Hey- Been diagnosed with lyme disease with a positive western blot of IGM bands 23, 31, and 44 only. I just finished eight weeks of IV treatment of rocephin and primaxin. I have moved to oral Zithromax and Rifamprin and wondering if anyone else takes this for b. burgdorferi. I am feeling better but notice my twitches are coming back more. My feet are more tingly again too. Should I ask for another month of this antibiotic regime or take a break? I just would like to see how my immune system could do without antibiotics but am so so afraid of relapsing. I know everyone feels this way..but I feel like my doctors are just writing my prescriptions of what I research and what we can come to agree on. I just cannot afford right now to go see a llmd that is hundreds of miles away. Thank you so much for your replies and taking the time to read this. Posted by jmain3 (Member # 14110) on :
I had a very cheap lab according to the llmd I saw in Missouri run the tests for HGE, HME, Lyme, and Babesia. I came only positive for IGM 23, 31, and 44 with b burgdorferi both times (2 weeks difference). I had Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever August 2006 and I think I was coinfected at that time with lyme. I never had flagyl but should I ask my doctors to add it to my oral Zithromax and Rifamprin I am already taking? I had IV eight weeks of Rocephin and Primaxin previously. Thank you so much.
Posted by minoucat (Member # 5175) on :
Zith/rifampin is specifically for bartonella. Minimum length of treatment, as far as I know, is 3 months. Often longer. Rule of thumb is that treatment is continued for 2 months after sx disappear.
Tingling/sore soles of feet are the most prominent sx of bartonella that I experience. Other sx generally experienced are "shin splints", rashes, brain fog; in some cases muscle twitches and seizures.
When I relapsed with bartonella this winter, it was my sore feet that were the tip off.
Macrolides such as Zithromax are often used in combination with other abx to treat other TBDs; eg, zith/mepron for babesia, zith/bicillin for borellia.
My understanding is that zithromax helps prevent antibiotic resistance.
My personal non-medical, way-too-long experience with LD/coinfections thought -- keep treating.
Good luck.
Posted by Clarissa (Member # 4715) on :
Same for me:
Zith & Rifampin specifically for Bartonella.
I heard that only 20% of Bart tests come back positive so there are many FALSE negatives.
You could be herxing from an undiagnosed Bart. Whatever it is, you're killing something so keep going until the thing is DEAD!
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