Back on medication for Bartonella

So my LLMD is thinking that the primary source of my symptoms is actually my bartonella and not my lyme. I had been off antibiotics for a monthish now and symptoms have slowly returned. I developed arthritis like symptoms in my hands w hich I never had before, not only while typing and writing at work but all the time. The tingling in my upper right shoulder came back and hardly has gone away, worst in the am or when I bend over, My feet are falling asleep more often and quicker, toes turning purple when it happens, and just general aches like joint pain in back, arms legs, hips. My doctor switched me to Biaxin and Bactrum and reading some things on Bactrum I am a little worried. Has anyone had any weird side effects? I was on minocycline and Rifabutin and I did get better just never did the few days prior and during my period. That was and still is the worst. I am a giant ***** to my boyfriend, crying all the time, horrible headaches and eye pain, exhausted, it is horrible. He complains because I have not exercised in forever because I do not have the energy and he says I need to do something with my life

Any experience with the new medications? I want to know what I have to look forward to haha.

Well, it's "normal" for Lyme. Lyme can cause the blood to become "thick" and will slow down circulation. Many of us here use red root to help with our lymphs, but this can also encourage the blood to thicken.

I no longer sit with my legs crossed - a hard habit to stop! - and I make sure to get up and walk around more frequently as well and that seems to be nearly enough to keep the circulation going for me. Others have had to use things to thin the blood, but you would need to talk to your doctor before start one as your blood would have to be monitored closely for a while so that it's not too thin. Believe me, you do not want bleeding tendencies! My hubby deals with that because of a different condition. He has to test weekly to be sure that his blood is not either too thin or too thick.

Well, if it's really Bart, then that means that the inside of your veins are inflamed, because that's what Bart does. You should be able to take an anti-inflammatory and have it help. Treatment for it if it's Lyme is just different.

Because you said it feels like a giant knot, you can apply heat to your shoulder and that should ease it some, but if it doesn't, I would encourage you to try an ice pack, because that would mean it's more inflammation based and heat is not what's needed.

Do you use the Epsom salt soaks? If so, try one. If it's your muscles that are so achy, the warm water and Epsom salts will help.

That is weird she told me that the new antibiotics biaxin and Bactrim will treat bartonella and not lyme, ugh. and cysts?? and biofilms?? I am not understanding.

biaxin and bactrim will definitely treat lyme...and it will have some effect on bart.

But, many people dealing with bartonella need Rifampin.

It sounds like your Dr. has it backwards (which isn't a good sign!!!)

Borrelia had the ability to turn into cyst form..this is a way of avoiding the killing of the antibiotics.

It can also surround itself with a biofilm.

Common cyst busters: Tinidazole, Flagyl

Some LLMD's say Rifampin can bust cysts...but most LLMD's do prescribe Tinidazole or Flagyl.
There is a non-pharma one: GSE (Grapefruit seed extract)

Biofilm treatment: Serrapeptase, lumbrokinase (must be taken on empty stomach), xylitol + lactoferrin are a few.

Biaxin can cause the rifampin to be less effective (and vice versa I think) BUT it is still a combo that LLMD's prescribe.
So the benefits must outweigh that.

In fact there is a LLMD who has researched Bartonella treatment - Dr M - I call him the Bart guru.

That is his protocol for Bartonella treatment.

So anyone else know why this is, I went outside on my 30 min break, it is beautiful out there, sunny, warm, The pain in my shoulder and arms was pretty much gone the whole time and when I came back into work. Now it is slowly coming back, so either 1) warm is helping this pain and/or 2) sitting at a desk with my arms typing does cause more tension in the shoulder so it triggers it to hurt? Weird...