I'm feeling kind of discouraged because I just started treatment a couple months ago...
working up slowly, 2 new medications and I don't seem to be having that hers reaction.
not that i "want" it, but if i don't have that reaction does it mean the meds aren't working for me or getting at my lyme?
Posted by Judie (Member # 38323) on :
Not everyone has a "noticeable" herx. I've been in treatment for a couple years and only herxed 2 times with all the meds I've been on. They were very short-lived (one was a day, one was a few days).
I think PMS was worse.
I've been on numerous meds and sometimes you just feel better and better.
I think the issue that's more concerning if you've been on the same meds for several months and there has been NO improvement. That's when you know something isn't working.
Sometimes the changes aren't dramatic. It's a marathon, not a sprint.
Posted by Brinkley929 (Member # 43812) on :
Thanks Judie.
I started out in June on Ceftin (my first med). I had a mild fever and sore throat a few days after being on it. It went away, and I stayed on it up until now, with no improvement at all.
My LLMD said that particular medication just might not be working for me, and that not every medication works the same for every person.
So he just started me on 2 new meds and I'm "pulsing". It's my 3rd day and no noticeable herd.
It's hard to remember sometimes it's a marathon and not a sprint, especially when you aren't seeing any improvement...
I guess being only 3 months into treatment is barely anything though.
Posted by Judie (Member # 38323) on :
"I had a mild fever and sore throat a few days after being on it."
That sounds like a herx to me. Both times a herx happened to me it was 3 days into treatment.
A herx is usually just symptoms from the initial die off when the body is overwhelmed by initially attacking the infection with a new antibiotics.
The keyword is overwhelmed. You don't want to herx/overwhelm your body too much anyway because it's already in a weakened state.
Symptom should subside from a herx as you continue treatment or something is being missed (it's actually an allergy, detox problems, etc...)
It's strange to just treat with ceftin alone. It's usually paired with doxycycline or something else. Maybe the doctor just wanted to start slowly to see if you could even tolerate meds (just guessing).
I didn't notice much difference on ceftin alone myself, it just made me tired (I accidentally took it by itself for awhile).
I know someone who had recently been bit and the doc treated with both doxy and ceftin right off the bat.
Posted by yanivnaced (Member # 13212) on :
I'd say hang in there you are still very early into it.
My child is 7 months into treatment and still I cannot discern a clear pattern of herx/improvement. There seem to be brief periods where he seems marginally improved only to backslide for longer periods. And overall he seems the same or worse than 7 months ago.
And the herxes (or flare ups) typically don't coincide at all with meds and rotations.
I'm very curious how other Lymenet members were in their first year of treatment - did most have any herx + improvement cycles? And did each cycle result in a slightly better baseline? Quite difficult treating for months/years without any improvements or even response patterns to the abx!
Posted by surprise (Member # 34987) on :
I realize this can be 'controversal' perhaps, but I personally don't agree with pulsing antibiotics in your first 3 months of treating Lyme and co- infections.
Very possible the bacteria become resistant/ ineffective pulsing on and off- at beginning of treatment.
As far as treating children, often their 'guts can slide' w/ antibx treatment quickly, or had been on the brink/ not healthy in the first place,
may want to do a urine OAT test to see if yeast or bad bacteria is present, which will present as unfavorable behaviors/ not well in children. Diet is HUGE in treating children-