BRAIN: Encephalopathy may occur 1-6 weeks after the initial infection and is fairly common in patients with Bartonella. Note: Approximately 50 percent of patients who develop Encephalopathy can be affected by seizures (from focal to generalized, and from brief and self-limited to status epilepticus). Headaches, Cognitive Dysfunction, and CNS Lesions may be evident.
RASH AND LYMPHADENITIS: Erythematous papules (red splotches or slightly raised red spots) may develop. Such papules occasionally occur on the lower limbs but are more common on the upper limbs, the head, and neck. The papules may appear on the skin or mucous membranes. Bartonella may also cause subcutaneous nodules, with some bone involvement possible. The nodules may show some hyperpigmentation, be tender, fester, and/or be enlarged or swollen, but not always.
EYES: Conjunctivitis, Bartonella Neuroretinitis, Loss of Vision, Flame Shaped Hemorrhages, Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion with Vision Loss, Cotton Wool Exudates, Parinaud's Oculoglandular Syndrome, and Papilledema. BONES AND MUSCLES: Osteomyelitis, Myositis, Osteolytic Lesions (softening of bone), Myelitis, Radiculitis, Transverse Myelitis, Arthritis, Chronic Demyelinating Polyneuropathy.
HEART: Endocarditis, Cardiomegaly. Possible lab findings: The following may show up during standard testing: Thrombocytopenia, pancytopenia, anemia, elevated serum alkaline phosphatase level, elevated bilirubin, abnormal liver enzymes. X-ray of the bone may show areas of lysis or poorly-defined areas of cortical destruction with periosteal reaction. Cardiomegaly may show up on a chest X-Ray.
Biopsies of lymph nodes reveal pathology often indistinguishable from sarcoidosis. Reports of biopsies strongly suggestive of lymphoma do occur. Tests occasionally show an enlarged liver with multiple hypodense areas scattered throughout the parenchyma.
Posted by ByronSBell 2007 (Member # 11496) on :
bartonella can cause any and all symptoms lyme disease can.... just so happens that almost everyone with lyme disease, has bartonella.
Posted by njlymemom (Member # 15088) on :
bb - remember that bartonella is also a clinical diagnosis - and yes the symptoms are very much like lyme
when on treatment for lyme, many symptoms were getting better
some where getting worse, in my case head pain, cognitive problems and other neuro symptoms
there is a rash with bart that looks like stretch marks - you can find a picture of it on the Lyme Disease Association web site -
when I wasn't getting better we added abx treatment that is known to target bartonella, and I began to get relief from those symptoms - my diagnosis with bart is clinical
hope this helps some
Posted by JillF (Member # 5553) on :
oh i wonder if the stretch marks i have are due to bart
i brought it up to the llmd i was seeing at the time here in maryland. i was being treated for bart at the time and started noticing these odd stretch marks. i have stretch marks on my stomach from being pregnant but these stretch marks on the inside of my arms are a completely diff color (a couple of shades lighter than my skin color - sometimes white looking) and they turn this red/purple for absolutely no reason. she said it was weird but they were just stretch marks...i still get them
i know when i found out i had bart my heels hurt so badly and i always had some type of daily fever. i also had this headache that was like a band around my head (so glad that went away). and i had a constant sore throat. i also had a test that said something was going on with my liver but they retested me and i was fine - they didn't know what had happened or if something had gotten screwed up at the lab
but i was being treated for lyme, babs and bart...i don't know about others but it all sorta just seemed to run together ~ the symptoms, the treatment, etc
Posted by Alv (Member # 15192) on :
Hi Jillf
Sore thought , sole , foot, pain , white spots and red purple, digestive track , pain on the frontal , shin pain , low grade fever ....IS BART , BART!BART!
Been there -have it , feel the same as you !
Posted by ForestNymph (Member # 15109) on :
Jill,
What your describing is exactly what my rash is like and I definitely have bartonella. On the insides of my thighs I have whitish clear lines that turn purple sometimes and on my back.
Your doc just may not be familiar with that particular presentation of the rash. It's less common than the dark purple streaks which I also have. Just my opinion...it sounds like bart.
Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :
i have bart per fry,
my current symptoms are bladder, tight muscles all over my body, worst in the pelvis GI issues on and off.
severe weight loss despite appetite of two large men (i am a woman and now weigh 98lbs)
At one point I had about 45 of the symptoms on the lyme symptom list.
Mine started as dizziness and numbness progressed to the bladder and now the joints.
Posted by Clarissa (Member # 4715) on :
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