Been on rifampin for over a week now so far so good. However, now I am starting to get horrible headaches right in the front of my head and on my temples. Does anyone else have experience with this. Could this be a herx?
Thoughts?????
Thanks!
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
IMHO - It sounds like Bartonella headache to me. It should pass.
I find that as I treat, all kind of symptoms come up, one or a few at a time. I don't think it's all herxing. I hope it's from abx killing bacteria in those places.
Each time a symptom comes back it seems less intense or stays for a much shorter time.
My herxes were pretty much the same - feeling like 10 trucks had run over me, weepy eyes, odd sore throat (not the kind you get with a cold), chills, etc.
I'm sure everyone's herxes are different and as time goes on you'll be able to recognize yours.
I hope you feel better soon.
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
Did you have bart as well. How were your eyes effected?
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
Hey there!
How were your eyes effected by bart?
Posted by lululymemom (Member # 26405) on :
As I'm treating bart, I'm also getting frontal headaches.. If I hit it hard then I get alot of lightheadedness as well. For me it's definitely a herx reaction. I'm treating without abx..
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Just be aware that it COULD be the Rifampin itself. I believe I had a bad reaction to it. I began with a killer headache on day 1 and by day 5 I had to stop the med.
THREE WEEKS LATER, the 24/7 headache finally went away. I do NOT believe I had bart.
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
Hey there, tricia! Just replied to your pm about my eyes.
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
Tutu, why were you on Rifampin if you do not think you had Bart? Just wonderin'.
Three weeks of constant headache? That would make me, as my daughter would say, go die in a hole! You pooooor thing!
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
That sounds horrible TUTU!
This has been a week and half on it and I started out fine on it so it makes me wonder if it is a herx or not...
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I used to have bad migraines and this was worse! I think it caused brain swelling.
My dr knew the testing was flawed so he would give his patients trial runs of bart and babs meds to make sure they didn't have those coinfections.
I had no symptoms of bart that I know of.
Posted by txgirl09 (Member # 21612) on :
My headaches on Rifampin felt like my head and brain were swelling.
Posted by Maradona (Member # 24552) on :
Just to add rifampin has to be always taken with at least anather drug otherwise for short time will be inefective for anything,due to bacteria rezistence when we take it alone.
I know that most of people are in a lot of meds at a time but this is important to mention.
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
My doctor didnt give me another drug just this one... really....ugh and i thought i trusted that doc...but i do go back in 2 weeks so maybe they will be adding another one then
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
up
Posted by Maradona (Member # 24552) on :
The only case when Rifampin is given alone is just to protect from infection in people that are healthy but had contact with sick people .
In all other cases should be combined with other antibiotics to prevent resistance of bacteria to rifampin.
It is one of the meds that bacteria gat used to it and gat resistant if it is used alone.
Don't think doctors know everything ,sometimes they know alot but are to busy cashing the day,ore dont wont to push the right dose ore the right meds just to stay safe for them self forgat(intentionaly) to tell to the patients this includes LLMD to unfortunately.From the first day rifampin must..must..must be given in combination with other drug thats a rule of thumb for rifampin.It makes no sence to take a drug that can sent your liver to feilure like rifampin(for that do frequently labs for liver panel) in the way that will not benefit the patient,at all but just risk liver and make bacteria resistant to rifampin.
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
guess i will be emailing her i feel like a know it all when i do that.
Posted by little_olive (Member # 28063) on :
You can also start on Rifampin alone if you have known severe herxes in the past, like I do. I am on Rifampin alone for a short while, but we're planning to add Doxy or something else to it if I don't end up in the hospital within a month. Your doctor may just be testing the waters at first, but do ask him about the very real threat of resistance and make sure he has plans to add another antibiotic--don't just write him or her off for not immediately prescribing two at once.
Posted by little_olive (Member # 28063) on :
But to answer the primary question, those types of headaches are a HUGE bartonella symptom for me on their own, which gets much worse whenever I'm on treatment. I was treating with houttuynia before I was able to get on prescriptions, and they increaed a whole bunch. I'm expecting that to happen with the Rifampin as well but I just started it so I'm unsure of how dramatic the herx will be.
Posted by aMomWithHope (Member # 19255) on :
up
Posted by Sheryl777 (Member # 17804) on :
I started rifampin three days ago. The first two days were the worst headaches I've ever had and today I slept a lot.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by txgirl09: My headaches on Rifampin felt like my head and brain were swelling. [/QB]
My LLMD told me that is what happened to me... that it made my brain swell.
Posted by lpass (Member # 26781) on :
I started rifampin about two weeks ago and after 6 days I had a terrible headache too. I have one lingering symptom (head wooziness) which I'm trying to get rid of, and I actually feel more woozy than ever on the rifampin. I'm hoping it's a big die-off and that I'll feel better soon!
Lymetoo - the LLMD told you that rifampin made your brain swell? Is that a side effect?
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
ugh just got another one after my second dose of rifampin
Posted by WhitneyS (Member # 25666) on :
oh YES! I'm not alone! Yes I am feeling it right now. It does really feel like my brain is swollen. Hopefully that means its killing the ickies!
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
can i takw anything for the headache?
Posted by little_olive (Member # 28063) on :
My doctor prescribes Fioricet, high-strength Ibuprofen (400-800mg), or Lortab to take based up on the level of pain. .
Posted by lpass (Member # 26781) on :
I usually just take advil or tylenol. My llmd said both are fine to take.
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
Thanks for your responses, Im having a horrible day today, I am herxing for sure.... ugh
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by lpass:
Lymetoo - the LLMD told you that rifampin made your brain swell? Is that a side effect?
I guess so. (??) I'm pretty sure it was not a herx.
Tricia.. be careful.
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
I think its a herx...bc i had other effects besides a headache, fatigue brain fog joint pain...i felt fine friday then today feel like a truck hit me...
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
I feel lots a pressure behind my eyes today
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by tricia386: [QB] I think its a herx...bc i had other effects besides a headache, fatigue brain fog joint pain...i felt fine friday then today feel like a truck hit me...
That's another reason I felt it was a reaction to the Rifampin itself. I had no other symptoms that I remember.
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
I hope its a herx...... (
Posted by little_olive (Member # 28063) on :
Tutu are you still sick? Hard to believe someone could actually avoid getting bartonella, even harder to believe someone could have symptoms of a bart herx on bart meds and yet not have it... Then again Rifampin also treats the cyst form of Lyme so that could have been a contributing factor.
My LLMD says bart causes "lots and lots" of headaches, I know for me it's been one of my worst symptoms that got so much worse on bart treatment--whether it's Doxy, Rifampin, or even strong herbs like Houttuynia. Eye pressure and pain in the front of your head and eyes, feeling like your brain is throbbing, and pain in the temples is a dead-ringer for a herx reaction in my book.
RIFAMPIN REACHES VERY GOOD LEVELS INTO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, meaning it reaches our brain, KILLS the bacteria that is in our brain, so the herxing that involevs the brain and spinal cord is going to be the worst. The dead bacteria will cause temporary inflammation (swelling, throbbing) as the immune system moves in to eradicate the toxic remains.
Posted by lpass (Member # 26781) on :
Little_olive - I hope you're right! My head wooziness is my one lingering symptom and since I started the rifampin, it's actually gotten much worse! I'm really hoping it's just a major die off!!! I'm going into week 3 of treatment. I think I'm on it for six weeks total.
Posted by little_olive (Member # 28063) on :
lpass, one scenario could be that it's a herx from the rifampin; another could be the combinatin of medications might be too much; another could be that the Rifampin is killing the bart and letting other infections (possibly babesia) come to the surface! It's so hard to figure out sometimes. I hope you start to improve soon!
Posted by lpass (Member # 26781) on :
Thanks little_olive - I'm hoping I improve too :-) Right now I'm only being treated for bart and lyme but not babesia. None of my co-infection tests came back positive but I had the bart rash so my doc strongly believes I have bart. When I first started getting sick last year, one of my symptoms was air hunger....is that only a babesia symptom? I'm wondering if I should get treated for that as well.
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
Hey all, I think that i was definately herxing last weekend. My headaches seem to be almost gone after 4 days of intense headaches. Hopefully it was a huge die-off
Posted by little_olive (Member # 28063) on :
Glad to hear it, tricia I'm on day seven of Rifampin myself and the headaches occur about six hours after the dose--not fun!
lpass, i'll pm you Posted by JunkYardWily (Member # 24271) on :
i was also on rifampin for several weeks and had headaches the whole time. i personally believe its a side effect from the medication as no other abx i have taken, and ive take a dozen or so, ever gave me this reaction.
i took small amounts of ibuprofen for it as i didnt want to add to liver stress.
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I'm on day seven of Rifampin myself and the headaches occur about six hours after the dose--not fun!