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Posted 7/10/2019 3:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hello- I am new to this forum. This infection has me scouring the web for answers. I really need a LLMD near Puyallup Wa. I will drive to Seattle if I must, but I have 2 small kids and it makes long distance drives really hard.

I know this is for Lyme Disease, but where am I supposed to go?

I have tiny 'cysts' or bumps under my skin that hurt to be touched. My L shoulder and armpit are the worst, along with intermittent aching along the upper spine. I used to be a weightlifter, so I know what normal aches and pains are, this is not. I have had nerve pain up and down my arm and leg. Bladder symptoms, and GI issues.

I am currently on Rifampin and Doxy for 3 months, and am considering taking GSE and Red root tincture to help get things moving...if that is in fact what that stuff does.

I need some support in this even if its just understanding.
Posted 7/10/2019 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
I wish I had some good news for you, but I don't.

Bartonella is really difficult to eliminate. I found it to be resistant to many antibiotics, including rifampin, clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and cefdinir.

Doxycycline is one of the few drugs that bartonella has not been reported to be resistant to, but as you're probably figured out, that may not be enough to eliminate it.

I've described what I ended up taking here https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=4136852

While I did find some antibiotics that would work against bartonella, I had to take some 'strong' stuff that had unpleasant side effects, and I'm still not sure the infection is completely gone.
Posted 7/10/2019 6:22 PM (GMT 0)
bart is next to impossible to eradicate. the best you can do is get it into remission or the symptoms low enough as to be tolerable. i speak from experience i've been hitting it with heavy artillery for over 4 years and its still hanging out in my red blood cells like its got a permanent home.
Posted 7/11/2019 5:30 PM (GMT 0)
red root will help the stuck lymph nodes in armpits and groin . when ur done with docs and allopathic medice consider zhangs combo for bart and plasma rife . above with bvt has me living relatively pain free
Posted 7/11/2019 10:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, serinebean. Welcome. You are in the right place. Bartonella is one of the most prevalent co-infections with Lyme disease, and most people when they say "Lyme" here mean a collection of infections, not just borrelia bergdorferi (the species that technically is called Lyme disease). You hear often that Lyme never travels alone, and the same is true of bartonella. Lot of us have bartonella, and lots of us get better. You have options.

The protocol you are on could make a difference. Have you been herxing at all in the three months you have been treating? Seen any improvements? Are you actively detoxifying and taking supportive supplements?

There was an article emailed to me today about bartonella treatment for people interested in the pharmaceutical options: https://www.treatlyme.net/guide/kills-bartonella-a-brief-guide There are other effective options as well - rife, herbs, homeopathy, etc. if you are interested in other routes to healing from it.
Posted 7/12/2019 1:07 AM (GMT 0)

saraeli said...
There was an article emailed to me today about bartonella treatment for people interested in the pharmaceutical options: https://www.treatlyme.net/guide/kills-bartonella-a-brief-guide

This is generally good advice, and I took many of these drugs, however I unfortunately got a strain of bartonella that was resistant to both clarithromycin and rifampin. So be aware that can happen, and you may need to try different antibiotics.
Posted 7/12/2019 2:55 AM (GMT 0)
Just out of curiosity. I only have head pressure/head ache 24/7 and severe cognitive difficulties but no pain in my body or anything else. Could this still be Bart or do most people have pain or something else associated?

Thanks for any advice
Posted 7/12/2019 5:48 AM (GMT 0)

Brab8878 said...
Just out of curiosity. I only have head pressure/head ache 24/7 and severe cognitive difficulties but no pain in my body or anything else. Could this still be Bart or do most people have pain or something else associated?

Thanks for any advice

Yes, it could still be Bart. Not everyone's symptom package is the same.
Posted 7/12/2019 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Bart symptoms vary. I didn't get a lot of pain from it, just skin rashes and hemolysis.
Posted 7/12/2019 9:55 PM (GMT 0)

bluelyme said...
red root will help the stuck lymph nodes in armpits and groin . when ur done with docs and allopathic medice consider zhangs combo for bart and plasma rife . above with bvt has me living relatively pain free

Zhangs? Is it similar to Buhner? I have so many supplement suggestions that my head is about to explode! I have about 15 things on my counter, and get scared that I am out of my depth with them.

I will check into it, as I feel I need to learn as much as I can.

I am not feeling positive after reading these replies...I think I am still in the denial phase, where I just cant believe this is happening to me.
Posted 7/12/2019 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
Serinebean,

Hello and welcome! The title of your post is bartonella. Unless I missed something, do you have Lyme or other infections, too? How did you find out you have bartonella? Would love to hear more of your story.

I think I have had bartonella since birth or early childhood, as I did not have a known tick bite or bullseye rash. I think my immune system kept it in check for the most part, although I had bothersome health issues most of my life. I was functional, though.

Mold is been my greatest challenge the past 3 years, and I am in a crisis with that again.

I am sorry you only got discouraging responses about bartonella. Everyone is different and plenty of people have either recovered or much improved from any or all of these infections, including bartonella.
Posted 7/12/2019 11:15 PM (GMT 0)

WalkingbyFaith said...
I am sorry you only got discouraging responses about bartonella. Everyone is different and plenty of people have either recovered or much improved from any or all of these infections, including bartonella.

Discouraging responses doesn't mean impossible to treat, just difficult. I found it was resistant to many antibiotics. I did eventually find some antibiotics that would work, but it took 6+ months of treatment, and I had difficulty with the side effects. I did get better, but it wasn't easy.
Posted 7/12/2019 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
It's normal to be overwhelmed - is there anyone on this forum that didn't feel overwhelmed at first? - but please don't be discouraged. People post on this forum every day who have bartonella and are treating successfully, experiencing improvements, achieving remission, etc. I don't think it's any harder to treat, on average, then any other co-infection.
Posted 7/13/2019 12:10 AM (GMT 0)

Quin said...

WalkingbyFaith said...
I am sorry you only got discouraging responses about bartonella. Everyone is different and plenty of people have either recovered or much improved from any or all of these infections, including bartonella.

Discouraging responses doesn't mean impossible to treat, just difficult. I found it was resistant to many antibiotics. I did eventually find some antibiotics that would work, but it took 6+ months of treatment, and I had difficulty with the side effects. I did get better, but it wasn't easy.

=========================

I wonder why you had trouble with many antibiotics (resistance?)

So are you in remission now?
Posted 7/13/2019 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
serinebean - I have made good progress with lyme/bart/Babesia.

it just takes time - more time for some of us.

I have/had many symptoms starting in April 2013 - and didn’t see a lyme Literate dr until end of August 2014.
I had 30 something symptoms and I am down to a few left - after several years treating.

I recently improved again... so I am optimistic that I will be well again.. hopefully very soon!
Posted 7/13/2019 1:16 AM (GMT 0)

Girlie said...
I wonder why you had trouble with many antibiotics (resistance?)

Presumably. Various bartonella species have been found to be antibiotic-resistant in vitro, so it's not surprising that I got a resistant strain. See eg
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20022937
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17449882
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27667026

Girlie said...
So are you in remission now?

I currently have no symptoms of bartonella. However, the last time I took a break from the antibiotics (a month ago) I got a herx when I re-started abx. So I suspect it's not completely gone and could relapse if I stop the antibiotics.
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