More info on Herxing and Flaring

[Guest guest]

Here are two posts someone sent me I posted to the group a good ten years

ago.

The information is from Dr. Brown's published papers and from Dr.

Coker-Vann, Research Director

of Dr. Brown's Arthritis Institute at the time of his death.

.

>

> A Herxheimer occurs following the start of therapy and is seen most

> often when the disease is severe. It may occur within hours or up to as

> long as four months after the antibiotic is started. It can also occur

> again when the dosage is increased - especially if it has been increased

> too

> rapidly. In other words, the Herxheimer is a drug-induced reaction, and

> is

> usually the first indication to the patient that the therapy is working.

>

> The physician must try to differentiate between flares from other causes

> and

> the drug induced flare. According to Dr. Brown, laboratory tests can help

> determine whether this is a drug induced flare (Herxheimer), allergic

> reaction or a worsening of the disease. For instance, he said the white

> blood count will lower in a flare and elevate in a Herxheimer. A

> Herxheimer

> will also cause a rise in the SED rate, gamma globulin and total globulin

> and a fall in serum albumin and hematocrit.

>

> In an allergic reaction, Dr. Brown says there is a marked increase in

> eosinophils.

>

> Dr. Brown recommended 5 mg. of prednisone where indicated - 10 mg. at the

> most for short periods. He did not want to suppress the immune system.

>

> The trick to avoiding a severe Herxheimer reaction is to start the

> medication slowly and work up, say starting with 50mg Mon and Friday the

> first week and then adding 50mg a week and see how you feel. If at any

> time

> you feel that you can't tolerate any more medication, then you simply stay

> at that dose for a while - nothing lost. You will still get cycles of good

> and bad days, but people keep telling me that their Herxheimer reactions

> are

> no worse than they've experienced from the disease in the past.

>

> When you're having bad days, make sure you gets lots of rest and look

> after

> yourself. It's a good idea to do this all the time, but especially on the

> bad days. Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day helps as well as

> good elimination - these help to flush out the toxins released as the

> antibiotics reach their target.

> The Herxheimer reaction is actually proof that the antibiotics are

> working, and as such, is usually welcomed by people in this group. About

> 20%

> of people don't experienced a Herxheimer at all and scleroderma patients

> get

> the reaction less often than RA patients.

>

> There may be short-term discomfort but you have everything to look forward

> to by using this therapy. Your alternative is a gradual worsening of your

> symptoms - antibiotics look pretty good in comparison

>

>>>>>>>>>>>

>

> Dr. Brown use to start patients slowly to try and avoid the Herxheimer

> (drug-induced) reaction, but toward the end of his practice, he was no

> longer doing so. If and when it occurred, he would lower or stop the

> medication and treat the Herx with a low dose of prednisone. When the

> flare subsided, the antibiotic was resumed.

>

> You can expect flares through the course of treatment, but they will

> gradually decrease in intensity and occur at greater intervals until

> remission finally occurs. Sometimes when flares occur, they can be

> helped by an increase in medication. We have no explanation as to why

> this happens.

>

> One thing you must remember, when your joints are flaring you run the

> risk of permanent damage. That inflammation must be reduced. I used ice

> packs for 15 to 20 minutes up to three and four times a day on affected

> joints, then applied DMSO. Don't expect to eliminate it entirely.

>

> It is important that you put your affected joints through range of

> motion exercise (ONLY) twice a day. I could not do this myself, but my

> husband did it for me.

>

> Last but so important - don't forget to drink lots of water and be sure

> to have proper bowel elimination - to remove the toxins. .

>

>

>

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