You say herx I say Herx?

[dolfnlvr]

The experience is so different for all of us...and it is so hard to tell whether we are getting the little buggers and therefore suffering or if there's just nothing to "get."  Heck--for some there isn't a "herx" at all--or at least not a noticeable one.

So--for those of us trying to figure out the landscape--what's a "herx" like for you??

[Ricobord]

I have to smile at myself as you write the same things I was feeling when I started treatment.  I am only 2-3 months ahead of you in the process and I can now look back and see how far I have come. My improvement has been gradual, up and down, and some symptoms that I thought were gone came back for a while. But overall, I am much better.

My herxing in the beginning was usually a flare of pain in my ribs, and shortness of breath/air hunger, brain fog, fatigue, and irritability. I think my stomach pain and GI distress are just symptoms and not herxes as they were continous.  I spent the first 2 months of treatment frequently using hot packs and heating pads on my ribs to ease the pain.  I only just started wearing a bra again last Sunday. (Yes, I am a woman!  Rico is my pet who has been my companion as I have spent most of the last 6 months in my Lazy Boy.)  I haven't been able to wear a bra since last October. I wore it for a good 3 hours before I had to take it off. That was amazing progress!  Thank goodness I am winding down on that symptom before the hot weather hits.  In the cooler weather, it was easy to wear vests and scarves and camisoles to compensate. ;)

Most recently, I noticed a herx when I resumed the Cat's Claw.  I had headaches, brain fog, irritability, and some twinges in my ribs.  

I would swear by Chlorella (with broken cell wall). I have been on it, off it, and now back on it again.  I truly believe it is helping detox me. I just feel better, especially mentally when I take it.  My kidneys are underperforming so I am taking parsley extract also.  Not sure yet if it is making a difference.

[mojogal]

I think the reality is that as Lyme is really a mystery, even the famous doctors are treaating to the best of their ability but that may not work on some people so is the herxing. Everyone can do it in a different way or hardly at all, while others suffer so much. It's not fair but either is the disease.

[dolfnlvr]

"...my doc also said that not getting a herx does not mean the abx are not working much, it just means you are good at eliminating the dead bacteria and other junk."  See--that's kind of nice to hear.  Sometimes I feel like I'm not "suffering enough" for this to be working, then again, I never feel really good, compared to my "normal self" so suffering more isn't really an attractive thought either.  

I so wish this was more like Strep throat or something!!!  Feel sick--go to doctor--get meds--get better.  

No, instead, feel sick, go to doctor who finds nothing and tells you you are nuts, continue to search for answers, find an LLMD who is fairly confident you have Lyme, go on treatment and wait--for something.  Which could take months--and since your symptoms are so random and seemingly unconnected wonder whether or not a new this or that is related to the treatement or is part of the illness itself.

I've felt "better" the past two days then I have for weeks, but two days isn't a trend and all I can do is hope it spreads into a week or more of "good" days.

Here's to it...

[youvegottobekidding]

I got a worsening of several symptoms, in some cases intense worsening, and I also got old symptoms dragged up from the past that I hadn't had in years.
My first herx was from azithro. I've always had terrible gut problems and I spent a week unable to stand up straight from the pain, I was creeping about bent over. I was staying in the clinic for the first month of my treatment. The doc seemed very worried about the pain I was in. His main issue was whether I was having a herx, or an adverse reaction to the antibiotics.
My second herx was from bactrim/cotrim, and I felt like I was poisoned and going to die, literally. I had a thumping headache and hurt all over and felt as if I needed to vomit out of every part of my body. That lasted about 4 days.
The main thing my doc always says abut herxes is that they are not supposed to last more than about 4 days, (my first lasted 8 days though). If they go on and on, or recur when you haven't changed meds, then they are not really herxes, but either an adverse reaction to your abx - which you should not be left to suffer as they could be doing more harm than good - or else that your detoxing is not working so the bacterial toxins are accumulating. To check that, my doc always insists on blood and urine tests after 1 week of treatment and repeated every 4 weeks to make sure the detox organs are working. He also recommends milk thistle to help detoxing if you keep feeling groggy during treatment..
BTW my doc also said that not getting a herx does not mean the abx are not working much, it just means you are good at eliminating the dead bacteria and other junk.Usually.

[JackieCalifornia]

My herxes were hardly worth mentioning ... I'm very sensitive to everything in the pharmacy world, and I didn't have any problems worth mention as herxing.

[mojogal]

My herxing at the start went from shooting pains, blindness that came and went and not being able to eat or walk, now my herxing is more like napping for 3 hours with an occasional shooting pain.