How do u tell if it's a Herx, getting worse, side effect or a new co-infection surfacing?
Posted by map1131 (Member # 2022) on :
That's a loaded question tricia. Let me think about how to guide you in knowing the diff.
I have a site on a email I received from a lyme support group friend. I told myself to save this url so I could send info to you pertaining to Gardasil vaccine.
Are you still having the urinary issues and have you read everything you need to read on Gardasil vaccine?
I'll be back to try to explain and answer you question.
Pam
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Tricia-I honestly have no idea.
I thought I had it figured out...but I don't.
Posted by VV (Member # 38828) on :
You got me. It all sucks.
Posted by RZR (Member # 20953) on :
Been dealing with this crap for 4-1/2 years now and still can't tell the difference myself....all so frustrating.
Posted by map1131 (Member # 2022) on :
Okay it probably took me about 12 months to figure out what was happening. But I'm very in tune with my body. I became an expert on being in tune when I became ill with lyme & co.
So lets see if I can put this into words. My PCP had me doxy from early on. The first month he also added in Amoxy/Amp I don't remember which one.
He added in z-pack. Of course I didn't realize what herxing was about. I only knew I was feeling like he!! and this was not like using abx when I had a sinus infection. That got better with a few days.
So I'm not going to even think I can explain my first 60 days of abx. It was horrific. Two months without abx, ++ Epstein Barr and we changed courses.
Back on abx within 2 mths. This started as single abx at one time. But large dosages. I would herx almost continual and there was never any feeling better.
I soon realized I wanted to change it up. I asked my PCP to put me on Biaxin 1000mg a day. I started feeling better in a couple months.
So I stayed with Biaxin for months. Yes, finally I was making progress. Working was going ok. Still having some sx but I could handle this.
Out of the blue my sx changed and I started having sx all over again that had been gone. So the bad guys had changes their make-up and were able to hide from this abx.
So it was on to the next. Don't remember which one, I'm talking about 13+ yrs ago. I believe it was a combo though.
Within 3 months once again I could tell the grace like period was over and sx came roaring back again. It was literally a 3-4 month switch that happened to me.
So this went on from July '99-Jan '02 with my PCP. He actually then put me on IV rocephin. I this time I had an appt with LLMD in April '02.
My insurance company only ok'ed 4 weeks of IV. My PCP called on 4th week and told them I needed 2 more weeks. They ok'ed that but the fight was on.
It worked to advantage because it was 10-12 days before my scheduled appt with LLMD. My PCP was thrilled I was seeing a specialist. He was so nervous about having me on orals and then IV.
I had not had a positive ELISA and I had several from Lab Corp.
The LLMD had a list of all my abx and length of time. We discussed that Biaxin was the only one that gave me any good days. He told me there were some abx that he uses on his patients that I had never done.
My Igenex Western Blot came back IgM with an highly positive 13 bands and some were ++ and +++. There was an anti-body party going on in my body.
So began the new abx. The new abx put me in a continual state of herxing. I mean I literally was a walking talking toxic matter.
I was taking a shower and falling to the couch exhausted from taking a shower. I might get up during the day and try some light chores?
I would try to go to BB or FB games with my husband. We are season ticket holders. I missed many games. I couldn't leave some days.
Literally I was in a non-stop herx cycle and the LLMD 4 mths later switched me to new abx protocol. Same results.
So ill if I made a grocery list by looking at the ad items. The sale was over before I could get to store. It might take me 3 weeks before I would drag myself to the grocery store.
Yes, my husband works in grocery store. He would pick up items so we at least at something to fix for dinner. We couldn't afford to eat out/take out, so I would make dinner in shifts.
Literally it would take me all day to get one basic meal together. My husband is not a good grocery shopper. At all. lol I think it's intentional.
So my herxes were entirely different than my resistant periods to certain abx. I never found an abx with my LLMD that made me feel better.
In fact I can remember thinking I was dying a slow death by abx. So that is why I started reading and researching rife.
The most amazing spiritual thing happened to me. Rife was one year of rifing for maybe 10 minutes every 10-14 days and herxing like crazy.
As soon as I felt my body starting to feel better, I rifed again. So went the cycle for months upon months.
I hope this relates to what some of you are experiencing and can explain the difference between a herx and abx failure.
Pam
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Great post, Pam. Very helpful!
Posted by CherylSue (Member # 13077) on :
A relapse just stays....Herxing or a reaction to abx or herbs lifts once the offender is stopped (usually takes a few days) or you take a detoxifier like activated charcoal capsules.