LymeNet Flash: Babesia Treatment

This is topic Babesia Treatment in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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https://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/1/34042

Posted by surg (Member # 6937) on :

For those of you on mepron, zith, and doxy for babesia treatment. How much of each one are you taking on a daily basis? How long does the doc plan to keep you on them? Thanks.
I want to compare it to what I'm taking. Mepron 2 tsps/day, zith 250mg/day and doxy 100mg/day for 3-4months.

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Doxy?? Is this early treatment where the dr wants to be sure to cover erhlichiosis?

I'm not well versed in the zith/mepron doses. Hopefully someone will help you out here.

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Lymetutu

Posted by surg (Member # 6937) on :

The doxy is to treat the liver cyst stage of the babesia.

Posted by janet thomas (Member # 7122) on :

That's very interesting about the doxy, that's the first I've heard of that.

I'm going to a new LLMD on Tuesday (Dr B*** in NY) and am going to ask about that.

I took zith 250 mg 2x/day and mepron 1 tsp 1x/day for 6 weeks (per Dr G NJ) but I think I have relapsed.

Posted by charlie (Member # 25) on :

I was aware of the liver stage cyst thing for babs since back awhile ago when jen13(who has disappeared off the planet)

posted something about it prompting me to look it up and voila all over the place;

The tetracyclines apparently have some anti parasitic qualities....it sure was news to me.

Can somebody elaborate??

[This message has been edited by charlie (edited 14 May 2005).]

Posted by janet thomas (Member # 7122) on :

I know doxy is sometimes used in malaria combo tx, I think with primaquine.

Posted by mountaingirl (Member # 7304) on :

i'm on mepron, 1 tsp in am, 2 tsp in pm for three weeks. combined with 250mg of zith each day. after three weeks, stay on the zith for another week and drop the mepron. after this four week course, repeat if symptoms are still present. ( i am repeating, night sweats are present.) then i'll probably go back to a abx for lyme.

not sure if this is going to work. by switching back and forth treating lyme and then the babs, I don't know how anyone can totally eradicate either.

mt. gal

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

quote:
Originally posted by mountaingirl:

not sure if this is going to work. by switching back and forth treating lyme and then the babs, I don't know how anyone can totally eradicate either.
mt. gal

This is a very smart thing for LLMD's to do. It keeps either disease from getting the upper hand. You just keep rotating until both are eradicated.

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Lymetutu

Posted by danq (Member # 2126) on :

Mountaingirl: "not sure if this is going to work. by switching back and forth treating lyme and then the babs, I don't know how anyone can totally eradicate either."

Lymetoo: "This is a very smart thing for LLMD's to do. It keeps either disease from getting the upper hand. You just keep rotating until both are eradicated."

Huh?

Seems to me that's a good way to select for resistant organisms, which would really prolong and complicate your struggle.

Dan

[This message has been edited by danq (edited 15 May 2005).]

Posted by HaplyCarlessdave (Member # 413) on :

quote:

I want to compare it to what I'm taking. Mepron 2 tsps/day, zith 250mg/day and doxy 100mg/day for 3-4months.[/B]

--This sems about right, to me. You are going after co-infections. The doxy is to clean up any ehrlichia; these co-infections kind of support each other.

You may want to ask about adding artimesia anua and/or its extract, artimisinin, to this mix. You can get good quality artimesia or artimisinin from "Vitanet". It's "Allergy Research" brand-- very good. The page I gave you is, I think, for raw artimesia.

I'm convinced that the artimesia, in combination with massive amounts of garlic, was a huge factor in my getting over the babesia.

Good luck in nailing it. Nailing the babs was the key to finally getting over the lyme, for me.
DaveS

Posted by lymster (Member # 5964) on :

I took:

400 mg doxy/day
2 tsp mepron/ day
500 mg zithro p/day (2- 250 mg tab)

After 6 weeks on this combo I added artemesia.

I did this combo for 3 months then the doxy was switched to omnicef and plaquenil was added to the brew.

I am still taking the mepron-artemesia but with some other abx.

Take care,
Lymster

Posted by lymster (Member # 5964) on :

I took:

400 mg doxy/day
2 tsp mepron/ day
500 mg zithro p/day (2- 250 mg tab)

After 6 weeks on this combo I added artemesia.

I did this combo for 3 months then the doxy was switched to omnicef and plaquenil was added to the brew.

I am still taking the mepron-artemesia but with some other abx.

Take care,
Lymster

Posted by surg (Member # 6937) on :

My biggest concern is that 250mg of zith is too low and will promote resistant babs. Is anyone else taking only 250mg of zith for babesia? Is it working? Thanks!

Posted by micul (Member # 6314) on :

Surg,

I agree that 250 mg is too low. Dr B says that 250 is the pediatric dose for zith. Not just thinking of babs resistance, but something is needed for lyme during the long haul on mep/zith, and 250 won't do much IMO. I think that plaquenil would be good to add to this mix because of it's antimalarial properties, and because it helps the zith to work better.

I don't understand why he is giving you only 100 mg of doxy a day if he believes that it is needed for babs. This is the first time that I have heard of using doxy for babs. Are you taking 100 mg just once a day, or 50 mg bid?

[This message has been edited by micul (edited 15 May 2005).]

Posted by surg (Member # 6937) on :

I am taking 100mg doryx, a timed release doxy. He said it was for the babesia cyst stage. He is willing to increase the zith amount but he advises against it. He thinks that I just have a strong babesia strain and a really weak lyme strain.
However I did get a new prescription for 250mg twice a day of zith at my request. Now I am researching if it a good idea. I am not sure that babesia is all to blame. I have all the neuro symptoms just no joint pain.
The docs out on the West coast I think are more inexperienced than the East coast docs. So I read alot on lymenet to eduacate myself. After what I have read I will start with more zith. Thanks! Still trying to figure out the doxy.

Posted by HiHopes (Member # 7286) on :

Hello,

This topic is of interest to me. I've never heard of babesia having a cyst form in the liver. Can someone please post a link where I can learn more?

A quick intro...I've been in treatment for Lyme for 18 mos. after a lengthy search for a diagnosis. I've recently started treatment for babs in March. I'm currently on Ketek, Mepron and Plaquenil.

I've found this board to be a wealth of information. I always come to it when I get upset about a weird symptom, and can always find someone who has had the same experience...For someone reason today I'm inspired to post...

Thanks for listening.

Jen

Posted by surg (Member # 6937) on :

OK. I asked my support group about the 100mg of doxy because many of them see the same doc. One person said that he told her this as well. She doesn't know where he got this information from. He may have gotten it from the last ILADS conference in SF. However, she has not seen this anywhere else on lymenet.

Posted by liz28 on :

I'm doing ketek 400mg/2x day and mepron 2 teaspoons/2x day for babs, and omnicef for Lyme. I was on flagyl, too, but am cutting it out for now. It seems like babesia is more important right now.

It's so exhausting, I really want to take a break. But reading through others' posts, it seems like you have to go 8-10 months.

That's a high dose, though. Apparently, LLMDs are starting to prefer this dose, but that doesn't mean it's easy to take.

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

Danq....worked for me and many others! Can't argue with success!

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oops!
Lymetutu

Posted by desiree (Member # 7226) on :

I took 2tsp.Mepron/day,500Zithromax/day, and 500mg.Doxy/day. After 9 bottles of Mepron I read somewhere on the internet that the tetracycline family of antibiotics reduces the plasma concentration of Mepron by 40%. I still test positive for WA1 and wonder if the Doxy that I took while on Mepron is the reason why.

Posted by valymemom (Member # 7076) on :

HiHopes,

If you come back to this thread can you email me who your doctor is in the Northern VA area.

Janis