Herxheimer Reaction

[sf_mom]

I thought this important enough to post. In our healing process we have definitely experienced 'flairs' or flipping of the pages..... While I attribute some of this to new exposures, I also attribute some to Herxheimer's Reaction. Over the last 7 months we have definitely seen the saw tooth recovery with a movement up in baseline of symptoms with less and less of reaction to exposures. It has been a long a tedious recovery BUT because our son's primary presentation was TICS we are able to see a very physical response that is easier to measure than emotional.

 

The body eliminates toxins by coughing, sweating, peeing or pooping it out of the body. Our son has definitely had coughing jags, chapped lips, yellow poops that all come and go with flairs of symptoms......

 

I guess what I wanted to say to is 'expect flairs' and anything you can do to help your child eliminate toxins will move recovery process along and their reaction to the flairs of symptoms.

 

 

 

What Is The Herxheimer Reaction?

 

The Herxheimer Reaction is an immune system reaction to the toxins (endotoxins) that are released when large amounts of pathogens are being killed off, and the body does not eliminate the toxins quickly enough. Simply stated, it is a reaction that occurs when the body is detoxifying and the released toxins either exacerbate the symptoms being treated or create their own symptoms. The important thing to note is that worsening symptoms do not indicate failure of the treatment in question; in fact, usually just the opposite.

 

A Rose By Any Other Name

 

Technically known as the Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction, this syndrome goes by many names, including JHR, the Herxheimer Effect, the Herxheimer Response, a Herx Reaction, Herx or Herks. The most common terminology used is the Herxheimer Reaction. It is also often referred to as a healing crisis, a detox reaction, or die-off syndrome.

 

History

 

The phenomenon was first described by Adolf Jarisch (1860-1902) working in Vienna, Austria, and a few years later by Karl Herxheimer (1861-1942), working in Frankfort, Germany. Both doctors were dermatologists mainly treating syphilitic lesions of the skin. They noticed that in response to treatment, many patients developed not only fever, perspiration, night sweats, nausea and vomiting, but their skin lesions became larger and more inflamed before settling down and healing. Interestingly, they found that those who had the most extreme reactions healed the best and fastest. The patient might be ill for 2-3 days, but then their lesions resolved.

 

A Medical Example

 

The Herxheimer reaction is caused by the release of toxic chemicals (endotoxins) released from the cell walls of dying bacteria due to effective treatment. The Herxheimer Reaction is well recognized in medical circles and is certainly not confined to the world of natural medicine or supplements.

 

For example, a recent study report (Feb ’04) on the treatment of Sarcoidosis found that, “. . . without exception, the improving patients are reporting periodic aggravation of their symptoms as an apparent direct response to the antibiotics. In other words, these patients say that their treatment makes them feel much worse before they experience symptom-relief.” The abstract of the study goes on to say, “This phenomenon is known as the Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction (JHR) and is often referred to informally as Herx. JHR is believed to be caused when injured or dead bacteria release their endotoxins into blood and tissues faster than the body can comfortably handle it. . . . This provokes a sudden and exaggerated inflammatory response . . . . In Sarcoidosis patients, the Herxheimer reaction seems to be a valuable indication that an antibiotic is reaching its target.” In the conclusion, the author states: “In my work with Sarcoidosis patients, it is my experience that recovering MP patients understand and welcome the Herxheimer reactions even when they must endure temporary increased suffering. They accept it as the price that they must pay in order to get well and they even seem to find it gratifying to experience tangible evidence of bacterial elimination. “

Edited April 14, 2010 by SF Mom

[sf_mom]

Things you can do to help eliminate toxins due to DIE off.

 

 

Symptom reduction

 

Two common strategies: improving the blood flow to clear the toxins faster (see vascular constriction), or, neutralizing the toxins (or both).

 

antihistamines,

relaxation techniques,

Enemas, Colemas, Colonics,

increase in blood thinning supplements,

Lemon/Olive Oil liver/gall bladder cleanse,

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice (Organic) or 1/2 lemon rind),

1 Tbsp cold pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil,

flavanoids (widens blood vessels),

hydrogen peroxide intravenous,

aerobic oxygen supplementation,

lymphatic massage,

anti-inflammatories,

bentonite clay,

charcoal tablets,

diatomaceous earth,

pain medication,

muscle relaxers,

hot baths / hot tub,

steam bath or dry sauna,

infrared Hot House treatment,

a cleansing bath: add 1 cup salt, 1 cup soda, 1 cup epsom salts, 1 cup aloe vera, to a hot bath, remain in and keep hot for about 1-1/2 hours all the while consuming about 2 quarts of warm water.

Edited April 14, 2010 by SF Mom

[tired mom]

I thought this important enough to post. In our healing process we have definitely experienced 'flairs' or flipping of the pages..... While I attribute some of this to new exposures, I also attribute some to Herxheimer's Reaction. Over the last 7 months we have definitely seen the saw tooth recovery with a movement up in baseline of symptoms with less and less of reaction to exposures. It has been a long a tedious recovery BUT because our son's primary presentation was TICS we are able to see a very physical response that is easier to measure than emotional.

 

The body eliminates toxins by coughing, sweating, peeing or pooping it out of the body. Our son has definitely had coughing jags, chapped lips, yellow poops that all come and go with flairs of symptoms......

 

I guess what I wanted to say to is 'expect flairs' and anything you can do to help your child eliminate toxins will move recovery process along and their reaction to the flairs of symptoms.

 

 

 

What Is The Herxheimer Reaction?

 

The Herxheimer Reaction is an immune system reaction to the toxins (endotoxins) that are released when large amounts of pathogens are being killed off, and the body does not eliminate the toxins quickly enough. Simply stated, it is a reaction that occurs when the body is detoxifying and the released toxins either exacerbate the symptoms being treated or create their own symptoms. The important thing to note is that worsening symptoms do not indicate failure of the treatment in question; in fact, usually just the opposite.

 

A Rose By Any Other Name

 

Technically known as the Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction, this syndrome goes by many names, including JHR, the Herxheimer Effect, the Herxheimer Response, a Herx Reaction, Herx or Herks. The most common terminology used is the Herxheimer Reaction. It is also often referred to as a healing crisis, a detox reaction, or die-off syndrome.

 

History

 

The phenomenon was first described by Adolf Jarisch (1860-1902) working in Vienna, Austria, and a few years later by Karl Herxheimer (1861-1942), working in Frankfort, Germany. Both doctors were dermatologists mainly treating syphilitic lesions of the skin. They noticed that in response to treatment, many patients developed not only fever, perspiration, night sweats, nausea and vomiting, but their skin lesions became larger and more inflamed before settling down and healing. Interestingly, they found that those who had the most extreme reactions healed the best and fastest. The patient might be ill for 2-3 days, but then their lesions resolved.

 

A Medical Example

 

The Herxheimer reaction is caused by the release of toxic chemicals (endotoxins) released from the cell walls of dying bacteria due to effective treatment. The Herxheimer Reaction is well recognized in medical circles and is certainly not confined to the world of natural medicine or supplements.

 

For example, a recent study report (Feb ’04) on the treatment of Sarcoidosis found that, “. . . without exception, the improving patients are reporting periodic aggravation of their symptoms as an apparent direct response to the antibiotics. In other words, these patients say that their treatment makes them feel much worse before they experience symptom-relief.” The abstract of the study goes on to say, “This phenomenon is known as the Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction (JHR) and is often referred to informally as Herx. JHR is believed to be caused when injured or dead bacteria release their endotoxins into blood and tissues faster than the body can comfortably handle it. . . . This provokes a sudden and exaggerated inflammatory response . . . . In Sarcoidosis patients, the Herxheimer reaction seems to be a valuable indication that an antibiotic is reaching its target.” In the conclusion, the author states: “In my work with Sarcoidosis patients, it is my experience that recovering MP patients understand and welcome the Herxheimer reactions even when they must endure temporary increased suffering. They accept it as the price that they must pay in order to get well and they even seem to find it gratifying to experience tangible evidence of bacterial elimination. “

Great informative post. Thank you!!

[lyme_mom]

I thought this important enough to post. In our healing process we have definitely experienced 'flairs' or flipping of the pages..... While I attribute some of this to new exposures, I also attribute some to Herxheimer's Reaction. Over the last 7 months we have definitely seen the saw tooth recovery with a movement up in baseline of symptoms with less and less of reaction to exposures. It has been a long a tedious recovery BUT because our son's primary presentation was TICS we are able to see a very physical response that is easier to measure than emotional.

 

The body eliminates toxins by coughing, sweating, peeing or pooping it out of the body. Our son has definitely had coughing jags, chapped lips, yellow poops that all come and go with flairs of symptoms......

 

I guess what I wanted to say to is 'expect flairs' and anything you can do to help your child eliminate toxins will move recovery process along and their reaction to the flairs of symptoms.

 

 

 

What Is The Herxheimer Reaction?

 

The Herxheimer Reaction is an immune system reaction to the toxins (endotoxins) that are released when large amounts of pathogens are being killed off, and the body does not eliminate the toxins quickly enough. Simply stated, it is a reaction that occurs when the body is detoxifying and the released toxins either exacerbate the symptoms being treated or create their own symptoms. The important thing to note is that worsening symptoms do not indicate failure of the treatment in question; in fact, usually just the opposite.

 

A Rose By Any Other Name

 

Technically known as the Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction, this syndrome goes by many names, including JHR, the Herxheimer Effect, the Herxheimer Response, a Herx Reaction, Herx or Herks. The most common terminology used is the Herxheimer Reaction. It is also often referred to as a healing crisis, a detox reaction, or die-off syndrome.

 

History

 

The phenomenon was first described by Adolf Jarisch (1860-1902) working in Vienna, Austria, and a few years later by Karl Herxheimer (1861-1942), working in Frankfort, Germany. Both doctors were dermatologists mainly treating syphilitic lesions of the skin. They noticed that in response to treatment, many patients developed not only fever, perspiration, night sweats, nausea and vomiting, but their skin lesions became larger and more inflamed before settling down and healing. Interestingly, they found that those who had the most extreme reactions healed the best and fastest. The patient might be ill for 2-3 days, but then their lesions resolved.

 

A Medical Example

 

The Herxheimer reaction is caused by the release of toxic chemicals (endotoxins) released from the cell walls of dying bacteria due to effective treatment. The Herxheimer Reaction is well recognized in medical circles and is certainly not confined to the world of natural medicine or supplements.

 

For example, a recent study report (Feb ’04) on the treatment of Sarcoidosis found that, “. . . without exception, the improving patients are reporting periodic aggravation of their symptoms as an apparent direct response to the antibiotics. In other words, these patients say that their treatment makes them feel much worse before they experience symptom-relief.” The abstract of the study goes on to say, “This phenomenon is known as the Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction (JHR) and is often referred to informally as Herx. JHR is believed to be caused when injured or dead bacteria release their endotoxins into blood and tissues faster than the body can comfortably handle it. . . . This provokes a sudden and exaggerated inflammatory response . . . . In Sarcoidosis patients, the Herxheimer reaction seems to be a valuable indication that an antibiotic is reaching its target.” In the conclusion, the author states: “In my work with Sarcoidosis patients, it is my experience that recovering MP patients understand and welcome the Herxheimer reactions even when they must endure temporary increased suffering. They accept it as the price that they must pay in order to get well and they even seem to find it gratifying to experience tangible evidence of bacterial elimination. “

Great informative post. Thank you!!

Lyme specialists consider such worsening of symptoms by a patient on antibiotics to be a sign of Lyme Disease die off.

[mom md]

I am very interested to read your post tonight. We have noticed a definite sawtooth pattern, more after the second IVIG than the first. The first one he had a flare that settled at about 7-10 days post tx and then started to flare a little at the five week point. We did the second treatment 8 weeks later. We had a 1-10 days of great and then have had a bumpy road since. Nothing major but things I reconize from the past (crying easier, lack of focus, forgetting things, poor impulse control at school, and an overall excitability at times). In my gut I felt it was the IVIG really getting the job done. His teacher seems concerned that she has not seen the improvement this time but I think we are just re-visiting old behaviors. When this all started this was how it was...almost just ADHD like.

I remember this reaction from microbiology and I appreciate the comparision. I think you are dead on and it has given me more peace to stay patient. We are a thousand times better than before but it is still hard to see the flares. Thank you again.

[T_Mom]

I agree with those above on this interesting phenomena--I have never heard of this and it is very interesting.

Thanks so much for posting--

[sf_mom]

Those bumps post IVIG really smoothed out for us when we kept him at 500 m.g Azithromycin per day and he is 47 pounds and added detoxing methods. We've had 6 exposures to strep since the beginning of Feb.

 

BUT, the flares are awful to witness.... they seem to appear out of no where and then disappear as suddenly as they appeared. As he has gotten better those 'flairs' are shorter and less intense. Now, if we see a flair of TICS it might last an hour. We are 13 weeks out from last treatment and have seen a huge improvement from 9.5 weeks to 13 weeks.

 

Hang in there.... try adding something to help his body detox.

[Alex]

Wendy,

 

Thanks for this great post. I really appreciatied this information and it certainly would explain some of the things we are seeing with our son who is 8 weeks out from IVIG.

 

Alex