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because i had such a painful reaction to the NAC does that mean that i have CPn and if i do does it mean i have a huge load

Having a reaction to NAC is a cheap and easy way to pretty much determine you have the infection. I tend to doubt that the load of cpn is determined by the reaction. NAC only gets to one phase of the bacteria. Kind of depends what phase the majority of your bacteria are in, I think.

I would have welcomed a distinct reaction to NAC. I only had a runny nose, some ear pressure and a bit of a feverish, achey (pre-flu-like) feeling. It lasted for a few days. I desperately wanted 'confirmation' and didn't feel like I'd gotten it, but when the brain fog lifted dramatically after only ten days or so on the actual antibiotics, I knew I'd hit on the right answer for MS.

thanks

You know, we're all pulling for you!

thanks it just really freaked me out

I had one of those when my hair started to shed a bit too much for my liking. Luckily, Sarah had already been through it and come out the other side, as did I a couple of months later. (Hair is now at least as good as before and maybe better.)

We all have them. That's what's nice about having 'veterans' to talk to about what you're going through. It's very reassuring to know things are actually getting better as they appear to be getting worse!

I think I told you I had very little reaction to NAC as well. The thing is, I didn't start it until I had been taking abx for at least 18 months, so I can't say if I would have had a bigger reaction if started earlier. Some people have very little reaction like Mac, but stop their disease even so. Other people like you have a massive reaction, but nobody really knows what it means in each case. What is known, though, is that if you hold back for a while it should be easier. I saw that you are on the Swank diet: that should help a lot because you will be eating the right food!

Sarah

I'm going to pretend Sarah didn't just take a swipe at my all-chocolate, all the time, lack of dietary discipline. I have none. Zip. Zero. But I respect and really admire those who do. (I'll put it on the to-do list.)

I'm off to find other references to mom's NAC reaction, since I haven't read all the posts on other topics yet.

Mom - NAC can be addressing other things besides bacteria hence your reaction. It acts on disulfide bonds and breaks them apart. Many things could be in your system that are toxins and are not being excreted because of these disulfide bonds. Just as a couple of examples, NAC mobilize heavy metals and it also is known to act on gliotoxins from molds . So if you have any metals (if you are over 18 and live in an industrialized country you probably do) in your system or you have any fungus in your system, your NAC reaction can also be from those. There are many others but I am just citing a couple.

If it is of any comfort to you, there are people on this forum who are worrying because they have no reactions to NAC. Yours was extreme but at least you know that you have an infection that will respond to the treatment.
As Daisy said (thanks Daisy for that additional information) there could be other reasons for your marked reaction but getting rid of any of these added pathogens will be beneficial in the long run.

On the Cpn site, we always urge people to take the next step in their own time, the two bacteriostatic antibiotics are the most important part of the protocol, as will put an end to the replication of the bugs, when you are able to tolerate the full dose of these then you can start adding other agents which will eradicate this nasty little beast.

In the words of ABBA, take it easy, take it nice and slow. You are in this for the long term....
Michele