Hello all, I'm new here and have yet to be diagnosed with LD, however I'm fairly certain that I do have it. My appt with an LLMD is in two weeks.
I think I acquired this disease last July, as I had a bulls-eye rash on my stomach last July/August. It went away so I thought nothing of it.
This fall my hands began giving me some arthritic problems, nothing major, just minor aches that I never had before. Then in January my main symptoms appeared. I had a bilateral small rash above each armpit about 3 or 4 days before I came down with tendonitis in each elbow. The pain moves around in my arms/hands/wrists, and then it moved to my first knuckle causing pain but not being visibly swollen.
I thought this was caused by something I did (long hours at the computer) however then my forearms began to feel like they were sunburned yet were not. About 5 weeks later my calves started to get the same type of burn, which really freaked me out.
Needless to say, after much research, I remembered the rash that I had had and began to attempt to piece this thing together.
3 weeks ago I began taking 200mg of doxy twice per day. After 3 days what was once pain, now turned into a weird almost chilling sensation that was in the areas of pain. This sensation happened everywhere that I had previously had pain! It continued for about a week and then I was totally symptom free for the next week. Now, in the 3rd week I've been having some muscle pain and joint pain in the previously affected areas. I have not had the burning sensation since starting the doxycycline.
So, (I apologize for the length of this post) what "exactly" does a Herx feel like and how can you distinguish if what you're experiencing is a Herx, or if your symptoms are getting worse? Also, is it normal for your symptoms to get worse? If so, how do you know the abx are working?
Paul
Thanks in advance for anyone who takes the time to read this, and to respond.
Posted by peacemama (Member # 17666) on :
Hi Paul. Welcome.
I've been experiencing "herxing" for 17 months now. In November of 2008 I posted a similar message.
To me, treating lyme is like walking backwards through your disease all over again.
And then, you feel better and then, you cycle through another layer.
You ask the million dollar question. How do you know if your symptoms are just getting better or if the treatment is working? Well, you just have to trust in some ways. I have better stretches between herxes.
Sometimes, for me though, it takes an outside eye to remind me that it is getting better.
Some people keep a log at lymelog.com
I ask my doctor, or some of my friends or I talk to my husband.
I remember when I used to think my pain was from sleeping wrong or carrying wrong or typing too much. It was all just the cycles of the disease.
Hang in there. I hope your LLMD is affirming for you.
Bulls Eye rashes are ALWAYS Lyme.
Posted by cjbrklich (Member # 24607) on :
Paul we are in the same boat. I started with amoxacillin 2 1/2 weeks ago and just this past friday increased it from 500 mg to 1000 mg. The ackes and pains are a little worse then before but a new symptom has shown up that I never had before. The outside of my legs are very painful. I can't realy tell if it is the muscle or the skin that hurts. It's just a stipe down the side. They hurt to touch and when I walk and then I get some stabbing pains along with it. I'm guessing it's herx but I really don't know. I'm like you, how do you know if it is a herx which would be a good thing because that means it's working. Or just new symptoms showing up. I've never heard anyone describe pain on the sides of their legs. I hope you start feeling better soon.
Posted by PaulR2006 (Member # 25519) on :
Hi CJ, I have that same exact symptom! It's a pain that goes down a strip on your outer lower leg. Mine is on the back, outside of my calf and it originates on the outside, just under the knee. Prior to the abx that symptom was much worse for me, however it's gotten better since I began abx. I hope you get better soon as well cj. I'll keep in touch as it looks like we're going down similar roads.