Herx?

[elee1222]

Hi,
I’ve just completed a 5 day course of IV Clindamycin. I felt horrid after the first day, and have had good days and bad days since. I am having pain in areas where there was no pain, and am very tired. I have not, until this point experienced any fatigue. Now I find that I need an afternoon catnap and I’m going to bed earlier. Does this sound like a Herx reaction? I start Minocin on Friday.

Elizabeth

[PhilC]

Hi Elizabeth,

Your experience so far does not seem at all unusual to me. In fact, what you described seems fairly typical.

Phil

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
- Albert Einstein

[Anonymous]

I am searching for an answer regarding Herx as well and so will try posting here.

I have been taking Minocin on M-W-F for just about 3 months now and now my shoulders have been added to already awful hand pain. I have had days where the hand pain is fairly mild after being up for an hour but these last few weeks I have noticed the shoulders added in with horrible pain if I try to reach up in a certain way and this pain doesn’t seem to subside after an hour and pretty much stays all the time. I can take the edge off with an 800mg Motrin and now seem to have to take at least one everyday :(.
I still have two months before I see Dr. F. (My primary wrote the prescription for me. He also has me on 4.5 mg of LDN nightly.)

Could Herx be ongoing like I have described??? Also, can anyone comment on what might help lessen this shoulder and hand pain?

Thanks so much for any insights you might offer.

[Dawn]

RobertaAngelina, I cannot speak with respect to a Herx, or not – however, my shoulders have been very involved during my RA journey and I can share a few things I have done to help find relief: the Motrin should probably be a regular thing for you to help alleviate inflamation until you can see Dr.F; for sleep I have used numerous and different density pillows to form an arched area that lifts my upper body somewhat and allows me to rest my shoulders slightly higher than my heart (found I needed a good down pillow to support my head and neck and prevent neck pain from showing up due to that sleeping arrangement). Also, initially, ice-gel packs on either or both shoulders for 10-15 minutes would allow the pain to subside for about 1/2 hour to 1 hour at least and any relief was “welcome” after dealing with sometimes days in a row of it! I don’t want to be deceptive, as no ONE thing produced total relief, but all were welcome assistance in gaining relief where I could think, and perform some duties as a reward of the relief. Exercise due caution in absolutely any activity that involves weight on the shoulders while they are feeling like this, but try to keep your range of motion by gently moving both shoulders in either a lying down position or standing and leaning over letting them hang and gently doing smaller then larger circle motions as the relief from pain situations allow. I hope any of this is helpful and makes sense….just trying to help here! Best to you and DO NOT GIVE UP! Dawn

DawnF

[Author]

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