My headaches are gone (the pounding morning headaches) after 10 or 20 years. I had more energy and was clearer.
On day 3 I was wiped out, seemed like a hers.
Muscle twitches increased.
I had a couple of good days, then yesterday I noticed the increased clarity was gone.
Again today I am so wiped out. My glands hurt, I have a specific ice pick headache and my tear ducts hurt (seems like the pressure in my head is changing) my ears hurt
calves are killing me
Lots of muscle twitching
More brain fog
My feet/soles hurt (I have never had this symptom).
So...
It seems like this is a herx, but please reassure me that it will go away and I will feel better again (I was so hopeful when I felt better...like something was FINALLY clearly helping my neuro stuff)
I am dense, but it does seem like this would indicate that I have a big Bart load right? Because I have never tested positive I always have to ask this question. There are so many indications that I have Bart, but I never had any idea.
Please share your experiences. I would like to know I will get past this and feel good again, like I did for a couple of days that gave me some hope.
Thanks to all!
-------------------- Tick bite in 2006, bullseye rash, treated with 2 rounds of 2 weeks of doxy. (once in 2006, once in 2009) Dx with chronic Lyme May 2011. LLMD April 2012, Treating with omnicef/zith Lots of supplements! Posts: 640 | From Connecticut | Registered: Apr 2011
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posted
The one good thing is that the pounding frontal "sinus" type headaches are STILL gone.
forgot to mention that I am only taking 1 of the two daily doses (500 mg as opposed to 1000)
And I have lots of pain everywhere.
Thanks
-------------------- Tick bite in 2006, bullseye rash, treated with 2 rounds of 2 weeks of doxy. (once in 2006, once in 2009) Dx with chronic Lyme May 2011. LLMD April 2012, Treating with omnicef/zith Lots of supplements! Posts: 640 | From Connecticut | Registered: Apr 2011
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
a lot of it sounds good to me...like a herx. but the pain in the calves concerns me. you might want to look into the tendon problems that go with cipro-not just what your doc says...mine said it only was a problem if it hurt your achilles...i had serious problems with tendons in arms so he thought no problem. he was wrong...
did you do rifampin? i had many of those sx while herxing on it but i stuck with it and many did not come back. esp the feet.
just talk to others about the tendon problem-im not doing well right now and dont want to mess you up if you are getting better-but for me the tendon problem became permanent. good luck.
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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Kudzuslipper
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31915
posted
sounds like a herx to me. although I question whether Bart causes a herx? I thought that was specific to bb die off. (yes, no, maybe?) But it does sound like you hit something. The calves worry me too. I got a big boost the first few days on cipro...then I herxed, and then I felt good for a long time (i was on ceftin, cipro and a flagyl pulse for 4 months) I would emotionally crash every time I was on Flagyl, but then in May, I never came back up from the crash, and every fiber started hurting-- LLMD thought it was from the cipro so I stopped and things got better. (but I also started cymbalta)
it is so hard to know what is a side effect and what is a herx. A herx should go away in a few days. Just be careful about tendons... llmd said it was in the long tendons...but I did feel immediately better when I stopped.
But the feet burning and stabbing head pain seems like a typical bart symptom. I never had joint pain, just muscle pain until I started abx... now I have no muscle pain.
good luck.
Posts: 1728 | From USA | Registered: May 2011
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So this means I have Bart right? I wouldn't herx if Ididn't have it? I always feel like these herxes are confirmatory of what is going on and this is the first time I have felt a definitive herx with "hallmark" symptoms.
slipper...how long did it take until you felt better from your herx.
Kayak.....thank you. I had an allergic reaction to rifampin on the first dose.
Is calf pain also a symptom of Bart?
Thanks so much your responses were exactly what I needed.
-------------------- Tick bite in 2006, bullseye rash, treated with 2 rounds of 2 weeks of doxy. (once in 2006, once in 2009) Dx with chronic Lyme May 2011. LLMD April 2012, Treating with omnicef/zith Lots of supplements! Posts: 640 | From Connecticut | Registered: Apr 2011
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
YES-YOU HERX WHEN TREATING BART-many of us have described it
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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Andie333
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7370
posted
I'm currently taking rifampin and have a LOT of the symptoms you describe: the headaches, muscle aches, eye pain.
I also had the mental fogginess, after a period of thinking I was finally getting some clarity.
I've decided all this is a herx, instead of a step backwards. These symptoms come and go for me, cycling every 10 days or so.
I think that's a common herx pattern with the co-infections.
I hope you and i both make progress...
Posts: 2549 | From never never land | Registered: May 2005
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surprise
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34987
posted
Ditto on the rifampin continuous herx symptoms.
I'm surprised (ha!) because I've been on it now for 6 weeks I think, and still feel 'Bart-y'.
I treated Bart last year, but not nearly enough, so here I am again.
Hang in there, difficult infection.
-------------------- Lyme positive PCR blood, and positive Bartonella henselae Igenex, 2011. low positive Fry biofilm test, 2012. Update 7/16- After extensive treatments, doing okay! Posts: 2518 | From USA | Registered: Nov 2011
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posted
I am using Byron White herbal A-Bart and those r all the herxing symptoms I get.Plus the ones Addie333 mentioned, Including the calves.
Its been my hardest to knock down.
Posts: 905 | From Santa Cruz,Calif | Registered: Aug 2005
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Kudzuslipper
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31915
posted
Good to know you herx on Bart too... I just thought it was a thing unique to spirohetes. but it makes sense.
PME...I will check my journal and come back with how long before I felt better.
Posts: 1728 | From USA | Registered: May 2011
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Kudzuslipper
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31915
posted
Hi PME, of course we are all different... but I started cipro and flagyl together on February 19th. (flagyl was for two weeks every two weeks) I had a few good days sprinkled in those last two weeks (i herx at the end of the month beginning of the next) but then I had 3 GOOD weeks in March. I herxed again the last two weeks of March, but then in Arpil I only had 3 bad days total (at the end of the month.) Then all hell broke loose in MAY and stopped taking the cipro right before memorial day.
Hope you have some good days beyond this herx.
Posts: 1728 | From USA | Registered: May 2011
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posted
Slipper Thanks so much for checking your journal for me. That was so nice
I just haven't seen much in the way of good news on here regarding cipro. Called llmd yesterday. She was thrilled with what I reported. Her response was very encouraging
It would be great if something would finally work after all this time.
Maybe all the people who did well on cipro are doing so well that they aren't here anymore? One can hope!
-------------------- Tick bite in 2006, bullseye rash, treated with 2 rounds of 2 weeks of doxy. (once in 2006, once in 2009) Dx with chronic Lyme May 2011. LLMD April 2012, Treating with omnicef/zith Lots of supplements! Posts: 640 | From Connecticut | Registered: Apr 2011
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Congratulations! Be optimistic with this one! Your doc gives it out because it works!
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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I don't feel like congratulations are in order...especially given that I fully need to sleep right this second, but instead am running around helping other people with their kids (people who are well enough to run a soccer tournament).
People are too darn used to me being strong, and I don't have it in me. And "no" isnt an option sometimes.
I am so shaky right now I just need to sleep.
But I can tell that this is a herx, and I never even thought I had Bart. I feel like maybe this was "'it" all along, that Bart was the primary infection. But I won't count my chickens so to speak.
So thanks for the congrats....IF this works then I feel it is because of you for leading me to my current doctor, who is a doll.
-------------------- Tick bite in 2006, bullseye rash, treated with 2 rounds of 2 weeks of doxy. (once in 2006, once in 2009) Dx with chronic Lyme May 2011. LLMD April 2012, Treating with omnicef/zith Lots of supplements! Posts: 640 | From Connecticut | Registered: Apr 2011
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