Rifampin herx???

Hi everyone, so I insult got the nerve to start rifampin yesterday, I was only going to do half 300mg all day but I ended up taking the other half later in the day since things seemed to go ok. This am I took the whole 300mg. At about 2pm I started getting such a horrendous headache and neck pain. I took an epsom salt bath and drank plenty of lemon water but it's not letting up! It's so intense! Could this be a herx already?

Thanks Goshawk! I contacted my llmd and he wants me to try to stay on the rifampin, in fact he wants me to be on 300 mg 2x a day and not just once like I'm doing, he said that can cause resistance. I've been having terrible flares the last few weeks, so he is hoping that this will somehow get to Bart and things will get better! My head and neck are so bad it's so hard to know if this is a herx or just a worse continuation of my previous symptoms I've been having. The nice thing before is evenings were always better, headaches etc would calm down but tonight I feel as though my head will explode at any minute!! I am so beyond exhausted of feeling so awful...wish I could at least have the break in the evening continue!!

its a herx it almost always happens when someone starts rifampin/rifabutin.

are you taking this with any other antibiotics?

If the increase in symptoms is sudden....and quite severe...I'd say that's a good sign it's a herx.

I think if it was a worsening of the bartonella...it would be less severe of an onset...

Plus - coincidentally they got worse...right after you started the Rifampin....I'd go with the herx.

You could try Bactrim - it is supposed to have some action against Bart.
And go back to riffy after awhile - once the Bactria has been reduced some.

Or you could switch over to herbs.

I only took it for 2 days, Sunday and Monday. It's now Friday and my headache has gotten so bad I'm considering going to the ER, it will feel at times like it's squeezing the life out of me! Them it moves around to different parts of my head and nothing touches the pain!

Dollface29 said...
If it's neck pain and a headache, its almost certainly the effects of rifampin.

For some reason, afternoons are the times it hits me too, especially in the neck. The neck pain might also be caused by rifampin bleaching magnesium and causing tightening of muscles - because magnesium helped me at one point with this. I don't know. But it's likely a herx.

I've had increased neck stiffness and headaches that have come on late in the day or evening 3 days in a row now, and I have never taken Rifampin. I am battling bartonella and am treating using Buhner's protocol. I have migraine pills (Imitrex) that I've taken 3 nights in a row now. Last night it almost didn't work. I'm getting worried, because I can take no more than 4 in a week or 9 in a month. Normally I only have 1 or 2 a month. If they keep coming, God help me.

Hope you're feeling some relief today, Tonya!

The year and a half treatment didn’t include Bart tho - right?
It can be rough each time we treat a different infection.

One of my pet peeves with my LLND is he kept me on Lyme only treatment too long. It was a full year later when I finally started Bart treatment.
There’s really no good reason for the delay IMO.

Then after almost 1 1/2 years of Bart treatment and plateauing - I decided enough was enough.
I self treated Babesia for several months and then decided to go to the J clinic.

No way should Lyme only be treated for a year - as treating Bart hits Lyme too.
I was clinically diagnosed with Bart during my initial consult .

tonyaraven said...
Did things get really bad for you too when Bart came out after the Lyme treatment? Do you think some of what I'm feeling still has anything to do with the 2 days of Rifampin I did (sunday and Monday). I can't figure out if things will calm down enough so I can regain my strength to start treating Bart or if I have to treat Bart and somehow survive what it does to me to eventually get better! I feel totally lost!

I don't particularly remember the first few weeks on the Rifampin...Maybe if I check my notes I'll see something.

I think that what you're feeling could be from Sun/Mon Rifampin, yes.

tonyaraven said...
Thanks Girlie! I hope you have a nice Easter! Fingers crossed April will magically be a good month for all of us!

Hey, I'm crossing finger, toes...and whatever else I can....hehe.


Easter is just hubby and I this year, so it will be quiet.


Happy easter to you!!!

Thanks Patty!

rifampicin is what's called a bactericidal antibiotic

this means it actually kills bacteria directly

most antibiotics are actually bacteriostatic - that is they slow the growth or prevent the growth of more bacteria

of the two the bactericidal antibiotics are more likely to provoke a strong herx response - as they kill or damage more bacteria

so this fits with a sudden increase in symptoms within 24hrs of starting rifampicin

since most of your symptoms are increases in existing symptoms - this also fits with a herx reaction ( though herx can bring new symptoms too)

i have not found much that helps lessen herx reactions once they have started - others swear by things like
-Epsom salt baths
-burbur and pinella
-Alker Selzer Gold

i do think its worth drinking plenty of fluids - try to move you body to help move an excrete toxins and generally look after yourself

if it become more than you can manage you can also reduce the dose until it lessens - and step up again when you feel ready

all the best !