Weeks 9 & 10: Dr J Protocol

This was the first time that I was to have 2 weeks without antibiotics!!

For the first 3-4 days I still had die-off symptoms (sweats, hyperactivity, mood swings, and a lot of fatigue), from the IV treatments and the 2 preceding days of Flagyl. Slowly I started to feel more "normal," though I still had some trouble falling asleep and eczema remaining on my face.

My shoulder pain, which had been significantly worse on Levaquin- particularly at night, gradually improved. By Thursday I began to enjoy very good energy, less shoulder pain. For the first time since becoming ill, I had NO noise intolerance, NO sweats, and a good appetite. I no longer suffered hand or foot pain, my skin was better, and I had stable moods.

By Friday on the 1st week off antibiotics I began feeling great and was able to enjoy full days and felt more and more like my old self, (everyone was noticing this).

On the days off antibioitcs I infused one liter of Lactated Ringers solution. To this, I added magnesium sulphate, methyl B12, B complex, and vitamin C (all on alternate days). In addition I did glutathione intravenous "pushes", 2-3 times/week (1500 mg at a time).

Week 10 was my second week off antibiotics. I continued to feel well but by the end of this week, (by around day 12-14), I experienced more fatigue with more emotional ups and downs. This was better than my first time off antibiotics, when symptoms developed by day 6. Dr J explained that feeling better and then worse,off antibiotics, was not a relapse, but rather it was a herxheimer reaction to the body's immune system kicking in and attacking organisms- similar to what antibiotics do. For this reason, one can expect to feel worse as the immune system becomes more active and more "targeted."