posted
hi everyone, i feel like i'm dying. my body is in such intense pain that i feel like there has to be something more wrong with me. i'm on day 7 of doxy and last night i thought i was going to be paralyzed by morning. both my arms are in such extreme pain that it hurt to move them. then i start getting the burning sensation up my back and stabbing pains in my thigh. i've also noticed that i am clenching my jaw so tight at night that i'm afraid it's go to get stuck shut. the fatigue is of course worse but i had a spurt of energy. advil is not doing anything for the pain. i'm also back to haveing facial pain.
is feeling like i've been hit by a truck mean the medicine is working? how long does this last?
thanks karen
Posts: 68 | From uxbridge, mass | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
Hi Firepiper, It sounds as if you are now having a herx response.I described it to my doctor as being run over by a truck hauling bricks .Then having it back over me and finally the driver gets out and stomps me onto the ground.He actually wrote that down in my chart.
Im sorry your feeling bad.Its the only way I know of getting to recovery and I hate that.Some of my worst herx responses were the anxiety but I would just have someone remind me to stay the course.I was tempted to stop every now and then.Im glad I didnt.
Everyone is different so I cant really say how long this part will last for you.I would let your doc know how you are .He may make some adjustments your meds.Also drink lots of fresh water with lemon to help flush out the toxins.
Im sure someone will be along soon with some helpful advice.Until then hang in there ,it gets better. RG
Posts: 140 | From Texas | Registered: May 2006
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mlkeen
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1260
posted
Karen-
You are herxing. It hurts, but it is a good thing. It means the doxy is killing bacteria. Only one truck ran you over? not bad- just kidding.
My son, who had strong herxs, lasted 2-4 days every 4-5 weeks for 6 months then they were milder. I just felt bad for months, more like a car ran me over. I was more active than my son, who tried to go to school and sit all day. I tried to work and maintain a house.
If you can do gentle stretching and walking it will help pump the toxins out of the tissue. Also drink lots of water without chlorine and flouride if possible, like two quarts minimum a day.
Try to think about the little suckers getting killed when you feel pain.
I'll be praying for that herx to end.
tic
-------------------- Adversity is the diamond dust heaven polishes it's jewels with. � Robert Leighton
Daily world-wide prayers welcome for the Lyme Community - every day at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time and 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time � all faiths welcome! Posts: 309 | From S.E. Mass | Registered: Apr 2006
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AZURE WISH
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 804
posted
I am all to familar with the "feel like I am dying sensation". Sometimes from herxes sometimes because the lyme was just that bad.
Herxes are horrible and I know especially in the beggining of treatment the concept of feeling worse really means that one is getting better is a bit difficult to truly believe.
But believe me the herxes do end. And herxes are an indication that treatment is working there is actually good news among the horrible state of exiastance it puts one in.
Hang in there. If things get to bad please call your dr. and let him know how bad the symptoms are.
posted
Karen, When I went on Biaxin and Omnicef I had the reaction you are talking about. I actually didn't know what a herx was and called my doctor to ask him if it was possible to get WORSE on the abx. I could barely hold a pencil or walk up the stairs without my muscles cramping up, hurting or being too weak.
It is possible it is a herx. I am not one to attribute symptoms to any one thing, but you should explore/rule out other options. Sometimes I feel better off of abx, but sometimes I don't. It is hard to say.
We all have complex multi-system issues and autoimmune responses so it is very difficult to pin down the exact reason for things. Try to relax, detox, eat well, sleep, stay away from stress, drink water, and take your supplements. If things do not change, call your doc and discuss next steps.
Posts: 331 | From virginia | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Karen, I was about 10 days into treatment and I thought about calling an ambulance. Screaming burning pains, stabbing pains, like being beat up with a bat and electrocuted at the same time.
I asked God...what have I done to deserve this pain??? There were no words to describe it to my husband as it was completely alien to me.
My doc had me stop abx for 3 days. The worst herx lasted about 3-4 days. No pain meds workd but I only had advil/tylenol and vicoden...
One thing that helped me with my second herx was NOT TO PANIC. The nervous system is already freaking out so it is so important to talk to yourself gently and calm yourself down.
I had to keep repeating prayers and taking deep breaths and reminding myself that I had to walk through this horrible pain to get out healthy...
Do tell you doc about this and make notes on your calender to track dates and symptoms, try to rate your pain 1-10, it is very helpful to look back on this and watch your improvement.
Hang in there, Kim
-------------------- We are spiritual beings on a human journey...
posted
Oh yes, you are herxing. Many of us know that feeling ALL too well. I'm sorry you have to suffer this, but it should erase any doubt that you DO indeed have lyme.
Doxy did that to me (it was my first lyme abx) -- the pain worse than imaginable, the "run over by three trucks all at once" feeling, the whole nine yards. If it is any consolation to you, many of us find that the first few herxes tend to be the worst and the longest, and it does get easier in time.
Detoxing often helps rid the body of some of the toxic die-off by products and reduces symptoms. Vicodin also helped me a little bit, although not very much in light of so incredibly much pain.
-------------------- "Looks like freedom but it feels like death.. It's something in between, I guess"
Leonard Cohen, from the song "Closing Time" Posts: 822 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
yes, i do feel like i've gotten run over by a truck, a few times, and then have bench pressed it over my head several times, my elbows kill me, i've never had elbow pain. okay i'll keep pluggin away, last night was not as bad as the night before so i'll take that as a good thing.
still waking up at 3 a.m. every morning, strangest thing....thanks for the advice.
will this continue to happen the whole month i'm on doxy? will energy return as some point? i have been feeling a little more energetic, i've been able to clean and do some things around the house and actually was motivated to do some cooking yesterday, then in the afternoon i'm like ready for bed......
karen
Posts: 68 | From uxbridge, mass | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
Fire, as everyone here says it is a good sign. Although sometimes I think too much dieoff is not good for body, it stresses it. My LLMD does not agree. She pushes.
My "I think I am going to die" stage lasted 7 months.
The best thing I did was to get morphine, xanax, and prozac. Even then I was sick as a dog.
I am turning the corner after 1.5 years and no longer need the morphine, and take very little xanax.
There is hope. Listen to your body, keep reaching out here, and treat the herx symptoms.
Some say a shot of straight lemon juice, no sugar, helps herxs.
-------------------- Jeff Posts: 533 | From CA | Registered: Mar 2006
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Sorry to hear of your pain. I was going to post the same thing this morning. I am three months into treatment with Ceftin and Ketek and I guess I am herxing too.
I have that burning stabbing pain and it is making me crazy. This morning my nose is numb and I think have totally lost my mind!
I can't remember what I did with the letters I had to mail. I have no idea what I did with them.
Hope you feel better soon,it is something I guess we have to get through. Take care.
Mindy
Posts: 12 | From Maine | Registered: Feb 2006
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