I experience cycles and I am a male. However, mine are +/- two days from the 8th week mark. The symptoms of these cycles last about
two weeks from start to finish. The length of time that the symptoms last does not affect the beginning of the new cycle. I have been infected for 1 1/2 years and have been taking antibiotics for 6 months.
I mention the above because even before I started the antibiotics I noticed the cycle via my notes, although I did not know there was a cycle at that time. I keep a log of my symptoms to see what works for me and what doesn't, and through this log I can see a pattern of symptoms.
In the beginning, this cycle was very discouraging even though I was not aware of the cycle until recently because by coincidence, it coincided with certain events or treatments that I blamed it on. I started antibiotics and slowly began getting better and better and was very happy that the antibiotics were working so well. Then at the 7th week of being on them I began to feel worse within a few days. I blamed it on the antibiotics not working for me any more and that I had reached a plateau. I upped my dose and within a week or so I began to get better so I assumed that it was the medication. 8 weeks later, I began to feel worse again. I had gone on vacation so I assumed that I had overworked my body and that this was why I felt sick. The next time I felt sick I blamed it on the full moon.
It wasn't until one day I was conversing with someone and I brought it up. This person casually mentioned that it sounded like I went around in circles. This made me think and so I went back to my notes. And there it was! a cycle of 8 weeks.
I just went through a cycle a few weeks ago and this one was pretty bad. I could not walk, dizziness was worse than ever, and most of my old symptoms came back. However, I was able to tell that the worst symptoms are related to Bartonella. I have not treated bartonella yet so I think that all of this time the cycle has been from Bartonella, and since I have not treated for it, that this is why the cycles have been stronger and stronger each time.
I will be beginning treatment for Bartonella in two days so I hope that the next cycle won't be as strong.
I should mention that S. Bruhner mentions in his co-infections book that Bartonella hits the body for a while until it finds a way to co-exist with its host and then the symptoms fade away. I think that this is what is happening but that the cycle may be new bacteria that just hatched and is looking for a place to live and that once my autoimmune system kills off some of it and the rest finds a new hiding place, that this is when I begin to feel better again. Who knows for sure what is really happening in our bodies. At least for now I have put it in my calendar to not make plans on the 8th week cycle :)
Post Edited (Healing98) : 1/5/2014 7:19:05 PM (GMT-7)