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Trouble Breathing, Herx or Allergic reaction? (Clindamycin)

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Posted 4/8/2016 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
I started my first dose of Clindamycin (500mg) as well as some herbs and vitamins today.

I took it about 6 hours ago, and I am no having a tightness in my chest and some air hunger. I'm terrified of an allergic reaction and don't know what to do. My LLMD said it could be a herx and not to stop, but does babesia cause herx reactions only 5-6 hours after taking your first pill? that doesn't seem likely does it?


Please help :( I really want to be able to tolerate an antibiotic. I'm allergic to penicillin and my options are running out.
Posted 4/8/2016 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
Well, please don't let it escalate into panic - that never helps anything with us. :-)

Although it's unusual to have a herx reaction so soon after the first dose, it's not unheard of - and remember, you just started other things too! Those things combined could easily have given the abx a boost in the killing power, especially if you are using herbs that either have their own killing power or if you boosted your immune system - then your body is back in the fight as well.

Be sure that you are detoxing lots!! Remember, you want to get as many body systems detoxed and helping your body detox as you can. It's a careful balance of killing and detoxing.

Also, did you start off on a 'full' dose? If so, please reduce your dose and take the next one tomorrow.

Please do let us know how you are doing!!!
Posted 4/8/2016 11:57 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Traveler. Yeah no, the panic never helps anything I agree ;)


I am supposed to take 500 MG twice a day, I'll skip tonights dose and resume tomorrow. I took quite a few things, wobezym-N, olive leaf extract, multivitamin, vitamin c tincture, tumeric, slippery elm.

Yeah, it just seemed very odd that it happened so quickly, and I'd be more dissapointed than scared if I was allergic, because I really have very little meds left to choose from :(

What would you say some key babesia symptoms are? For the first time I woke up with night sweats, have trouble singing (air issues), breathing, and obviously 1000 other lyme symptoms.
Posted 4/9/2016 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
Well, you just named some of the more classic symptoms of Babs - air hunger (can't quite get enough air - can be mild or serious), frontal lobe headaches, night sweats (but these can happen during the day as well).

I would also suggest that you only take 250 mgs tomorrow - you started some herbs that will also be killing off bacteria, raising your immune function, thin your blood a touch so that the herbs/abx can get down into the smaller veins, and antioxidants (vit.C) - that's a whole lot to start in one day! Many take a week or two to get them all started to avoid those horrid herxes. Believe me, in all the years I've been on this forum, I've yet to hear someone say, "I wish I had pushed through treatment faster" other than when we are just tired of simply being 'in treatment'.

By the way, I too have a really bad penicillin allergy - it's hard to deal with at times!

Be sure to up your detox, and I bet you will be feeling some relief soon.
Posted 4/9/2016 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
Totally agree w/ T - detox is as important as the treatment itself - if you don't get rid of what you're killing, the residual toxins and debris from the dead microbes can cause just as much havoc as the infection.

Generally, reactions having to do with breathing, rash, heat/itchiness in neck/chest/head area are allergic-type reactions. There is a little bit of overlap w/ Babes breathing issues so I see why that can be confusing.

Another thought -

I'm on Rocephin and Vancomycin - haven't taken clindamycin for a long time (can't even remember what happened when I did) but I've had "allergic" reactions to both abx I'm taking. The Roccephin made my eyes itchy and I got extremely agitated and the vanco made my scalp burn/itch and I also became agitated.

I, too, wanted to tolerate them so that I didn't have to start over with something else and had significant and immediate relief taking Bendryl along with the abx for the first couple of doses.

The allergic sx waned with each dose and I eventually was able to stop taking the Benadryl, plus I slowed down my infusions (I'm not sure that you can or should slow down pill form but I'd talk w/ your LLMD about it--like T said it's probably doable at first but LLMD will probably urge you to work up to full dose as soon as you can tolerate it so that you don't build up resistance).

I no longer need Bendryl and usually have no allergy-type reactions.

Hope this helps -
p
Posted 4/9/2016 2:40 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry -
I just realized I didn't express something very well. I had a conversation w/ my home health nurse (who comes once/wk to access my IV port) and asked her about the differences between a manageable allergic reaction to abx, a serious allergic reaction, and a reaction that might be associated w/ the successful action of killing the bacteria. I specifically wanted to know that if I was having allergic reactions that were manageable, do those allergic responses indicate that the abx is dangerous for me to take?

Her response was that there are varying degrees of an allergic response. She called me "sensitive". I did not like that LOL - I'm a tough gal! But what she meant was that since I reacted to the abx (both of the ones I'm taking) that I was just sensitive to them. But she said that if I'd had anaphylactic responses (serious issues breathing, throat closing up) that it was a concern and that most medical professionals will steer you away from that abx.

I was worried my previous response may have not made this distinction. So St0rch, you may consider whether or not you might want to investigate your breathing issues a little more seriously. Just a thought.

-p
Posted 4/9/2016 5:34 AM (GMT 0)
St0rch I can herx within 5-6 hours. I agree with what Traveler and Piroutte said.

I needed to take benadryl prior to taking intramuscular Rocephin injections. I would get what I would term electric shocks within minutes of the shot. My arm would rash just as quickly. We determined that it was best I changed protocol.
I think it's wise to have benadryl at home as a safe guard. Why stress or panic. It will also calm an anxiety attack if need be.

Night sweats and air hunger are key Babs symptoms. You can find a full list in the new to lyme section about three posts down. There is a link.
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