posted
Hi...just D.C. With chronic Lyme and Bartonella since 1994. Seeing Dr. P in CT. Started on 500 mg day of tetracycline. It's only been a week.
3 days in, my usual fatigue became insane as well as neuropathy, legs buckling, nightmares, sleeping like I have mono, sobbing out of control... Some new syptoms along with constant old ones,
Can I be herxing so fast and on such a low dose? Dr P said not to increase dose of I start herxing from initial dosage. I'm just wondering what's going on inside me?
This is all so new.,,appreciate any thoughts. Thanks so much to this amazing group.
Posts: 22 | From NY | Registered: Jun 2015
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dbpei
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33574
posted
It sounds like it is hitting something. I would follow your doctor's advice and take things slowly. Dr. P has a good reputation and knows his stuff.
I am taking tetracycline as well and it can be powerful. We all react differently based on the damage this disease has done. Good luck to you. I hope you start to get some relief.
Posts: 2386 | From New England | Registered: Aug 2011
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posted
I would work up to the full dose and just dont pay too much attention to the herx, etc. Early on in treatment, everything will make you herx and that shouldnt be a sign to stop, it should be a sign to double down and pound it. A part of your issue is that you are using too low a dose, which actually can work against you.
Posts: 173 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2015
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posted
Christopher 3, if you don't mind...how does a low dose work against me? Thanhs fur your help! And thanks as well Dpei!
Posts: 22 | From NY | Registered: Jun 2015
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dbpei
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
You have an excellent LLMD. I would definitely listen to his advice on this and contact him to report your response so far to the smaller dose of tetracycline. He started you off on a smaller dose for a reason.
Dr. P sees thousands of lyme patients - and has great expertise on success and failure with antibiotic treatment. Herxing too hard is not good either. Often we need to stay on smaller dose and gradually work up to a larger dose or even switch meds.
Good luck to you, hopefulNY and keep us posted.
Posts: 2386 | From New England | Registered: Aug 2011
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WPinVA
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posted
Yes, that sounds like a herx. Your body is responding to all of the die-off. Definitely follow your doctor's advice and don't increase the dose until he tells you to. My guess is that he will have you work up slowly.
I would give his office a call and ask what he recommended for detox methods.
In the meantime, you can do gentle ones on your own, such as lemon water - lots, epsom salt baths, sweating in a sauna, and if you can gentle exercise gets the lymph system going which is good for moving the bad stuff out.
Posts: 1737 | From Virginia | Registered: Aug 2011
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TF
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Member # 14183
posted
Yes, it sounds just like a herx and the timing is right for one.
To flush out all the dead germs, drink lots and lots of water all day long with fresh lemons squeezed into it.
You can also get some Alka Seltzer Gold (it has no aluminum in it) and take that 4 times a day with lemon squeezed into it. If you can't find that, take baking soda as a substitute.
These things really help.
The water will flush out everything and the lemon juice is a cleanser of the body.
Many people are amazed at how well these things work to make them feel better. When I was treating these diseases, I drank lemon water all day long. I made it my only drink. I give that the credit for my mild herxes.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
I started off on tetracycline also with the same LLMD when I was first properly treated many years back. Is was so bad off he was concerned that the herx could kill me.
Looking back, it was the correct approach and I eventually fully recovered under his care.
As others have mentioned, do everything you can to help detox as the Toxins are where the majority of your symptoms come from.
Posts: 184 | From CT | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
Hopeful a dose that low isnt sufficient to maintain kill blood levels. Burrascano says 500 mg tid or qid. Three or four times a day. Youre basically stunning it and then giving it time to regroup
Posts: 173 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2015
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
From Burrascano, page 14:
"The TETRACYCLINES, including doxycycline and minocycline, are bacteriostatic unless given in high doses."
Do not fear, Hopeful. The lower dosage of tetra that you are taking is stopping the germs from multiplying. That is what "bacteriostatic" means. So, that is a good thing.
There is no "stunning it and then giving it time to regroup."
So, continue obeying your doctor. Remember, a dead patient can't take any meds at any dosage! It is the turtle that wins the race!
Treating lyme and coinfections is a marathon and not a sprint. We say that all the time. What it means is that it is a long race and you have to be willing to continue treating for a long, long time. Don't lose patience and do something that could be harmful to yourself.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Dr P learned a long time ago that putting a patient with a high infection load into an aggressive tx right off the bat leads to set backs or worse and ultimately a longer recovery time.
Everyone has a different situation. It is not as simple as reading an ILADS guideline and dishing out the meds.
In my case I had pretty significant cardiac involvement in the beginning of treatment. If I followed the advice from J above I likely would have died.
Posts: 184 | From CT | Registered: Aug 2006
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me
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Member # 45475
posted
Yup, I agree it sounds like a herx. Glad you are calmer now.
-------------------- Just sharing my experiences, opinions, and what I've read and learned. Not medical advice. Posts: 1431 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2015
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posted
Sorry to annoy you guys, don't know why my same post showed up 3 times ughh....who knows what my brain is doing now.
Posts: 22 | From NY | Registered: Jun 2015
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dbpei
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33574
posted
LOL. I was thinking it was me, not deleting my email notifications! Hopeful, you can delete or edit your own posts by highlighting/pressing the little icon with piece of paper with the pencil, found at the top of your post. You will be given opportunity to either edit or delete your posts. I hope I explained this okay. Posts: 2386 | From New England | Registered: Aug 2011
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