posted
Has anyone had an increased heart rate from rifampin? With a feeling of constant adrenaline?
LLMD isn't sure. Said dose is very low and told me to take the weekend off to see if I feel better.
I have POTS but this is ridiculous. I'm on a low dose (about 75mg) and been taking for six days. Thanks.
Posts: 581 | From CT | Registered: May 2008
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Judie
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posted
I had an extremely bad reaction to rifampin. I lasted on it 7 days.
My body was unable to relax and constantly tense. I only slept out of exhaustion.
It was like being on major amphetamines, but also exhausted at the same time.
Then severe knee pain, rashes and non-stop hallucinations began.
I had severe neurological symptoms. I lost the ability to hear or feel things I touched. I couldn't tell if something was hot or cold.
I'd make a phone call and couldn't hear the person on the other end.
My husband would be talking to me and I couldn't hear or see him.
None of it was a herx. Never had this crap happen before. It was terrifying.
My doc took me off, said I was allergic and not to take again.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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GretaM
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posted
Aww man!
What is is paired with?
Zithromax can affect the heart beat.
The only side effect I had from rifampin was being a stark raving lunatic for 10 days steady.
It took every bartonella symptom I had, and amplified it.
But after 10 days, it started to work on bart.
That was at 300mg. Then I went to 600, then 900.
It sounds to me like you may be allergic to it. I'm no doc, but 75mg after a week or so...the worst part should be over?
Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
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Judie
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posted
Inability to relax and the adrenaline feeling was what happened to me first on rifampin.
I first took rifampin for 4-5 days and that was my only symptom. I had to stop because it conflicted with another med that I had to start taking for a short period of time.
Not to scare you, but it was when I started up again that all hell broke lose.
Just keep track of if it gets worse when you go back to taking rifampin.
Anyone can develop an allergy at any time.
I use to be okay taking amoxicillin, but not anymore.
I was also informed that the neurological problems can become permanent, so it's good that I stopped the rifampin when all the other problems started. It took a day or two to feel back to baseline.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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Sammi
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In case you take Armour Thyroid, know that Rifampin can interfere with the absorption of Armour.
Posts: 4681 | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
I take riphamin and zith and mino and pulse flagyl..the flygal makes me super nauseous like i want to die..I have also noticed the racing heart, I don't know if my heart is actually beating faster or not but sometimes it feels like it's racing and other times when i work out I just get the racing heart all of a sudden.
The riphamin helps me greatly with weight control. When I take it I notice that my stomach doesn't look bloated, I weight less, all the ademea is gone. When I stop taking it within a week it returns. Not sure what to make of this.
Posts: 484 | From Burlingame, Ca | Registered: Sep 2005
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lpkayak
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5230
posted
It made me suicidal but i had friend watch me and the drug helprd me a lot
-------------------- Lyme? Its complicated. Educate yourself. Posts: 13712 | From new england | Registered: Feb 2004
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nefferdun
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Member # 20157
posted
You should NEVER take a short break from Rifampin. When you do you get sick, like having the flu. Your doctor should know that.
I just started it. I am on 300mg twice a day. I have more trouble sleeping and a low grade headache but that is it. I took it back in late 2009 for 3 months when I was treating bartonella the first time. It didn't help at all but I believe it was a different strain than what I have now. I hope it works better this time.
I do notice my hearing seems more muffled but my head seems to be clearing.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
I am so afraid to restart it. What should you do if you can't back off it if becomes too much?
Posts: 581 | From CT | Registered: May 2008
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Judie
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posted
Just remember YOU are in control. You can always stop if it's too much.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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posted
I forget what riphamin hits, babs or bart..It kills all your red blood cells, so it takes 4 months to make a red blood cell and it takes about a year for you to completely have created new red blood cells.
For me, riphamin was so hard to take in the beginning and now it helps me so much.
Posts: 484 | From Burlingame, Ca | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
Rifampin hits Bart. I can't take bactrim. If not cipro then what is good for bart?
Posts: 581 | From CT | Registered: May 2008
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nefferdun
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Member # 20157
posted
I am having questions about it too. I have to take a sleeping pill to fall asleep and ANOTHER one around 2:30 to be able to go back to sleep. I have the weirdest most vivid dreams - on and on craziness.
Otherwise I don't notice anything - i was wrong about my head clearing. I hope this gets better.
The NP fired me for not accepting $1600 in supplements and she only prescribes one month at a time. I have 3 weeks left. I had to order it online and was told it will take 2-3 weeks to get here. I am very nervous about running out so I guess I will have to take a half dose the last week and hope it does not make me sick.
I keep looking at my skin "things" and sure enough, I still have this blasted infection.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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Rumigirl
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posted
If you look up previous posts from me about this, I had the same reaction originally----that is, it was like having my finger stuck in a socket 24/7---horrible!
But, that was then. I worked up in dosage very slowly, starting at 150 once per day, then twice per day, working up to that dosage 4 times per day (or 300 mg twice per day).
I am now on it at that dosage, no problem. Didn't have any of those problems this time around.
It does affect the dosages of many other meds, and before I had to lower my thyroid meds, increase my meds to sleep, etc. This time, no such problem.
If I were you I would try to hang in there with it, but each person is different. And different at different points in our treatment. Of course, you should consult with your doc. But we often know our bodies better than anyone else.
Rifampin helps a lot of people, which isn't saying whether it is for you or not. Simply that it does help a lot of people, who sometimes have to hang in there with it for a while.
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Unfortunately it upset my nervous system so much it caused a Pots flare. I've been off it for a few days but having trouble calming this down. Seeing my Lyme doc tomorrow.
Posts: 581 | From CT | Registered: May 2008
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