posted
Does anyone else have major pressure in their ears when they herx? I've been on abx only 7 months now, but I've not experienced this during my previous herx's. I know they say each one is different, but this is so strange. When it's really bad, the pressure moves to my head and I feel like my eyes need to cross, and I can't think or read or do anything at all. It's totally overwhelming. And everything seems SO loud to me. The pressure is the worst, though, like I'm in an airplane and my ears won't pop--but it moves to my whole head.
I'm on Biaxin and Minocycline, oral--1000mg and 200mg respectively. Also Plaquenil. Do other people taking these abx experience this, or is this just a general herx reaction?
Thanks! I'm going crazy from this!
Posts: 20 | From Chicago, IL | Registered: Mar 2006
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
bsm: One thing you could try is take an antihistamine.
If things are inflamed/congested, this might tone it down.
I used pseudoephedrine every couple hours for this, when I had fluid build up behind the eardrum and pressure in the eustacian tubes.
So...if an antihistamine helps, and then the pressure comes back in a couple hours, you know it's wearing off, and to take it again.
Carol
Posts: 6956 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
Sounds like a bad brain day!
Have you tested or treated for co-infections? Babesia can do this.
Carol has good advice in case you've any sinus issues.
However, most often it's just lyme disease. It gets you in the head/brain. Minocycline crosses the blood brain barrier really well and may produce herxing issues like you describe. The symptoms you have are sure right on.
Maybe a little trial of Diamox to help relieve intercranial pressure? It's helped some. Meanwhile, keep chipping away at it!
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
i get ear pain but also sometimes if i stick a q tip in ear the tip is little bloody, but not dripping blood, anyone ever get this or know why it happens, always ear pain is on same side of headache too, but i dont stick the q-tip deep inside or poke around, but when i see even a drop of blood, it worries me, radha
Posts: 392 | From New York | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
best to check with your doc, pharmacist or, if necessary, call a nightshift pharmacist at a 24hr. pharm. and take the druggist out of is graveyard-shift 'coma' with a few "final exam/board" questions; better yet, call a number of them.
each of these three meds are potent, and two of which are in large doses. therefore, chances are extremely high,like close to 100%, that your experiencing side-effects,and likely a minimal, if any herxheimer effect. one reason for herx not likely: while the meds are doing their job, they,(plaquenil for one) are immune suppressive to the respective extent of each. day(s) to week(s) AFTER stopping the abx, the immune system begins to kick in, kill bacteria, and 'clean up' bacterial debris, and will crescendo to a peak level. the immune system at work is partly manifested as feeling worse after stopping the meds., even weeks after stopping the meds.; furthermore add to this, the side-effects of meds. that also can operate weeks after stopping. combined, the immune system in full force, and the side effects of meds. serve to confound our impressions and interpretations of whats happening to us.
biaxin is a macrolide abx, and some if not all macrolides affect teh ears; there are also other effects you might wish look into.
check drug sites for side-effects.
check with your doctor about michelle's suggestion on the diamox for the head pressure.
Posts: 2708 | Registered: Feb 2005
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TheCrimeOfLyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4019
posted
Yes. It gets so bad, I can hear the ocean in my ears when I lay down. Lyme and yeast BOTH have done to me. I think I have it narrowed down that its NOT so much the lyme as it is
either still the yeast I have, or the babesia I am pretty certain I have.
-------------------- You want your life back? Take it. Posts: 3169 | From Greensburg, Pennsylvania | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
Thanks so much everybody for the ideas. The comments about Babesia worry me. I've been tested by Igenix twice, most recently about 3 weeks ago, and both times came up negative. I have Bartonella and Mycoplasma. So why would the Bartonella show and the Babesia not show? I know that many times ppl w/ Babesia test negative for it. I don't really have the other symptoms--no ringing in my ears. Night sweats sometimes, but not sweats or fever otherwise. Other symptoms seem to be non-existent? I'm really starting to worry, though. Any thoughts?? Thanks!
Posts: 20 | From Chicago, IL | Registered: Mar 2006
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