Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Hi all. Hope everyone is having a good evening.
I was dx with Lyme in Oct. 2006, at which time I was put on doxy.
Saw LLMD first time in Nov. 2006. Continued on doxy 300mg with diflucan twice a week as well as probiotics/vitamins.
Was tested for babs via Igenex at that time.
Saw LLMD for second visit. Babs testing was negative, but due to symptoms started babs treatment.
I have been taking Malarone 1000mg a day, with zithromax 500 mg a day.
Still taking diflucan, probiotics and vitamins as well.
I am about 15 days into babs treatment, but am experiencing the following:
- increased night sweats
- increased air hunger
- increased fatigue
- increased anxiety (this was just about gone while on doxy)
- decreased appetite
- increased puffiness around my eyes
I find that I am also easily irritated....maybe because I am worried this treatment may not be working.
I know there is no specific time frame for when you should feel better. My LLMD said that 28 days of Malarone should do it.
Should I be discouraged. The increase in air hunger really worries me.
Could this be a herx as I have an increase in almost all of my babs symptoms?
Thank you in advance for any advice. It is really appreciated.
Thanks, Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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5dana8
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7935
posted
15 days into babs treatment is too early to tell & so try not to be discouraged. Many people -myself included have been on babs treatments for many months. Its a tough on to beat. 28 days to beat the babs sounds a bit optimistic
Your symptoms getting worse Sounds like a herx. But make sure to talk over everything with your doc & ket himn or her know whats going on.
Are you doing any detox? Make sure to drink lots of extra water . It will pass in time
Air hunger,night sweats & fatigue pretty classic babs symptoms. All my symptoms got much worse durning treatment & herxing. Babs treatment was one of my worst. I was weepie & depressed & really tired alot too.
Just keep reminding yourself that this soon will pass.
Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Dear Lisa,
I have had more vivid dreams since starting zithromax.
My body temp is also consistently very low. I have not gotten over 98.1 since starting zith.
It is so hard to tell a herx from a possible side effect from meds.
I have 24 more days of zithromax left to take this month. Maybe my LLMD will give me something different following my next visit.
I wont see him until Jan 31. I've thought about pulsing the zithromax until that visit to see if it makes a difference.
I am afraid to backslide with the Lyme, but I hate feeling as if I can't get a good breath.
Let me know how you are doing.
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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char
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8315
posted
Hi Geneal,
My kids and I have been in treatment for 2yrs.
My son initially experienced I think all of the symptoms you are having on Mepron and Zith.
He was irritable to point of being angry much of the time and needing to be alone.
It was very hard at first. Amazingly someone connected me at that time to a gentlemen who related that he had regular occurances of unprovoked anger on Mepron; which was out of character for him. He also coped by going into his room regularly to spare family from anger.
He is doing extremely well and feeling good. Call came at just the right time. If I remember, he took Mepron for several months.
Our experience has followed the same path. My boy has done Mepron and Zith for about 6 months and is doing great.
I gave half doses and for periods every other day because he was having such a hard time.
Recently LLMD encouraged me to work up to full dose 7days a week and he is recovering visably.
So it sounds to me like you are on track for a good recovery.
I believe that herxing is a good sign and repeat this mantra to myself and kids daily to their teenage chagrin.
All 3 of us have air hunger...I just got diagnosed with asthma which surprised me alot. We are all taking Advair now and it is helping.
posted
[You're definitely doing the right thing- getting the babs. It took me more than 2 years to get over all the tick borne illnesses, and some folks have been sick even much more than that from the "lyme etcetera". As for a reaction from the 'malarone' brand of atovaquone, I didn't seem to have much of one- I just started getting better faster. But I had been taking artimesia, and when I first start it, I did have some kind of herx-like (but actually a different mechanism; the toxins come from the drug itself, rather than the dead pathogens) reaction with that. Also, everyone's different and there're all kinds of factors involved. DaveS (all better now; just paying back my debt to lymenet, without which I'd still be sick, or, fairly likely, actually, dead! (babesia with no spleen)) DaveS
(the link is "down" today, but presumably that's only temporary (that pesky national , umm... ...'security'... agency doesn't like anyone to call attention to what's REALLY happening...)
Posts: 4567 | From ithaca, NY, usa | Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
geneal, I am having a similar reaction to babesia treatment. I am told this is a good thing 'cause it means the bacteria are dying. I sure feel miserable. My insomnia is raging and I am very tearful on top of the air hunger, nightsweats and fatigue. The fun never stops huh?
~catwoman
Posts: 255 | From where we don't have Lyme disease | Registered: Jan 2007
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Sorry you are feeling so badly. I had all of your symptoms and more in my first week of Babs treatment. I had tested positive through a FISH test.
With in the first few days of treatment I woke up with television screen vision...it was only snow in my entire field of vision.
I am not telling you that to scare you but to tell you that it sounds like you can be rest assured that the treatment is killing the little boogers.
Take care and just remember to take it easy and drink lots of good water.
-------------------- �Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right.� - Ezre Taft Benson Posts: 655 | From NC, Exit 88 on the Deer SuperHighway | Registered: Dec 2004
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Thank you all for the advice and support. I have been very tired this past week.
I feel better knowing I am actually getting better even though I feel worse.
Thank you so much!
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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