still herxing/whine-a-thon!

[camm]

Skip this if you're not up for a woe is me post.  For a normally very optimistic soul, I am feeling just worn out. Weary is a good word. I've been herxing since day 2 of this protocol (started 6 weeks ago) and while it's not as bad on pulse therapy (switched 2 weeks ago from daily to pulsed) it's still bad.  I am so tired of hurting. It's not excruciating pain (I'd give it a 4 or 5 on a scale of 10) but it is quite pervasive (feet, knees, hands, shoulders, hips, the mystery rib pain) and it never stops. It is just wearing me down to nothing. And I'm so tired of pretending…..slapping on a smile and convincing the outside world that I'm muddling through okay.  Okay, so the smiles for my darling daughter (enlighten me- when you write “DD”, is that what it means?) are real – who can see that face or hear that giggle and not smile?

I just need a break from feeling crummy- and I have no idea when I'll get one. I had a few hours the other day when I felt pretty good, but now I feel horrible.  The unpredictability and the fact this is not a straight slope recovery are exhausting me mentally.

How long does herxing last? (I know, everyone is different….)

I admit to you guys that I often feel overwhelmed when I read the discussion boards. There's so much I still don't know about all this (and I'm a pretty smart cookie – or I was before the brain fog!) and a lot of things I read generate more questions than answers (and yes, this is a good thing, but I'm just too tired to feel dumb right now!)

Thanks for the support. This too shall pass, I know…..just need some light at the end of the tunnel.

-Camm

[Maz]

[user=812]camm[/user] wrote:

How long does herxing last? (I know, everyone is different….)

Hi Camm,

You might find this link helpful…I've cut and pasted the relevent bits, but there is more to read there, too, that may bring more insight:

https://www.roadback.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=studies.display&display_id=184#Anchor-The-51540

“First signs of improvement (toc)

There is usually little objective improvement in patients during the first three months of therapy. In the ensuing three to nine months the improvement, when it occurs, is quite gradual. The course of events is similar to, although sometimes slower than that noted with gold methotrexate or chloroquine therapy.

The first sign of improvement is usually a lessening of duration of morning stiffness although the initial onset may be as severe as usual. The patient notices a general feeling of well-being lasting initially for perhaps an hour or two and gradually increasing to more good days and fewer bad days with a longer time span in between.

As antimycoplasma therapy continues, toxic substances are gradually reduced and normal functions begin to return. Strength increases, blood count rises to its normal level, mental acuity, ability to concentrate, a return in interest in work and a lessened sense of irritability all become noticeable dividends. All these symptoms may improve remarkably with rheumatoid remission, even after having been present for years.”

In my own case (I have RA), the pattern pretty much was textbook, as described above. For fibromyalgia, the pattern may be similar or different, as well as between individuals, but at 6 weeks, you're still in the reeeeaaaalllly early stages and probably still in the peak of herxing.

If after 8 or 9 months, you aren't seeing any improvements, you might want to add a second antibiotic or change up your protocol in some way with an experienced physician.

Camm, I truly do understand how you feel…I can't even begin to describe the kind of pain and all-consuming fatigue and brain fog I had in the beginning. It almost doesn't bear thinking about now. :sick: The most important thing was that it did get better…slowly but surely. The hardest part was having small windows of improvement and then going backwards again…but that was all a part of the process.

We all deserve a bit of “woe is me.” These diseases suck big time and we can't be courageous all the time. Thank goodness we all have one another here to understand!

Peace, Maz

 

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