Activated Charcoal/Herxing (Also Am I going Crazy?)

Hey guys,

So I started my homeopathic treatment last week and my already bad anxiety and depression is going through the roof. Im also experiencing a lot more paranoia and feeling like I'm going crazy. And have thoughts racing through my head. I have had to take a low dose of Xanax (which I don't like doing) the past 3 days.

Have any one else experienced the feeling of going crazy and being paranoid?? Unfortunately for me a lot of my symptoms are sychological.
How long does it usually take for those symptoms to calm down or resolve? It's so uncomfortable:(

I had all of these symptoms before treatment but it's definitely increased so I don't know if it's just my symptoms are getting worse or if it could be from starting treatment.

I have been detoxing with lemon water and just got my activated charcoal today(still waiting for my dry brushes to arrive) how much is recommended and how often and long do I take it?

What sucks is that all my life I have always felt like I have had such a good head on my shoulders and always thought so rational and been so normal, now I feel like I've lost my darn marbles.

Janet,

The Charcoal I got is pill form, 260 mg tablets. I do have Epsom salt so I will do that today for sure. I just worry about creating a dependence on the Xanax. (Mental and physical) I will definitely do more detoxing thank you for the advice:)

You can try Samento and Banderol for your anxiety and depression. One of the brands that's highly recommended is nutramedix. They have their own site. I ordered late Thursday and my order arrived yesterday.

I don't know on the charcoal. I see an LLND and have specific instructions. I can tell you that you take it at least 90 minutes after you take your herbs. I would start with 1 pill at night. I'm sure someone else who takes it in a pill form will come along and give you a better answer.

You know you can search the site for any subject. There is a search box just under the "Join Healing Well" button. I always add Lyme after whatever I am searching for since the search is not limited to just the Lyme portion of this site. It can be helpful when the board is quiet.

Post Edited (jrpsf) : 12/21/2015 2:06:31 PM (GMT-7)

Sandra, you could try samento and banderol. My personal experience with those two herbs is that it increases the bug kill-off, and in turn make the herxing symptoms more pronounced.

Yes, lyme people are crazy. Sorry, but it sounds like you've joined the club. Expect really crazy feverish dreams, waking up and not knowing where you are (or who you are) for a minute or two, tinnitus, visual and hearing hallucinations, vibration feelings like your in an earthquake (but you're not), feeling old and moving slowly. The list goes on and on.

I just started my treatment 3 months ago, so I haven't recovered yet. I assume this craziness goes away once we fully recover. The first couple months I think will be the worst because the largest amount of bugs are getting killed off during this period.

Sandra, as other have said we all feel at times like we have lost our marbles. Until I joined this forum, i really though I was nuts. We recognized rages in my son starting at about 2 (he's 16 now). It was so bad that a child psychologist told us to clear a small room (the bathroom) of all objects he could use to hurt himself and then put him in until he calmed down. It worked but it is heart breaking to have to listen to your child begging you to let him out knowing that he hadn't yet reached the point at which he was calm enough to come out.

Then many years later to start reading this forum and find out that not only are rages a symptom of Lyme but also that you probably gave it to your children.

The most stunning thing though is when I realized that not only does my son have rages but I do to and we feed off each other.

So you are not alone and you have come to the right place.

Believe it or not, tomorrow morning I will be taking my son's appointment with the psychologist for the second week in a row. We had been going regularly weeny son was in elementary school because of emotional difficulties along with symptoms that seemed to be Asperger's. Both my kids had been diagnosed with ADHD (my son at 3), but my son was eventually diagnosed with Pervasive Development Disorder (PDD) and autism spectrum disorder. It included social issues, fine motor deficits in his hands, but also high IQ. It is sort of midway between Aspergers and Autism. It included rages. We eventually reached a point where everyone was doing ok.

That ended this year but more because I had many things going on that were completely out of control. I definitely was losing my mind. As the year went on, I thought things were under control, but there were many surprises ahead.

Last week, we had an appointment scheduled and I asked my son ho he wanted to handle it. He told me that he thought I needed to take it because I had way to much going on and needed to talk. He was right and I did. When I was leaving the appointment, the therapist asked me if I was safe. I said I was. We exchanged a few emails because he is trying to help me with getting a pain doctor (my rheum office is dropping all fiber patients) and I explained that although I may seem to be very low, I have something I could fight now. Before at my lowest, I only had a condition with no symptom. At the time, what kept me going was my kids. I still have them but also a future with my children and grandchildren (not soon I hope).

You will get through this. You have come to the right place. Draw on the knowledge of the people on this forum and take one step at a time.

One thing I can pass on is that I asked recently (for my son) about something to help with the rages, several people suggested Jernigan Nutraceuticals Neuro-Antitox II CNS/PNS. It has worked very well. I would suggest the alcohol based one instead of the apple cider vinegar. He had a hard time getting the acv version down. He started it and his rages subsided, then we went on vacation and I forgot it. We definitely saw a difference without it, so as soon as we got home we started it up again and everything has smoothed out.

I can't compare it to the other suggestions above. i just know it was the most common suggestion I got and it was easy to order.

Keep in touch,
Kim

Thanks guys,

I have been detoxing like crazy today and am feeling somewhat better. I am going to ask my doc about the SAMe. I need some kind of relief! Thanks again for your replies:)

You have been given some great suggestions!

I second the motion for SAM-e. I've been taking it for years (long before Lyme) and I find it helps me feel more "even".

Anxiety occurred as a herx for me on Buhner's Babesia herbs so I began taking 1/2 tsp Motherwort 3x daily (and as much as 6x daily per his recommendation). It helped a lot.

Please know that activated charcoal (and other binders) need to be taken 3-4 hrs. away from meds, supplements and food since the stuff absorbs *every*thing. (the brand I used lists the spacing info on the bottle)

When I used to take activated charcoal, I'd do so when I got up to use the bathroom at night.

Hope you feel better soon!

Thank you for the kind word emotional. I parlayed for a Christmas miracle that I would feel good for Christmas and even though I had my moments it was mostly a great day and I felt better than I had in days.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

i found this thread because i just started using kava kava.. i think it is helpful and also good for a person. i have heard it is hard on the liver. i am not sure who said that or how true it is.
i would like to know if any of you who was having difficult neuro-walking dead-herxes have gotten thru the terrible herxing ? what bug do you think it is ? babs, bart, borrelia.
i have had those terrible herx all along. i am not sure it is lyme borrelia, but not sure what

so has anyone conquered this in the two years that this thread is?

i was doing a abx combo, mino and tinidazole, taken every other day for two months, and towards the end i was feeling pretty good. i thought i turned a corner. but after the two months ,, i then rested a week and started on with artemesin ( contained in Tribiotics) but WoW first round of artemisin, i herxed with head pressure felt crappy for 3 days. then on the second series of artemisin i crashed, and perhaps bugs that were beat back from the mino/tindy round also became active again.

i am finding the kava very good for dealing with herx. so far. so have any of you on this thread got beyond the herx ?