I've identified what I think is my herxing pattern. I seem to be herxing roughly every third day. I'll feel okay for 2-3 days and then 'wham', 2-3 days and then'wham'. Be interested in knowing if others have or had this type of pattern and as the abx worked did those days get further apart?

Also, could be a coincidence because one of my kids had a slight cold but, since I started Biaxin about a week ago, when I take a deep breath, I experience a slight discomfort burning like sensation and I cough quite a bit. Could be a cold except I don't really ahve any other symptoms. Anyone else experience something like this with Biaxin?

My pattern is somewhat similar ... a few "good" days, and then whammo.

The thing that worries me, and that I've been meaning to post about, is that "good" is very relative. It means I feel lousy instead of really, really lousy.

People often mention their good days ... should my expectation be actually good?? Like, near pre-lyme? Or just not as bad?

How about yours?

I'm not on biaxin, so can't help there.

Yes, that's about the same for me. My 'good' days on a scale of 1 to 10, with say 3 being 'feeling good', are at about a 5 to 6. On bad days, it's around a 9, if that makes sense. I actually keep a chart like this to help me see any progress.

I haven't had the cycle that you 2 are talking about but I have had constant 3 and below days for a very long time.

During that time (about 2 years), I had 3 two-week periods where I felt good. Good meaning 8, 9 or 10 rated days.

I'm now having a cycle within a cycle but I am pivoting between good and bad more. I actually have 2 cycles per month. One cycle lasts a short time and one cycle lasts a long time.

The only way I've gotten here is by treating Babesia (so far). I also have Ehrlichia, Bartonella and mycoplasma.

Another reason you could have multi-cycles could be that you've been infected many times.

I'm not sure what treatments you've both had but coinfections seem to be a big culprit in causing lack of response to therapy.

Take care,

I was reading Dr B's guidlines, that lyme is only able to be killed in its growth phase, and this growth phase is every 28 days.

I was told this by my LYME MD, to expect a herx aorund day 4 of treatment, and another one around week 4.

After this, to expect a herx or worsening of symtpoms every 4 weeks.
You would be able to tell if therapy was working if each herx every 4 weeks lessened in severity.

Here is what Dr B has to say...

"It has been observed that symptoms will flare in cycles every four weeks. It
is thought that this reflects the organism's cell cycle, with the growth
phase occurring once per month (intermittent growth is common in Borrelia
species). As antibiotics will only kill bacteria during their growth phase,
therapy is designed to bracket at least one whole generation cycle. This is
why the minimum treatment duration should be at least four weeks. If the
antibiotics are working, over time these flares will lessen in severity and
duration. The very occurrence of ongoing monthly cycles indicates that
living organisms are still present and that antibiotics should be continued."

Every 4 weeks I have had the lyme herx, but also herxes off and on throughout therapy... of the antibiotics, BUT! the 4 weeks herxes are the worst.

Dr B says, that spirochete;s other then lyme can have intermitent growth phases...
and possibly from what I have read and learned... coinfection can be being killed throughout the month.
So, if one is having herxes throughout the month, suspect something other then lyme being killed, such as another spirochete, or a coinfection?.

Any comments?

I am trying to study all of this, to learn it to the best I can so I can beat this.

thanks,

Thx for your reply. I've read Dr. B's stuff and it sure sounds plausible. I don't know that my Dr. who is a high up board member with ILADS subscribes to that exact hypothisis. He told me everyone seems to have their own unique cycle of symptom flairs. Now, whether it's herxing or just the symptoms of the disease waxing and waning, no one really knows. One thing he told me was that at some point it's almost as if a switch triggers for some people and they start experiencing less symptoms. He also told me that in a lot of his patients, after about a week on abx, their symptoms will flair and it could last a month (or more in some cases) All I know is I just started a new combo treatment with Pen. and Biaxin and into the 4th day, I'm really having a strong flair (herx) But, even before this latest round of abx, I seemed to be pretty symptomatic every 3rd or 4th day. Go figure.

That is good to hear about what your Dr said. Especially when he has found this with many of his patients.

thanks, I am glad you wrote that to me, makes me feel better. From what i read, the Dr's dont quite yet know exactly how this lyme bacteria works, they are learning slowly as we get better.