Does anyone else have varying degrees of herxing? Or, how about experiencing clammy-type sweating, kinda makes you take your temp., but when you do -it's normal.

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Originally posted by ALSLYME:
These herx cycles -- what's the norm for how long they last? why are some months worse than others?

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I would say there's no norm. Seems that the months that are worse are the ones where your abx was the most successful!

Actually, it all depends on where you are in your healing. Mine used to seem endless. So, I guess they weren't technically herxes. I just felt awful for months in the beginning. Now, I can be sure I will herx at every full moon. I am usually in and out of bed for one day of that and feel crummy but functional for 2 or 3. I have been in tx for 2-1/2 years.

Good to see you again! It was soooooo nice to meet you and get to spend some time with you at the conference. I only wish we had more time to spend together and we were doing something more fun.. like eating ice cream or something.

I looked for you Sunday at the Conference but couldn't find you. I had an idea.. YES I REALLY DID ... thanks to you.. and I wanted to discuss it when you feel like writing. I would imagine you are running a bit slow if you are chatting about herxes. Me too.. so no hurry on getting back.

My brain is not being nice to me lately... so take your time. Hopefully I will actually discover I still have a brain soon. Ya think?

Anyhow.. about the herxes. I think the Devil invented them if you really want to know. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

My theory is..

All herxes last too long. I've never gotten up in the morning while herxing and said.. "Gee, this is so much fun I wish it would last another day or two."

I also think while herxing the clocks in my house go into slow motion automatically. Every minute seems like 6 years.. and a whole day of herxing seems like a lifetime.

I think herxing.. when really nasty.. ok, it's usually nasty or it wouldn't be called a herxing...

But when really nasty.. we all have a decission to make. At least I do. I either have to back off the meds or end up in the ER. Since the ER was my "norm" years ago.. when no one TOLD me there was even such a thing.. imagine THAT fun, year after year... grrrrrr...

I now back off the meds until I can get close to not being a complete wreck.

I compare my body to a sink full of dirty dish water with a clogged drain. My body can only hold so much junk. If it gets full.. like the sink full of dirty water... I get ICKY big time as I stagnate and roll in the cruddy water.

Since the drain is clogged from all the junk.. and the sink is full.. if I try to add MORE junk... I make a complete mess of things. It just isn't fair to do that to my body.

Soooooooo.. by backing off.. NOT adding more antibiotics (junk) and having die off stuff added to my overload.. I allow things to settle a bit. Once the draining process starts catching up and clearing out things.. then I can begin to see some relief.

Once the dirty dish water is gone.. I feel cleaner and can then go for it again.

My mental health can not take herxing too long. I get very depressed and wonder if I will EVER get better.. even though these JERKS here (hehehe) keep saying sweet things like.. "hang in there" and "at least you know you are killing off the keets and that is a GOOD thing".

You know.. sometimes I just wanna hang them all in a great big Lyme net and dangle them over the alligator pit just to see them squirm!

Soooo.. after reading THAT.. you might be able to tell I am NOT myself and get VERY discouraged while herxing... and a bit snippy to say the least. I am weak and rotten and I want it to end.

Sometimes it lasts a week. Sometimes longer. Sometimes I get into herx mode and can't stop it for weeks after I stop the meds. I TRY not to get THAT bad before I do something about it.. but you can't always tell which herx will be almost "livable" and which one will make you wish you could crawl out to the road so a truck could run you over.

Then there is the pain. I never knew HAIR could hurt. Sometimes my body feels sooooo horrible I can't believe it is me in there.

I actually describe the pain as feeling like someone stripped off the top layers of my skin... put my muscles and bones in a meat grinder... and repacked them back into a human form and covered them back up with skin... but not before covering them in Texas Pete hot sauce.

Yes.. I have too much time on my hands when I think like that.. but it is how I feel.

And lonely. My emotional health stinks and I dip into that, "I hate the world" and "nobody loves me" mode that is whimpy and stupid. I would just a soon bite someone as to look at them.. and don't EVEN think of touching me!

And it is absolutely amazing how STUPID everyone I know suddenly becomes when I am herxing. Of course I KNOW it's not ME!

About the clammy stuff.

HA! I just got a big bucket of clams tonight.. the soft shell kind.. and I can't wait to steam them up and eat them with butter tomorrow! Anyhow..

By clammy.. does that mean...

Even if you take 6 showers a day, you STILL feel like you have been wrapped in an old wet horse blanket and you can't get it off of you and you are smothering underneath it?

As we speak.. I am wet all over. My shirt is visably wet .. especially around the collar. If I were to use Secret or another anti-perspirant.. I would have to fill a swimming pool full of it and jump in for it to even begin to have a chance. Even my ankles are sweating... and the creases of my arms at the elbows.

It sure feels like I should have a fever.. but I stopped trying to get the STUPID thermometer to show one cause it never does. I am just burning up... with no proof. I think I am frying from the inside out sometimes.

And yes.. I think I would have to skip out on a delightful evening of romance or even join in a friendly get-together and be sociable...

And basically I shouldn't even be allowed on the same planet with anyone else cause I am so gross.

If you feel anything like I am describing.. I hope it clears up SOON!

What I must do when herxing is MAKE myself remember a good day I once had and picture it over and over till it is clear in my mind. That ONE thing helps me the most. I KNOW it will end and it will get better.. but it sure doesn't feel like it at the time unless I can get that "picture" in my head.

The other things would be...

Drink water with lemon juice. LOTS of water to help flush the system.

I drink green tea to help lightly detox.

I bathe often. The junk that comes out of your skin.. toxins and trash.. well if it stays on the skin it can be re-absorbed. NOT a good thing.

I try to sit up and do something to occupy my mind.

I take milk thistle for the liver.

I eat ice cream cause I feel like it and I DARE anyone to try and take it away.

I think of all the things I would do to my LLMD if he were within my reach. The thoughts usually begin with beating him for several hours with a 2 x 4.. then it tends to get a bit rough after that.

I don't know why I mentally take it out on the LLMD. I guess that is the safest thing to do since I KNOW I am too sick to get to him to do him any harm.... and my family would tie me up and toss me in the river if I pulled that junk with them!

I avoid people as much as possible so I don't bite their head off for no good reason.

I go round the clock with the ibprofen.. which doesn't do a thing sometimes.. but it can reduce inflammation a bit and without it I move about like the Tinman without his oil can.

And I wait.

I hope you feel better soon.

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If you get the choice to sit it out or dance...

But I guess you already could tell ... huh?

Are you treating Babs?

Sometimes clammy with temp sometimes without any temp.