Herx? Flare? These meds aren't working...? Help...?

Good evening, gentlefolk-
In a lot of pain right now, something that thought I had been moving out of (away from? Ykwim) pain is effecting my hands, so if this seems disjointed (haha)bear with. Am just going to dive right in.

Dx w/ Lyme by a LLMD in February 2017 w/ and Igenix test (and then I broke my back😂) Worst symptoms before Dx included hypersomnia- 16 hr naps/5x week - intractable migraines, stiff neck, air hunger, loss of cognitive function, photosensitivity, cold/chills to the point of wearing wool sweaters and sweatpants when it was 90 out, and the feeling I was 'going crazy' (I had to be- no one believed me when I said I was sick)

Fast forward. Rx ceftin 1000mg and flagyl 750 mg (brand new) for this month. W/ add. of flagyl, have felt a sudden uptick in neck pain/ stiffness. Still like Can't touch ears to shoulders. Neck is sometimes snap crackle popping, sometimes not, and I can feel a headache coming. My wrists l&r feel swollen/constricted and the fingers in b hands are stiff. Grip is prob weak - I didn't miss that. Have not seen Chiro or MT yet, but I know it will help with the stiffness and referred/ traveling muscle pain in neck and shoulders. Ears are back to popping all the time, esp when I move neck or swallow. Have floaters all day long, not just AM. Found myself gasping for air this afternoon just watching a Chinese auction at a picnic.

There are some of the details. Here is ??:
Is this a herx to the new antibiotic added? Have been on new Rx combo for ~two weeks. Thought a herx was only in first week and lasted a week.

Is this a flare? Never really flared before, idk what that looks like.
Is this toxin build up and I need to really, seriously detox? Fell off the supplement wagon maybe two months ago...? Was taking fish oil, CoQ10, BComp, a combo of probiotics, pills+ foodbase. Otherwise pretty clean diet/ living. Confession: Am tired/tire easily, so hate exercise. Why doesn't the regular dr get that?

The whole back of my skull feels like it's being chomped down on, ear to Ear, I can hardly use my hands, and the joints in my body all scream when I move. Except my neck; it wants to auto adjust and won't. Will do anything to avoid ER and migraine cocktail. Language skills are also going, apparently.

My friend insomnia and I eagerly await your thoughts.
Thx, cadkhat

I was put on flagyl in the midst of my treatment for a dogbite and hated it. It made me so sick, and I couldn't sort out whether my symptoms were from lyme, candida, or side effects from the flagyl. I was on quite a bit more than you, 500 3x daily. I got the okay to go off it today, so I can't say yet if my symptoms clear.

Hi Cadkhat,
Welcome to the community.

It does sound like you are herxing. Would you mind telling us what you are doing for detoxing? Here is a good site for detoxing suggestions: www.tiredoflyme.com/detox-methods.html as well as the suggestions that are in the "New to Lyme".

Most of us don't really detox enough, we only detox as much as we must - including me. But the increase in symptoms since the addition of another item in your protocol usually means the need for detoxing increased.

You do want to be careful about using a Chiro at certain times. I have those same issues with the traveling muscle tightness/pain. My Chiro was concerned about it, and so I stopped going for a while and discovered what he meant - by doing muscle release at home, I actually deal with this better now. It's the muscle tightness that's pulling the discs out of place.

For the occipital headaches, try heat and/or ice on that area of your head. These can get quite intense for me and last for a week - just finishing up with it now, as a matter of fact. Tylenol, Advil, increased anti-inflammatories - none of that has helped me, only the heat and ice. The occipital bones in my head actually swell to cause this for me.

Hang in there! Nothing with these infections is a 'quick fix', but we are here to help you along the way!