I just started taking medication 2 days ago for Bart (I'm only on half dose for the first 2 weeks, so not very strong).
When will I notice a herx or the "feeling worse before better" thing? Does that usually happen instantly? Within a few days, weeks? I've only taken 2 pills so far but have not noticed anything.
Posts: 62 | From Chicago, IL | Registered: May 2014
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droid1226
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
What meds are you taking? How well do you detox?
I'd keep slowly increasing. But it really depends on what you are taking. Two pills is not enough sample size. I'd keep at the pace you're on and slowly increase if you are afraid of a bad herx.
I think I detox pretty well. I haven't herxed much at all (just the very first time I took a medication after testing positive for Lyme).
What do you mean "two pills is not enough sample size"?
I'm not really afraid of a herx, I'm just wondering when you should expect one to happen? Sometimes I actually worry I won't herx and I won't react at all. Can it take a while for a herx to start or would it happen instantly if it were going to?
Posts: 62 | From Chicago, IL | Registered: May 2014
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TF
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posted
He means that 2 pills are not enough to bring on a herx.
There is no set rule about herxing. Everyone is different. I was like you. I had my first and only herx when I first got on good lyme treatment.
I never herxed with bart treatment or babs treatment. I got rid of all 3 of these diseases 10 years ago.
It seems like your doctor has set up the treatment plan so that you don't get any adverse effects from the bart treatment. That is why he is ramping you up to full treatment over 2 weeks.
My guess is that you won't herx at all since you are doing the ramping.
If you let us know what med you have started, we can give you a better idea of what to expect.
Is it levaquin, Bactrim DS, or something else?
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Thanks TF. I am on Levaquin for Bart right now. I don't even like telling people that because I know the flood of warnings I'll get
I'm aware of the terrible side effects, and my doctor has me slowly ramping up like you said. We are carefully watching for side effects.
I have this weird idea in my head that I WANT a herx so that I know something is happening. Or I just want symptoms to instantly disappear Yeah right...
I tested CDC & Igenex positive for Lyme. I did not test positive for Bartonella, but my LLMD strongly believes I have Bart and many of the symptoms. It's hard to accept and trust a clinical diagnosis, so I was hoping to see something from the meds as proof, ya know?
Posts: 62 | From Chicago, IL | Registered: May 2014
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droid1226
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I felt nothing but better on Levaquin. I was on a double the maximum dose.
I know most will tell you horror stories but 4 months of double dose daily and I was just feeling better and better.
I'm off now because of the the horror stories and I had my 2 best months off antibiotics all together so I'm trying to get back to that. But I'm not ruling out going back on it.
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I took Levaquin for 30 days. Then, my doc switched me to Bactrim DS which treats bart and babs. I stayed on that about 11 months.
That is how I got rid of bart and babs. I never herxed on these treatments. But, once I started the Bactrim, I got weekly babs flares. They were really bad for 48 hours every week.
So, you will likely have your own unique experience. Let us know how it goes. We are rooting for you!
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
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posted
"I have this weird idea in my head that I WANT a herx so that I know something is happening."
Ahhhhhhhhh!!!! :yikes:
I am laughing, and you may be too, but if a bad one hits I am not crying with you!!! Ouch, ouch, ouch!!!
posted
Droid, how long did it take for you to notice symptoms improving or going away once you started the Levaquin? I've been on it a couple days (at half dose), and I'm already freaking myself out that I'm not noticing anything Posts: 62 | From Chicago, IL | Registered: May 2014
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
It is not realistic to expect changes in 4 days. Give it a month at the full dose and see if you notice any changes then.
They say that treating these diseases is a marathon and not a sprint. So, in other words, nothing changes quickly. It is a very slow process with little changes over a long period of time.
So, I suggest you get out a calendar and count 5 1/2 weeks from now and make a note to think about any symptom relief then.
You may want to make a list of your symptoms now because, with these diseases, what often happens is that as soon as a symptom leaves us, we forget about it. So, we never think about the improvements, just all the symptoms that are left still bothering us.
So, make your list now and then in 5 1/2 weeks you can look at it and see if anything has gone away.
Also, some lyme docs have a patient keep a daily diary of how they are feeling--symptoms they are having and rate the day from 1 (terrible) to 10 (outstanding).
If you do that, you can watch to see if you are rating the days better than when you first started treating bart.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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