posted
I know everyone reacts differently from their meds. So I was wondering what the best abx was for bart, currently on biaxin 1,000 mg and suprax 400mg. Been on these for only 3 weeks and nothing yet. Still very anxious & other bart symps, as well.
previously had tindamax 1,000 mg and zith. 500 mg. The 3 months on these meds didn't seem to be helping much either.
thanks!
Posts: 40 | From northern nj | Registered: Mar 2011
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Dave6002
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9064
posted
Rifampin 600mg per day
Posts: 1078 | From Fairland | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
What Dave said.
Posts: 520 | From Maryland | Registered: Jan 2007
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nonna05
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33557
posted
How do you know it's bart...I have a LLMD , but aside from ly he's guessing at different co-infections , has done some blood work...but talks lower and quite when bringing up other stuff,,
,kinda like guessing around in head... Then he'll ask if something is going on, like eyes hurt, muscle spasms, bugged by light etc. I'll give the answer for the moment put 5 hours later,,
would be total different answer from me..
WHAT TO DO??/ BART looks like ??????????
Posts: 2563 | From Denver,CO | Registered: Aug 2011
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Jamers
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 28016
posted
gejr1-I take 600mg Rifampin also.
nonna- "BART looks like...the DEVIL!"
I tested negative 3 times but it seems that Bart is the worst infection I have. From the very beginning of being ill I started having the following that I attribute to Bart:
Frontal headaches (Sinus in nature/forehead) Vision Disturbances like blurry, heavy, dry, tired eyes Vibrating nerves from head to toe Muscle twitching Ear issues like cracking, popping, and pressure Stiff joints and hands Muscle pain Anxiety Very tired all the time, sleeping alot, taking naps and waking in the middle of the night.
-------------------- Diagnosed Pos. Lyme Nov. 17, 2010, Igx. Pos. Babesia Duncani March 2011, Igx. Clinical diagnosis for Bartonella Posts: 1127 | From North Carolina | Registered: Sep 2010
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posted
Rifampin, 600 mg, divided into two doses. Lots of water!!!
Posts: 55 | From Missouri | Registered: Sep 2011
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
Levaquin is powerful against bart but it can rupture your tendons. I made huge strides with it but in five weeks I had tendontitis, so if you try it make sure you load up for several weeks before with magnesium and vitamin C.
Rifampin did nothing for me.
Bactrim DS with a macrolide like biaxin or zithro was slow and steady progress. I took it for over a year after which babesia was my main concern.
However after fighting babs for nearly a year the bart symptoms are coming back and I can't take the bactrim any more. I seem to have developed chemical sensitivity.
So I am wondering myself - what next?
-------------------- 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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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
A few more major symptoms not mentioned:
Irritation/rage Painful feet or shins Lumps under skin that hurt when pressed (usually found on outsides of thighs or arms) Brown pea size marks on skin, loss of pigment, swelling, indentations, streaks etc Insomnia Depersonalization - not connected to self, life, others
It really is horrible and the psychological aspects sneak up on me. Very scary.
-------------------- 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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posted
Anyone else catching absolute hell with rifampin for Lyme/bart?
Been treated since Sept '09 and two weeks on rifampin is pulling me down hard, not letting up and percocet is barely even taking the edge off.
Jamers, glad to read your post, you listed almost every symptom I'm having right now, a few I forgot about, just missed the random bee sting pains and pain near joints, not quite joint pain.
-------------------- Ticks suck. Posts: 140 | From Alabama | Registered: Aug 2009
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lymeinhell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4622
posted
Ditto on treating with Rifampin. Kicked it years ago and never came back.
Like everything, it took time to really notice improvement - month 4 I'd say was a turning point where I started to feel better after I herxed (every 28 days) than I had prior.
Oldman - Rifampin can be a hard drug to take. Perhaps you've got some toxin buildup. Up your water intake significantly as well as your milk thistle dose.
-------------------- Julie _ _ ___ _ _ lymeinhell
Blessed are those who expect nothing, for they shall not be disappointed. Posts: 2258 | From a better place than I was 11 yrs ago | Registered: Sep 2003
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17hens
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23747
My experience - I thought I had only Bart and treated it but always hit a wall I couldn't get past. Then I read that fabulous ped LLMD, Dr. C. in PA said foot pain all day could be Babesia. I started a symptom diary and noticed that not only did I have the Bartonella cycles of 14 days but I also had Babesia cycles of 4-6 days. I started treating Bart & Babesia together and made amazing progress! Try it, you'll like it!
-------------------- "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalms 73:26
bit 4/09, diagnosed 1/10 Posts: 3043 | From PA | Registered: Dec 2009
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posted
I am taking Rifampin and clarithromycin for my Bartonella. My symptoms are very vascular in nature and balance issues.
Posts: 131 | From Maryland/USA | Registered: May 2011
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
mine are muscle pain, sore feet, facial twitching, near total insomnia, often rages, depression, anxiety, lots of gastro issues as well. Biaxin, flagyl and diflucan helped the most. Cipro and levaquin do me in.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
Levaquin is probably the best. But as stated, there is the tendon risk with it.
Other quinolones may be safer, although may not be as effective. Something best discussed with your doctor.
Unless your doctor is pretty sure you have bartonella, I wouldn't suggest going the quinolone route. Sore feet/calves would be one key symptom to look for.
I did 12 weeks of Levaquin, but I also had a positive blood test for Bart (both strains) too. I'm not sure I would have been willing to try it on a 'guess', as it's not the sort of drug anyone wants to do as a trial, just to see how they react.
Posts: 584 | From NY | Registered: Feb 2009
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posted
through a quirk I ended up taking only minocycline for the last 8 weeks and have improved A LOT
at first, I thought, "Pah! this isn't doing much", since it just barely took the edge off
now, 8 weeks later, I am like, "Hey! This is nice, where are the anxiety attacks gone to?"
but I still have sore soles and tingling claves and left chest pain and blurry vision and double vision and insomnia
it has helped slowly and steadily and I can't say where it is going yet
I will add other drugs this week, finally, I hope
just thought you may be interested in the Bart/mino data point - I do think it helped me a lot ut very slowly
I was told by 2 LLMDs that I have mostly Bart right now
taking minocycline 100mg twice a day and feeling calmer overall and no more anxiety attacks, also seizure-like feelings when laying down are almost gone and used to be severe
-------------------- Persistence, persistence, persistence!!! "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence... Persistence and determination are omnipotent." attributed to Calvin Coolidge Posts: 599 | From USA | Registered: Jun 2011
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posted
I thought I would add something here that might help some folks... after being pulled off of levaquin 4 months... in a week the raging foot pain came back. Well, I asked to be put back on it -- regardless of the muscle soreness. My doc said ok. He had advised some time ago to up my NAC and ALA and I also added in some MSM a couple scoops a few times a day... and I am much improved on the muscle pain piece... basically my doc said it could be from free radical damage and that if I upped these things... it may hold it at bay. Just thought I would throw this out there as I really want to beat bart and for me Levaquin has been the only thing that has gotten me close to finished...
Posts: 859 | From Southeast | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
I have been on rifampin 300mg. twice a day along with biaxin 500mg twice a day. The doc also tried me on levoquin and ceftin for 6 weeks but that put me into a terribly painful state. I went back to the rifampin and biaxin which seemed to help, just very slowly. My husband is on ceftin and HH, which is a Chinese herb that is known for killing bartonella. He takes 3 pill a day. There is also HH+, stronger the HH. This will be the next step for him if he doesn't see improvement. HH is recommended by a doctor that has pioneered the treatment for bartonella.
Posts: 26 | From Hershey, pa | Registered: Oct 2010
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
I started Bactrim DS again with no problem and after three days the bart symptoms are nearly gone. I had some muscle twitching, tingling, shin burning, muscle aching, headaches and irritation/agitation.
I do hate bart.
-------------------- 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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posted
Are these Bart symptoms? Eye gooey.. Shoulder pain back upper quad pain.. Insomnia.. Little anxiety but not much anymore. Tested negative in every respect for Bart even through pcr. Should I question this co infection?
Posts: 267 | From South | Registered: Oct 2011
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posted
i tested negative as well, but i have so many of the symptoms and a clinical diagnosis.
Posts: 60 | From central nj | Registered: Feb 2011
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13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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