How to quell this nasty flare-up?

Several days ago I had a suspected covid exposure. It was pretty low risk, but I decided to take some immune-boosting supplements for a few days just to be safe. I took the following:

NAC (1200-1800 per day)
Quercetin (800 mg per day)
Olive leaf (800 mg)
Vitamin C (500 mg)
Astragalus (500 mg)
Resveratrol (200 mg per day)
Taurine (1000 mg)
L-Carnitine (1000 mg)
Zinc (40 mg)

Yesterday, after 2.5 days, I started to experience some unpleasant symptoms, including a moderately severe headache (mostly in the center of the forehead) and an elevated resting heart rate (100 compared to my usual 60). I stopped taking the supplements, but overnight I experienced pretty extreme night sweats, comparable to what I used to have prior to initiating treatment for Lyme etc back in 2019.

Today the headache is still present, along with the eye pain (generally only noticeable if I move them rapidly or press them) and a general sense of malaise and lethargy.

I haven't actively treated my tick-borne infections since 2022, partly because I moved abroad and my LLMD stopped treating me, and partly because my health, while not perfect, was good enough that most of the time I felt ok.

But this very clearly feels like the supplements I took have caused a flare-up, and unlike a standard herx the symptoms have not subsided with cessation of the supplements.

I didn't realize that in addition to the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of those supplements, some of them also are fairly potent biofilm disruptors (NAC), and my suspicion is that this has caused the flare-up.

But what can I do to bring it back under control? I'm afraid to take anything else because I don't want to risk making it worse, so at this point I'm basically just taking activated charcoal and waiting it out.

Any advice or guidance on what I'm likely dealing with would be much appreciated! This group is and has long been an actual life-saver.

Post Edited (Scroggins) : 2/1/2024 6:46:06 AM (GMT-8)

ps i have had pretty strong reactions to even low doses of astragalus - and that could be a lasting effect as its modulates the immune system in complex ways

hi,

i don't think the symptoms during herx are a reliable indicator of what bug or bugs are present - unfortunately.

for instance a herx from any infection could cause night sweats

there can sometimes be general patterns of general symptoms that would tend to cause one to suspect one agent over another - for instance - more pain and mood disorders with bartonella - but in my experience its far from clear cut

this symptoms comparison is from a reputable source and may be of some help
https://learn.invisible.international/babesiosis-bartonellosis-and-lyme-borreliosis-symptom-reference/

Alkaseltzer gold is my go to. Burbur pinella as well.

Getting acutely sick can also make cytokines screwy for a little bit. Something “boosting” my immune system can make that worse too. The immune system is the symptoms after all. I keep my measures pretty limited and mild now.

Thanks all, much appreciated.

This may just be semantics, but if this was a herx rather than a flare-up it's by far the worst I've ever had. My herxes have tended to just cause malaise and brain fog, nothing like this.

I think this is an indication I need to start targeting biofilms specifically, because I've taken these same supplements fairly regularly at lower doses without NAC, and not had any issues. The NAC seems to have kicked something up.

Alkaseltzer gold is a good recommendation - I'll have to see if I can secure some locally.

And I definitely could stand to improve the basics like sleep and diet - I've been slacking since my son was born.

Thanks again.

Post Edited (Scroggins) : 2/1/2024 5:58:40 AM (GMT-8)

You said you took those things for a suspected COVID exposure. Do you have any Ivermectin or Alinia? If so, you can use those for a prophylactic. FLCCC has protocols for prevention, treatment, and long haul sx.

P.S. - I just went back and read your initial post a couple more times. The first time I took NAC, I took a dose before bed and woke up with a headache. I went ahead and took the second dose that morning and got a major herx with nausea, headache, and freak out panic for the rest of the day.

The headache and sweats and other symptoms could have been from the supplements or from being exposed to a virus and your body trying to fight it off.

Post Edited (WalkingbyFaith) : 2/1/2024 5:30:23 AM (GMT-8)

Zyrtec and other antihistamines can help with MCAS and cytokine induced inflammation.

Yes. I found olive leaf to be quite potent, as well.

Well Done Loski!

Good Job

i would have been proud to deliver that message also

the 3minute cut-off was brutal - but i guess they had to limit it with 10 speakers to hear

all the best

Alka Seltzer Gold. It's so good that recently (around Covid and co times) it had gone into short supply, and you couldn't find it online, with shipping delays taking months! I stocked up on it as my first line treatment, but even then I forget it's there sometimes, and forget to take it. But when I do remember to take it, it works!