on :
Thanks for all the help all!
I feel a bit better today, but still far from "normal". I can't recall feeling normal.
I know that one day I will wake up and feel better.
I have told my family and friends to watch out on that day,
because not only am I going to play hooky from everything,
but so are they and we will do crazy things.
As a side note, anyone know of a good diet to be on for Lyme?
If it needs a new topic, just let me know!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Diet has been discussed in detail over in Medical Questions. You can do a search by clicking on the little word "search" up above, next to "Lymenet Flash."
Be sure to search in Medical, not General.
The best lyme diet is to eat proteins and vegetables. Stay away from carbs and sugar... limit fruit.
I was on doxy and days 7-14 were awful. HHrxn made me much worse and I was glad to know to expect it. However, after that I improved. Having that improvement helped through the next couple down shifts: week 4 and 7. Also, I held on knowing that I'm going to get better. I had talked with people who went through it and said it paid off after months and now years later their life is normal. Hopefully, this will do the same for you. Yes, HH sucks, but a week more of suffering is so worth getting well. Keep killing those bugs!
Also, help your body rid the dead bugs by eating high fiber, low sugar; mild exercise or movement; massage, etc.
Good luck and hang in there!
Posted by Curley911 (Member # 2205) on :
Hi Miranda, Look for a PM from me.
Meanwhile, here are my thoughts for the benefit of others.
If you haven't had non stop panic attacks, then it would be difficult to understand where you are coming from. There is no way on God's Green Earth that I could/would have toughed out herxing with 'out of body' experience for days on end. You are a tough cookie.
Your panic attack stymptoms stand out w/the numbness and other sx as symptoms of petit mal seizures which can be caused by infection. I needed medication for this, after 8 yrs of abx, I still need meds.
Your dr. can to a 24 hr. sleep deprived test for this . . . others may be interested in considering this as a cause of anxiety/panic attacks.
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