Feeling horrible :-(

I started doing minocycline + rifampicin three days ago, and today I've felt horrible :-(. Felt quite nauseous for a short time earlier, and have had a headache and felt tired & groggy, and feeling a bit more tingly and dizzy than usual. Had to go to bed this afternoon to lie down & try to sleep (which I couldn't). I am supposed to be going out tonight (a very rare event) but can't face it :-(

Is this a herx, do you think? Or just a reaction to some horrible drugs? :-(

Hoping this combo may hit possible bartonella? Do you get bartonella herxes??

I get Bartonella herxes, and they are bad (like walking through jello, feeling totally empty).

For me, Minocycline gave me some bad side effects like non stop diarrhea, nausea. But I've read about other members here that they tolerate it well...

If you feel it's getting too bad, I would suggest that you inform your dr about it, he/she might make changes to your protocol.

It still sounds like herxing to me - try raising what you do for detoxing and see if that helps. If not, you can lower you doses of abx for just a bit just to see if your symptoms quiet down a tad bit. At least then you would know - but I'd bet it's herxing.

I second Traveler, it sounds like herxing. Be careful with the Rifampicin though, you need to take it regularly because taking this ab irregularly can cause the bacteria to become resistant. Lowering the Mino should not be a problem, I did that myself in the past.
And please try to do as much detoxing as possible.

If your herxing from an increase in meds is going to be overwhelming - don't forget that you are the one in charge here, not the doctor. YOU get to tell the doc when you are ready to up the dosages.

Do be sure you are doing all you can do to detox, and talk it over with your doc about what they might recommend to help you reduce your herxing too.

A "real" community would be MUCH better in my opinion as well - but since this is as close as we can get, how about a virtual hug???

((((((((((HUGS))))))))))

Thank you for that hug!!! It's greatly appreciated.

I would say that sounds like a great plan!! And of course, detox, detox, detox!! If you don't feel like you can increase the dose, talk to your doc. Hopefully they will be open and understanding enough that they will have some suggestions too.

I would actually suggest that you not increase your meds until you get your herx under control. Any symptoms increasing can signify a herx, whether they are physical, emotional, or psychiatric. If you increase your meds during a herx, you will most likely only increase your misery.

We take abx to kill the bacteria --> the bacteria die & put off toxins --> those toxins cause our symptoms to increase, sometimes horribly.

However, when you are ready to increase your meds, I would suggest that you increase them as slowly as you can. If you have to cut pills, then cut pills. If you have to open up capsules and divide up the contents, then do that.

Flossie - what are you detoxing with? I'm sorry I'm not familiar with all the meds you are now on but I do know I herxed last year from the Doxy and now just a little this last week from starting oil pulling! I have to pay heed to the advice to detox, detox, detox!

Increase your water intake!

Hope you are feeling better soon.

Oil pulling will definitely detox but there are a lot of folks out there who aren't in agreement as to the actual benefits and since I've only been doing it for about a week - I wouldn't be in a place to recommend it.

I use Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth to detox. I mix a few heaping teaspoons in a small glass of orange juice and drink it down. It has worked very well for me - and quickly too. You just have to time when you take it so that it doesn't suck up the good stuff you are taking as well. Sometimes when you are on a lot of supplements - it's hard to find a time when it's been a few hours and it will be a few hours since and until you take any meds or supplements. I usually only take it 1 X a day for 2-3 days and have great results with it.

You should be able to find it at a health food market, organic market or a farm supply store - but make sure you get Food Grade if you decide to try it.

I personally don't care for the Epsom Salt baths but to each their own!

Flossie - The epsom salt baths should not be hot....I can't remember the temperature...you can check the "New to Lyme?" thread - the temp is in there in the detoxing section. They should be warm to the body, not hot.

My LLND has told me to push through my herxes (which I find strange for a Naturopathic Dr. to say) - but I have had to back off several times throughout treatment...and I tell him after the fact. I don't call and ask him for permission...because I know that the way I feel when I want to back off...can't be good for my body...if it's that bad.

When he prescribed Tinidazole...he said the herxes should subside in a day or two...and just push through.
I just say, 'okay'.

He hasn't fired me yet.

LOL! I used DE only twice. Two heaping teaspoons and I didn't have anything move through my intestines for 3 days!! LOL!

That's why the warning - it can affect some people in that way too. Like most things in life, it's not something that everyone can use. I had high hopes for it too!! It's really good at it's job!

I love using it in the garden though!! I can dust the garden and still eat the veggies the same day!

Here is a link to the site I buy from: http://www.earthworkshealth.com/

Don't freak out when you first start reading up on this stuff. It is an all around type of product that can be used for just about anything. We consume DE all the time as it is added to grain silos to control insects. It can be used for so many uses - it's almost unbelievable. I was very apprehensive about ingesting it but when I started herxing so bad from the Doxy prescribed for the Lyme I was desperate and did a lot of really fast research. Came to the conclusion that it couldn't hurt to try it and lucky for me it worked!

Hope you feel better soon!

Hi all,

My new LLMD/Internist in CT stopped all my antibiotics after having been on them with another doctor for about 4 and 1/2 months(have had Lyme for many years) My new LLMD prescribed doing a pulsating protocol. I am supposed to start on Tetracycline today(after not being off abx for the last 14 days). In the meanwhile, I went to see a Dr. Zhang last week and started on his Chinese Herbal Lyme program last Wednesday(just finished my fifth day yesterday). I am having a STRONG reaction, and I can feel the bugs getting aggravated, and thus they are beginning to move around in my body. I am HERXING really badly, and I am wondering if I should stop for a couple of days, or at least cut back the dosage somewhat. I do not think I could do the Tetra right now, along with the Herbal treatment. I took an Ativan last night(which I try not to do), and I still woke up with a vicious headache/pressure, along with some pretty violent pain/shaking in my legs/arms, along with my other notable symptom, which is rapid breathing/air hunger/hyperventilating. DR. Zhang says these are all symptoms of Lyme/co infections/Herx, and that the woukd eventually go away over time with his treatment. I can make it through the Herx, but I get concerned when I read about TOO many toxins could be dangerous. If anyone has any thoughts, I would really appreciate hearing them.

Thanks-God Bless all of you fellow sufferers,

rjb