I am still in my first month of bartonella treatment with levaquin. Needless to say, I am hoping to NEVER have to repeat this again. Are there any old timers out there who feel they have beaten back bartonella. What is a reasonable time frame to expect to be in just bart treatment. My LLMD originally thought one month might do it. I know I will have to remain on it longer. I was thinking 3-6 months. What do you think??
Posted by Kara Tyson (Member # 939) on :
I have had Bartonella twice and easily got rid off it within a few weeks. BUT, I was infected by cats--not a tick.
Although the 'expert' opinion is that this is the same disease...I'm not so sure.
I have never gotten rid of the swollen lymph node in my neck. It's still huge.
Posted by lymeinhell (Member # 4622) on :
I definitely got rid of it. But it took about 4 months on Rifampin. The good news about Rifampin is it also kicks Lyme.
I also spent almost months on Levaquin prior to being treated by an LLMD for 'sinus infections' that would recur within 24 hours of going off Levaquin.. To me, Levaquin didn't touch the Bart. The facial swelling, hot spots, swollen neck lymph glands and nasty mood swings didn't leave until 4 months of Rifampin.
What out for tendon damage on Levaquin!!!!
------------------ Julie G. ___________ lymeinhell
Posted by mlkeen (Member # 1260) on :
Yes, I'm rid of bart. Took tetra for bart and lyme. I don't know how long it took, I didn't try to separate the lyme and bart symptoms. It was months until I was feeling better. Whether I got it from cats ot ticks, I don't know.
Mel
Posted by no2lyme (Member # 6978) on :
I am like Cave and do recommend you go to the bartonella buddies thread for information.
It can at times be hard to distinguish bart from lyme and vice versa. Bartonella relapses are very common. I treated with a million different things and after 4 negative tests and feeling bartonella free...it all came crawling back.
My last test came back with a higher titer than when I first tested positive over two years ago.
It can be kicked but it can kick back! Just treat as long as you feel necessary. I am on levaquin as well and it is icky but I know it will help.
Good luck and do look at the bart buddies thread.
Posted by liz28 on :
I've been on low doses of rifampin for several months along with Lyme and babesia abx, and though it's not a high enough dose to kill the bart, it does control it well.
I also tried levaquin at first, and found it intolerable.
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
Dr B on Long Island had my hubby take Levaquin for 3 months. Don't really know if Bart is gone or if he ever really had it -- treatment was based on clinical diagnosis -- gastritis and lots of GI symptoms mostly.
Recently Dr C in Missouri had him try Rifampin which is also used for Bart (especially if neuro symptoms) -- Big disaster! Either the med is totally toxic to hubby or he really does have Bart. Only lasted 7 or 10 days on low dose.
Did Cipro at low dose for couple of weeks.
For now have abandoned antibiotics to try herbal route as outlined in the book, Healing Lyme.