I was IgM positive, so I know that I have Lyme. I've been sick for 8 years and I've been treated for the past year and a half. However, I think I feel better when I'm not on antibiotics.
I don't know what to do. I know that I have Lyme, but how could that be?
-------------------- "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful."
sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
Take a break from antibiotics and see if you are better. Medications can make some people feel really bad.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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DebAz
Unregistered
posted
I have the same issue and just posted this on another thread.
I feel so much better off abx. But not fully better.> So during treatment to handle the herx affect i take less or I take it one week on and one week off or 3 days a week and such.
So that I do not stay feeling so much worse while On abx.. but as well i still have some sort of life out of bed while treating the infections. And the hope is that I will feel better .. much better. in the end.
The other issue is that my doc said that when people stop they can feel better for a time period and then the symptoms return. He said he has seen that over and over so most who feel better after awhile on treatment just stay on treatment...
And well.. that all makes this whole thing much harder to figure out or how to figure out to how to best treat yourself.
Good Luck.. And ihope that made some sense to you.
TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
MysteryGirl,
It is common to feel worse on abx if you are killing bugs. This is caused by the toxins from die-off. When off abx, your body has a chance to clear out the toxins and you feel better.
Borrelia is slow growing. You may feel better for awhile but eventually the infection will come back if not appropriately treated and sometimes even if appropriately treated.
You could also be having some symptoms due to side effects of the drugs. This is something to talk to your LLMD about. Are the symptoms that you are having on abx related to the drug itself or are they caused by die off? That is the million dollar question.
Perhaps you could talk to your LLMD about pulsing like Deb is doing? AND, step up your detox so that you won't feel as bad while on treatment.
I would put together a list of questions for the next visit with the LLMD. Also keep a diary of your symptoms while on abx so that you can give him/her feedback on symptoms. They will likely be able to tell if the symptoms are caused by die off or the drugs.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
I agree with what everyone else said. I have posted about this before. I always feel worse on abx and hate it. Many times I just want to take an extended break because I feel better while off them. Not usually 100% better, but sometimes very close... or at least it feels close to that considering while herxing I feel very far from 100%.
I actually once took a two and a half month break off abx because of changing LLMDs (and the waiting list) and also because I was seeing a hematologist about other things and was advised to get off abx for a time... during that entire time, I felt pretty darn good. Not GREAT, and I still had some symptoms, but felt good enough to feel somewhat normal and to not feel like I was dying. Of course when I get back on abx, I start herxing again... so there's still more bugs to kill.
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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