What if you cannot handle herx?

[pandakid11]

Hi

I was unfortunate to not have lyme diagnosed way too late. My overall pain/fatigue etc...is already lousy with no room to add more toxins to an already toxic body. What do you do when cannot handle to go any lower (sicker) and

still function at some level? I get so sick on antibiotics right around the 2nd to 3rd week that I am forced to stop. I get so sick and the pain level goes thru the roof. The other problem is that with the pain so high, my BP spikes to over 200/120. How much pain can one person take? For some reason, this lyme has attacked my body in a way that the pain is over the top. What do you do if you cannot handle the herxing? I feel stuck.

 

Help appreciated. Thanks

[sf_mom]

Are you being seen by an integrative LLMD? How intense is your antibiotic regimen? Some things that you might consider testing for that could be adding to the intensity of herx response.

 

1. Heavy metals

2. Inability Detox - Methylation

3. KPU

 

You might also consider taking some natural anti-inflammatory supplements or something like Avipaxin which helps to lower the cytokine response. Here are some blurbs on Avipaxin

 

https://www.neurorelief.com/uploads/content_files/Avipaxin%20and%20Modulation%20of%20the%20Immune%20System.pdf

 

https://www.neurorelief.com/index.php?p=cms&cid=202&pid=

 

 

Helping the body to detox more effectively will also help with herx symptoms.

 

1. Binders such as: Charcoal Pills, Bentonite Clay, Cholestyramine

2. Epsom salt baths/Saunas/Sweating

3. Supplements/Vitamines that assist the body to detox via methylation pathways.

 

 

I've been drinking the following detox drink that I crave and is anti-inflammatory as well.

 

1. 1 oz. Aloe Vera Juice

2. 18 drops of Chorophyll - benefits of Chorophyll http://www.energiseforlife.com/wordpress/2009/02/11/health-benefits-of-liquid-chlorophyll/

3. 1 tsp (to start and build to table spoon) Vitamineral Green http://www.healthforce.com/shop?page=shop.product_details&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=6&category_id=1

4. Juice of one lemon

5. Water

 

You can always consider backing down, pulsing protocol or switching temporarily to herbals while you bring your load down. Talking to your Dr. is best.... you got to have a treatment plan that is survivable.

Edited April 26, 2012 by SF Mom

[LNN]

There are several components to treating lyme. There's obviously the need to take something to kill the bacteria. But there's also a need to replace/balance the nutrients that lyme robs from your body and the need to help your body rid itself of toxins. It sounds like you may need to work with an integrative doctor to work on detox before you start killing bacteria and adding to the trash heap. As your body gets stronger, you'll be better able to juggle these needs at the same time. But for now, detox without antibiotics or herbs meant to kill the lyme sound like a top priority. Given how seriously ill you sound, it doesn't sound like doing nothing is an option. I'd get with an integrative LLMD or naturopath and do some foundational work on methylation and detox and then proceed to lyme treatment.

[momcap]

Good advice from SF Mom. We see an integrative LLMD and do lots of supplements and herbals to support the body through this process. Lots of focus on detox. With meds we start VERY slowly and carefully. When it's possible we start with quarter or half doses and work up very gradually AS TOLERATED. If we can't split doses then we go 1 day on 2 days off, then every other day, then every day - that type of thing. We do everything as the body can tolerate, and if we find it's too much we back off and start again more slowly. If you know you typically herx hard at the 2-3 week mark you might want to stay on a very low dose past that point before trying to go up gradually. For my PANDAS/lyme son we've had to switch a med (bactrim) that just wasn't being tolerated no matter how slowly we went. He's doing much better now that we switched it for rifampin, but he did herx pretty hard on rif. For all 3 boys we have stuck it out through some herxes that we felt were tolerable (barely) and made some great gains. But like SF Mom said, you need a treatment plan that you can live with. It doesn't sound safe to have a herx that causes you extreme pain and spikes your blood pressure. What does your LLMD suggest?