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Dark urine -Bart and Babs treatment

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Posted 9/18/2016 1:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hello All-

I know it's been a while since I have posted. Just a quick update...I had been treating for lyme/babs/bart with all herbs for 5 months but felt like I had plateaued.

I told my LLMD I thought Babs was the big underlying culprit and he prescribed generic Mepron/Azith/Flagyl. I noticed immediate Babs herxing symptoms - stiff painful neck, tightness in lungs, headaches, exhaustion.

After about a month, the herxing gradually subsided although I have to rotate and pulse the flagyl and Azith when I take the Mepron, otherwise it is just too much.

Besides the strong herxing I have been feeling pretty good and even went back to work in early August. The best part is having the majority of my brain back. Something I definatey need for work!

I have noticed recently that despite being well hydrated, my urine is really dark, especially in the mornings. It has a pinkish/orange tint to it. I know Babs destroys red blood cells and dark urine is a sign of Babs. But I have never had this before, I guess I am wondering why would this rage now that I am treating? Shouldn't the Babs be dying and not my red blood cells? Or does one have to occur with the other?

I am also taking iron daily, and that has helped a lot too - especially with energy. I had my ferritin and iron tested a while back and I remember my ferritin was 44 and iron was normal. I had read that anything below 50 for ferritin is too low.

Thanks for any info you may have. I hope everyone is improving on their journey!
Posted 9/18/2016 3:57 PM (GMT 0)
Congratulations on getting back to work!!! turn

Both Mepron and the iron can turn your urine a darker color. I would talk to your doctor if this is really bothering you, but know that it may be from the meds/supplements you are taking and nothing more.

Do be sure you are drinking plenty of water though.
Posted 9/18/2016 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
OK, thanks Trav! Relieved to know this now :) Isn't there another med that turns urine red or a weird color? I have had that before too, but I knew it going in so I wasn't too concerned.

Is it Rifampin?
Posted 9/18/2016 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, Flagyl and Azith can cause dark urine as well, according to what I'm reading. So it could easily be the meds/supplements you are on, although as you said, it could also be due to Babesia. But if you were to have your urine tested, they could tell you if it was from traces of blood in the urine or if it's likely from the meds.
Posted 9/18/2016 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
Rifampin turned my urine a dark orange color.
Posted 9/18/2016 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, that is what I was thinking...thanks for the confirmation Girlie!
Posted 9/26/2016 9:36 PM (GMT 0)
~~~~~~~~UPDATE~~~~~~~~~~~

Just wanted to give a quick update. Soon after I saw the dark urine (initially I thought it was blood) I began having pain in my right kidney. This is nothing new for me as I have had pain in this kidney off and on for years, and have scans done where they have found stones, but I have never actually seen a passed stone. The kidney pain has always increased whenever I have gone after Babs whether it was with quinine/clind or mepron/zith/flagyl or even Buhner's CSA herbs.

The kidney pain has been persistent, and I finally gave in and went to the clinic for a blood and urine test today. They confirmed a lot of blood in the urine and we are waiting for results of the blood test. They are testing for protein in the urine test and in the blood test they are looking for filtration rate and overall kidney and liver function.

I am also going in tomorrow afternoon for a CT scan of my kidneys.

I don't know if the infection is aggravating my kidneys when hit with the meds, or if my kidney is just too weak to even withstand treatment.

Either way, I fear any progress I have made with Babesia may be ruined if I cannot continue. What do I do if my body can't handle treatment?

Does Rife work on Babs? Is it hard on the body?
Posted 9/26/2016 9:43 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the update, lymie mom!

I'm glad you had it checked out.

Try not to worry about the treatment yet...take it one step at a time.
See what the CT scan shows.

So, are they looking for kidney stones? Could that be the cause?

I would think people use Rife for all the infections.

You could use the search function and put in: Rife - Babesia.
Posted 9/27/2016 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the reply Girlie-

Yes, the CT scan is to look for stones, blockage, etc. The NP said I may have too many stones that are too large that would need to be broken up to pass.

The blood test should show how they are functioning though. If there is onset of kidney disease they should see reduced function.

I find it odd that it is always just one kidney though. They say these infections go after the weakest parts of our bodies. My gut is telling me at least one infection has settled in to this right kidney and there has been a slow degeneration of it ever since. It is so sensitive that I can only drink certain types of water (spring) or the minerals (or lack thereof in other types will cause it to hurt). It's been going on for 8 years now and is only getting worse. I used to have pain, sometimes cloudy urine, abdominal bloating etc, but never blood.
Posted 9/27/2016 3:26 AM (GMT 0)
Gosh for 8 years - that is a long time.
I sure hope they can get to the bottom of this for you...



Sending you big hugs.
Posted 9/27/2016 11:04 PM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry you're having kidney issues Lymie Mom!

Please let us know how you're doing. Try not to worry. Stress does not resolve anything. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs!
Posted 9/29/2016 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Girlie and Lymie Girl :)

~~~~~UPDATE~~~~~~

Good news- blood tests for liver and kidney function came back normal. Considering I had been on a lot of abx , herbs, Art, and Mepron within the last couple of months -this is great news. CT scan showed all organs in my abdomen look normal, but it was a non-contrast scan so it does not show any growths, etc within them.

Bad news- CT scan showed I have a 6 mm stone in the upper pole of my right kidney. The position makes it difficult to pass and the size makes it less likely to pass on it's own (but not impossible).

I have an appointment with a urologist tomorrow to see if they want me to try and pass it on my own or if I am a candidate for lipthotripsy (non invasive procedure where sound waves break up stone.)

If I can pass it on my own, they want me to try and catch it for evaluation. The type of stone will determine diet changes to avoid them in the future.

Still doesn't explain why the pain/stones increase when I take certain meds/abx unless it is causing a mineral/electrolyte shift or imbalance that contributes to the stones (lack of citrate or magnesium or B6). I am going to experiment with taking more Mag Citrate and eating fewer oxalate foods. And of course drinking copious amounts of lemon water.

That's the latest for me. I guess the silver lining is I get to focus on other things in my body other than lyme & co. And the healthier my body is in general, the better equipped I am to deal the infections going forward. I need my kidneys in tip top shape for detoxing, lol!


I feel like I am constantly becoming my own science experiment. I am sure you all do as well!
Posted 9/29/2016 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
Lymie mom = that IS good news! Phew (sigh of relief)
Posted 9/30/2016 5:24 AM (GMT 0)
Yay! I'm so relieved.

Thanks for letting us know. :)
Posted 9/30/2016 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
Super news! I love good news and answers found... here is to a speedy resolution with the kidney stone.
Posted 9/30/2016 4:54 PM (GMT 0)
YAY!! I'm so glad that you have found out what is going on!! I hope there is good news from this urologist as well.

As you said, the healthier your body is, the better it will be to get past these infections from here on out! And, you will be on a better diet for you specifically with these issues!

Best of luck and let us know how this latest appt went when you have the time and energy!
Posted 9/30/2016 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you everyone.

Just got back from my appointment and I just have to say, I'm kinda crabby. I just didn't leave there feeling very optimistic.

The Dr explained two different procedures. One invasive, one non-invasive but both painful. And I got the feeling he was trying to upsell me on the invasive procedure by saying the non-invasive is only about 60-70% successful.

Both are outpatient procedures but the ureteroscopy (invasive) requires complete sedation (thank God) and requires a follow up visit where tubing is pulled back out of the urinary tract 5-7 days after the procedure -with no sedation. No thanks.

Then, on my way home, I get a call from their office stating they forgot to get a Urine culture (even though I peed in a cup?) and I need to find a lab and do this again, at my own expense of course. Again, no thanks. I told the nurse I didn't think I should have to pay another fee with their mistake considering I paid $50 already for the visit. She said she would relay the message to the dr.

Sorry, just not in the best mood right now and this kidney is killing me! :(
Posted 10/3/2016 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry Lymie Mom! That is awful. No offense to any doctors out there, but they can be clueless when it comes to costs.

The procedure sounds pretty intense. Have you considered getting a second opinion? Another doctor may have a different approach or opinion on effectiveness. Treating my fur babies, I have learned that vets always disagree and have different approaches. Doctors are the same!

I wish you the best. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs!
Posted 10/4/2016 12:59 PM (GMT 0)
does the orange coloring from rifampin go down over time? or is my liver breaking up? mine isn't orange any more..
Posted 10/4/2016 3:34 PM (GMT 0)

caramba said...
does the orange coloring from rifampin go down over time? or is my liver breaking up? mine isn't orange any more..

My color didn't go down, but it doesn't last as long now as it did when I started. For instance, I take Rifampin at 9:00am, and I use to pee orange until after dinner. Now my pee is normal again by mid-afternoon. Not sure why.
Posted 10/4/2016 5:02 PM (GMT 0)

caramba said...
does the orange coloring from rifampin go down over time? or is my liver breaking up? mine isn't orange any more..

Mine is still as organgie as ever. I don't think it should be changing over time when you're on Rifampin.

Someone once posted that it's a good thing - it means your body is absorbing it. I'm not sure if it's true.

I took mine later than usual last night...and i had an orange pee this morning.
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