Very likely have bartonella

I have been obsessing about if I have bartonella or not, similarly to how I worried about if I had lyme or not for months before I realized I did.Ugh.
I think I have it.
I was just researching it online and thenproceeded to look closely over my skin for any type of rash and sadly I do have a weird rash. NOt so much the stretch marks but on my outer upper arms I have these little pink bumps.

and I do have a few small scratches but that is hard ot determine as I scratch my back a lot and my husband scratches it for me.
But seeing those little pink marks freaked me right out. I am so bummed.

I figured my good doctor suspecting it was proof enough but I was hoping it wasn't true. I guess the reaction I had to the rifampin also showed me I have it.
So it is now about a week past when my doctor suggested I start rifampin. And about 9 days till I see my doctor.
what do I do now?
I am sad and afraid. This also explains my continued anxiety.
As I said, I have a little kid and am scared if I go back on the rifampin I will not be able to function! I have a few valium which can help. I think I have to call my doctor's office again tomorrow and schedule a phone consult with him or the other doctor, not the nurse, who really know.
So if I try the rifampin again-- how long do I expect to have the flares? constantly or occasionally?
I have read many accounts online of people having an increase in bartonella symptoms on rifampin but then over a month or so they really clear up. My doc had said 4-6 weeks on the rifampin so in a way I just want ot get on it and get it over with sooner than later. Perhaps my doctor can prescribe me a sedative to help me cope with the increased anxiety sp I can function and parent while I am treating it?
I am glad I have a good doctor who knows about this stuff and can help me but oh man I am so bummed to realize I have bartonella. ugh. That's what those bumps must be, right? I never had them before.or never noticed them.

It is strange that it took me this long to figure it out. Well, I have been treating my lyme for 32 days now.

 I am tempted to just go for it with the rifampin as this is what the doctor had originally told me to do- should I do it, knowing that I may get an increase in symptoms? I am frightened and freaked out now that these marks on my body are crystal clear.

I wish I could see my doctor tomorrow but I guess 9 days is better than nothing.

should I start the rifampin tomorrow? again?

Are you already taking a antibiotic ( other than rifampin ? ) ... so you would be adding rifampin to something else ??

I am 32 days into minocycline and plaquenil and herbs.

My doctor wanted me to add rifampin a week ago.

I did it one day, and 20 hours later had a big anxiety attack ( and thought my tongue was swelling and went to the er- thankfully it was just an anxiety attack/or bartonella herx or both).

I am so scared.

I just tried to tell my husband about it and he cannot understand what I am going through.

I knew with the anxiety still this bad after one month treatment that I likely have bartonella but the skin thing really proved it. The skin things are located on the backs of my arms and a little on my back so it was hard to see unless really looking for it like I did tonight.

I need to get better and get on with life and so I want to do the rifampin or whatever I have to do to get this out of my body. Even if the next period will suck.

But does anyone know how long to expect to herx if I do the rifampin?

Kate, did the first combo of antibiotics ( mino and plaq ) bring the red marks out, or, did you begin to see the red marks after taking the one day of rifampin ??

tano those marks look like some of the pictures I saw of bartonella.

I am not sure when mine came out because much of it is on my back of my arms that I can't see that well- back of upper arms, and a few on my back- I have a few of the marks on my torso that I just noticed today.

Right now I want to just do the rifampin because I read the storied of people going through it and then feeling So much better afterwards and I want that- I am just terrified about what will happen to me and how I will parent my young child and take him to school and pick him up and all that through this. I hope my doctor can give me a sedative prescription to get me through this.

a few months from now I want to be on the other side of this-

I hope.

Kate, I am really sensitive to antibiotics - I think that has been my issue all along ..... so I understand that you are worried ... maybe you could ask you doc if you could do the rifampin with one other antibiotic ..

Maybe the 3 together was too much ... I don't think anyone really knows how these antibiotics work in combinations, and when an already sensitive person is taking 3 at the same time, maybe it isn't a herx but just too much medication ...

Rifampin does need to be taken w/ another antibiotic, but maybe you could talk to your doc about using the rifampin and one other - maybe even one you are not currently taking, like Zithromax ..........

Zithromax and rifampin is usually the best combo ...... and don't feel that you need to do so many together

Kate,

Just try a half dose of the Rifampin this time and see how it goes. I did the rif/min/plaq combo from last Oct thru February. Yes, the first four weeks were tough then good progress.

Kate,

I think its better for absorbsion on an empty stomach. But if you don't handle ABX well on an empty stomach then take it with food. I take my rif/mino/plaq first thing in am on empty stomach then again at around 6pm just before supper. Sometime I eat on the way home and take all pills after. I don't think it will matter much either way given you'll be taking it for several months.

I don't think you really have to take your Rif in the afternoon, as long as you take it around the same time each day.

Good luck at the lower dose. If all goes well stay with that dose for several days before increasing.

You should do fine at the lower dose. Many other folks have had to start Rif more slowly than others. Keep positive thoughts.