Anxious about starting my 11 year old on Bactrim

As some of you might know... me and two of my three kids were bit by ticks last August 2016 hiking in Lake Tahoe. My youngest is finally off meds and doing well as of six weeks ago. Yay!! However, my middle daughter continues to struggle. She's been on alinia, minocycline and ceftin for many months. We are now considering switching her to minocycline and Bactrim to target Lyme and Bartonella. I'm feeling very anxious about Bactrim. I know it can be a very powerful and useful addition but it also comes with serious risks. This is all so heart wrenching and hard. I'd give anything to get my daughter well but I don't want to put her at more risk in the process. What are your thoughts?

Bactrim is an excellent drug Evanston and quite safe unless you have a sulfa allergy. I've been on it for over a year with no issues and my kids have been on it for shorter courses for infections. I would put this in the same safety category as what she's already been on so wouldn't worry too much.

What would be worrisome is what its going to kill. It has a different mechanism of action than minocycline (inhibits protein synthesis) and ceftin (inhibits cell wall synthesis) as its a folic acid synthesis inhibitor. I find drugs that have this mechanism of action are more effective across a wider range of pathogens/strains than say the cell wall inhibitors.

Anyways start slow and see how she does. This drug has been a breakthrough for quite a few folks for healing.