Need Advice for Bartonella GOALS!!

Ok I've been in treatment for about 4 years now (last year i did mostly herbals and took a break but now back on antibiotics). I've been on Rifampin since late august and just recently added Zithromax. My doctor says i'm progressing and on the right track.

Now I know there are many theories and ideas on how long it takes to get rid of Bartonella with rifampin but right now i'm going with the idea that it takes about 8 months. The complication comes in with the whole you're supposed to be on 2 antibiotics the whole time and my doc started me on only one for about 3.5-4months, so idk if that affects the timeline.

So in light of it being a New Year and having New Years Resolutions I wanted to make one for my treatment/Bartonella. I was thinking about making my goal be "In 4 months time, I want to have no symptoms" meaning I want to stick with treatment, stick with the diet, and use supplements as best as I can to get rid of this. (My doc would still keep me on antibiotics an additional 2 months after symptoms stop).

The problem: so last year if any of you remember i was getting fed up with not only my treatment duration but as my doctor (I see Dr. S in NJ and if some of you remember I posted a question like "Should I leave my Doctor?") so I left him and went to see Dr. E who was terrible and took me off all antibiotics/treatment. What fueled me to do this? I was so hung up that I hadn't reached my goal of getting rid of Lyme and Co. by my 3 year mark. I was angry and upset (and to be fair Dr. S wasn't very informative and comforting at the time, he's better now).

So do you think it's a good idea to make treatment goals based on time? My doc says i'm progressing on the right track but won't give me an idea of when I should be done. I don't want to drive myself crazy by trying to reach my goal (and I have been going slower in terms of abx and supplements this time around) BUT I feel like I owe it to myself to do the best i can to get rid of this thing.

Advice please!!

I agree with Traveler but I used to be guilty of doing just that.

My birthday is in June and I found myself saying, I hope I'm healed by my birthday....then it became Christmas....then the next birthday and now we just passed the next Christmas.

I finally "let go" and have made peace with the bugs. I'm working towards peaceful coexistence and building my immune system.

That said, I hope some of those supplements you're taking include things to rebuild the immune system (probiotics at the minimum).

The health of the immune system is the difference between us.....and those asymptomatically infected.

Best wishes that 2017 is the year you regain control!!

Traveler said...
CD, your birthday is in June? So's mine! Mine is the first week of June. :smile: I'll have to see if I can remember to wish you a happy birthday!!

Ah, a Gemini just like my maternal grandma and my youngest son - good people all of you ;)

My birthday is at the end of the month - I'm a Cancer tried and true ;)

Agreed with everyone - setting time frames can lead to disappointment.

We can't possibly know when we will be better...just keep plugging away at it.

Blue,

You are so brave. I am a bit of an ostrich with Lyme.

I can just imagine you checking your blood under your microscope and harvesting your bees and doing your rife.

Keep it up blue and don't get any bluer

Huddie said...
Blue,

You are so brave. I am a bit of an ostrich with Lyme.

I can just imagine you checking your blood under your microscope and harvesting your bees and doing your rife.

Keep it up blue and don't get any bluer

Fine line between bravery and stupidity ...
to quote christopher reeves.." at 1st it seems impossible ,then it seems improbable but when you finally muster the will, it becomes inevitable ! "
my gf says handle your bizzness b4 it handles you!

at girlie ..i was talking about ayifa ...ya im pairing with zith out of the gate ...tried mino for a week got dizzyer ...