HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Can Bartonella Be Gone After 6 Weeks of Antibiotics

Support Forums
>
Lyme Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/25/2017 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed with Lyme and Bartonella a couple months ago. I took Clindamycin (Cleocin) 300mg- 2x a day and just finished a couple days ago. I just got a call from my doctor's office with my blood results after being on the Clindamycin for 6 weeks. The doctor didn't call and she was gone for the day, so I wasn't able to ask any questions. Ugh!

My bartonella test came back negative this time (it was positive-very high- 6 weeks ago). Just wondering...does this usually mean that the bartonella is now gone? Or is it probably still lingering? If so, why would my test come back negative this time? I know there is still Lyme, but I feel no different than I felt before taking antibiotics (in fact, I feel worse!). I am about to start Zithromax for 2 months (4 days on, 3 days off-I think).

My CD57 went from a 16 (6 weeks ago) and it is now a 22...I guess slow and steady progress is better than nothing.

Thanks so much for offering your experiences with Bartonella.

Post Edited (jmoore06) : 9/25/2017 4:41:16 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/25/2017 10:51 PM (GMT 0)
Not to discourage you but levels of Bart could be under the testing threshold. Anything is possible but 6 weeks of abx wasnt enough for me to stop Bart. This is how long it took me to figure out Rifampin was affecting my spleen in a negative way and then discontinue.

I hope for your sake it doesnt return but I would continue the treatment. If you get to the point where you can no longer handle the side effects of the abx, like I did, then you can switch to the herbs.
Posted 9/25/2017 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
What type of bart test is it? If it's the IFA - that relies on antibodies...and your immune system may not have mounted a response that could be measured.

Was it PCR? Just because the dna isn't seen...doesn't mean it's not there...it's possibly just not in that sample.



Testing isn't used to determine if you've treated long enough.

6 weeks to treat a chronic bartonella infection? Never heard of that.

Sorry, is that a LLMD? I think you may need to find another one.
Posted 9/25/2017 11:33 PM (GMT 0)
Girlie- She is a LLMD and was recommended by many (I believe she is on your list). I'm not sure if my new protocol is to treat the Bartonella or not. Unfortunately, I didn't get to speak with her on the phone today and when I had my follow up appointment last week, a PA came in instead of the doctor (despite the appointment being made with the doctor!). I am feeling a bit lost and discouraged because I haven't even spoken to the doctor about any of the results or the treatment moving forward. I am going to try to call tomorrow, but in my experience, the office staff is very rude and I'm thinking it will be difficult to get through to the doctor. I told the girl who called today that I didn't even get to speak with the doctor last week and she said, "We were probably just really busy". I really like the doctor and she seems very knowledgeable about Lyme and coinfections, but she seems to be a very busy doctor. Anyways, I digress.

The Bartonella tests I had done 6 weeks ago were Bartonella Henselae (Results, IgG=1:1024-normal is 1:64) and Bartonella Quintana (Results, IgG 1:256-normal is 1:64).

This time the lab request paperwork said I was being tested for the Bartonella Antibody Panel (I'm not sure if that's the same test I had done 6 weeks ago or not).
Posted 9/25/2017 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
So, are you now off treatment? Or did your LLMD give you a new protocol?


My list has been passed on to me by another Forum Moderator..but I have no experience and can not recommend most of the LLMD's on the list.
There are a few that people I know have been to...but that's it.
Posted 9/25/2017 11:49 PM (GMT 0)
Antibody panel is measuring your body's response to the pathogen. These pathogens can easily avoid detection from the immune system and then wreak havoc on your system. I wouldn't rely AT ALL on tests but instead by your symptoms.

Are you having any symptoms that are believed to be from bart?

Six weeks is possible but I've not heard of many people kill this persistent ****** that quickly. Course everyone is different but I would be very wary of thinking I cleared this pathogen that quickly.
Posted 9/25/2017 11:59 PM (GMT 0)
Girlie- She is calling in a prescription for Zithromax to be taken for 2 months--not sure if this antibiotic is typically used for Bartonella or just Lyme. I have a lot of questions that have not been addressed by the doctor. If she didn't have time to speak with me when I went into the office for a scheduled appointment, I am not holding out much hope to speak with her over the phone. As of right now, I was told to schedule another appointment when I get close to finishing the Zithromax.

I'm not sure if she is on your list...I received her name from the Texas Lyme Association and another Lyme organization (can't remember the name), but I think I recall her being on the list you sent me as well. Just thought I would mention it in my previous post.
Posted 9/26/2017 12:10 AM (GMT 0)
Rikky1- I am still having a lot of the Bart symptoms (those that are similar to Lyme-fatigue, headaches, etc...), so it's hard to tell, but I will say my nerve issues have gotten better, but not completely gone.

Post Edited (jmoore06) : 9/25/2017 6:21:34 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/26/2017 12:20 AM (GMT 0)

jmoore06 said...
Girlie- She is calling in a prescription for Zithromax to be taken for 2 months--not sure if this antibiotic is typically used for Bartonella or just Lyme. I have a lot of questions that have not been addressed by the doctor. If she didn't have time to speak with me when I went into the office for a scheduled appointment, I am not holding out much hope to speak with her over the phone. As of right now, I was told to schedule another appointment when I get close to finishing the Zithromax.

I'm not sure if she is on your list...I received her name from the Texas Lyme Association and another Lyme organization (can't remember the name), but I think I recall her being on the list you sent me as well. Just thought I would mention it in my previous post.

Zithromax is used - but in combination with another antibiotic.

Rifampin or Rifabutin.

I have heard of someone using Zithromax with a tetracycline for bart, but this person only had bart for months (less than a year) .
Generally macrolide and tetracycline aren't enough .

I just wouldn't want your infection to continue to worsen....
Posted 9/26/2017 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you, Girlie! I was so excited to have found the culprit for all my issues over the past 15 years and then to have found a doctor that is knowledgeable enough to treat. However, I'm feeling a little discouraged right now because I wish she would include me in the conversations about the whats and whys of my treatment. I am on the fence whether to ditch antibiotics and start an herbal protocol, but I'm afraid I would feel even more lost and confused if I did that.

I bought 'Healing Lyme' a couple months ago, but it all seems overwhelming so I haven't read all of it yet. Do you know if it is safe to add herbs to an antibiotic protocol? I believe I read that some of the herbs should be avoided with particular types of antibiotics...I will have to go back and read the book.
Posted 9/26/2017 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
your LLMD doesn't sound all that great from the little i know. still i'm judging from my perch having been through 3 LLMD's and seeing one of the top guys in the country dealing with my stubborn Babesia and Bart.

you can add herbs to your antibiotics if you want. many do it including me. if i were you i'd try to bring in one herb that will give you some action against bart. houttuynia is a good one for this. maybe you can pick up a bottle from woodland essence or sage woman and try it out?
Posted 9/26/2017 4:06 AM (GMT 0)
short answer: NO.

after 3m of treatment i did the dark field blood test and i had red blood cells with bartonella happily waiting to restart infection.

you cannot get rid of bart, but you dont want to. in small amounts it is a harmless bacteria. over 50% of pet owners have it. so what? they are asymptomatic.

your problem is borrelia which creates an immune deficiency syndrome. like aids but milder. google after AIDS and bartonella see what a relative harmless bacteria does when the host's immune system is partially destroyed...

Post Edited (mpost) : 9/25/2017 10:09:05 PM (GMT-6)

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply