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Herx or virus?

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Lyme Disease
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Posted 2/28/2017 6:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

I'm new to the site- just got diagnosed a few weeks ago with Lyme. I've gone untreated long enough that I now have neurological symptoms, so it's looking like it'll be a bit of a long road ahead. I'm about a month and a half into oral antibiotics (doxycycline, azithromycine, and tindamax). Overall, I've had a really hard time with starting abx with the fatigue- barely able to make it through a six hour work day, and absolutely no activity outside of work.

This past weekend I spent Saturday throwing up, at first thinking it was my abx (have thrown them up 3x) but it ended up being about five times that day. I had horrible chills and then sweating, every joint in my body hurt, and my muscles were so sore and in so much pain I laid unable to move for hours. I wanted to die. I suspected it could be Lyme-related, but also wasn't sure if it could be a virus that I'm having a hard time fighting.

I'm wondering if there's a way that you can tell between herxes and flu/virus. I see my LLMD next week, so I plan to ask him what he thinks, but any feedback or similar experiences would be helpful. I'm at day four in my bed, still nauseous and sore and having a hard time walking. Starting to make me think about how long I'll be able to keep working if this is what I could have to get used to with Lyme treatment
Posted 2/28/2017 6:21 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome mszolo! In our intro "New to Lyme?....start here", that we usually encourage all new members to read, there is a section on 'detoxing'. It's based on this link www.tiredoflyme.com/detox-methods.html
Posted 2/28/2017 6:27 PM (GMT 0)
One way to tell if it's a herx or the flu is to back off on the treatment for a day or two and see if the flu symptoms resolve.

The other way is to follow the detox directions in our introduction, and read the link. The die off toxins can get stagnated in our systems and our organs need help pushing them through.

I learned my lesson a couple of years ago on Doxy alone and didn't detox.

It might just take that long for it all to catch up with you. Also, are you doing anything to replace the good bacteria in your gut that the abx are killing?

That's covered on the 2nd page of our intro-yeast overgrowth and Candida
Posted 2/28/2017 7:12 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome mszolo!

Sorry you're feeling so horrible. You may need to back off on the meds if you aren't seeing any improvement in those symptoms.

I'm wondering if a co-infection - such as Babesia is coming to the forefront - with the chills/ sweating

Let us know what your LLMD says...okay?
Posted 2/28/2017 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the forum. Sorry you are not feeling well. I do hope things turn around soon.
Posted 3/6/2017 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the feedback, I'm thinking it was a Herx, I went three days without antibiotics and started feeling much better. Able to eat again after three days, and able to move around.

Just met with my LLMD who decided my next step because of my brain lesion and peripheral neuropathy will be bicillin injections 1x for 8 weeks, and then we'll see how I'm doing and discuss IV treatment.
Posted 3/7/2017 3:05 AM (GMT 0)
Interesting question.

I to have ponder this many times. It's very hard to explain in words. But I eventually started figuring out what was a herx and what was the cold, flu, or mono/ebv (which I had long before lyme) is being opportunistic and popping back up.

It just "feels" different if you know what I mean.
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