For those of you who have indicated in other posts that you were helped by Bactrim, do you feel it was improving your Lyme, Bartonella, both, or some other thing?
My son appears to have only Lyme...no coinfections. (Obviously, it's hard to know for sure.) His LLMD said some of his patients have been seeing improvement with Bactrim. I just wonder if it was actually improving their Lyme, or if it helped because they had coinfections that were being affected.
Does anyone know if it crosses the BBB any better than the beta lactams and macrolides? My son's symptoms are all neuro.
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
I didn't know it could help with lyme. I take it for bart but my lyme symptoms are under control so maybe it is helping with that as well. My neuro symptoms are improving while on it so I believe it is helpful for that. I don't know if it crosses the BBB.
I have taken it with biaxin, then zithro. I switch off and on now between zithro and roxithromycin because roxy does cross the BBB. I have to buy that drug online as you cannot get it in the US although it is commonly used in Europe.
I also pulse tindamax two days a week and feel the difference on those days. This is supposed to drive lyme out of the cyst form but I feel bart herxes on those days so I think it is good for both.
I hope your son finds a good combination to help him.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
My now famous lyme doctor gave me Bactrim DS to get rid of babesiosis. He said it would hit bartonella too.
That's how I got rid of these diseases. Worked great.
I completed my lyme treatment over 5 years ago and I am still symptom-free, enjoying my life.
Of all the lyme patients I have met in over 8 years, I have yet to meet one who only had lyme. I believe that situation is very, very rare.
So, I think your lyme doc is seeing the improvements with Bactrim because it kills the 2 most common coinfections.
I had no symptoms of babs or bart, yet I had them. This is what Burrascano calls "subclinical" infection. There is no evidence (laboratory or otherwise) of the disease, yet it is present.
From p. 23 of Burrascano:
"It has also been reported that Babesia infections can range in severity from mild, subclinical infection, to fulminant, potentially life threatening illness. Subclinical infection is often missed because the symptoms are incorrectly ascribed to Lyme."
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
What TF says is very true. I did not realize some of my symptoms were bart related until I treated borrellia for two years and as the lyme diminished the bart became more obvious. Now I suspect I also have babesia as those symptoms are beginning to stand out. My lyme alway cycled every four weeks with the full moon. Now that lyme is under control, I no longer get an increase in symptoms or even any symptoms at all during those times. But the bart and maybe babesia remain constant, just slowly diminishing over time.
Posted by jwick25 (Member # 15190) on :
I was just prescribed bactrim for bartonella (tested positive).
I have read that many people have had success with this drug...possibly in combination with another..?
Good luck!
Posted by jwick25 (Member # 15190) on :
Just a concern about bactrim. I've read and heard that many people have a sulfa allergy.
Are these allergies hereditary? My mom once got a rash around her mouth from a sulfa drug.
My aunt (maternal) once took a sulfa drug and got a rash over her entire body.
Does this make me more likely to have an awful reaction? I am literally scared out of my wits to try this drug after reading so many horror stories.
However, I have also read that this drug (for those who can take it) is very effective.
Posted by Amelia (Member # 17677) on :
Hi Jwick25-- I read somewhere on here that someone had a sulfa allergy and took the smallest amount that she could to get her body used to it and built up. I too thought I had a sulfa allergy and honestly with the pain of the Bart, I said, well, what will be- will be and it is not fun taking it--
but I don't have anything other than redness in my
cheeks now. So I think my body too has gotten
used to it. I have seen more improvement with my
bart on it than anything... thus, I am hanging
in there. Now, if you suspect a true allergy --
you need to stop taking it immediately as I have
read about SJ syndrome and that is pretty scary
stuff. My doc advised me to start low when I had
mentioned years ago that I thought I might have
had an allergy as my dad is allergic-- cannot
take at all. But it looks like I am fine. Thank
goodness... Wishing you much success...
I am no doctor... TF is the resource around
here! God Bless you TF and all of you fellow
travelers... you are LIGHTS!
Posted by jwick25 (Member # 15190) on :
Thanks, Amelia!
I am going to try it and pray like mad that I don't wind up reacting poorly.
My LLMD suggested cutting the pill and taking half (or even a quarter) to start.
He mentioned that this drug is very effective against bartonella...if you can tolerate it.
The fact that your dad has the allergy but you are tolerating it gives me some hope.
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