Yesterday I saw my LLMD and this time he listened to me about some of my symptoms that sound more babs-like than any other co-infection. These symptoms are:
Night sweats -- sometimes soaking, sometimes not. Shortness of breath Heart palpitations
(Though these HAVE gotten somewhat better, but not totally with lyme and Bart treatment)
He put me on Bactrim (but the generic of it). From looking in the search here, I've found that it has been a GOOD medicine for Babs for many people.
Just started it today.
My question is -- is there anyone out there who hasn't had a Babs herx? I'm curious because I've heard that Babs herxes are the worst. So really wondering if everyone has a babs herx then? Like if I don't herx, does that mean I probably don't have Babs?
I know it's too soon (just started today) for me to probably have a herx from it yet. Just wondering. Oh, I'm also taking Artemisinin.
And anyone else take Bactrim for Babs? How was your experience? Did you herx right away or did it take a while?
Posted by daise (Member # 13622) on :
Hi!
I know of NO ONE who has been prescribed bactrim (Septra) for babesiosis treatment.
Usually, for babs, you think of Mepron with arteminisin and often something else, or malarone with other meds. And others.
But I've never heard of Septra for babs. Babs is caused by a protozoa--not bacteria or a spirochette.
I take Septra for bart. Septra also possibly works to help Lyme.
daise Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
daise - looking in search there have been lots of people say they have used Bactrim for Babs though.
Posted by ElaineC (Member # 9857) on :
Bactrim works against BOTH babs and Bart! For babs it is usually an add-on with Malarone/Mepron, Art, Lariam etc.
Posted by Meg (Member # 22) on :
Daise: I know of NO ONE who has been prescribed bactrim (Septra) for babesiosis treatment.
Bactrim/Septra is usually not used as a mono-therapy, it's usually used in combination with another abx for Babs and even Bart.
I think it has been used with Artemisinin with good success.
Hey Mr. Buzzard, can you weigh in??
Posted by daise (Member # 13622) on :
Possibly her LLMD mixes in Septra because it may go after lingering Lyme.
daise Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
Meg - Yes, I'm also on Artemisinin.
Daise - I'm not on Septra and LLMD hasn't talked about that. He just put me on Bactrim and said maybe later possibly Mepron.
Posted by Meg (Member # 22) on :
Way to soon to herx if you are going to, but you may not on just Bactrim/Art. Maybe your Dr just wants to see how you respond to this before adding Mepron?
Bactrim/Septra are the same drug.
Please scroll to the end-- Page 23 of Dr B's Guidelines Concerning Treatment of Babesiosis::
Because of these dismal statistics, the current regimen of choice for Babesiosis is the combination of atovaquone (Mepron, Malarone), 750 mg bid, plus an erythromycin-type drug, such as azithromycin (Zithromax), clarithromycin (Biaxin), or telithromycin (Ketek) in standard doses.
This combination was initially studied in animals, and then applied to Humans with good success. Fewer than 5% of patients have to halt treatment due to side effects, and the success rate is clearly better than that of clindamycin plus quinine.
The duration of treatment with atovaquone combinations for Babesiosis varies depending on the degree of infection, duration of illness before diagnosis, the health and immune status of the patient, and whether the patient is co-infected with Borrelia burgdorferi.
Typically, a three-week course is prescribed for acute cases,while chronic, longstanding infections with significant morbidity and co-infection will require a minimum of four months of therapy.
Relapses have occurred, and retreatment is occasionally needed. Problems during therapy include diarrhea, mild nausea, the expense of atovaquone (over $600.00 per bottle enough for three weeks of treatment), and rarely, a temporary yellowish discoloration of the vision.
Blood counts, liver panels and amylase levels are recommended every three weeks during any prolonged course of therapy as liver enzymes may elevate.
Treatment failures usually are related to inadequate atovaquone levels. Therefore, patients who are not cured with this regimen can be retreated with higher doses (and atovaquone blood levels can be checked), as this has proven effective in many of my patients.
Artemesia (a non-prescription herb) should be added in all cases. Metronidazole or Bactrim can also be added to increase efficacy, but there is minimal clinical data on how much more effective this will be. Posted by daise (Member # 13622) on :
Thank you, Meg, for posting that.
Hi Disturbedme,
It's just so very complicated and different for every patient. The LLMD's thoughts can change overnight, by what the other LLMD's have found out.
There is no one pill for chronic Lyme or babs or bart. Wish there were.
If you have an LLMD who is an ILADS doctor, then they'll prescribe a mix for you by any pre-Lyme conditions you may have, current signs and symptoms, with or without positive testing, reaction to meds and a host of other things.
Some meds can't be taken with other meds. And there is a limit to how many meds we can handle.
Again, everybody is different.
daise Posted by Lymen (Member # 6882) on :
I take at this time: Mepron 2*2 teaspoons (because my weight is 230 lb) Zithromax 2*250 mg Artemisinin 2*200 mg Septrim DS 2*4 tablets.
Adding Septrim to my babesia treatment a few days ago certainly caused a stir in my body. Initially my skin got itchy but it was not allergy as there was absolutely no skin rash. A few days later the itch subsided while I continued taking Septrim.
I tried Cordyceps before instead of Artemisinin but there was absolutely no effect. I think this stuff doesn't work against Babesia. Artemisinin on the other hand is the king. I feel better consistently after taking Artemisinin. If I take more than 400 mg per day (and I tried taking 2 g per day) there was no further improvement. So I stayed on dose 400 mg.
My only symptoms at this time are fatigue, occasional pain here and there and occasional itch here and there.
I should be optimistic.
Posted by Lymen (Member # 6882) on :
Darn, I didn't have any of the so called specific Babesia symptoms such as air hunger or nigh sweats. Tests for Babs were negative.
Yet, I have improved so much after self administered artemisinin that my doctor decided to treat me for Babs anyway and I see improvement from Mepron.
The only symptom that I can assign to Babesia is inability to get organized.
Posted by joysie (Member # 11063) on :
There are actually a number of us who have been prescribed bactim/zith or another combo-with no anti-protozoal-for babesia. We all see ILADS well-respected LLMDs. I wish I understood the action of bactrim against babesia, but it is certainly helping me with none of the severe side effects I had from mepron.
Posted by Beverly (Member # 1271) on :
Hi disturbedme,
I took Bactrim with Malarone and Zithromax for Babesia, but I added in the Bactrim later after being on Malarone and Zithromax for over 2 years. I herxed hard from it, gave me headaches.
I have a positive Babesia test and I never had drenching night sweats, but I did have an intolerance to sweating and heat which really improved with Babesia treatment for me.
I did have heart palpitations, and shortness of breath. And many other symptoms which improved with Babesia treatment, like being disorganized, mental confusion, major brain fog, anxiety headaches, and spine pain.
Babs herxing was hard in the beginning, but after the herxing I started to feel the best I have ever felt. My son was the same as me, he herxed hard, but then improved so much it was like a miracle for him.
I hope the abx works for you and you feel better soon.
That is funny Meg..where is Mr Buzzard? I think I know who you mean..
hugsss all.... Posted by daise (Member # 13622) on :
Hi Joysie,
Mepron is a malaria drug. It's antiprotozoal to babs.
daise Posted by charlie (Member # 25) on :
....OK here's mr buzzard....who tried to weigh in earlier but just got continuous 'failed to open page' messages as usual, alternating with 'server stopped responding' messages...sometimes you just give up.
Bactrim is the anti-infective of choice for a type of pneumonia known as PCP.
There's apparently some debate on whether PCP pneumonia is parasitic or fungal or both but it isn't bacterial. Approximately a quarter of the population can't tolerate the sulfa in bactrim so mepron was developed an an alternate.
That doesn't necessarily mean you can replace one with the other in the case of babs but there almost has to be some overlap. It works for a bunch of us and it's cheap unlike mepron.
Actually both of us in this household took Mepron for awhile and bactrim worked better.
adding artemesinin to it makes a potent combo...as far as a herx, expect one after 4 or 5 days. My leg muscles knotted up so bad I couldn't walk. OW!
Charlie, not a doctor
aka buzzard
aka bat_pancreas
Posted by joysie (Member # 11063) on :
Daise Thanks, I know what mepron is- and remember what it tastes like! I was on mepron/zith on my first round. This time, no mepron, malarone, or anything of the sort. Just the bactrim/zith.
Posted by shoney (Member # 9925) on :
I am om bactrim/zith for babs too, already had a month of malarone, month of mepron..seems like it's the "new" thought for babs.
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