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Beginning to wonder is it babs kickin my butt this whole time?

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Posted 1/17/2016 2:37 PM (GMT 0)
As some of you know I've been on Zithro/Mepron/Artimisiae-2 for the last 2.5 months and my symptoms are not resolving in fact some are getting worse. Have had a tight chest for 2 straight days and my weekly flare-ups are back. I was on this same combo when I first got sick for 2.5 months and the improvement was more limited than this go round. Being on this combo for 5 months is leading me to believe I'm either not dealing with Babesia for my head/chest issue or something else is getting in the way of me improving.

I've been on Coartem and Alinia a few rounds, A-BAB, Crypto and Artimisiae pretty much the gamut of anti-malarials and I just can' seem to improve consistently over the past 10 months. Could I have a resistant strain sure as I was lab diagnosed with Babesia Duncani but could be something else.

My LLMD wanted to try Bactrim DS and Rifampin I'm assuming to see if I may have bartonella.

Not sure where else to go with anti-malarials as I've taken most of them without resolution.

Primary issues are head presssure/woosiness and chest tightness/pressure. Any thoughts on next steps would be welcome. Thanks!
Posted 1/17/2016 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
Rikky1

Most LLMD's treat Babesia for at least 5 months (one month past the life of a red blood cell which Babesia infects). I'd be inclined to keep treating as you have (same meds combo) for a full 5 months before switching anything.

I'd also be inclined to try Buhner's full Babesia protocol (in addition to your current meds) since it addresses even the intransigent strains.

I will not deny that when I read your post on another thread about you loving sushi that I wondered if you were dealing with parasites.

Parasites are a common issue for those of us dealing with these infections and not treating for them can impede healing.

Has your LLMD ever mentioned this?
Posted 1/17/2016 4:04 PM (GMT 0)
I haven't been feeling much better on doxy and several other things for about 3 months. Doc says I need to continue though.
Posted 1/17/2016 4:38 PM (GMT 0)
I feel just like you Rikky, few months into treatment with no improvement, the only thing that is helping me is cannabis oil, it takes the head pressure and stabbing pain away like magic! I also think I have something else going on, maybe Bart b/c of my sore soles, going to be retested in a few days. I would recommend to try the oil and get a comprehensive stool analysis to check for parasites and yeast.Hope this help.
Posted 1/17/2016 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
cd3764 i'm aware of treating at least to the full lifecycle of babs which is 4 months but you should be showing at least incremental improvements. for me month 1 was ok i've been going downhill ever since so it seems fairly clear i'm not making the inroads one would expect on this regimen. another month or two i don't think is going to help but we'll see what my LLMD says.

i would like to take some abx's that specifically hit bart to see i react to them. i don't believe i have any symptoms of typical bart and did try A-BART for a few months which did nothing but no one really knows. thanks for the reply.
Posted 1/17/2016 10:40 PM (GMT 0)
I agree that you should be showing incremental improvements....at some point. It took 4 months on Buhner's full Lyme, Babesia and Bartonella protocols for me to experience improvements (then again, my symptoms were very mild when I started the protocols so I'm not sure if my experience is relevant.). Much is written about the last 10% of healing taking longer than the achievement of 90%.

Still, as you wonder.....I'm wondering if parasites might be impeding your healing (and, it's entirely possible that Bartonella is in the picture instead...or as well. 70% of NJ ticks tested were positive for Bartonella)
Posted 1/18/2016 12:38 AM (GMT 0)
Rikky - I think it's a good idea to treat bartonella and see what happens.
When do you think you will start the Bactrim and Rifampin combo?

Sometimes we have to come back to a treatment - ie after treating Bart, you may get more success with Babesia treatment.

It's certainly a puzzle trying to figure what's the next best step to take.
Posted 1/18/2016 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
i was supposed to start it if the current regimen didn't have any impact the first 3 weeks of taking it (early to mid nov) but since it was doing ok i stuck with it. he did tell me to add Bactrim to the zithro/mepron to enhance its effectiveness but a week in my eyes really dried out i got these huge bags under them and looked like i was 80. turns out my daughter is allergic to sulfa drugs she broke out in hives when she first took it so i might have a sensitivity to it.

if we do switch i think he'll use rifampin and pair it up with something else like zithro or a tetracycline. cephalosporins i have a bad reaction to + i haven't taken a tetracycline yet so would like to try.

would also like to take an anti-malarial but i know you can't mix with mepron.
Posted 1/18/2016 4:02 AM (GMT 0)
Should everyone be treated for parasites? I have my appt. with the LLMD tomorrow afternoon. Maybe we should talk about this.
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