Topic: Why would Babs symptoms disappear while treating Lyme/Bart?
disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
I've got a question that I hope someone can help answer or give me some suggestions as to what might be going on.
Some of my first symptoms were Babs-like: shortness of breath, heart palpitations, tachycardia and night sweats. BUT since being on treatment for Lyme and Bart, all of those symptoms have gotten better and have subsided for the most part. Sometimes I still have some of the symptoms, but they are not as bad as they were, and for a while there they were completely cleared up.
So I'm confused. If it IS due to Babesia, why are the symptoms getting better with Lyme and Bart treatment?
I did have Fry co-infection test done and only Bart came back positive.
Any ideas on why those Bab-like symptoms have mostly disappeared/gotten almost 100 times better since Lyme and Bart treatment?
It just has me confused. I hope someone has some ideas/answers/help.
Thanks so much!
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
I'd like to hear this too....I have something similar going on! I suspect that a lot of the symptoms overlap...it makes it hard to tell what is what. For example, my foot sole pain and anxiety get really bad after a Bicillin injection -- but Bicillin does not kill bart, just Lyme. Sole pain and anxiety are classic bart symptoms. So....what does it all mean?
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
I've heard the symptomatologies of bart and babs can be nearly
identical. Have you determined you have babs through a trial of
the meds used to treat it or something?
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Clarissa
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4715
posted
It is so confusing, I agree. My night sweats, heart palpitations, fatigue and insomnia went away after Lyme treatment.
I have yet to be diagnosed with Babesia but am sending Igenex blood for the FISH test to be extra sure.
The only coinfection I've been diagnosed with to this day is Bart.
Were you diagnosed with Babs? I agree that symptoms cross over and sometimes, if we're lucky, you may kill 2 birds with one stone.
For example, if when I re-test at Igenex for Babs and Ehrlichia and Ehrlicia comes back positive, my Bart treatment of Rifampin and Zith has been help killing that, too.
Hard to say...but overall, if I were you, I'd be psyched!
disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
quote:Originally posted by Clarissa: The only coinfection I've been diagnosed with to this day is Bart.
Were you diagnosed with Babs?
Same as you, I've only been diagnosed with Bart as well.
No, I haven't been diagnosed with Babs, I just have the symptoms basically. I want to get that IgeneX FISH test done, but it's sooooo expensive and I'm afraid it won't show anything and then I'd feel like it was a huge waste of $500!
I haven't heard of Bart including symptoms of heart palps, night sweats, shortness of breath or tachycardia?
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
quote:Originally posted by adamm: I've heard the symptomatologies of bart and babs can be nearly
identical. Have you determined you have babs through a trial of
the meds used to treat it or something?
Nope, but I would like to do the trail run of meds to see if I herx. Then what would most likely mean I have it, right?
I didn't think the symptoms of Babs and Bart were nearly identical. I have Bart but none of my symptoms for it really match. It made me really, really sick and since treating it, I've gotten so much better, but when looking at the symtpom list, I hardly have any of those symptoms.
I've only heard that heart palps, night sweats, and shortness of breath, tachycardia were a Babs symptom?
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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CherylSue
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 13077
posted
My guess is that the symptoms overlap and that the abx kill some of it, too. Maybe, once the lyme is reduced, the immune system takes over the babs.
I was doing pretty well on doxycycline for 5 weeks and then I seem to plateau. I tried 1/4 tablet of azithromycin and pulse it twice. I had mild night sweats, nausea, and an increase in symptoms. Babs? I rather keep it under wraps as I usually don't have babs symptoms anymore. Should I just take the doxy and hope for the best?
CherylSue
Posts: 1954 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2007
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
3 ideas from me-
Well, if you are G6PD deficient Babesiosis like symptoms would disappear while you treated any illness because illness would trigger a Babesiosis like presentation that would not actually be from Babs-
Other possibility- what you thought was Babs was Bart- they are very similar in some people-
OR your immune system, without the load from those other illnesses, was able to handle it on its own-
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
I've also been told by LLMD that Lyme itself can cause tachycardia, heart palps, shortness of breath....I forgot to ask him about sweats but I think he said that those can be bart.
It's all so confusing. I always try to talk myself into believing I DON'T have all the co-infections since I have no positive test for ANY of them (for sure I have bart, though, clinical dx by my bart-PRO LLMD--he knows exactly what to look for!)!!
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
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quote:Originally posted by CaliforniaLyme: 3 ideas from me-
Well, if you are G6PD deficient Babesiosis like symptoms would disappear while you treated any illness because illness would trigger a Babesiosis like presentation that would not actually be from Babs-
Other possibility- what you thought was Babs was Bart- they are very similar in some people-
OR your immune system, without the load from those other illnesses, was able to handle it on its own-
What is G6PD?
I have the same issues, but opposite results. Tested POS for Babs 7-8 years ago, relapsed with very Bart like symptoms 2.5 years ago.
I woke up with night sweats once or twice, blood pressure dropped significantly and had that altered sensorium feeling. Palps too.
I started reading here on this Board again, and also re-read Buhners Healing Lyme Book again, and here is what he wrote re: Bart (page 198)
Once adapted to a species, they present a different pathology. In all cases they move into endothelial tissue.
HOWEVER, once adapted to a new species, they periodically move from that location into red blood cells. This creates a periodically recurring malaria-like (or babesiosis-like disease. (end quote)
2.5 years ago when I relapsed, both Babs and Bart have come up NEG after 3 tests. 2 through MDL, and 1 through IGENEX. Very confusing.
I hear IGENEX has a good fish assay for babs? Perhaps you may wish to try it?
I will be sending to FRY for Bart.
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I hope someone has some ideas/answers/help.
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