Before I knew I had Lyme & Co, I took Levofloxacin for severe bronchitis and sinusitis. It nearly killed me. The bronchitis/sinusitis were caused by a fungal infection so the Levo just made that worse. But also, I had an anaphylactic reaction to it. And also, the arches of my feet and the tendons at my heel and calf were so sore I couldn't walk. Since my lungs and throat started closing up so I stopped taking the Levo. I found out also that my mom is allergic to the flouroquins, so that all makes sense now.
However, I likely was also herxing from bart - but just didn't know it. So much was going on.
I also disagree that "floxxing" which is the term used for these severe reactions warned in Cipro's black box are rare. They are not at all rare and your MD probably shouldn't be telling patients that. The pharmaceutical company has probably done a good job coaching MDs but there wouldn't be such a well-formed public community of floxxers and education about
floxing if it were 'rare'.
Just like all drugs, the better term is "unlikely". And with these flouroquines that are also used to treat such common infections like bart, I think it's important to clarify that a person can react to these drugs in several ways, which might require stopping it. One is the typical anaphylactic allergic reaction. But the other reaction could actually be floxxing---or herxing. I share more thoughts on that below.
Also, swollen glands can be both hard and pea-sized and soft and larger-sized, some swelling can cause tenderness too. We have over 700 glands in our bodies! So, all those characteristics could indicate swollen glands that are backed up toxins or a need to drain or an immediate reaction to infection load moving through your blood or the body's response to it.
You do need to keep an eye on anything "small and hard" which, in some cases, could indicate there is something else going on and you should always get that condition checked out. I had a friend who ignored "small and hard" because his glands were swollen a lot--turned out to be lymphatic cancer.
I've dealt with swollen glands for the past 30 years. I struggled when I was young with EBV flares and repetitive mono and always had large, soft swollen glands in front of my ears, under my chin, at the sides of my throat, my arm pits, groin.
When I started my vanco I had no reactions. When I finally worked up to optimal doses, I crashed hard! The occipital glands (at the base of hair line on back of neck) were so swollen I was in considerable pain couldn't turn my head. I also was bed-ridden, to weak to even get up to go to the bathroom or
open my mouth to eat. This went on for about
a week. Clearly a surge of toxins from the bart that hangs out in lymph nodes and the body's reaction to struggling with detoxing it all naturally.
As someone suggested, Red root helps your lymph system move the toxins better through the blood. Very gentle lymph massages help, too but you need to know what you're doing so find a good tutorial. warm compresses helped me too. i eventually got through that crisis and the lymphs started draining much more effectively but I stayed on the red root for about
a year after that. I'm off it now - doing great.
I think it's a good sign you're hitting it. But as others have suggested, be very educated about
floxxing sx and keep your eye on it. I think it is VERY difficult to know if you are being floxxed or are simply herxing. And here's my other far-out-there-theory...
I'm not up to speed on the mechanisms that create the floxxing, which are the basis of the black box warning so maybe this is completely idiotic, or maybe right on the money (and this theory does not apply to people like me who are literally allergic to the flouroquines, as evidenced with the anaphylactic reaction):
I think that many many people have the bartonella microb in their bodies, since it's so common with domestic cats---just like I think most people carry Lyme since it's so easily communicable. I wonder if it's really a coincidence that the floxxing sx are almost identical to bart sx and bart herxing... Is it possible that all these people who experience the floxxing are experiencing bart herxing? And the long-term characteristics of the floxxing is an indication that the bart as flared and that the immune system isn't managing the bart infection load very well?
I don't know... it's all so confusing and I think people who are floxxed should try treating bart w/ a different abx to see if their floxxing sx improve...
Anyway, go forth and conquer bart!
-p
Post Edited (Pirouette) : 9/8/2017 5:40:53 PM (GMT-6)