posted
Hi, I am a newbie and have found an awesome Dr through this forum!! Thanks to all who sent me p.m.'s.
My question is this: I have two scrips, one for 400mg daily of doxxy and one for 400mg daily plaquanil (sp?)
Dr says to wait until I am done with the colon cleanse I am on to start abx. She wants my gut flora to be healthy before starting meds.
She tells me to expect herx about one week after starting meds and to expect to be sick for 10 days to 2 wks with herx.
I know that herx run in cycles and I am trying to figure out when to start meds and not have herx interfere with upcoming holidays. It sounds silly but I want to be able to enjoy my family.
Dr. says she will give me pain meds to help get me through herx :>
Can anyone tell me when to expect herx to occur and how often?
Thanks so much and I pray for all to get well!!!
Posts: 16 | From finger lakes region new york | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
I definitely had a very clear herx pattern my first couple of months of treatment.
It took me 18 months for a diagnosis. I first started treating with 200 mg doxy/day. 2 weeks into the doxy treatment, I clearly had a worsening of symptoms that subsided after about 5-6 days.
After that I was placed on Biaxin/Plaquenil and about a week later, I started going downhill fast. My worst days pre-treatment were NOTHING compared to the herx reaction I experienced. A week later (2 weeks into this treatment), I thought for sure I would die and ended up in the hospital for almost a week. It took almost that entire week until I went back to feeling like my normal, awful self again.
The following couple of months were just rough....no real defined good/bad weeks...just all blahhhh! Now I definitely have good days and my 'bad days' now were my 'good days' a year ago.
If you have been sick a long time I would strongly urge you to start slow and work your way up to those doses. What I went through honestly traumatized me! However, not everyone does herx....
Posts: 561 | From mass | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
I have been taking doxy, biaxin since 7/08.
I insisted on doing it SO GRADUALLY...like 100mg, 1 x day, M/W/F for the first 2 wks.
I did this 7/08, 8/08, beginning of 9/08.
By mid 9/08, I upped the biaxin from 500mg 1 x day to 2 x day, continuing w/ doxy 100mg 2 x day.
Then the 3rd week of 9/08, I added flagyl as the "cyst buster" (my MD's term).
This is when I believe "my herx" started.
The numbness in my hands quickly spread all the way up my arms, to armpits. Now a small section of my upper back between my shoulder blades.
I became anxious, sad, depressed, nauseous, disconnected in the head (like my head is floating above my body), woozy feeling in the head, feeling like I'm a puppet swaying in the breeze, hard time verbalizing my thoughts, random chills throughout my body etc, etc
So, if this is a herx, it took 2 1/2 months.
I'm still dealing w/ all this right now......needles to say, I'm very frustrated.
Posts: 55 | From North Carolina | Registered: Dec 2007
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quote:Originally posted by KS: I definitely had a very clear herx pattern my first couple of months of treatment.
It took me 18 months for a diagnosis. I first started treating with 200 mg doxy/day. 2 weeks into the doxy treatment, I clearly had a worsening of symptoms that subsided after about 5-6 days.
After that I was placed on Biaxin/Plaquenil and about a week later, I started going downhill fast. My worst days pre-treatment were NOTHING compared to the herx reaction I experienced. A week later (2 weeks into this treatment), I thought for sure I would die and ended up in the hospital for almost a week. It took almost that entire week until I went back to feeling like my normal, awful self again.
The following couple of months were just rough....no real defined good/bad weeks...just all blahhhh! Now I definitely have good days and my 'bad days' now were my 'good days' a year ago.
If you have been sick a long time I would strongly urge you to start slow and work your way up to those doses. What I went through honestly traumatized me! However, not everyone does herx....
Posts: 16 | From finger lakes region new york | Registered: Sep 2008
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quote:Originally posted by KS: I definitely had a very clear herx pattern my first couple of months of treatment.
It took me 18 months for a diagnosis. I first started treating with 200 mg doxy/day. 2 weeks into the doxy treatment, I clearly had a worsening of symptoms that subsided after about 5-6 days.
After that I was placed on Biaxin/Plaquenil and about a week later, I started going downhill fast. My worst days pre-treatment were NOTHING compared to the herx reaction I experienced. A week later (2 weeks into this treatment), I thought for sure I would die and ended up in the hospital for almost a week. It took almost that entire week until I went back to feeling like my normal, awful self again.
The following couple of months were just rough....no real defined good/bad weeks...just all blahhhh! Now I definitely have good days and my 'bad days' now were my 'good days' a year ago.
If you have been sick a long time I would strongly urge you to start slow and work your way up to those doses. What I went through honestly traumatized me! However, not everyone does herx....
I thought that a herx reaction was the only true test of the effectiveness of the treatment and sign that bacteria is dying? I think that I can try these high doses and if herx is too much have Dr cut back on dosage. Thanks for input
Posts: 16 | From finger lakes region new york | Registered: Sep 2008
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quote:Originally posted by tracisuzanne: I have been taking doxy, biaxin since 7/08.
I insisted on doing it SO GRADUALLY...like 100mg, 1 x day, M/W/F for the first 2 wks.
I did this 7/08, 8/08, beginning of 9/08.
By mid 9/08, I upped the biaxin from 500mg 1 x day to 2 x day, continuing w/ doxy 100mg 2 x day.
Then the 3rd week of 9/08, I added flagyl as the "cyst buster" (my MD's term).
This is when I believe "my herx" started.
The numbness in my hands quickly spread all the way up my arms, to armpits. Now a small section of my upper back between my shoulder blades.
I became anxious, sad, depressed, nauseous, disconnected in the head (like my head is floating above my body), woozy feeling in the head, feeling like I'm a puppet swaying in the breeze, hard time verbalizing my thoughts, random chills throughout my body etc, etc
So, if this is a herx, it took 2 1/2 months.
I'm still dealing w/ all this right now......needles to say, I'm very frustrated.
I believe my Dr wants to hit the Lyme hard and fast so that the little buggers don't have a chance to change forms or hide from the abx. I see her again Dec 9 when she will include flagyl (sp?) as a "cyst buster" She wants to take a pro-active approach and I am pretty tough so I am willing to try this treatment.
I have been showing clear symptoms for 5 yrs and now have definite neurological and arthritis symptoms. I have multiple system involvement, don't know about co-infections yet.
I have been taking mega vitamins for several weeks and can feel improvement just from these. Am using betaine hcl and acidiphilous (probiotic) along with humacleanse to prepare for the abx and overcome digestive problems due to Lyme.
I also have pos ANA, cholesterol is rising and thyroid out of whack!
I know abx herx reaction will be bad as a result but feel the devious nature of the bacteria warrants this strong approach. I Pray for your recovery, hang in there, and thanks for your input!
Posts: 16 | From finger lakes region new york | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
I started with 400mg Doxy and 1000mg Flagyl per day...it took about 2 days for me to feel some fatigue lift and then the 3rd day my herx hit hard.
Couldn't move my neck or get my shoes on cause my back felt like it was tearing apart, my right wrist felt like it was broken and my hand was like a claw. My left eye would twitch and my ears would ring a couple times per day too. It all started to clear up after about 4 days or so I think.
The worst part was I couldn't finish a sentence without my brain going blank. My near term memory disappeared completely...and hasn't made a full recovery yet.
Good luck!
Posts: 410 | From Victoria BC, Canada | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
My memory loss started mildly about 3 weeks after my tick bite, but I attributed it to the chronic fatigue and feeling of mercury in my brain.
It became a serious problem when I started treatment but now is almost non-existent for about a week at a time. I go through periods where I am symtom free for about 5 days and then it slowly creeps back to a full blown herx for a few days or so.
The memory loss coincides with all my other symtoms, and leaves with them as well.
Truth is I don't feel quite as smart and able to focus as I used to, even when my energy is back.
Posts: 410 | From Victoria BC, Canada | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Thank you all for your replies. It seems that a herx reaction is different for everyone.
Now I am thinking of starting abx after the holidays are over and continue with supplements till then.
Next Dr appt Dec 9 so I will see what she says about starting abx. I know she wants me to complete colon cleanse first.
I estimate that I have had LD for five yrs now, what is a few more weeks before starting abx?
Posts: 16 | From finger lakes region new york | Registered: Sep 2008
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Dawnee
Unregistered
posted
I herxed hard the first day I started antibiotics. My LLMD predicted I would herx within an hour of taking it and it was actually half an hour.
When I switch meds or up my dose, I herx the same day.
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posted
I became very weak and had all over muscle twitching... you may have some weird symptoms so just try to stay calm and realize it is most likely a herx reaction, or run it by your dr. to make sure.
Posts: 144 | From Connecticut | Registered: Sep 2006
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posted
Pauline, Stay calm, good advice!! I am still waiting to start abx after gut flora in better shape and continue to do high dose supplements to boost me up and prepare my body for abx.
Thanks so much for the post, I think I should post a STAY CALM sign in my room as a reminder.
Posts: 16 | From finger lakes region new york | Registered: Sep 2008
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