Hi all, I am wondering if Babesia is just as hard to kill as Bb. Does it change form and hide like Bb? Or can it be killed immediately with the right med?
Just curious since I will be starting Lariam and along with the trepidation I have from side affects of the drug itself, I am wondering if it will cause a huge die off and I will herx big time.
Anyone know? Thanks in advance!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Very hard to get rid of, unfortunately. I would be concerned about Lariam too!
I don't know if you'll herx hard on that med or not. Do be aware of the side effects.
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
Hi sick
Babs is a Tuff bug -- It can be Very hard to get rid of it --
There is a new med that the WHO is going to start using for Malaria -- -- Primaquine --
It May work for Babs--Good reports so far--
It is not available in the US --
It dose work Quickly on Malaria - and is Very effective --Jay--
Posted by Cass A (Member # 11134) on :
Lariam scares the (%&#)@#& out of me--psychiatric prolbems, no thank you!!!
Have you tried the herbal stuff already? Artemisinin and the replacement for it that Buhner now recommends?
I got a lot of data on Babesia by searching this forum at Medical Questions for Babesia and Babs.
I'd try that route first.
Love,
Cass A
Posted by lymewreck36 (Member # 4395) on :
Mepron plus zithro very good babs treatment. Although mepron states like garbage, the side effects are not so bad. Much better treatment than just the all natural route.
Posted by Walnut (Member # 6585) on :
Some people with Babesia find mepron/zithromax to be completely ineffective in treating their babesia infection, including myself.
I have Babesia duncani and have been under treatment for it for over 3 years. Lariam is the only medication that I have seen a markedly improvement with.
I started out on an inital very high dosage of lariam, and did have a bad flare up that lasted about 5 days.
Other than that, I had no problems with lariam for the four months that I was on it. In fact, I had more side effects from mepron than lariam.
Just one word of caution. If you are depressed, suffer from anxiety, etc. lariam is likely to make it worse.
Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
My daughter is just starting her second month on Mepron. First kicked her butt with hallucinations and depression.
Now we have added heprin (sp?) She is herxing so bad after two days we couldn't get a grip on the pain. May take one day break to detox and catch her breath.
I've heard heprin is good because the babesia clings to the red blood cell, and this unsticks it. Also helps with the fibrin issue.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
In the Babesia book by Dr. S. he mentions that anyone who has a suspected babesia infection should be tested for a genetic enzyme deficiency called G-6-PD. Page 250 - appendix B. It can look the same as babesia and medications used to treat babesia can make it worse. The deficiency can be of varying degrees and can cause from mild to marked symptoms.
Simple blood tests can be done to determine if you have it or not. Glucose 6-Phosphate Deghydrogenase (G-6-PD), quantitative, Blood and Red Blood Cell Count (RBC).
According to the book, some doctors think that babesia may make a biotoxin similar to lyme and thus a binder such as cholestyramine could be helpful. As most here already know, for some people, biotoxins are not excreted and can cause one to be sick even when the infection is gone.
The author states clearly that this should all be discussed with your own health care provider but he starts his patients out with 1/8 tablet of lariam. If the dose causes no reactions or other side effects, he increases by 1/4 tablet until it is obvious that the person can handle the whole dose.
He states that some patients experience anxiety, depression or insomnia and yet choose to remain on lariam by using medications to control those symptoms. They first go off lariam and get stabilized on psychiatric medications before going back on a trial of lariam. He feels this should be done by a psychiatrist who is at least briefly checking your emotional state weekly.
He states these decisions should be made in close consultation with your personal physician. He also states that continuing or increasing lariam with any psychiatric symptom represents a risk.
In the book, it is noted that newer lariam package instructions suggest that some patients should not be given lariam if they have any of the following conditions: Recent seizures major depression generalized anxiety or panic attacks any type of thought disorder ( hallucinations, paranoid behaviors, new confusion) liver illness significant agitation heart block a pulse under 60 beats per minute a prolonged QT interval on a routine EKG a previous adverse reaction to quinine or quinidine
Terry I am not a doctor
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by kelmo: I've heard heprin is good because the babesia clings to the red blood cell, and this unsticks it. Also helps with the fibrin issue.
Heparin was awesome for me!
Posted by lymewreck36 (Member # 4395) on :
Trying to get Dr. F. in LA to do this for me. He says this is not routine in his practice, I mean Heparin treatment that is.
Mary
Posted by sickandtiredofbeingsandt (Member # 10189) on :
Hi all, Thanks so much for your informative replies! I really appreciate it!
I took my first dose of Lariam last night. I quartered the pill. So far, nothing is different. I don't know if there is a time period before any side affects show up.
Terry, On the list in your post I have mild depression (probably mild because I have been on Lexapro for a couple years), generalized anxiety (again the Lexapro for that) and agitation. I get really agitated when things go wrong. Then I obsess about the problem until it is solved.
So, I guess it is a wait and see situation. I won't know if it will do me any good unless I try.