Feet herxing

[Sdm777]

Its been 1 week on new antibiotic levofoloxacin my finger twitches often but my symptoms in my feet are scarey.  They burn like crazy and are really soar as if I ran a marathon they twitch more like worms are crawling around inside..all the same symptoms I have had but now constant and scarey...has anyone else had this? And if so...how long ,I know everyone takes different healing...it's just scarey and really weird.  My rash went away...yeah...but when I walk my feet are soar!!! Looking for others to share

[JackieCalifornia]

Have you reported the severity of the Herx to your doc?  S/he might make an adjustment in treatment.  

I found that leaving a message with the front desk didn't work bec. the receptionist would write down something not useful to the doc in understanding.  So I would put the situation in a short note and hand carry, fax or mail it to the doc's office -- unless your doc personally does his/her own email, which is rare.

My note would say

-- when I last saw the doc
-- what meds I'm taking and about how long I've been taking them
-- what symptoms I am having since beginning the treatment and how bad and how long they last
-- please advise any changes I should make before my next appointment on [date]

That gives the doc everything in one place and makes a coherent answer more likely.  Let us know what you do and how it goes -- take care!

[Ticktired]

I am so glad I found this... I am on Levaquin and Rifampin which are working really well for me...However,

When I herx...and these are worse then any Lyme or babesia. A bartonella herx just stinks. I thought I was through the rough part of the herx (5 days) but my joints, my feet are not "bouncing" back. The strongest pain killer I can take is Tylenol. I have tried intermittent wet heat packs with no luck.

I am on vitamin K, DHEA, vitamin D, and I take coconut oil

I need my feet to at least be functional any suggestions would be helpful. So frustrated!

[Ricobord]

I felt the difference, too, with Levaquin.  I guess the question is do your feet hurt in general, or is the pain specifically in your achilles heel?  It is the tendons that are at risk from Levaquin, with achilles and arms being the two most likely places (as my PA and doc have seen in their experience). But they said any tendon pain is a sign to stop.  I don't think tingling is from Levaquin. That sounds like a Lyme symptom.

Did you try Rifampin?  I was on that first, but we eventually figured out is was contributing to my stomach pain.  I could tell the Levaquin worked better shortly after I switched. No more anxiety! Yay!

I had a cramp and pain in my left achilles tendon. I had surgery on my heels as a teenager. I have scar tissues, esp. on the left. Since Lyme likes to infect scar tissue, we weren't sure if my pain was a die off or a side effect of Levaquin. Just to be safe, they had me stop.  My doc added in Biaxin and Plaquenil, which makes the Biaxin more effective. He said it is good for both Bart and Lyme when they go intracellular.

What a crazy set of diseases.  I am on 8 different meds, not including the others I have taken in the last few months. Three for symptoms, two antibiotics, two helpers for the abx, and one cyst buster.

Definitely call up your doc and describe what is happening with your feet.  You don't want to risk rupturing a tendon.  Then you'll need surgery snd recovery on top of everything else.  

[Sdm777]

Soi am on the second week of levaquin...feet still hurt,the cramp up and tingle still... At what point did you start to feel better? I've treated with doxycycline 2 months now the levaquin seems to be more elevated.

[Ricobord]

I was on levofloxacin (Levaquin) for my Bart, and I had to stop after six weeks when I developed pain in my left achilles heel.  I was disappointed as my anxiety pretty much disappeared on it. Levaquin is known to cause tendon rupture, especially in the achilles tendons, even weeks or months after a person stops taking the drug. You should call your doctor's office right away and describe what you're feeling and ask if you need to switch to a different drug or if they think it is just a symptom.

In the meantime, don't do anything to stress your feet or heels.  That means no basketball, volleyball, dodgeball, or tennis!  ;)

[youvegottobekidding]

I hope it helps you Valkyrie.
BTW it made me drowsy for the first week or  so (very common side effect), then suddenly that wore off and I was just back to the usual exhausted!

[Valkyrie568]

My feet are killing me, too. I feel like I've been running wind sprints barefoot on rocks! And the toes on one foot feel like they are in very hot water.

Thank you for the tip about the Lyrica, Youvegottobekidding. I am in so much pain it is hard to function. Every old injury (and I play hard so I have a lot of them) is showing up w/ fluttering and sharp pain. I am going to call my doctor today!

[mojogal]

I have Bart's and I am on the same meds but also one for detoxing. I have all those symptoms including toes and balls of both feet being numb constantly. I hope with further treatment that will go away because you feel as if they really don't belong to your body, a very strange sensation.

[youvegottobekidding]

Definitely sounds like Bart to me.
Burning, toes twitching, sometimes hideous cramps in the big muscle that runs underneath. Numb, tingling, and feakiest of all, feeling as if I am walking about with about ten marbles under each foot.
I reckon it cando just about anyhting horrible to your ffeet that you could imagine!
If it goes on to long, I would ask your doc how he can help you. Don't suffer in silence. It could be a diferent medicine would kill it faster.

I got a lot of relief in the herx phase by takng lyrica for a month, it's a super painkiller specific for nerve pain.

[blamom]

sounds like bartonella, I remember my feet feeling like they had been chopped off at the ankles and I felt like I was walking on the raw ankles. (my best explanation)