I am sure this topic has been covered here, a million times, so I do apologize, but I am facing, for the first time, ramping up my treatment, and I would really like to know what to expect.
I am already struggling in the areas of pain, fatigue, and my cognitive symptoms are getting worse, lots of trouble understanding what I am listening to, reading, even writing now, but I know it is bound to get worse, and I have questions.
The fear of the unknown is greater than knowing what I can expect, so if you can help, I will be grateful.
What are some symptoms I can expect? What will I still be able to do? Anything? Walk my dog? Celebrate my son's birthday? Attend a family reunion?
I know a few people who say they still function and push forward, even while herxing, so I have heard everything from this to being completely bed ridden for a while.
I am getting nervous and scared and trying to detox, etc., but what will really help?
I read that Buhner recommends Smilax, then others (most, it seems) now recommend Burbar (sp?) for herxing. Do you recommend either of those for herxing?
Through the years, I have been able to push myself through a lot. Ideally, I could have a couple of weeks to stay home and do nothing, and get better, but unfortunately, life goes on.
Already seeming to have a rougher time: slept for 12 hours last night and I could go back to bed right now (but I won't). Going out to walk the dog right now (after tons of lemon juice and a detox bath).
I am SO unmotivated, though, and I don't know what to do with myself these days. This is my third day in a row of "doing nothing," watching laundry pile up, etc. I just want to go back to bed. However, I don't really think I am experiencing a big "herx" reaction....yet.
If you could share how much worse it might get, I would like to hear your stories, so I know what I might expect, knowing that, of course, everyone is different, etc.
Thanks, friends!
-------------------- Best Wishes,
Hope
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."
~~The Shawshank Redemption~~ Posts: 234 | From Minnesota | Registered: Dec 2010
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CherylSue
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 13077
posted
Keep drinking fresh lemon or lime water. I add truvia sweetener with mine and drink it with a straw.
Take it all day long if you need to. It works as well or better than anything else I've taken.
My LLMD says to back up from a bad herx. Don't push through it. Either cut the dose or pulse. Need to let toxins clear from the body.
Posts: 1954 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2007
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I was scared too at the start. I talked to my LLMD and he decided to go slowly with my treatment. He staggered and low dosed the meds to start each time to see if I had even an minimal affect. This way any herxing was very mild and your body built up to the max abx dose.
The only issue I had was with rifampin (which as told by many on here has a huge herx for bart). I stopped it after only 2 pills and the herx made me ill and I had to lay or sit around for a few days till it wore off. I never went back on it again.
You can do whatever you use to do. According to my doctor a herx should never be so intense that you cannot function. That type of herx is dangerous to your body and should be added to the issues of lyme and co's. If you feel any type of herx like that you are to stop the abx and then begin again at very low doses and gradually increase or change abx all together.
-------------------- Diagnosed with chronic neuro lyme 12/10 after 30 years of vertigo.2 tick bites in 3 yrs from upstate NY. Was on omincef for nine mths..zith and rifampin stopped.Remission~ All the pain and symptoms are back and I am not treating now with biaxin. Posts: 788 | From New york..queens | Registered: Nov 2010
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posted
I would call it a roller coaster effect. Some days you just can't get out of bed. Other days you feel well enough to cook dinner. I agree with annier that the herxing must not get out of control. You can stop and take a few days off if that helps....or lower the dose.
I stopped because I was getting way too sick. But I still felt lousy. When about 5 or 6 days later I started up again I actually improved. So I am thinking that these nasty little bugs cycle and when they are dying off you feel terrible.
I have yet to try the lemon juice and will do so asap. I do take long epson salts baths and they help. I take milk thistle twice a day and drink herbal teas.
Any more advice from all you smart lymies?
-------------------- DOCTOR: "I don't think you are sick." PATIENT: "We are all entitled to our opinions. I don't think you are a doctor." Posts: 697 | From Northern California | Registered: Jul 2009
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karenl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17753
posted
I didn't read the answers but I avoid herxing by starting on small dosage.
Posts: 1834 | From US | Registered: Oct 2008
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
I guess you've seen it written the only thing worse than having lyme disease is treating lyme disease.
That is true a high % of the time. Just do good things for your body to help it detox the dead bacteria away.
Remeber these guys don't go down without a fight. They actually release more toxic material into your body while they are fighting.
So think of bad times as Die bad boys die!!!!!
IMO it's best to start slow and work youself up to recommended doses. But that's just my opinion and the good LLMD I had the pleasure of working with for a couple years. My journey to him was a couple years too late, but I did benefit in many ways from things he taught me.
He also recommended starting one abx and not starting the next one until one-two weeks later to see how your body will react.
We are all different. There is no set in stone, gospel, cured and done news to be shared. You could be very lucky and the road could be not so bad for you.
All I want you to do with abx is learn all you can about detoxing and getting rid of toxic matter as quickly as possible.
That means detoxing thru your largest organ the skin. Detoxing thru the urinary track and the GI track. Again there is no gospel set in stone rules of do's and don't.
You will just have to find what works for you. Colon needs to be in fine working order. You don't want dead bacteria and toxins sitting in your colon and GI and be reabsorbed into your body again.
Water drinking is key. Safest water you can drink. Do some research on drinking good water. Water should be your drink of choice.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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I just keep imagining Mandy, in UOS, and how sick she was, and then hearing about others and reading stories, etc., and not feeling so hot myself, and I didn't know if I had to lock myself in a room for a month or two or if I could try to keep going or what. Just didn't know what to expect.
I do realize we are all different, but again, there are so many activities this summer that I guess I should try to plan around and not really up my meds at a time when events are coming up.
Oh, and btw, I am going the "all natural abx" route for now, anyway, just so you know.
The only thing I do drink is water and water with lemon....all day long, and I do the detox baths. If too tired to bathe, I do the foot baths.
I am glad to hear that the lemon water is so effective, because I cannot afford some of the suggested items, and lemons and water don't cost much!
My doctor suggested Alka Seltzer Gold, but I can't find anywhere, so have to order online. She said to drink it like three to four times a day. Anyone try this?
Anyone try Smilax or Burbur?
All your responses have already helped me, SO much, so I really thank you!
Still trying to learn and figure it all out.
-------------------- Best Wishes,
Hope
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."
~~The Shawshank Redemption~~ Posts: 234 | From Minnesota | Registered: Dec 2010
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posted
Good to Use Uos as a motivating tool, but don't overthink it or overwatch it. Iwelcome the herx....die bb die and your buddies babs and myco and Erlich.
-------------------- NWOODS WI/ bit May08 diagnosed Jul08 Lyme March 09 symptoms return Ehrlichiosis pos.no Lyme? Feb 11 CD57=26 Mycoplasma 343 Babesia 55.2 HHV6 5.8 WB CDC POSITIVE 31++ 39+ 41++ 58++ 66+ 83+ WB IGG POSITIVE 31++ 34 IND 39 IND 41++ 58++ Posts: 55 | From the Lyme Mine | Registered: Dec 2010
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posted
I think, onlyflippin, that it can last days to weeks, depending upon the person. That is what I have read.
I like what I am reading that we don't necessarily have to "tough it out" and go through this if it is too difficult.
We can cut back a while before ramping up again so we are not miserable the entire time (in my case, my entire summer).
I know some who just plow through the herxing and keep going, but wow. I already plow through so much pain and fatigue that I don't know if I could do that, either.
Thanks for all the responses.
-------------------- Best Wishes,
Hope
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."
~~The Shawshank Redemption~~ Posts: 234 | From Minnesota | Registered: Dec 2010
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