I totally get the Herxing thing and why it should be taken as a good sign. I JUST started antibiotics, on a low dose last week. I am increasing it tomorrow. Plus I am adding in Biaxin everyother day.  And supplements, herbs, etc. Of course, I haven't Herxed yet. A little extra stiffness, joint pain and a bit achy. Nothing unbearable. I know full well I am just at the beginning. But some of you people scare the poo out of me about how awful you feel when you Herx. My docs seem to be taking it easy in the beginning with me to start and upping the doses as we go along. But is there really a correlation between how BAD you Herx with the success of the treatment? Just curious...

LemonsNotLymes,

How are you today?

I think the whole point in herxing, is knowing that the antibiotics are actually working. When you herx, your body is trying to deal with an overload of toxins hence all the bad symptoms we get. It is very scary but you will make it through. Some people have bad herxes and others don't. Yours may be better dealt with since you are starting off slow. I also have to start off slow....increasing my dosage as time goes by. I am very sensitive to medications and herxed real bad on 1500mg of amoxicillian. That's why my doctor wants me to start slow. I can tell you this though....as scary as it seems at the time, it doesn't last for long. I think I continued herxing for 2 weeks after my last pill and that was only because I was so sensitive. You'll be okay. And if you need an advice, info, or just someone to talk to, you can come here or email any of us at any time. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here.

Good luck and feel better soon.

P. S. - I love your nickname. Too cute.

Hi all,

I personally don't believe a person needs to herx or feel bad.   What is a herx?  It's feeling worse when the bacteria dies off, leaving toxins in one's body.  So basically it's the toxins that make a person feel worse and if one starts a good detox regime it will help lesson the effects of herxing.

There are several methods of detoxing, the detox baths (think of it as taking a regular bath but you are adding some epsom salts and hydrogen peroxide to warm not hot water).  Do this every day and those toxins will come out.   Be sure to dry skin brush your body before getting in the bath to open up those clogged pores.  Take a shower afterward to rinse off...

Then there are foot baths which use hot water mixed with cayenne pepper and dry mustard powder, once again, dry skin brush the soles of the feet to open up the pores.  It release toxins and also raises one's core body temp.  Bacteria do not like a warm body but love a cold body.

If you have access to an infrared sauna, that helps too.  Drinking lots of water with fresh lemon helps, a healthy diet (no acidic foods, no carbs, no soda, etc.) helps as well.

Exercise is a great way to raise the core body temp. and release toxins plus one is getting oxygen into the body (lyme bacteria can not survive in a highly oxygenated body).

There's lots more but this is fast reply.

Hope this helps,

Denise