HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Off all ABX and feeling better.

Support Forums
>
Lyme Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 11/4/2011 8:11 AM (GMT -5)
I had been doing a round of Flagyl and Biaxin (only) this past month. 

The experience with these two meds included extreme tiredness which was not one of my usual symptoms.  Within a half hour of taking them I would just konk out.....ZZZZZ.  

Also, my shoulder muscle and upper back pain GREATLY increased.   UGG!

I got pretty depressed as well.  Lost all interest in doing anything.   It seemed like I was in a prolonged herx which lasted day after day.

When  the snow storm hit us on Saturday and left us without power (thankfully I was able to borrow a generator).....I was so busy and utterly frustrated with LYME issues 'getting me down' that I just stopped taking the ABX's.

I was also really sick of being sick.....more than anything else. And a part of me (big part !!) simply decided NOT be sick.  

Within a day of no ABX my energy increased and my pain dwindled away.

After several days off ABX I still feel pretty great!  I would venture a guess that I now feel better than I have in months! 

 Ergo, I am hestitant to go back on ABX.  

This brings me around to the Dr. Burrascano protocol that suggests a hiatus from ABX until you get really sick again-- total relapse.  Then you hit with ABX once more, etc.   Doing this on again, off again, on again relapse protocol (3 times) with ABX is apparently what cured him of Lyme.  

 I mentioned this protocol in another thread a few weeks ago......and now want to try this approach.

So.......I'm going to stick with no ABX and see what happens.  Maybe I'll relapse, maybe I won't.  

I wish I could say that Lyme LOOKS LIKE it's in remission for me....but too soon to tell.   So far so good, though.  

 Maybe I'm just being overly optomistic.... yeah .......and a monster relapse will ocurr shakehead .     Then, so be it.  I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.   

At any rate, I think my body was telling me that it was time for a break from ABX no matter what the future might bring.   It was really knocking me down--- physically and mentally. 

After being on ABX for a year now,  I think it might be worth this challenge to see how I'll do without.  

Wish me--- and my immune system (if it's still here) --  luck!  

Will update my progress as I go along.  

 

   

 

Posted 11/4/2011 9:12 AM (GMT -5)
Cat: Good Luck!!!! I often wonder how I would feel if I went off my ABX. I've been on them 9 months now. I'm still having symptoms though, so I think best to stay on them for now but will be interested to see how you do! Keep us updated.
Posted 11/4/2011 9:13 AM (GMT -5)
Oh..it must be the Flagyl that was making you tired. I was on Biaxin for a long time and I did not notice that it made me tired (at least I don't think so). I haven't been on Flagyl (yet).
Posted 11/4/2011 10:34 AM (GMT -5)
Congrats on feeling better Cat!! Of course we all hope that you are right - that you don't have a major relapse from this, but we will be here for you if you should need us of course!!!

Please take really good care of yourself still! Plenty of rest, eating right, and doing what you can to still support your immune system. Also, please do let us know how things are going! We will - of course - want details!! Giggle!
Posted 11/4/2011 10:36 AM (GMT -5)
Carrie,
Please don't go off of your abx yet! Since you are still having symptoms, you still have an active infection. Dr. Burrascano recommends that each patient stay on abx treatment for 2 - 3 months past the resolution of all symptoms.
Posted 11/4/2011 10:55 AM (GMT -5)
I agree with Traveler, Carrie. Stay on meds as long as you can.

I have simply reached the point where my remaining symptom-- the nagging shoulder pain--- just never went away no matter how long I stayed on ABX, nor how many combos I took.

I am of the opinion that this symptom could merely be residual damage from Lyme, not an active, ongoing infection.

I certainly can't be sure though! Will have to wait and see.

Rather a conundrum when it comes to deciding which remaining symptoms are from: 1. Active Lyme infection
2. Residual Lyme damage (post active infection)
3. ABX side effects
4. Immune system being wacky....etc. etc.

My body was just screaming for a break no matter what the scenario.

Hope I'm not making a HUGE mistake. Won't have been the first time! LOL
Posted 11/4/2011 10:57 AM (GMT -5)
No worries...I have no plans to go off my ABX...... I didn't mean to sound like I was...but thank you for your concern!!
Posted 11/4/2011 8:47 PM (GMT -5)
I also felt much better when I went off my antibiotics just for about a week (because I ran out). My guess is we feel better because our tired bodies get to stop fighting for a minute. It's the only way I can really gauge my progress because since the second I went back on my abx (and then added more!) I've continued to feel worse and worse. I blame it all on toxins.

I hope this goes well for you...I think it's so important to trust your body...and yeah with Lyme we make so many mistakes, even our doctors make mistakes...we all do the best we can and I just hope this is for the best for you.

What's that part about burrascano? I have a copy of his guidelines and never saw anything about a hiatus! (I want one!!) I also didn't know he had Lyme....
Posted 11/5/2011 7:59 AM (GMT -5)
Hi borderlyme,

The ABX hiatus protocol that Burrascano did is mentioned only in the book: Cure Unknown.  It's not in his 'guidelines' for some reason. 

The book's author (Pamela Weintraub) also went with this protocol and apparently got well--- at least as of the finish of the book back in 2008.

She was able to be treated by Burascanno personally before he stopped seeing patients.   Yes he did have Lyme.   And cured himself as far as I know.

I still have some mild ear ringing, but other than that I feel great.  Approaching one week of being off ABX....and I'm being dilligent with my vitamins: D, C, Magnesium, B's, Alpha Lipoic Acid and CoQ10, etc.

 

 

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply