Topic: If you don't herx from Babesia treatment, does that mean you don't have it?
BackinStOlaf
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23725
posted
.
We are treating it clinically right now but have been treating for a month with no changes/herx
-------------------- First Symptom 9/09 Multiple docs, negative Labcorp test LLMD: 1/10 Positive Igenex/CDC test Treatment 2/10 2/10-8/10 Amox, ceftin, zith, flagyl Currently: Bicillin, Minocycline, still dealing with severe breathing issues
Posts: 1121 | From New York, New York | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
I'd think you'd probably feel something, good or bad, within 1-2 months. So maybe 1 month should be enough to tell? Best to just listen to what your doctor says, assuming he/she is a good one.
What I wonder is what happens when the results are mostly negative (which happened to me)... hot flashes/sort of sickly feverish feeling, some days breathing a little better, some days worse... and then itchy all over. I'm not sure if that's a herx or just a bad reaction to the Mepron.
Posts: 584 | From NY | Registered: Feb 2009
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posted
My husband never really herxed. I wouldn't judge whether or not you have Babesia just by your response to Mepron, zith and artemisia. My husband took those in his first attempt to treat Babesia and didn't particularly respond to it either. A year later he tried malarone and flagyl and got a great response. After three months, he switched out the flagyl for zithromax and later he did qualaquin and clindamycin.
He's been Babesia/Lyme symptom (and antibiotic) free now for over a year and a half.
Posts: 984 | From San Diego | Registered: Nov 2006
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posted
Babesiosis is not one of the diseases listed to obtain a Herxheimer reaction, there is only speculation that there MAY be some type of die-off reaction.
Posts: 306 | From NY | Registered: Sep 2010
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ktkdommer
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 29020
posted
Three in my family are on artemesia for babesia. Sickest child couldn't even get up to full dose of 3 times a day for months. I had to work up too. It felt like a herx to me. More symptoms than when starting antibiotics. Now we all 3 do the Zhang new double formula of artemsia and do fine. I am wondering what it means when we don't herx on the stronger dose? I will be sure to ask at our upcoming appointment.
-------------------- Things are never dull. After 3 fighting Lyme, 2 are in remission. Youngest is still sick, age 22. He has new diagnosed Chiari Malformation and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Posts: 1366 | From Perrysburg, Ohio | Registered: Nov 2010
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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jackie51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14233
posted
I am back on meds for Babs. First time, Zith, Mepron and Zhang's artemesia. This time (with a really good LLMD), biaxin, mepron and allergy research group artemisin.
I am not herxing, but I do have more energy. My legs still hurt like hell when I walk up a couple flight of stairs or walk uphill a good distance. The biaxin is supposed to hit the lyme better this time than did the zith (or it was time to change, who knows).
My first time on babs meds, I herxed a little the first month. It was odd, kinda of shaky, nervous, only lasted a day or two. By the second and third month, I couldn't remember when I had felt this well.
Posts: 1374 | From Crazy Town | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
i was wondering that too as have treated before and never really what i would of thought a "herx" felt like
BUT.....recently started a different regime........and on 3rd week started to feel a little worse headaches, by 4th week terrible headaches, nausea, weak legs, terrible fatigue, etc etc........5th week started to tail off 6th week (now).......still headaches daily but not severity, fatigue lifted to baseline (which is still napping every day, no energy).......
but i definately felt that this was the first time in 18 months that i felt a "herx"....so perhaps you havent found the right combination of meds for you..............
-------------------- Oct 09 Positive CDC Western Blot Jan 10 Positive Babesia Duncani Jan 10 Cd57 28 Mar 10 EBV, IgM, IgG HHV-6 IgG Posts: 739 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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posted
I've been treating babesia for almost a year and a half with Mepron/Zith/Tindamax.
I didn't herx either. Mepron works very slowly, and it may take months to see improvement. I thought it wasn't doing much, and switched to Malarone. Symptoms came back that I forgot I had, and realized that Mepron really did work.
I didn't notice any benefits in the first few months.
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
I agree progress can be slow so you don't notice the difference day to day. You need to keep a journal. I can go back and look at my old posts to see that I am improving.
Mepron takes a month to build up in your system so the worst herx is the fourth week. I had an increase in symptoms but primarily it was emotional with anxiety and depression.
Over time many symptoms went away. Air hunger, depression, headaches, chills and now even the hot flashes and sweating. Last night was the first time I have not woke up with hot flashing and sweating. I still have no stamina at all - breathless when I exert myself.
I have been on Mepron/Zithro since late November. I added Artemisinin and Bactrim DS the end of March.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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