posted
I literally took my first dose of Artesunate about 1.5-2 hours ago. I went to bed and just woke up about a half hour ago feelin horribe. It started with left sided chills, burning in my feet, eye pressure, dizziness, and burning feeling in my skin, and uncontrolable shaking/shivering and I kind feel like I can't breath. I woke my husband up and told him something isn't right. I can't go back to sleep cause the shaking/trembling. I feel so weird.
What is this? I'm kinda scared. Is it possible to herx that soon?!!! OMG...this isn't right...
IckyTicky
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 21466
posted
I've never taken that, but it does sound like my herxes. My first herx I didn't even realize it was a herx..I thought I'd come down suddenly with the flu. I had the shaking, trembling, chills, pressure... pretty much everything you describe. That was right before I found out I had Lyme...I had taken Amox. for a sinus infection.
My LLMD warned me when I started Doxy that my herx would probably start within an hour.. and it certainly did.. because my bacterial load was so high. You may want to let your LLMD know ... he/she might want you to start on a lower dose if the herxing is too hard for you.
-------------------- IGM: 18+, 23+, 30+, 31+++, 34+, 39IND, 41++, 58+++, 66+, 83-93IND IGG: 31+, 39IND, 41+ Also positive for Mycoplasma Pneumoniae and RMSF. Whole family of 5 dx with Lyme. Posts: 1014 | From Texas | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
I've been on oral abx since July and haven't yet felt like this so fast. With the other abx I get more achy and more symptoms around day 5 or so, but this is crazy. I can't stop shaking. My body is all tense and shivering uncontrolably. Kinda scarey...also now my shoulders and spine is starting to ache. I didn't think a herx could happen so fast. I took this tonight with my Amox and Zith. Maybe it's too much... I can't imagine feeling like this for long... not good.
IckyTicky
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 21466
posted
Sounds to me like neuro-toxicity maybe. I was going to ask if you were still on the abx. It's probably kicking some butt in the CNS area.
I've had herxing that involved my whole body tensing up in waves with shivering. Not fun at all, and caused me great anxiety. The tensing caused my spine to ache badly too.
I'd definately maybe call your LLMD (although with the holidays who knows if you'll get a response).
Maybe don't take your next dose and see how you feel.
-------------------- IGM: 18+, 23+, 30+, 31+++, 34+, 39IND, 41++, 58+++, 66+, 83-93IND IGG: 31+, 39IND, 41+ Also positive for Mycoplasma Pneumoniae and RMSF. Whole family of 5 dx with Lyme. Posts: 1014 | From Texas | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
Yeah the tensing is making my whole body tired and achy...Some of my first symptoms of lyme were the night shakes/trembling... but I haven't had one of these "attacks" in months. It's never been this severe though, and I find it weird that this all came out just after taking my meds.
Does it sound like lyme or babesia? I know my LLMD said the Artesunate kills babs. So maybe I do have babs afterall. I was never tested, but it was suspected cause I'm not improving on reg lyme treatment.
My LLMD is out of office until I believe Jan 4th. I'm scared to take my next doses tomorrow. I don't want to feel like this on Christmas.
Well it's 1 am here in the UK and I so wish I could sleep. Maybe once these shakes go away I will be able to.
sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
Just my own opinion, but I would wait until after Christmas to take it again. Or wait until Jan 4th and call your LLMD.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Lymetoo, My LLMD said it was for Coinfections. He said it's an antimalarial.. so I'm guessing Babesia. Is it possible to have a reaction that shortly after taking it?
I am having a HUGE anxiety herx with trembling and non-stop crying.
I am of course not your LLMD but the advice from mine was to stop the abx until I calmed down a bit and then start extra slow.
Did you try doing some detox. Didn't do anything for me but maybe give it a shot.
Warm hugs to you..kit
Posts: 655 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Jul 2006
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IckyTicky
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 21466
posted
I think it's also a good idea to wait until your LLMD is back in the office to take more. I'd just stick with the abx and wait on the Art. so you can call and describe how it's affecting you and if it's acceptable for him. You'll get through this
-------------------- IGM: 18+, 23+, 30+, 31+++, 34+, 39IND, 41++, 58+++, 66+, 83-93IND IGG: 31+, 39IND, 41+ Also positive for Mycoplasma Pneumoniae and RMSF. Whole family of 5 dx with Lyme. Posts: 1014 | From Texas | Registered: Jul 2009
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springshowers
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19863
posted
I think it is killing protozoan infections.. Babesia is one of them but so is the Fry Bug and I had those sorts of reactions when treating it.
If you ask me it is a good sign.. Your hitting and getting at an infection that problably has caused you a lot of problems.
I went through a lot of those feelings and the good news is .. for me anyway.... you will also find that it will clear those symptoms you are feeling in time..
You should call your doctor though and report this. Not sure how much your taking either. You could reduce the dose for now or find a dose that is more tolerable to where your not feeling so intense.
After doing a couple rounds of some major anti protozoans I had some huge clearings of many many symptoms..
Pressure in the head and pain in the eyes are symptoms and when you treat those can appear and feel much worse of you can even feel it for the first time. But it is all part of it clearing out of your head and brain. In my experience the infection likes it there. The other things too you described sound like herxes..
Of course this is all my own guess. I am not a doctor and i do not know your case either...
I do know. that... when hitting protozoan infections it is different than lyme and the herxes feel different. For me they did.
When treating babesia .. and the Fry bug it was different than treating lyme.
After years you kinda figure those things out...
And. ironically.. The herxes while treating for the protozoan happened in the first couple hours.. and for Lyme it is day or days..
Ironic..
Posts: 2747 | From Unites States Of America | Registered: Apr 2009
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springshowers
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19863
posted
PS.
For now.. and immediately.. Drink a bunch of water. If you have any lemons squeeze a whole lemon into the water too and drink that.
If you feel up to it. Take a bath using Sea Salts or something ... not a lot.. Dry brush your body before the bath...
If you do those couple of things it can help you through the night...
If you happen to do enemas .. also that would be a good thing to do..
Getting out the toxins that are building up right now is what your body wants you to do..
If that is the case anyway......
Even if your having a reaction to the med those things can help you...
Hope you feel better.. soon.
Lastly.. if it gets really bad too you can take an anti inflamatory like Aleve or even an anit histmine or anti allergy med.
Concept to clam down the inflammation too that the herx causes and in turn causes the symptoms.
I used to take singulair on a daily basis when doing hard core treatments that made me herx badly. It would help stop the inflammation response before it could even start... and worked really well to cut down herx symptoms..
Posts: 2747 | From Unites States Of America | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
I would be careful. How sure are you that you have a protozoan infection?
Posts: 9 | From usa | Registered: Nov 2009
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- If you feel like you need to go to the emergency room be sure to do so. Take one of the pills with you so they can check it for quality control.
Yes, it is for babesia. And, yes, even one dose can make anyone feel awful. I had lots of trouble tolerating artemisinin although I've not taken the form you have. But I have porphyria and drugs in this class are harder for me to tolerate. If you are sensitive to perfumes, diesel exhaust and cleaning chemicals, you may be experiencing symptoms of a secondary porphyria. Explained below.
If this is a herx and a "Cytokine Storm" the herb Stinging Nettle can help tremendously to reduce the intensity of the symptoms. My concern is that this could be elevated porphyrins.
If so, eating certain foods to get some glucose in your system can turn around an emergency and liver support can also help. Do not push the liver too much but simple support like milk thistle should help.
As Artesunate uses the Cytochrome P-450 liver detox pathway, your symptoms (especially shivering uncontrollably) could be from an increase in porphryins. Drinking carrot juice would be the best help if that is the case.
I hope you took it with food and not on an empty stomach. Be sure to get some good sugar in you as if the shaking is due to an excess of porphyrins, glucose can help stop a porphyria attack. Beta carotene is the best.
You can chew a bit of carrot but too much raw could be hard on your stomach. If you don't have a juicer, if you have a blender, put in a cup of water and add carrot chucks so as to make a carrot drink.
If you have any green powders, that would be good to mix up a drink of that. A banana might help, too.
Be sure not to let your blood sugar dip too low so eat frequent small meals that contain carbohydrates - again, best from carrots or leafy greens.
MAGNESIUM Supplements should also help.
If you stomach is upset at all, I would not take lemon or anything that might be of an acid nature.
A bowl of oatmeal may be good to hold you through. Liver support such as milk thistle may help. If you have any constipation, upping your dose of magnesium should help and also reduce symptoms if excess porphyrins are connected.
I hope you feel better soon. I would not take this again and maybe call your doctor today if you can. Even if it's Christmas Eve, his service may be able to contact him. He would want to know.
It's early morning now in the UK and I hope you managed some sleep. Please do call your LLMD's service. I hope he can call you back if he's in the country and not off on holiday out of range.
Topic: Porphyria -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- You should also check the pills you got. Go to the manufacturer's website and look up a photo of the pills. Compare it to yours. Look for every detail and look very thoroughly. You want to be sure you did not get a fake pill. Even if from a pharmacy, the fakes make their way there sometimes.
Is the exactly the same color, texture, sheen, markings, etc.?
Otherwise, you could have an allergy to this and I'm with another poster who suggests waiting until you can be more closely monitored by your doctor - and he has time to think about your reaction and the reasons.
Good luck. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Thank you all for your help and advice. It is now morning here in the UK and I managed to get some sleep. Eventually the shivering subsided, but today I'm achy and feet are burning.
That was one horrible night.
The artesunate my dr prescribes is specially compounded. My dr said it's very good quality. He said he's had very good response with it and his patients. He had told me yesterday there are little to NO side effects.
It better be good stuff... I paid a fortune for it! Almost 150.00 for the stuff.
I will try to call his office here in a few to see if I can talk to somebody.
Again, thanks again for your support and advice. You all are great!
this stuff will totally mess with you if you have any detox issues which many of the folks here do. After trying to force this stuff on myself I only went down hill..
Posts: 9 | From usa | Registered: Nov 2009
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Starfall1969
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17353
posted
I'm just reading this now too.
I would have said the same as many here and maybe wait till after Christmas to take the next dose.
Also, when I have herxing, I try taking some Benadryl; it seems to take the edge off.
Posts: 1682 | From Dillsburg, PA | Registered: Sep 2008
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Pinelady
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18524
posted
Me too on the waiting part. I agree you should make sure you got the right meds also. Mistakes can be made.
-------------------- Suspected Lyme 07 Test neg One band migrating in IgG region unable to identify.Igenex Jan.09IFA titer 1:40 IND IgM neg pos 31 +++ 34 IND 39 IND 41 IND 83-93 + DX:Neuroborreliosis Posts: 5850 | From Kentucky | Registered: Dec 2008
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