Almost done with my 10-day Flagyl course for suspected C-Diff. Today, my neck is SO SO stiff. I'm going insane trying to stretch it out, take muscle relaxers, high-dose Vit C, Inflammacore powder, etc. It's horrible. I feel like screaming and ripping my darn neck off my torso.
It feels like the base of my neck/head is just inflamed. Not painful, not sharp/achy stabbing pains, just pure stiffness/horrid sensation to stretch muscles.
This is torture.
My former LLMD in MO said some of his patients took up to 6,000 mg of Mg daily. I never have taken more than 800 mg and it has zero affect on my bowels. Maybe I need to dramatically bump to 3,000 mg+. I'm a bigger guy and maybe need more. Who knows?
Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
Google C Diff support and go to that forum for very specific help on C Diff.
You say it's had no affect on your bowels - are you still symptomatic? What are your symptoms now?
How are you feeling? (And did you have the dreaded massive herx? Actually, sounds like you might be now... )
If the Flagyl has helped your bowels not one bit... then you may need to explore oral vancomycin.
Let us know if we can help -
Posted by bigstan (Member # 11699) on :
Yes seek I have had the same problem with the neck going on 5 years. It's an everyday thing for me. For me I have it bad right at the base of the skull in the back of the head.
Then when I turn my head to the right I feel this pain and stiffness running down to the middle of my back between the shoulder blades.
I also have the crunchy neck issues. Don't know if it's Babs or Lyme.
Posted by Energyman (Member # 29178) on :
what is c-diff?
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
This could be your flagyl herx.
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
ouch! my neck is like this daily seekie. have you had a cervical spine mri?
or, could be your flagyl herx as TF suggested...feel better!!!
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
This is just a guess about a possible therapy -
I was able to stretch out all the muscles in my pelvic area when they were so stiff I couldn't move - this was before I knew I had Lyme.
I did it in the swimming pool. It took a month before the pain started to go down. I take that to mean I was finally starting to stretch them to the point where they could get nutrients in and waste products out.
So...would the same concept work if you were to work with your neck muscles?
I think I'd try stretching them while lying down on one's back and using one's hands to stretch the neck in various ways. You basically do a stretch wherever it feels like it needs it.
It took me nine months to stretch out the pelvic muscles, so it can take some time. The benefits are accumulative.
I think I started while on pain med, since it was pretty painful initially. But I could tell I was getting somewhere, since I was able to stretch more and more.
Posted by JOLA (Member # 23498) on :
Been suffering like this for 3 years. No relief. Recently has x-rays, MRI. Very obvious disc degeneration.
Have had upper Cervical therapy done. Now looking into decompression.
Not everything can be fixed w/ABX. Also doing Rife. Also inversion therapy. Sorry I can't be more positive. Dr Ho's cervical collar may also be of help. Best wishes
Posted by amberini (Member # 21281) on :
I have serious spine issues for many, many years.
I see you ( JOLA ) had upper cervical therapy, what type of chiro did that therapy?
Decompression actually exacerbated my pain issues plus being strapped in with all that pressure gave me some anxiety.
I like the inversion therapy, too.
Right now I am in the best shape I have been in years. I found a chiro who only works on the neck which had a huge impact on my back,hips and legs. On MRI my spine/neck look as if I am in my 80's.
This is because of years of being out of alignment and muscles compensating for the out of balance, all resulting from head trauma.
I had a crunchy neck and also a clicking neck. That was my bones snapping over each other, I have a couple of paper thin disks in my neck. Since I started my therapy, no more crunching, no more clicking, more range of motion but still have a long way to go.
You are right, not everything is cured with ABX but I too, use something like Rife and have found getting my priorities back in line has helped too.
It's all connected. We must be watchful so that our mood doesn't stray into negative territory because that too will impact our health.
It's much easier to heal when our mood is more positive. Sometimes it's a really hard job to find even a crumb to be positive about but they are there, you just have to look harder.
Just stay in the moment and don't project too far down the road. Today is a gift!
Wishing all a basket of better days.
Posted by glm1111 (Member # 16556) on :
Pain in the
NECK, BACK AND SHOULDERS as well as
NUMBNESS OF HANDS AND FEET
are on the symptoms list at Humaworm for Parasites
Gael
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
I have had many cervical MRIs. Nothing major shows on them. I did have one say 4 minor bulging discs from C4-C7, but a follow-up one said it was artifact.
My neck is always stiff, but 10x worse on the Flagyl after day 6. I sympathize with all you with spinal pressure. It's been a big part of my illness since 2007. For all those here who claim to lift weights at high amounts, run 10 miles a day, etc., I don't know how on Earth y'all do it if you have these symptoms.
I think it's time to go to the chiropractor. Sometimes it provides temporary relief though I have zero faith what they do is any fix for anything.
I'll be done with the Flagyl tomorrow. Hopefully things get better afterwards. This whole Abx route seems pretty pointless honestly. I read all your posts and it's not like it's getting people better. Everyone still has major neck issues, fatigue, etc.
I wish I had access to IV Magnesium as a trial.
My air hunger was so bad last night. I had to drive myself 4 miles to a medical test at night and it was terrible. I felt like someone was literally pressing on my abdomen taking away 50%+ of my air.
There HAS to be a way to beat this. I pray I'm not at the point where IV would be my only true hope.
Bigstan, has any of your Babesia treatment helped the neck one bit?
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
Energyman, C-Diff is a very dangerous infection of the intestines often brought on by too much Abx use.
Cactus, my stools seems to be much more normal now, with the exception of two times three days ago. It went back to normal afterwards. My stomach isn't 'normal' yet, but I'm not having nearly as much problems. It does feel like there's a bit too much air in there and I'm quite gassy. lol.
I actually lost 8-10 lbs since getting that and my food consumption hasn't changed much. Strange. I NEED to lose weight though so no complaints.
Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
Seek, I'm glad things are more normal in the GI dept at least.
It can take a while for the inflammation to go away - if you have anything on hand that you like for reducing inflammation, now would be a good time to add that supplement.
Keep an eye on the GI issues to be sure it doesn't return. If you have symptoms returning (GI symptoms) please don't hesitate - call your doc. Don't mess around with C Diff.
The weight loss is normal. Stinky way to lose weight though!
Oh... and on the abx usage working/not working... They did work for me. It just took about 2 weeks short of *forever*!
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
I take a powder supplement Dr H from NY prescribed called Inflammacore. It's too expensive to take long-term, but it has a lot of good stuff in it for inflammation control. One of the best profiles I've ever seen. It's made by Ortho Molecular.
Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
Perfect - I would think that this would be a good time to use it.
With my bouts of C Diff, the inflammation seemed to linger and reducing that was key to feeling better.
I'm going to check out Inflammacore for future reference - sounds great!
Posted by JOLA (Member # 23498) on :
Amberini: I had a NUCCA (google it). They adjust your atlas back in place. It's the kind of thing Montel Williams was talking about.
It did help but my problems are far worse. I have looked into spinal decompression but the court is still out.
Inversion helped my husband stay his lumbar problems, and the tables are inexpensive so for now that's it for me.
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
Hi seek --
I had what you describe for 18 yrs--
It did not go away till I started Babs treatment-
Took about 8 months of treatment to start to go away --
Now I am perty good --
Take Glucosmine Sulfate-( GS)- 2000mg a day
It will help ALOT -- helps repair joint damage- Its cheap and worth Every penny --Jay--
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
Thanks Jay. I pray Babesia treatment helps. My gut tells me that's what's the cause of all of it. The stiffness is just unbearable. I'm glad to hear you made it out of that hellhole.
Posted by Shahbah (Member # 28735) on :
I would say flagyl herx, you need to work on your detox now!
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
I feel like screaming and ripping my darn neck off my torso.