Starfall1969
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17353
posted
I'm just wondering if children go through herxing when on abx, and if their herx symptoms are similar to or different from those of adults.
My older son isn't diagnosed or anything, but I've just wondered about him ever since I started learning about Lyme.
He gets sick a lot with the ear infection/bronchitis kind of thiing, and the doctors and a lot of other people just say it's part of growing up.
I just have been getting suspicious lately because every time he gets a feverish illness, he gets pain in one leg only, around the knee and shin area.
Now he's on an antibiotic (Augmentin) for an ear/sinus infection and bronchitis, and within a day of starting it, he's all over the place hyper--a bit worse than usual.
He's been running around the house like a maniac (normal for him) but also jumping/bouncing off the furniture, banging his head against the back of the sofa, and laughing/squealing/screeching till I want to smack him into next week.
I want to ask my LLMD about him at my next visit, but in the meantime, I'm just wondering, is he just feeling better, or could he be herxing or am I simply reading Lyme into everything?
Posts: 1682 | From Dillsburg, PA | Registered: Sep 2008
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Starfall1969
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17353
posted
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Posts: 1682 | From Dillsburg, PA | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
I think so. My youngest son was on Ceftin for an ear infection while we were waiting for his Igenex test results.
His symptoms got much worse and I just know he was herxing from it. I found out later that some people take that abx for lyme.
Both my boys just started Biaxin a week ago. They are only at 250 mg right now. We are working our way up to 1000 mg. But the nausea is a problem.
Well my one son missed a day of school and was late 2 more days just this week. He feels more fatigue (we suspect he has EBV too). He also complained of leg weakness and tremors. These are 2 of his symptoms that appear to have come back.
My other son is on a medical leave from school. This week I have noticed him feeling worse. Complaining of more symptoms. Fatigue and lethargic. We are only able to do a small amount of school work each day.
Hope this helps!
-------------------- My lyme disease blog: http://lymetimes3.blogspot.com/ One BIG Lyme family! I tested CDC + 10/08 My mom Igenex + 11/08 & My brother Igenex + 4/09, My 2 boys some + & IND bands, clinical diagnosis 3/09 (youngest has Aspergers too) Posts: 470 | From Painesville, Ohio | Registered: Mar 2009
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
My children's herxes are always more behavioral than physical.
There is the increased fatigue and complaints of body pains,
But they are known to basically have uncharacteristic
Behaviors such as yelling, screaming, mad at the world feeling, depression,
Crying for no apparent reason, hyper behavior,
Inability to sit still, etc.
So, I think it entirely possible that a change in
Behavior can be a herx.
However, hyperactivity is listed as a rare symptom of augmentin.
Maybe have your child tested via Igenex.
Or, ask the pediatrician to change antibiotics and see if the behavior changes.
Augmentin can grow the worst yeast also.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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kreynolds
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15117
posted
Geneal:
We recently started my son on Oral ABX and have noticed a pretty drastic change.
He is throwing more tantrums, yelling, hitting, SPITTING, and much more.
Also on the turn around he seems more sensitive, he will run up and give you a kiss, without asking.
We have noticed this only 3 days into the orals...
Very bad temper tantrums, normally he is over them in 2 minutes, but now it last way past that.
Since he cannot say sentences it's hard to find out if something is bothering him.
He will normally say "problem" and point to somewhere on his body....
Any Clue??
Thanks!
-------------------- Diagnosed CDC + 6/2007
Quest: + IGG Bands 18,23,39,41,58,66 and 93.
Quest: + IGM Bands 23,39
Quest: + Bartonella (B.Henselea & B. Quintana),+ Babesia, and + Mycoplasma and Lyme-Induced Addisons Disease
+ Biofilm blood test 12/2010 Posts: 1185 | From New York | Registered: Apr 2008
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My son did have a physical herx, when he first started with abx. His whole body hurt, he couldn't even bare for someone to touch him. It passed overnight.
The behavioral stuff, well, that lasted for 6 months with him, and to be honest, the only way through it was for my husband and I to be supportive of each other as a couple, to have extended family come and help us out regularly, and even, once in a blue moon, to give us an hour or so of a break.
When my son was physical (as in hitting) I would try to hold him until he could calm down. When he bit me, well, I called the doc on that one!! With the screaming tantrums, I tried to minimize things that would set him off, but more often than not the triggers for the tantrums could not be readily identified.
Sometimes we just had to let it work itself out, as he often did not want to be consoled.
And yes, sometimes we yelled, because we are human and it is very very hard to not get overwhelmed and frustrated and even angry when your child is screaming or hitting you or your other children. (especially when it is happening on a daily basis!)
But when we did break down and yell, we tried to explain why we got upset, and we apologized, and we let him know that we absolutely, unconditionally loved him.
And eventually it passed, the behavioral stuff started to fade away, and he started to get better.
Perhaps other parents will have greater words of wisdom on coping with the behavioral sxs of lyme and co, but this is how we got through it. kp
Posts: 394 | From tinton falls nj | Registered: Jul 2007
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