So I have been treating for Babesia w/ Mepron and Zith for the last 6 months, and my LLMD just switched me to Flagyl (1000mg/day) and Ketek (800mg/day) for Lyme & Bart.
I started feeling pretty horrible w/in a couple of hours of taking my first dose yesterday, and am still feeling like I got hit by a truck...maybe more like a triple trailer Difficulty seeing straight, disordered thinking, anxiety, exhaustion, etc etc
I know these are both really tough drugs, and I have read the Ketek warnings, but I'm trying to sort out if this is an adverse reaction to one of them, or just the result of them hitting the bugs really hard.
If you've used this particular combo, I'd love some input or just to hear how they worked for you. Thanks!
Posted by smiles132002 (Member # 7949) on :
i was on ketek, mepron, and mino for 6 months. For 3 of the 6 months I pulsed in flagyl for one week every month. This treatment was VERY difficult. I quit my job and really focused on doing everything I could do to get well..Resting, not going out with friends, literally put myself into bed for 6 months.
I have to say that after 6 months I had made a lot of progress. My sleep actually evened out and I was able to sleep through the entire night. All of my symptoms pretty much concentrated into something we could attack instead of everything being so vague and all over the place.
It was totally worth it and i think ketek is a great drug with flagyl. For me pulsing flagyl is harder but it actually is more effective. I am now on IV and hopeful in a couple months I'll be on a maintaining program and going back to work.
good luck
Posted by DanP (Member # 7501) on :
I can't remember if i took both simultaneously - i definitely took both - got better - within hours of the first ketek my 6 month long brain fog cleared right up ! of course, the path to wellness has taken a long time, and still not there yet - but not taking anything right now.
Posted by coltman (Member # 21272) on :
Ketek is awesome .I have zero sides from it so far. I bet its flagyl which is the culprit.
All the black box warnings for ketek as are scarier than it is - if you have liver problem or severe QT prolongation , then you have to be more careful, but otherwise its great drug
I am not doing any cyst busters atm , I am going to do 2-3 2 weeks cycles at the end of current abx cycle. I am not eager to jump on it straight away. I also heard plenty tindamax is actually better than flagyl (does same thing) ,especially sides wise.
Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
I did Ketek with Mepron and either mino or omnicef for almost a year.
Ketek is one tough med, but worth it.
The herx was unbelievable, and I was in bed a lot of the time.
Flagyl knocks me flat as well - so taking both would pack a major herx.
If you're concerned that what you're feeling is a side effect, rather than a herx - call your LLMD's office and ask.
Also - stay on top of checking your liver enzymes while on Ketek.
Posted by EmilyT (Member # 11632) on :
Thanks everyone for your helpful responses!
I realized that I was pretty clearly having an adverse reaction to the Ketek--esp. b/c one of the listed side effects is blurry/double vision, which came on w/in an hour of taking it. The fact that I basically couldn't see, on top of everything else, made my doc decide to switch to Biaxin w/ the Flagyl.
I'm sorry I can't take Ketek, as it is supposed to be really effective, but I have to work, and not being able to see made that impossible. I've had some terrible herxes and am pretty sure that wasn't one. Just something to keep in mind if you are considering Ketek.
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Difficulty seeing straight, disordered thinking, anxiety, exhaustion, etc etc