The Herx:

When a stressed nervous system is welcome: all about the Jarisch Herxheimer reaction.

Note: this makes a lot of reference to the Garmin body battery, the primary means of pacing used in the Facebook group I began, called “Beat long Covid with a smartwatch”. You are welcome to join the group and become part of the discussion.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/829213261296558/

We generally strive for "Oceans of blue" on the Garmin Body Battery. “Oceans of blue” reflect a nervous system that is at least balanced, or tending towards the parasympathetic, or rested state. Spending extended times in these states gives the best possible environment for healing. 

The opposite to this is "Walls of orange" reflecting a high adrenaline state, a nervous system in the "fight or flight" state: this creates a state of the body that inhibits healing. We generally try to avoid this, although for many of us with damaged nervous systems this can be very hard. Often we can be in a frustrating place of resting as much as we can but still staying in the orange. It’s like an overtired, overexcited toddler that goes irritable and hyperactive even though they’re totally exhausted and worn out.

There is some research indicating that too much of the parasympathetic/blue can also be a bad thing but for this article we won’t delve into this too much and overcomplicate things. Generally, most of us are troubled by too much orange rather than too much blue.

To begin with, it's important to bring the orange into acceptance, because fighting against it only makes it worse! Then in certain situations you learn to expect it, and that's OK, because you know it's temporary and will pass. A good example of this is having an infection. 

But there’s one situation where we not only accept it, but positively welcome and celebrate the walls of orange! This is when we are doing treatments that are expected to break down microclots inflammatory molecules, spike protein or even the Covid virus itself. Anti-clot treatments like Nattokinase, Aspirin, Serrapeptase, Lumbrokinase, Apixaban and also autophagy from fasting, and even certain probiotics. This is when we are having a Herxheimer, or Herx reaction. 

What is the Herx?

In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, Adolf Jarisch and Karl Herxheimer independently noted a severe reaction to the treatment of syphilis. Rather than being a bad thing to be avoided, it was noticed that was an indication that the treatment was actually being effective, as the busted up bits of syphilis bugs being released into the bloodstream caused an intense but temporary reaction from the body. This became known as the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction.

History was unfair to Adolf. Even though he was the first to write about this reaction in the medical literature, most people found the Herxheimer name more memorable, and it became easily shortened to “Herx”. The memorable name stuck and became used for any sort of similar reaction; the harsh medicine that’s actually good for you even though it hurts in the short term.

As more people undertake treatment that actually works for Long Covid, many people have reported getting the Herx reaction. Often it’s severe with fever, chills, nausea, feeling unwell, aches and pains; often all the symptoms you have from Long Covid get worse and you may feel you are going backwards. You may even get new symptoms you haven’t had before.

It’s important to note that this is temporary. The liberation of toxins from microclots can only go to one place, the bloodstream; but once they're in the blood stream they can finally be munched up by the body’s immune system into little bits and pieces that you can then pee out and be rid of them for good!

It can be really hard to feel worse when you already feel terrible, but it’s important to keep going forward. To face the storm, go through the storm, with the knowledge that it’s going to be better on the other side.

How can I be sure that it’s a Herx and not a reaction, like an MCAS reaction to fermented products like Nattokinase?

There aren’t any tests you can do (that I’m aware of) but there are some important differences between allergic/MCAS type reactions and Herx reactions.

If you start very low on the dosage of any new treatment that might cause a Herx or a MCAS reaction and go very slow this can be a really useful clue. If you are on a really low dose that isn’t likely to have much clot busting effect and you get a reaction then this is more likely to be MCAS; and it’s probably not going to be a treatment that you’re going to be able to tolerate at the doses required to bust the clots.

Itchy skin, eyes, and rashes are more likely to be histaminic/MCAS reactions.

When a true Herxing is underway some things might get better even as other things get worse. Your heart rate on activity might become better, even if you feel worse and your Body Battery is worse.

The Body Battery is likely to be the same whether you’re reacting or Herxing, so this isn’t much help.

What can be done to reduce the Herx reaction if it’s too much?

You can temporarily reduce the treatment that’s causing the Herx. Think of it like cleaning a whole pile of rubbish out, and it’s hard work! You can slow down the pace of clearing the rubbish, and it won’t be as hard. You’ll still be clearing rubbish, it will just take longer to clear.

Once the Herxing has settled for at least a few days, and you’re back to baseline, or even a bit better but you think there’s more rubbish to clear, you can increase the dose again and see if you go back into Herxing.

You can take antihistamines, especially the older, sedating antihistamines.

 Lots of water to flush your system will help.

Some people swear by various herbs and activated charcoal; you are welcome to try them, I don’t really have any strong opinions either way. But NAC is something that can increase Herxing, so it’s better not to do this. It’s also better not to fast or do other things that increase autophagy; you don’t want multiple sources of Herxing.

In summary; Herxing is a process that most people will go through when they are being successful with treating microclots. It can be rough, but the only way is through. On the other side is a better circulation, better perfusion. Every single part of your body is dependant on perfusion, better perfusion helps everything.