For those who have taken Coartem, did you herx bad?
I am on day 2 and things are feeling pretty bad right now. Head is all fired up - like a million neuro bugs running around in my scalp/skull, head pressure, body pain is back 10 fold,plus all the other joyful Babs symptoms.
How long did your herx last and did it actually help at all? Getting really discouraged again....Was feeling back to 75% and then all at once back to square one again.
[ 06-19-2012, 03:08 PM: Message edited by: desertwind ]
Posted by desertwind (Member # 25256) on :
Anyone? No one on Coartem for Babs?
Herxing like mad on this stuff - much worse then Mepron. Tons of head/scalp/skull issues coming up.
Would love to hear from any Coartem users. DW
Posted by opus2828 (Member # 15407) on :
I took it and herxed on it but more so with heart symptoms - palpitations/tachycardia.
I also had air hunger and chest pain.
It did help but I relapsed after two weeks because my doc did not give me anything to take after it.
Be sure to follow it up with other babs meds.
Good luck.
Posted by tickbitt (Member # 33753) on :
I'm supposed to be on it but the pharmacy is back ordered from the mfg with it.
I just started feeling better after taking mepron for a week or so. Unfortunately it affected my vision, so I had to stop taking it. The symptoms all came back on artimisia, so coartem is the next step. I hope it is as effective for me as it seems to be for you.
Posted by desertwind (Member # 25256) on :
Well I just compelted the 3 days of Coartem and on day 2 of Clindamycin - will be adding the rest in a few days.
This is probably the worst I have felt in a looong time. I remember feeling this way years ago when I was "sick" all the time but did not know what from. Guess I had Bab.'s much longer then I imangined.
I ache from head to toe...Can Babs do that? A guess that is a stupid question...
Somehow I got lucky and was able to get it right away at my local CVS. How long is it back ordered for???
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
Very well known, like bombs exploding in the head. I felt soooo much better after though!
Binders!! Babesia caused me the worst herxes ever, no matter what I took. Riamet was one of the worst but fastest drugs ever. Even though it didn't eliminate my babesia, those 3 days worthed.
I got the worst sweat of my life on Riamet!
Posted by desertwind (Member # 25256) on :
Brussels; Thanks for the confirmation.
I am sweating like I have never sweat before and I hurt from head to toe and even my spine feels inflammed.
The flashing lights in my vision are back again and if someone would deflate my head I would be ever so greatful.
I will up my binders.
Posted by Sammi (Member # 110) on :
desertwind, it sounds like the Coartem is really kicking the Babs. Yes, Babs can make you hurt all over. Not fun at all.
I have a bad case of Babs, but Coartem had no effect on it. It so weird how meds affect people differently.
I hope things let up for you soon.
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
The first time I took it, I was on the couch for a week, and could barely stand up after that!! But it helped a lot. Subsequent times I've taken it, I had not much of a herx. Well, recently I did have some herxing from it.
Will whoever can deflate your head, please deflate mine, too?!! I will say though, that now that I am finally back on treatment for Lyme and Babs, it is finally much better. But hardly all better.
Hang in there!
Posted by nonna05 (Member # 33557) on :
What is working for the babs and Lyme now...
Is babs the worse of all of them??
What else goes with mepron to kill it??
Posted by luvs2ride (Member # 8090) on :
Coartem affected my sinuses and caused sleep apnea symptoms. One night I woke up with my windpipe fully shut off. I came up out of the bed flailing and fighting for breath. I stopped the Coartem and the symptoms went away. I went in for the sleep study and do not have sleep apnea in any form. Coartem is now off my list as a medication. I wonder what it was nailing?
Posted by desertwind (Member # 25256) on :
This stuff is soo much harder on babs (for me) then Mepron. I took my last dose 3 days ago and still feeling horrible.
nonna05; LLMD has me on Coartem for 3 days, wait 3 days and start Malarone, ART, Plaq, Zythro., and Clindamycine. Mepron and Zyth was the old combo for babs.
Posted by joysie (Member # 11063) on :
I have done 2 rounds: Neither really affected me in any way except the second time, I got a rash from knees to feet.
Posted by Anonymous2u (Member # 34928) on :
Bump, I am on day 2 and am totally confused by how this is hitting me.
Each dose seems to cause some mild headaches, light headedness and fatigue/weakness. Lots of air hunger...it feels like I am above 10,000 ft and the air just isn't there when I sigh/yawn/gasp
Several hours after each dose there is some mild flu like symptoms with that sore throat feeling. Strangely I didn't sweat at all last night, the past few weeks I was going through at least 2 pillows a night.
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