Summer3
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Member # 35286
posted
Last year I tried to take Mepron twice and both times my liver enzymes got too high and couldn't be lowered (while I remained on it) despite aggressive detoxing.
Then they went way down after I went off mepron and started Rifampin (of all things). I've taken Plaquenil, amoxicillin, doxy, ceftin, mino, bactrim, biaxin, zithromax, clindamycin, flagyl, tindamax, etc. and my liver enzymes were fine (even when I combined lots of the above at once).
A few weeks ago I started to pulse artemisinin and I did a test 11 days after the pulse. My liver enzymes were elevated. They are not at all dangerously high, but they're headed up exactly how they did when I took mepron. I have a feeling after a few more pulses, they will probably be up too high despite all the NAC, ALA, milk thistle and glutathione IV's that I do along with a lot of other liver detox support.
What is the explanation for that? Does my body not handle herbs and meds that target babesia because of a side effect or is it because there is a red blood cell die-off occurring that's increasing the counts?
Here are two studies that found correlations between liver enzymes and levels of infection with malaria subjects. Greater infection was linked to higher enzyme activity.
Babesia loves the liver. It is possible you are experiencing lots of die-off there.
The million dollar question is "What do you do?"
Talk with your doc. I would not pulse Mepron. But Art is routinely pulsed. Maybe a short pulse 1-2x/month would drop your Babesia load without incurring unnecessary risk.
Or a smaller dose of Mepron. Have you tried 1/2tsp 2x/day?
Summer3
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Member # 35286
posted
I'm banned from mepron. I think I scared my doctor with that one. I had started taking it and gone a few weeks before doing a liver test and when I had one done he immediately pulled me off. We tried it one more time and it happened again. I've always had the mindset that I'd rather not do mepron at all if I can't stay on for at least 120 days continuously (the life cycle of the red blood cell). It aggravates me too much to have to go off.
I've been pulsing artemisinin for only 3 days 2x per month. 400mg 3x per day. Even that raised it up and my test was over a week after the 1st pulse ended. I was just able to start going monthly for LFT's and now they are headed up again. By the time I do the next test I will be within a day of the end of my 3rd pulse and I have a feeling it's not going to be a good test.
posted
How about clindamycin and quinine? Or clindy and plaquenil?
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Summer3
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posted
That might be my next step thank you Lymetoo. I wasn't sure if clindamycin would work very well since I don't see it discussed very much for babesia independent of quinine. I did it with Mepron on my first attempt.
My LLMD almost certainly will not go for quinine but clindamycin he might let me try again. I already take Plaquenil and Bactrim DS among others.
beths
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posted
How about clindy and artimisin?
Posts: 1276 | From maryland | Registered: Jan 2009
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Catgirl
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Summer, have you tried cryptoleptis? Also, I remember reading one of Gael's posts where she said that salt c got rid of her babs.
Parasite meds have really knocked my babs down. And I started with salt/c first (I'm back on it again).
-------------------- --Keep an open mind about everything. Also, remember to visit ACTIVISM (we can change things together). Posts: 5418 | From earth | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
I can handle Mepron well and was on it for 2 1/2 years straight. The only time I had elevated liver enzymes was with Clindamycin/Quinine. I think it depends on our own bodies and what specific infection it's targeting.
I agree that you should ask about the Clindy/Quinine combo and see how you react.
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
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nefferdun
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There is also chloroquine and primaquine.
Ivermectin might even hit it.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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My daughter took Art 800 mg 2 x day, every other day, 2 weeks on, 2 off. She also added Coartem. I have never seen her herx like this on Mepron. Seems to be killing lots of Babs bugs.
Posts: 333 | From Lyme Here Too | Registered: Mar 2010
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