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Anxiety Herx -- Deciding Whether to Trudge Through or Stop Meds

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Posted 5/31/2017 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

I'm treating Babesia, Bart and Lyme with Mepron, Zith and Bactrim. I just started the Bactrim a few weeks ago. I've had to stop the Bactrim once already b/c of a herx -- fatigue, headache, nausea, etc.

I resumed the Bactrim and now the herx I'm facing is pure anxiety (and really sore feet). I know it's hitting the Bart.

I feel like I have a better sense of when to cut back (or completely stop) medication/herbs when the herx is physical, but what do you do when it's psychological? This anxiety is relentless, and I've been a detox queen today -- lemon water, epsom salt bath, burbur, activated charcoal.

I hate to keep stopping and restarting the Bactrim, but it's really hitting me (the Bart) hard. Thanks for any ideas.
Kelly
Posted 5/31/2017 9:36 PM (GMT 0)
It really doesn't matter whether it's a neuro herx or the 'physical' herx....it's toxin overload...and cutting back will help alleviate it.

Bactrim has hit me hard, too...really hard. I was taking it with Mepron and Minocycline...and had to drop my dose.
I had increase in nerve pain...and am thinking now it could have partly contributed to my emotional herx I had in the middle of the night.

You can also do half dose for a few days.
Posted 5/31/2017 9:59 PM (GMT 0)
You're right. Thanks.

Bart is the worst for me. Everytime I have gone after it -- A-Bart, Rifampin, now Bactrim -- I have horrible herxes. At this rate, I'm worried I'll never be able to treat it.

I think I just have to start at even a 1/4 dose of Bactrim at this point (I have been on 1/2 the does of Bactrim, after first herxing on the full dose). I don't know if Bactrim can be pulsed, do you?
Posted 5/31/2017 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
I am pulsing all my antibiotics now...I am following what Dr. J. prescribes. (I do know that he has individual protocols...and not all patients follow the same protocol - it is individualized...but I'm basing my protocol on the pulsing method) So, yes Bactrim is also pulsed.

So you are doing 1/2 dose of the Bactrim DS?

so just one pill daily?

I have done 400 twice daily for some of my doses because of the increase in symptoms and one day I only took 400 once.
Mine isn't the DS - so my tablets are 400 mg.
Posted 5/31/2017 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
I was at 800-160 (2 times per day) when I herxed the first time. Now I'm on 400-80 (2 times per day). So, I'm thinking I should stay at 400 for a little while before moving ahead.

I see my LLMD next week and will ask about pulsing, too.
Posted 5/31/2017 11:21 PM (GMT 0)
Hi KB69

The anxiety and other psychological herxing is known as neurological-psychological herxing due to neurotransmitter imbalances caused by toxins, as Girlie mentioned. These just have to work their way out of your system.

Try adding Pienella with the Burbur and try adding a GI binder (remember the gut-brain connection).

When I started IV abx for Bart my neuro-psycho herxing was so hard. I titrated up slowly, everything was fine. Once I hit optimal doses I crashed hard - cycling through every extreme emotion you can think of hour after hour. I thought I was losing my faculties. Terrifying. I decided to push through it and it worked- within a few weeks I made much improvement.

Let us know how you do on any changes you implement.

-p
Posted 5/31/2017 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, P. The neuro herx symptoms are so hard to manage, you just feel like you're going crazy. Ugh.

I'm glad to know you had success moving up slowly on doses. I think I need to revisit that with my LLMD (or pulse, as Girlie mentioned).

I use Pinella and Burbur regularly. But, the only binder I use is activated charcoal when I'm herxing. What binder has worked best for you? I see that you have taken chlolestyramine -- do you think that has helped?
Posted 6/1/2017 12:05 AM (GMT 0)
The neuro-psycho was far worse than any pain I've lived with. I live alone and frankly, it can get dangerous.

I LOVE cholestyramine - it is my most important component in my protocol. Not only does it usually help with herxing, detoxing, but it's helped my GI function, keeps me regular. I had to slowly work up to optimal dose and naively stopped taking it at first because it gave me stomach pain. But I won't live without if now.

Until you can get some CSM (takes an Rx and compounding pharmacy ---don't let anyone talk you into the cheap stuff) or if you can't get some right now (it's very expensive) try getting some bentonite clay and chase the charcoal with the liquid clay. And you can experiment with higher doses, too.

Let us know how things go!

-p
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