took meds....feel weird..Is this normal?please respond

DH ~ Take a deep breath and relax!!!!!

The worst thing you can do is to panic. So try to calm down, please!

If you have had a reaction to the meds after only one dose, chances it would be an allergic reaction to the meds - which really doesn't sound like the case.

Exhaustion is common with these infections, so the fact that you didn't sleep well and are tired today is quite normal. Also think over the things you did yesterday or last night - did those things add to your exhaustion?

The blurry vision is also something that many experience. So it isn't necessarily from the medication, unless it's severe, in which case, you probably wouldn't be able to post here. It's also a common symptom of these infections.

This is a very scary road to travel, but we need to remain calm through it all, so that we can evaluate how we are doing and if something is working or not.

Do you have someone there with you - a close friend, roommate, or significant other - that can help you through the times when you are scared? If not, can you include someone who you trust to be there for you?

Stopping and starting meds is never good when fighting an infection, unless under a doctor's orders, as it allows the bacteria to get a better hold and build resistance to the medications. That can be disastrous when fighting these infections.

I often get VERY tired from my meds, mainly from herxing. Sometimes I'm so weak that I can barely get out of bed or make it to the kitchen to eat something. It's worrisome, but normal with these types of infections. Biaxin was a good med for me. I had very little reaction. I have not taken omnicef.

Allergic reactions typically consist of hives, itching and breathing difficulty or tightness in the throat. That's something you would want to call your doctor immediately about.

There are many times where I debated stopping meds. I actually was doing that last night. Instead I focus on making it to the next dose. I just take things one hour (sometimes one minute) at a time. Do you have a LLMD that is following your case fairly closely? Did you talk to him/her about your worries regarding these meds? Do you have other medications in mind that would be less worrisome for you to take? Have you also considered an herbal protocol to start with?

dh22...

To me, it sounds like you are having a terrible time with your anxiety and trust me...I completely understand how you must be feeling because I've been there!

My lyme symptoms started overnight with tingling/puslating/hugging around my middle, twitching, pain in feet, on and on. (I had gallbladder surgery which stressed my immune system and we think that is why the lyme flaired because my immune system was stressed). Anyhow, and the anxiety....WOW... First two neuros said it's all anxiety.see a pyschiatrist (sp) - I can never spell that word! Anyway....I finally agreed to go on antidepressants because the anxiety was ruling my life! I have a terrible fear of getting tardive dyskinesia. When my symptoms first started, thought they were early signs of tardive dyskinesia brought on by a course of Reglan that was presribed to me for my gallbladders problems. Anyhow, I do not have that thank goodness, but I did test positive for lyme disease finally a year later.

I was started on Prozac and that worked wonderfully however after he upped my dose, it gave me horrible acid reflux. So I went off. Then later, I went on Cymbalta. Currently, I am taking 20 mg of cymbalta and I also take .25-.50 mg of xanax AND 3mg of Lunesta at night because if I dont, I don't sleep. I almost had myself weaned off the Xanax about six months ago, but my anxiety gets so bad that I literally make myself crazy.

I think I read that you are 50 years old. I too am 50 year old female and I think we have a double whammy coming at us..Lyme and menopause....It stinks. I know my hormones are also playing into all this anxiety.

So, try not to be so afraid and no that it's your anxiety getting the best of you. I'm sure that many lymes (and women in menopause) take something for their anxiety. I'm not a doctor, but I'm sure it's not conducive to healing our bodies when our anxiety is ruling our lives.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are concerned about the combination of drugs you are taking and remember, if you are looking for something on the internet, you WILL FIND IT!!! It may not be true, but you will find it. I can research 24/7 but when I do, it fuels my anxiety and my anxiety about all this makes me want to research research research. I have to tell myself "stop...stop...stop" and sometimes pull myself away from google....

Hang in there...

In the meantime you could try some of the natural anxiety relievers like Rescue Remedy or SAM-e, there is also motherwort and St Johns Wort. These can really help and don't have side effects. Of course, do your research on these so you feel comfortable taking them!

Hope you feel better soon

I got ridiculously tired on biaxin too, if it eases your worry any. In the beginning of my treatment (I had really bad anxiety too) I got really worried, often had panic attacks, about my body's response to just about everything. My personal opinion is that when you're herxing from antibiotics, it's a really uncomfortable experience (obviously) and your body marks it as "dangerous" because it doesn't quite get that it's a necessary part of getting rid of the infection, so it floods you with chemicals that make you pay attention to the strange sensations you're having and tells you that they're wrong. With time though, I've gotten rid of the anxiety, and I've come to hardly notice the most unusual sensations in my body. It's not particularly natural to live in a state of chronic disease, so you'll have to excuse your body while it takes quite a while to adjust!

Another thing worth mentioning is that - and I only realized this retrospectively - one of the abx I'd been taking on and off (in my case azithro) was actually inducing the panic attacks, as well as severe chest pain (which sometimes induced a panic attack). I wouldn't exactly jump the gun on that idea - I think it's unusual to begin with, but it is a possibility to consider.