"herxing"

[marylandmom]

Sorry, I am unclear about what herxing is.

[LNN]

From Wikipedia...The Herxheimer reaction (also known as Jarisch-Herxheimer or Herx) occurs when large quantities of toxins are released into the body as bacteria (typically spirochetes) die during antibiotic treatment. It is classically associated with syphilis.

 

Typically the death of these bacteria and the associated release of endotoxins occurs faster than the body can remove the toxins. It is manifested by fever, chills, headache, myalgia (muscle pain), and exacerbation of skin lesions. Duration in syphilis is normally only a few hours. The intensity of the reaction reflects the intensity of inflammation present.

 

The reaction is also seen in other diseases caused by spirochetes, such as borreliosis (Lyme disease and tick-borne relapsing fever) and leptospirosis, and in Q fever.[1] Similar reactions have also been reported to occur in bartonellosis (including cat scratch disease),[2][3] brucellosis,[4] typhoid fever,[5] and trichinosis.[6]

 

 

On this forum, we tend to use the term a little more broadly. The above focuses more on syphilis symptoms. Very loosely, it's similar to Dr K's :turning back the pages" concept where you can get worse before you get better. In lyme, if you start treatment and begin killing spirochettes faster than the body can rid itself of the resulting die-off toxins, you'll see a worsening of symptoms or a general feeling like cr*p. So many lyme doctors focus on detox supplements to minimize this reaction. It is generally self-limiting and does not occur throughout the entire treatment - only when the rate of killing the bacteria is faster than the body's elimination abilities.

 

You will see a similar reaction in scarlet fever - which is a rash produced when the body kills certain strains of strep and the exotoxins produce a rosey rash - usually on the trunk of the body. Only a handful of strep strains produce this rash and it generally isn't referred to as a herx (probably because the rash doesn't make you feel bad), but it's the same concept.