posted
I just started Rifampin. Took one pill last night and then another late morning like I normally do with my abx. I went out for lunch and came home about 2:00pm.
OMG... do I feel wacked out! My heart is thumping, my head and ribs/back ache and I feel generally fluish. I've never reacted to abx this quickly.
It usually takes me a few days to a week to start feeling something (herx, side effects, whatever). Does Rifampin kick in this fast?
I sent you a PM as well. I just went back on Rifampin Wednesday after a short break. I immediately had an increase in my agitation/anxiety and inability to concentrate.
I am trying to figure out if it is the Rifampin. Like you, I think that it can't happen that fast. Perhaps it can.
I am trying to figure out if it will pass the longer I take it. Part of me wants to stop now, but I will stick it out for a while.
Kathy
-------------------- Severe neurological problems. Probably sick for years. Became chronically sick in Aug 2007. Undiagnosed for another 15 months. Started treatment for lyme and bart Sept. 2008. Improving, but very slowly. Posts: 515 | From washington dc | Registered: Aug 2008
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posted
The question always becomes should one stick it out with a medicine assuming that the initial reaction will stop and one will feel better or quit taking it because you feel worse.
I really would love to see this agitation that returned in the last two days go away. It makes me want to stop taking the rifampin. Then I think if it is causing the agitation it must be doing something.
Sorry, this is all so confusing.
-------------------- Severe neurological problems. Probably sick for years. Became chronically sick in Aug 2007. Undiagnosed for another 15 months. Started treatment for lyme and bart Sept. 2008. Improving, but very slowly. Posts: 515 | From washington dc | Registered: Aug 2008
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Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
Yes, the major dizziness hit me right away, and anxiety soon to follow - and I started on a pediatric dose and ramped up!
It took several weeks for me for the dizziness, rocking boat sensation, anxiety, increased myoclonus, electric shocks and bee sting sensations to calm down. I was on it for a long time and it did get to the point that it was very tolerable, but I had to go through major difficulties for quite some time.
Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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Yes, I did take it again this morning. And, yes, it bothered me the same... except for the pounding heart.
I feel foggier and the front of my head is "buzzing". I also feel a little achy -- which is unusual for me.
Another thing I noticed is that it's turning my urine a brilliant shade of orange. I read about this is the literature from the pharmacy. Not sure if it's a real issue or not.
posted
I have been taking rifampin for 2 months now (300 mg BID). I had a reaction the first day or so (dizziness, exhaustion, hot and cold sweats) but then it went away.
It's actually helped me a lot so it was worth the initial reaction for me.
It does turn your urine and stool orange (lovely) but it's nothing to worry about.
Posts: 71 | From New York, NY | Registered: Aug 2008
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posted
This is my 2nd time taking Rifampin. The 1st time I took it for 8 months with Zithro and other abx.
It gave me a lot of GI issues at first and back pain!!! I did get a bit dizzy and felt ill but not right away. The worse herx for me was about 1 - 1 1/2 months into it. Then it came in waves.
It gave me great improvement for Bart. The rocking on a boat feeling was not fun at all.
I tried to go off and with in 3-4 weeks I was very ill with Bart again. Now I have been back on it again for 2 months. I still get some herxing but the improvement was rather quick this time.
It does turn your urine orange but as long as your liver enzymes are ck each month and they are good it is nothing to worry about.
Good luck.
Posts: 476 | From Columbus, Ohio | Registered: Aug 2007
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Sue vG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3143
posted
It's possible that the sensations you felt soon after taking the med were a reaction to the med and not an instantaneous herx. You might check your list of complaints against the published list of potential Rifampin side effects, though, of course, individual reactions will vary.
I took it for a few months and called it "Roughampin". It was hard stuff to take for me, and for me there was no therapeutic value. I felt so much better after going back to my "regular" meds, whatever they were at the time. But in my case, there may not have been any bart left in my system for it to work on, since I got it in 1983.
Good luck, and I hope it does the trick for you.
Posts: 1307 | From TX | Registered: Sep 2002
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