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Feeling anxious - Rifampin herx?

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Posted 8/29/2015 2:33 AM (GMT 0)
A lot of anxiety today...

I'm on Day 12 of Rifampin (in addition to my 100 mg twice daily mino)...and feeling anxiety today..
I keep wondering if the rifampin won't be effective because I'm not getting to full dose of 600 mg daily for three weeks.
I also am wondering if the 300 mg twice daily is as good ad the 600 mg once daily.

I keep googling it...and trying to figure out what's the best for me to do.

I'm feeling really anxious about it....maybe I'm herxing and that's why I'm anxious...

sad
Posted 8/29/2015 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
Oh, Girlie!

Sooo sorry you're dealing with this!! (((hugs)))

I've read stories on here of people having anxiety as a herx when taking Rifampin.

Umm...it seems like it's already starting to become effective.

I think the best for you to do right now is increase your detox. Let the anxiety settle and your mind clear. You'll figure out what's the best for you to do.

Hope you feel better soon!
Posted 8/29/2015 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, CD!

I'm not even being rational...my thoughts are all doom and gloom..thinking if I don't do this Rifampin treatment the right way..then that's it...I won't get rid of bart...
So, I'm googling...and reading...and getting panicked....

I think it's a herx...or a side effect of Rifampin...okay - going for Pinella and Burbur now.
Posted 8/29/2015 11:47 AM (GMT 0)
Trust your gut on this one - it's a herx.

You even said it yourself: "I'm not even being rational...my thoughts are all doom and gloom...getting panicked". If that's not the bugs talking, I don't know what is.

Hope the Pinella and Burbur helped.

And, if it didn't, how about a swim in the lake?

Sure hope today is a better day!
Posted 8/29/2015 12:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Girlie (bonjour! I am the product of 13 years of gov. funded French lessons -- which means I can barely read a menu!)

This time maybe I can weigh in with encouragement, instead of just asking for help for my niece.

I did a lot of rifampin for my bart -- and when I started it, had a HUGE herx which was primarily brutal anxiety, agitation, feelings of doom . . sounds like you know what I mean. I am so sorry.

It was probably one of the lowest points of 3 years of treatment. I have a vivid memory and it ain't good! Hard to describe the feeling. I had started full dose (!) -- 300 X2 and only weighed 100 lbs. Not smart.

Dr. told me to hold at 150 2xday -- though I was on another "intracellular" drug at same time for the bart (azithromycin, at least -- he kept switching things). He likes to use multiples and even double up (or more!) on drugs in the same category if he wants to hit a particular infection hard.

Once things calmed down, it was a good drug for me. (though as you know, it is hard on liver . . .) We attacked the bart (and lyme) very hard with oral abx for almost 18 months and slowly integrated different herbals. I have been at 90-95% (on herbals) for over a year.

I know how scary the bart can be. My worst symptoms were bart related. But with with serious - and sustained - attention you can definitely kick it!!

Hang in there! I know its very rough.
T.
Posted 8/29/2015 3:33 PM (GMT 0)
Girlie you are herxing, I hated taking Rifampin, it made me feel terrible for several months. Take the Pinella, Burbur and parsley to help detox or Apple cider vinager. Also pulse the mino since your feeling so bad. I forget how your taking it but I had to take rifampin every day and then zithromax I took Monday - Friday but when I was herxing I backed off on the zithromax.

Hang in there girl, it will get better.
Posted 8/29/2015 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks - it actually calmed down before i went to bed last night....
cd - the weather has changed here on the 'wet' coast...and we had a windy, rainy day yesterday...and it's looking to be more of the same today...so no swim in the lake for me!!

Trishums - I had two years of high school french and two years of University French...and I still couldn't talk to my father in French. Sure, I could probably read a menu, too.

Thank you for posting - it's good to know that you did 150 X2 daily - did you eventually increase to the 300 mg twice daily...or stayed at the lower dose? Yesterday I kept reading about resistance...and freaking out as I am on 300 once daily now...and won't be doing the 300 twice daily for another couple weeks.

Did your liver enzymes start to climb on it? I've already had a bit of trouble in that department prior to rifampin.
Posted 8/29/2015 3:59 PM (GMT 0)
so glad to hear things have calmed down a bit.

I never got past 150 X2. Of course I panicked about that too -- but they assured me it could still do good at that dose given my weight (at 100lbs.); I kept asking if I should ramp it up to 300, but I started to make progress. And as I mentioned, they were doing some "combos" to get at the bart. I am sure this was key.

Even so, if I were doing it today, I might eventually try to creep up the dose -- slowly add by making one dose 300, but keeping the other at 150. If nothing else, I would have given myself a little more peace of mind along the way . . .

And yes, my enzymes went up. That stressed me too, until they came right back down after a 2 week break (I think?) from the abx.

But here's the joke: I think what drove up the enzymes was Byron White A-Bart!!! I accidentally started with A DROPPER full (not a drop!!) and gave myself a brutal herx. I had blood done right after that. Doc said that could have done it!! I was so mad at myself . . .

That is another option in time: you could integrate the A-Bart -- slowly! But many on here will tell you that the stuff is radioactive fo many people. I don't know what's in it, but it will can you to the moon if you take too much. Doc finally took me off it as it just seemed to keep me in a low grade herx . . .

Sorry for long message. I know you can read intimidating stuff about bart, but you CAN kick it . . . they thought it was my worst and we dealt with it.

I don't know about the resistance question. But I think (?) it has more to do with starting and stopping a lot? But again, they had me stop and re-start . . .

T.
Posted 8/29/2015 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
I am hanging in, Revive...by the skin of my teeth...lol.

I am taking 300 mg Rifampin once daily now...and 100 mg mino twice daily. I started with the mino...and I was herxing on the half dose, and then on the full dose...

I am supposed to check my liver function before going up to 300 mg twice daily Rifampin...

Trishums - I'm 135 lbs...so probably too heavy for the 150 mg X2 dose...

I'm not so stressed today...it must have been a herx...my brain was just being unreasonable...haha.
Posted 8/29/2015 8:45 PM (GMT 0)
Rifampin was such a heavy-hitter for me. Definitely sounds like bartonella-focused herx.
Posted 8/29/2015 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
I think it's a heavy-hitter for me too, BBY....
Posted 2/4/2016 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
i am really feeling this stuff....worst herx yet!
Posted 2/4/2016 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
Aww....so sorry - gosh I had actually forgotten about my post last August...
I never had another herx that bad after that...even when I got up to 300 twice daily.

Hang in there....do you have Pinella and Burbur? (by Nutramedix?) That and epsom salt baths helped me the most (and still do).
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