Hi. I can't find a lot of info regarding Babesiosis. I was just diagnosed with Babesiosis.
Everything on the web says the same thing, but it doesn't give detailed info. Is there usually a major herx reaction?
I have an appt with my doctor next week, so I don't know how he is going to treat me. Apparently my blood smear came back "loud and clear." Is the usual treatment IV antibiotics?
Also, I read on one site that if you have Babesiosis along with Lyme, it can make your Lyme feel 3 times worse. Is this accurate?
Any information would be helpful.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
The best info is in the Burrascano Guidelines, pages 22-24.
Everything in this document is accurate. Forget what you read on other internet sites unless they are from lyme support groups.
The treatment is certain oral medications, not IV. Mepron, a liquid, is part of the standard treatment. It is extremely expensive--more than $1,000 for a month's supply. So, I hope you have insurance.
Instead of a major herx reaction, you could get weekly flares when you begin treating this disease. Mine were horrible and lasted 48 hours each time. Fortunately, they occurred on Friday night through Sunday night so I didn't miss work because of them.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
TF is right .. look over the link she gave you. Here is more info on Lyme and coinfections.
There's even a thread on Mepron, called Mepron Blues.
I think Mepron is generic now so it's much less than $1000.
Good luck
Posted by LisaK (Member # 41384) on :
yes, I think all the stuff you can get from ticks can make the others seem worse.
maybe they fight for top rank in side us, I don't know, but what I do know is that if you treat one, another one can feel worse.
Posted by sickofthepain (Member # 39579) on :
How does Alinia and Coartem compare with Mepron? I took Coartem for two months and noticed nothing. Dr prescribed Alinia and it is such a copay that I don't want to waste if it is not very good.
Me, did you have a positive Igenex for babesia? Mine were not for bart or babesia but something is going on, killing red blood cells and lymphocytes.
Posted by Judie (Member # 38323) on :
You can get alinia from the manufacturer for free. The doctor needs to sign some paperwork and it gets sent to his office.
Malarone and Mepron together helped me beat it. I couldn't tolerate the other drugs.
Posted by me (Member # 45475) on :
Thank you all for the information and support. I truly appreciate all of you.
Posted by Clint31 (Member # 16420) on :
Does anyone with Babs like me get hot flashes or chills?
Posted by Green_Where_You_Water (Member # 46647) on :
Clint31 I haven't had my first LLMD appointment yet. I have only been tested positive for Lyme via western blot. My regular MD will not test me for co-infections. What a joke!
Anyway. Based on some research I have done on the co-infections I am pretty sure that I have Babesia as well. I do get hot flashes and chills.
More specifically I get really high fevers, drenching night sweats, dizziness, chills and shakes at the same time as the drenching sweats. I will also go from chills to hot flashes in a matter of seconds.
I am having many more symptoms too but these are the ones that I think seem to point to Babesia and don't seem to correspond to Lyme.
Posted by KH111 (Member # 25829) on :
I had babesia, along with lyme. Treat the lyme first and then babesia. I took Mepron for about 6 months along with Zithromax, if I remember correctly. I also did a round of Cotarem and sent away for it on an international online pharmacy as it was not available back then in the US. I did that after finishing the mepron. I also did Artimisinin while on Mepron, but took it two weeks at a time. There is something about building up resistance and you do not want to take it continuously.
Once you come off all the abx it will take awhile for your body to readjust.
I am in Houston too, but the LLMD I saw was old and is now deceased. The only other dr here is OK. If you see her be sure to know what you want before hand.
Best of luck to you.
Posted by lymenotlite (Member # 33166) on :
I've been doing the Buhner protocol for babesia for six weeks and my associated symptoms have greatly ameliorated. I plan on doing the protocol for five months because that is how long they had me on Mepron, which did not work. I make my own tinctures so it's much less expensive.