My mother is being treated and I can see her improvement. The first 4 days on Riampicin 600mg and Doxy 200mg, were great, then, I can't recall but I think it was a truck that hit me! lol Very tired and felt 'hung over'.

I have had heart palpitations for appx. 6 weeks contiually ( never had them this long before..) and they almost stopped on day 6 of treatment. Now day 9 and they are back again, along with a multitude of strange symptoms of course.

I am wondering when and how this cycle of feeling crappy/feeling okay works? I don't know what exactly to expect. I know this sounds like a very vague question.

I am also convinced my son (10 yrs old) has it(he tested the same as myself) and i don't know what to expect regarding him either. He isn't on meds for it yet ,but I think I have to put him on.

I must also put out an apoligy(sp?) to my mom,who we all thought was kinda nuts for a while with the whole Lyme thing. I am sorry mom. Thank you for taking better care of me and mine than alot mothers are able to.

[This message has been edited by Sweetrhapsody (edited 31 December 2004).]

My daughter has lyme and bart and is very ill. She has psychiatric manifestations of the diseses and has tried suicide 5 times, that we know of..so please do not put off getting help for your son..Children have so many other issues without this junk that they can not deal.Hell, who can deal???

My daughter was misdiagnosed for over 6 years and on most families of psych drugs out there..Prozac, that is now getting criticism was given like candy and upped when her symptoms intensified..I personally do not trust many drs anymore..But with the help of lyme advocates, have found two lyme angels.

It is a long road.. I know of no shortcuts..So many protocols exist and each is individually a good or bad choice..

My thoughts would be to read the lyme info available as you can tolerate. It will be your best help..But remember what is toted as a miracle for one may almost kill another. That's how strange this all is..

And also understand that even here there can be some members that are not having good days and may be abrupt or raging at you when you post a question..Try to have thick skin..I have been singed a few times, so just understand all here are also sick.But it is a life line of hope.

If you have been sick for awhile 10 years for me,,

expect SEVERE pain and suffering.
Burning sensations all over my body like a bad sunburn, doubble vision.

Also look for TREEPATROL OR TINCUP'S newbie links of many wonderful web sites of info!

Print it off and check off sites as you read what is most important to you. You'll be reading for months otherwise.

Another suggestion, would you edit your post and break it up into more paragraphs? We like 6-10 lines of text only. We need extra blank spaces for our brain fog. You'll experience this as you go on.

Use the search feature if you want to know about certain things too. Works good.

Reactions to abx are just so individualized. Some people react very strongly to the meds because the buggers get all stirred up, they herx (have a reaction to the bacterial dieoff) and have a really rough go of it. Then there are others that do not. They seem to tolerate the meds well and slowly show improvement over time. They may feel lousy from time to time but it's pretty bearable.

I'm sort of the resident 'herx virgin' because I've been in treatment for 3 years and haven't really experienced a herx! In my case I rely more on how I feel; if there is improvment and overall diminishment in symptoms, then the buggers are getting killed off and the meds are working. I do have several days in a row where I don't feel good, but personally I don't think they are a tried and true herx.

I don't think horrible pain and suffering has to be a part of the meds working for them to be effective. I think the meds can work without a herx.

I have to agree with Betty. Certainly keep a symptoms journal to see how your symptoms react to the meds you are on and of course how you feel overall. Also you have to be cautious of allergic reactions to meds - sometimes newbies mistake an allergic reaction for a herx.

Not only do I have lyme, but two of my kids also have it. My one son definitely herxes and is right down in bed knocked out for several days. My other son has a day or two where he is quite moody about once a month, but otherwise feels basically quite good and is not effected as severely by the bacterial dieoff.

Just a little background on me because I need to even if only for myself....

I developed whopping cough (Pertussis) at 6 weeks old and almost died. Then I spent most of my teenage and adult life (now 29) wishing I had.

As a child I had been Dx with chronich bronchitis ( a cough that would literally keep me awake for 2-3 days) , many ear infections which ended up with surgery.

Severe suicidal depression at 15, hysteria, paranoia, all were medicated, but only short term. Hospitilized for suicide attempts twice.

I had my first son at 18 along with my first heart palptiations, asthma attack, and breast infection that has not resolved since.

Since then I have had 2 more children and over the last 10 yrs have been diagnosed with over 30 different illnesses.

Irritable bowel, ulcers, gallbladder was removed, cervical cancer, many strange rashes, to name just a few.

I have been told by physicians that all of these things are due to stress. I simply can't belive that.

Now have always been interested in medicine, so I am having a hard time getting past the idea that majority of the Dr's here in BC are clueless.

I have spent most of my life in pain, bad pain. I have said so many times that I would rather be in labour than the pain I have had with my stomach. The pain doesn't scare me as much as the ruining of my childrens lives.