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Cat Scratch Fever Diagnosis 25 years ago... AND Now

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Posted 3/16/2018 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
Hi All,

I have yet another question for you guys. I got hit with some major balance issues, anxiety, leg weakness, leg coordination issues, visual disturbances, and tingling, numbness, extreme fatigue, and cognitive issues starting in August of 2017. I went through all the testing us Lymies are so familiar with and finally ended up with a diagnosis of lyme and co-infections in January 2018. My Igenex test was positive for Ehrlichiosis ans equivocal for babs, lyme and bart. Here are my questions:

I was diagnosed with Cat Scratch Fever when I was maybe 10 (currently I am 34). I remember missing a lot of school, and feeling like I was going to pass out all the time and extremely exhausted.

Could I have had undiagnosed Lyme this enter time? Or can you just have Cat Scratch Fever as an isolated infection?

Secondly is my ehrliciosis positive test result prove that I most likely have Lyme? Or can you test positive for just a co-infection? If so, how likely is that?

My lyme was equivocal.... but my LLMD says it's positive. Just want to make sure I understand all of this stuff correctly.

Thanks again ❤
Posted 3/16/2018 2:04 AM (GMT 0)
I have the exact same symptoms as you have. After treating Lyme only for a year and babesia only for 3 months, I tested positive for bartonella which as you probably know is cat scratch disease.

I started rifampin and Zithromax tonight so I am hoping to knock this infection out and hoping to see some good improvement. Have you tried taking rifampin?
Posted 3/16/2018 2:11 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the reply! No, so far I've just done Doxy 400mg and A-Bart. I do take reservatrol, cats claw, astragalus and samento. My LLMD is going to start me on beyond balance babesia treatment soon?! I think next week.

Do you also have POTS?

Have you seen improvements this last year? If so, what's improved if you don't mind sharing. Thank you! Wishing you health...
Posted 3/16/2018 12:45 PM (GMT 0)

BrookieGirl said...
Thanks for the reply! No, so far I've just done Doxy 400mg and A-Bart. I do take reservatrol, cats claw, astragalus and samento. My LLMD is going to start me on beyond balance babesia treatment soon?! I think next week.

Do you also have POTS?

Have you seen improvements this last year? If so, what's improved if you don't mind sharing. Thank you! Wishing you health...

I haven't seen any improvement at all since after the first three months of treatment (which was a year ago). I actually feel like I have been slowly declining. However, I just tested positive for bartonella earlier this week and I have not treated bart yet. I took my first dosage of Rifampin last night and hoping it brings me a new life!

I do have POTS. Although it hasn't been diagnosed. They just say its tachycardia.
Posted 3/16/2018 2:11 PM (GMT 0)
Did you have a cat scratch when diagnosed with bartonella at age 10?
Posted 3/16/2018 2:29 PM (GMT 0)
With regard to the question of can you have bart as a stand alone infection, the answer is yes. Humans can get over a dozen species of bart from various vectors (lice, fleas, sand flies, spiders, etc).
Posted 3/16/2018 4:50 PM (GMT 0)

BrookieGirl said...
Hi All,

I have yet another question for you guys. I got hit with some major balance issues, anxiety, leg weakness, leg coordination issues, visual disturbances, and tingling, numbness, extreme fatigue, and cognitive issues starting in August of 2017. I went through all the testing us Lymies are so familiar with and finally ended up with a diagnosis of lyme and co-infections in January 2018. My Igenex test was positive for Ehrlichiosis ans equivocal for babs, lyme and bart. Here are my questions:

I was diagnosed with Cat Scratch Fever when I was maybe 10 (currently I am 34). I remember missing a lot of school, and feeling like I was going to pass out all the time and extremely exhausted.

Could I have had undiagnosed Lyme this enter time? Or can you just have Cat Scratch Fever as an isolated infection?

Secondly is my ehrliciosis positive test result prove that I most likely have Lyme? Or can you test positive for just a co-infection? If so, how likely is that?

My lyme was equivocal.... but my LLMD says it's positive. Just want to make sure I understand all of this stuff correctly.

Thanks again ❤

Yes, you can have Bartonella (Cat Scratch fever) as an isolated infection. But, from what I've read, in people who aren't immune suppressed then it is "self-limiting" - meaning our immune system 'handles' it.

So an equivocal test. You probably had at least one lyme 'specific' band on it...which is enough for a diagnosis.

Did you post your results of the testing on here before?

If you have Ehrlichia - most likely have lyme (tick-borne illness) - And treatment for lyme is generally the same for Ehrlichia anyway.
Posted 3/16/2018 7:10 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you! Yes, I'm sure I had cat scratches when I was diagnosed because I had 3 cats and I was 10, so always playing with them. 2 were grumpy... so they did scratch alot. I had a very enlarged lymph node in my armpit - it was huge, I remember it well. I remember all the testing and the Drs thought I had cancer for a little while (My parents told me that much later).

I have never posted my results. My lyme came back positive for only 41 and 58 igg and igm. My bab was equivocal, so was bart, but ehrichlia was 80 showing an active infection.

From my symptoms - my LLMD thinks I have all of the above. Especially with the low CD57 and recently developing POTS, diagnosed with a tilt table test about 3 weeks ago.

Before August I was a fitness instructor, worked out 6 days a week. Had completed the hardest workout programs and have never struggled with anything physical... I haven't exercised since Sept 2017. It's so hard.
Posted 3/16/2018 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
I had a similar experience when I was little, except my lymph node was in the groin. I ended up having surgery to drain because I couldn’t walk. Lots of cats too.

I’ve been pretty good all these years - then think was bit by a tick in early 30’s. Neuro symptoms at 37. Positive bart, rmsf, lyme. Ehrlichia can be treated with doxy. Do you think you were recently bit by a tick? I would say + ehrlichia would lean towards + borrelia (lyme).

I have mild POTS too. Very low bp & high heart rate as well. Was your western blot through IGenex? I had 41,58 and 31 (both igg & igm).

Post Edited (k07) : 3/16/2018 2:03:50 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/16/2018 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
That's interesting! I remember them draining mine with needles.

I am on doxy 400mg/day and they have me on a-bart 30 drops a day. I could have been. I honestly don't know. We have 11 acres in northern ca. We have 3 outdoor dogs and pull 5-10 ticks off of them at a time. I started displaying symptoms in August which i know coincides with "tick season". I often have tiny ticks crawling on me outside, but have never pulled one out.

I camp every summer and am very outdoorsy...always have been since I was a kid.

I feel my lyme is probably positive too with such a high ehrichlia score. Thank you.
Posted 3/16/2018 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
And yes - Igenex
Posted 3/16/2018 11:49 PM (GMT 0)

BrookieGirl said...
Hi All,

I have yet another question for you guys. I got hit with some major balance issues, anxiety, leg weakness, leg coordination issues, visual disturbances, and tingling, numbness, extreme fatigue, and cognitive issues starting in August of 2017. I went through all the testing us Lymies are so familiar with and finally ended up with a diagnosis of lyme and co-infections in January 2018. My Igenex test was positive for Ehrlichiosis ans equivocal for babs, lyme and bart. Here are my questions:

I was diagnosed with Cat Scratch Fever when I was maybe 10 (currently I am 34). I remember missing a lot of school, and feeling like I was going to pass out all the time and extremely exhausted.

Could I have had undiagnosed Lyme this enter time? Or can you just have Cat Scratch Fever as an isolated infection?

Secondly is my ehrliciosis positive test result prove that I most likely have Lyme? Or can you test positive for just a co-infection? If so, how likely is that?

My lyme was equivocal.... but my LLMD says it's positive. Just want to make sure I understand all of this stuff correctly.

Thanks again ❤

Interesting.

Cat Scratch Disease is Bartonella henselae. I was bit by a cat and had to go to the ER for it 6 years ago. Some of my symptoms during my herxes are exaggerated symptoms of ones I used to get after the cat bite. I never put 2 and 2 together until I found this site. Shortly after the cat bite I had unexplained tailbone pain, calf fasciculations, and a chronic itch on my left heel. Now, when I herx my calves go crazy and my heel will itch. My tailbone pain went away about a year ago, but just recently returned.

I have the exact same symptoms that you stated above. My bet is that you have had Bartonella sitting dormant in your system until conditions were right for them to resurrect. For me, a tick bite and a moldy HVAC unit turned my world upside down.
Posted 3/17/2018 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
Oh boy - you reminded me of the lump i had in my right arm pit. One Dr. mentioned when I was a teenager it could be a swollen lymph node.

So, I'm thinking now that with all my cat bites, scratches, flea bites (many cats growing up), I had bartonella - but kept it at bay because I was actually very healthy growing up - athletic (track and field, figure skating, gymnastics, hockey) and rarely got sick. I would go an entire school year (for many years) without a sick day.
Maybe my immune system was handling it...until I got lyme along with the very stressful time in my life that preceded my symptoms.....

But, there were a few anomalies when I think back.
1) I used to feel nausea if I had to get up early in the mornings. And had trouble eating breakfast. That was when I was very young (i.e. 4 or 5 years old) and right into adulthood.

2) I remember one morning waking up and couldn't move my neck and screamed for my mom. I think I was about 10 or 11 at the time. Went to physio, then chiropractor.

3) Had chronic diarrhea from about age 6 (?) until a few years ago. It would happen right after I ate. Tried elimination diets...but could never pinpoint what it was.

4) When I was little and would lay on the couch with my head in my mom's lap..she would comment about how hot my head was.

None of these were enough of a problem to pursue...other than the diarrhea.

Also wondering if it had something to do with me delivering my son 8 weeks early.

Oh gosh...what if he has bartonella. He has Celiac disease....hmmm. cry
Posted 3/17/2018 12:48 AM (GMT 0)

Girlie said...
Oh boy - you reminded me of the lump i had in my right arm pit. One Dr. mentioned when I was a teenager it could be a swollen lymph node.

So, I'm thinking now that with all my cat bites, scratches, flea bites (many cats growing up), I had bartonella - but kept it at bay because I was actually very healthy growing up - athletic (track and field, figure skating, gymnastics, hockey) and rarely got sick. I would go an entire school year (for many years) without a sick day.
Maybe my immune system was handling it...until I got lyme along with the very stressful time in my life that preceded my symptoms.....

But, there were a few anomalies when I think back.
1) I used to feel nausea if I had to get up early in the mornings. And had trouble eating breakfast. That was when I was very young (i.e. 4 or 5 years old) and right into adulthood.

2) I remember one morning waking up and couldn't move my neck and screamed for my mom. I think I was about 10 or 11 at the time. Went to physio, then chiropractor.

3) Had chronic diarrhea from about age 6 (?) until a few years ago. It would happen right after I ate. Tried elimination diets...but could never pinpoint what it was.

4) When I was little and would lay on the couch with my head in my mom's lap..she would comment about how hot my head was.

None of these were enough of a problem to pursue...other than the diarrhea.

Also wondering if it had something to do with me delivering my son 8 weeks early.

Oh gosh...what if he has bartonella. He has Celiac disease....hmmm. cry

I couldn’t ever eat breakfast either. I also remember having very bad neck aches. I started having heart pain as a teen, pots like symptoms when standing. Sounds like many of us may have gotten bart as a kid. Maybe it’s part of the reason we are having a hard time kicking this.
Posted 3/17/2018 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
Wow you guys!! This is extremely interesting. I've always had a bad neck - I chalked it up to always playing sports. I was a setter in volleyball so I thought thst caused it. My neck almost "gets stuck" or locks up and I hear it grinding alot to present day. I get headaches at the base of my skull... anyone else?
Posted 3/17/2018 1:04 AM (GMT 0)

k07 said...

Girlie said...
Oh boy - you reminded me of the lump i had in my right arm pit. One Dr. mentioned when I was a teenager it could be a swollen lymph node.

So, I'm thinking now that with all my cat bites, scratches, flea bites (many cats growing up), I had bartonella - but kept it at bay because I was actually very healthy growing up - athletic (track and field, figure skating, gymnastics, hockey) and rarely got sick. I would go an entire school year (for many years) without a sick day.
Maybe my immune system was handling it...until I got lyme along with the very stressful time in my life that preceded my symptoms.....

But, there were a few anomalies when I think back.
1) I used to feel nausea if I had to get up early in the mornings. And had trouble eating breakfast. That was when I was very young (i.e. 4 or 5 years old) and right into adulthood.

2) I remember one morning waking up and couldn't move my neck and screamed for my mom. I think I was about 10 or 11 at the time. Went to physio, then chiropractor.

3) Had chronic diarrhea from about age 6 (?) until a few years ago. It would happen right after I ate. Tried elimination diets...but could never pinpoint what it was.

4) When I was little and would lay on the couch with my head in my mom's lap..she would comment about how hot my head was.

None of these were enough of a problem to pursue...other than the diarrhea.

Also wondering if it had something to do with me delivering my son 8 weeks early.

Oh gosh...what if he has bartonella. He has Celiac disease....hmmm. cry

I couldn’t ever eat breakfast either. I also remember having very bad neck aches. I started having heart pain as a teen, pots like symptoms when standing. Sounds like many of us may have gotten bart as a kid. Maybe it’s part of the reason we are having a hard time kicking this.

Really - no breakfast either? hmm..maybe - I treated bart for a year (2015-2016) and in the spring of 2016 got a bad cat bite...my very gentle, precious Polydactyl red-head kitty got suddenly paralyzed one evening and was screaming in pain. Took him to the Emergency vet and he said he had an undiagnosed heart condition and threw a blood clot that traveled down his back and got lodged in the junction between the two legs...cutting off blood flow to the legs. (saddle thrombus) He was getting the injection prepared to put him down...but he was almost 'gone' by the time he gave it to him.

while I was calling the vet, I had him in my arms and trying to soothe him while talking on the phone, he bit into my right arm. The area got infected and I had to get antibiotics (different than what I was taking for lyme/bart).

Then I went through a rougher period - symptom wise for several months...maybe he gave me another 'shot' of bart...
Coincidentally, I was messing around with my medications for several months at that time...bad idea.

Oh...and the following fall, I got a pcr positive bart test....
Posted 3/17/2018 6:08 AM (GMT 0)

BrookieGirl said...
Wow you guys!! This is extremely interesting. I've always had a bad neck - I chalked it up to always playing sports. I was a setter in volleyball so I thought thst caused it. My neck almost "gets stuck" or locks up and I hear it grinding alot to present day. I get headaches at the base of my skull... anyone else?

Couldn't of said it better myself. Its easy for Drs and even us to blame these physical issues on previous sports.

"The give away" is when you start talking to others at your same level (of competition if thats what you do) and find they dont have these issues and "sports recovery" is easy for them. Ah-ha moment. Lyme makes its own skeletal issues in addition to slowing sports injuries recovery time and somewhat incomplete.

My neck is a lot better, no grinding, full ROM most mornings. Hip flexors, IT bands, hamstring ends are better, but continue to be a project.

Lyme and the very athletic: Catecholamines (Stress hormones, adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine), help adapt and to some extent "cover up" lyme disease symptoms during more aggressive sports. Thats how some lymies are still able to athletically perform (once warmed up), but feel "dead" when not athletically or competitively engaged. And that eventually creates adrenal burnout for athletic lymies. Been there to some extent. This all makes sense now.

Post Edited (astroman) : 3/17/2018 11:13:49 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/17/2018 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
I was a college offensive lineman and I always thought my neck pain and base of my skull head aches were due to the sport. Now years later nueropathy that comes and goes and some of the phyc stuff had me think pathogens. I was always telling my PCP that this feels like auto immune or pathogens because my nerves always felt inflamed. As an ex athlete I feel we all are really aware of what our bodies are doing because we no know what different levels of truama feels like in the body.
Posted 3/17/2018 5:58 PM (GMT 0)
"I feel we all are really aware of what our bodies are doing because we no know what different levels of truama feels like in the body."

I agree 100%. We are familiar with recovery too, or lack of it. And the more competitive you were in a team or solo sport, the more this is true. Not everyone has experienced 100% physical output in endurance or strain on a prolonged basis. This heightens body awareness.

oops...getting of the post topic, my bad
Posted 3/17/2018 6:00 PM (GMT 0)
Absolutely agree, astroman and woodduck12! You're just used to pushing through pain or discomfort for your sport, but then when you find out other people don't experience the same thing in your sport - it's sorta like a wake up call.

Same with my vision. I thought everyone had tons of floaters or shaky vision at times... come to find out- most people don't. Lol
Posted 3/17/2018 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
None of my pain from this disease has even resembled anything like I’ve ever experienced in my life..

I haven’t had many injuries - just tweaked an upper back muscle a few times playing tennis - broke my arm falling on the ice figure skating... and banged my knee a few times falling off my bike.

When my first Lyme symptom came on - it was nerve pain and it debilitated me.
Posted 3/17/2018 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry Girlie. That sounds awful. I dont have debilitating nerve pain. Is it better? Or do you still have it?
Posted 3/17/2018 6:39 PM (GMT 0)
According to Dr Rawl's, we (everybody) get introduced to foreign microbes and pathogens many times throughout our lives. It is when the pathogens tip the scale is where we get in trouble. I know for a fact that I have been subjected to numerous pathogens throughout my life. Every time you get bit by anything, you are introduced to microbes.

For me, I think the cat bite back in 2012 started tipping the scale. Then, like I stated earlier, the tick bite and the mold issue tipped it all the way and now ALL the pathogens that were being kept in check have now got a super sized army and are kicking my ass.
Posted 3/17/2018 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
I'm wondering - are you all LOVED by mosquitoes? Just wondering how much that might play a role as well?! Just throwing ideas out there I have ALWAYS been attacked by mosquitoes MUCH more than anyone I am around. My husband will maybe get 2 bites and I will have over 20... been like that my entire life. Just made me think - what Hoagie said... idea
Posted 3/17/2018 8:16 PM (GMT 0)

BrookieGirl said...
I'm wondering - are you all LOVED by mosquitoes? Just wondering how much that might play a role as well?! Just throwing ideas out there I have ALWAYS been attacked by mosquitoes MUCH more than anyone I am around. My husband will maybe get 2 bites and I will have over 20... been like that my entire life. Just made me think - what Hoagie said... idea

Yup - mosquitoes and fleas have always loved to dine on me.

Hubby and son sitting by me on the beach - black flies, mosquitoes swarming me.
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