Hi Cjl,
This is a typical pattern of herxing that you are experiencing. Not all that start treatment feel any relief from their symptoms, but by about
the 3rd or 4th week, many do experience herxing - and your symptoms seem to support that you are herxing.
What are you doing for detoxing? That's the only way to deal with herxing - detox more.
With the experience that I had personally, and what I've watched others go through, here is what I believe needs to happen for many of us to heal:
a)Detoxing - gene mutations, mold exposure and multiple tick-borne infections can all prevent us from detoxing well, but we must be able to get those toxins out of our bodies. We need to detox by several means daily, as detoxing has a cumulative effect - the more you do, the better your body is at keeping those toxins flowing.
For example, I have not had any of the gene mutation testing done, although I do seem to have the same kind of issues as those that do - so I figured it was best for me to assume that I did and work to get my body to detox much better. It took a lot of diet changes as things with my body changed,
I use a foot soak,
dry skin brushing,
Lymph massages as needed,
making sure my bowels moved at least once a day (sorry if it's TMI!)
pushing myself to drink at least 64 ounces of lemon water each and every day,
liver/gall bladder flushes (all natural) as needed,
Apple cider vinegar,
Quercetin,
Alpha Lipoic Acid,
oil pulling with coconut oil and a few drops of tea tree oil,
using Yogi brand detox tea,
taking activated charcoal (when necessary),
and keeping the amount of stress in my life at a bare minimum.
You can find some really good detoxing suggestions in the "New to Lyme?" thread that sits at the top of the forum.
And this is another good list of possible detoxing routines:
www.tiredoflyme.com/detox-methods.html