Help: Is there a point to just 1-month of IV Rocephin?

This forum has been really great, and thanks again to everyone that's already answered my other questions. This disease and treatment are incredibly complicated. Sorry for the long post, but just the paragraph below is my real question.

Short version: Can 1 month of IV Rocephin give me any meaningful treatment for lyme/co-infections in my brain that are effecting my cognitive functions (and possibly causing anxiety and other problems)? My Insurance only covers 1 month, but the Dr. originally noted I'd need to do it for many months (but it is way too expensive without insurance). And I don't want to go through getting a hickman or picc line inserted if 1 month isn't going to really help. The specific dosage for the IV Rocephin is below.

Also, unrelated, should I not be taking COq10 with Mepron? My Dr. prescribed both without saying anything, but there seems to be a lot of literature saying you shouldn't take them at the same time.

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A lot more information:

My current treatment plan (I'm about 3 weeks in):
Medications:
• Coartem tablets - 1 tab 2x day for 5 days, wait 3 days, then repeat with 2 tabs 2x day for another 5 days (babesia)
• Wait 5 days
• Zithromax - 1 tablet 500mg 1x day with food for 5 days (don't take on weekends) for 8 weeks (all 3)
• After first week of Zithromax, add Mepron - tablespoon or 5 ml 2x day, 5 days week for 8 weeks (babesia)
• Bactrim - 800mg, 1 tablet 2x day, 5 days week, 8 weeks (all 3)
• IV Rocephin - daily, long term -- (1) 2gms [if i'm reading the RX handwriting right] x 5 days, 2 weeks; (2) [up arrow in next line, not sure if that means increase by] 2gms bid 5 days, 2 weeks (3) add Flagg / 500 ___ bid 4 wks
- Valtrax - 500mg (1 pill) / day - (prescribed by another doctor for Chronic Epstein Barr)
- Adderall XR 20mg - helps with fatigue and concentration
- Klonopin - .5mg, as needed. I developed bad anxiety over the last year or so.

Diet:
- No alcohol, gluten, sugar

Supplements:
-coq10, probiotics, magnesium, (a couple other things from researched nutritionals)

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My story (copied from an old post):
I was diagnosed with Lyme in 2006 when I finally went to the doctor for bloodwork regarding my chronic fatigue. However, I've had this horrible fatigue for as long as I can remember, and just tried to deal with it; so I think I very likely had Lyme before at least 1998 (first year of high school) since I used to play in the woods / nature all the time as a kid, but pretty didn't go near nature by high school and on. I'm 30 years old now by the way.

So I received 4 weeks of Doxycycline in 2006. No change in symptoms, so I just accepted it as the status quo. In 2010 I started my first real job, which is very mentally intensive. I'm smart, but my concentration has always sucked and I started to feel like my mind wasn't as sharp as it was anymore. So in early 2011, I saw another doctor who gave me the same treatment - 4 weeks of Doxy - no change.

In 2013-2014 I noticed a steady decline in my mental sharpness, focus/concentration, and my memory started to go to crap. This started becoming a big deal with my job since its so detail oriented and any little mistake makes a huge difference and can lead to getting fired and sued, etc. Then I started to read aboutneuro lyme cases, and got really scared about the direction I was going mentally so I started to re-seek treatment in August 2014. I also developed bad anxiety at the end of 2013 (definitely brought on by the stress of my job - though I never had physical manifestations of anxiety like that before). I've also had long bouts of depression - but who knows about that one, tons of people without lyme have that as well.

I got a regular labcorp test done by another doctor (which did not test for the co-infections) and also a SPECT brain scan. Based on those, and my symptoms and his exam, Dr. R was confident I had babesia and bartonella (i think) in addition to the lyme. He recommended the Igenex testing but said insurance didn't cover it and it was $600 - so I asked if I could skip it, and he said yes since he was confident I had the three infections based on the other stuff.

I did get a script for Labcorp testing, since I know my insurance will cover that, for babesia and bartonella (though he said they werent very accurate) - is it worth getting now, after already starting the Coartem?

I'm really not looking forward to having a (semi) permanent tube sticking out of my chest. Maybe sounds superficial, but I'm newly single and that's going to make dating a bit more awkward, haha. Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendation on PICC lines or Hickman lines?

Thanks Margaret. The wants to do the IV Rocephin longer term - the problem is my insurance only covers a month, and from what I heard, it's really expensive without it ($1300 / month range).

Hi Kbsk, youre right...NO CoQ10 with Mepron!! Very important!!! He shouldve told you that but doctors are human too.

I had a month only of picc line Rocephin and it didnt do much for me. Everyone is different though. In hindsight, I believe it may have put a little dent in the lyme infection but I did not know I had CO's back then (babesia/bart) so it did not touch those.

Hope you feel better soon


((Hugs))
-Courtney

Kbsk224,

Check IV rocephin cost thru Infuserve America in FL. I think it is around $800/month for Rx and all supplies. All you will need to do is get your bandage changed once a week, which someone in your home can be trained to do.

I am going to go out on a limb here. "No!" I personally think that 1 month is a complete waste of time. I base my opinion on different articles I've read by different doctors. Namely, dr. Jamsek and dr. J from LymeMD blog.

If your Lyme is severe enough to warrant IV meds, there is no way 1 month will help you! I would try the heavy hitting orals for several months first. Also treat for coinfections first. Then, if need be, go for the IV for several months. Many people don't notice an improvement on IV for at LEAST 3-4 months. That is per The Dr. C from ILADS. My friend is currently under his care. She has a PICC. And this is what she told me!