LymeNet Flash: Anybody Treated For Babesia and Then Tested Positive?

This is topic Anybody Treated For Babesia and Then Tested Positive? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/1/31334

Posted by riversinger (Member # 4851) on :

I've been having a really hard time with headaches and rapid heart rate. The heart rate is kinda handled with a beta blocker, but recently the headaches have gotten worse.

The last couple of days oxycontin with a kicker of vicodin is not enough. I found this all got bad while I was taking artemisinin. My doc is convinced I have Babesia, in spite of testing negative with every possible Babesia test.

I have to admit, I'm a chicken when it comes to Mepron. Not so much the reactions, cause I've sure had that with other meds. I just am not so sure what the longterm safety profile is with the kind of useage it is seeing for Babesia.

I'd be more willing to give it a run if I had some confirming test. Has anybody been negative, treated for a little while, and then tested positive?

I know, I know, I'm being a wimp about this. But a year of heavy abx, including curent IV is quite a stretch for a used to be all natural, vegetarian, clean living gal. I'm not sure I can face that yellow paint if I don't have something to convince me.

------------------
Sonoma County Lyme Support
[email protected]

Posted by mjbucuk (Member # 843) on :

my son has babesia.... for many years despited rounds of treatment. Often he tests negative... this last time he was tested by igenex's fish test & was positive on it.

Posted by liz28 on :

About four months ago, I finally suspected I had babesia and started taking 400mg/day of Allergy Research/Nutricology artemisinin, on the advice of people on this board.

I had a week-long herx, and then went on mepron. It's been doing wonders.

Posted by virginia/anez (Member # 6450) on :

It was positive from the beginning.
Then after treatment, on the nagative range but I still had symptoms(nov 20003).
I'm waiting for fish results from igenex to see what comes next.

Posted by Lymied (Member # 6704) on :

I am with you riversinger...clean living gal gone abx taker...it is scary to me too. I took one month of Mepron and now after two months off am being directed to take it again...I hear all kinds of things like Glaxo claims one months is all the treatment necessary...that it would certainly kill it off and the only way to have it come back is to be reinfected but then I talk to numbers of lyme/babs sufferers that say that it took multiple rounds of the Mepron and that their digestive tracts survived and they have not suffered organ failure. I should have started my round of Mepron two days ago but hedging until I gather more info. for my own piece of mind...

------------------
"If I can stop one/Heart from breaking/I shall not live in vain/If I can ease one Life the Aching/Or cool one Pain/Or help one fainting Robin/Unto his Nest again/I Shall not live in Vain." Emily Dickinson

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

What's wrong with clindamycin/quinine? I've never had the pleasure of taking the yellow paint....didn't have to! Not sure my babs is totally cleared, but I'm feeling pretty darn good!

------------------
oops!
Lymetutu

Posted by minoucat (Member # 5175) on :

This is an excellent question. But I'm afraid to know the answer....

I never tested positive in the first place, but I would like to test now that I'm post babs tx. For those of you answering this post -- what tests did you do before tx, what after, and are you still experienceing babs sx?

Just as a data point, I was treated 7 months with mepron/zith/art. Stopped tx 4 months ago for babs, still doing it for LD and bart. No babs sx that I can tell -- no breathlessnes, no racing heart, very little headache, and no night sweats.

Did a whole new round of fatigue and fog brain when I started my bart protocol (Ketek, omnicef, samento, plus bicillin for LD).

Posted by riversinger (Member # 4851) on :

OK, so far nobody who converted to positive after treating? I thought maybe it would work like it does for some with Lyme. Treat for a while, ramp up the immune system, and show positive on antibodies.

I did a month of artemisinin. The entire month was pretty bad, with heart issues, BAD headaches, very much elevated muscle pain.

It felt so good when I stopped. But does that mean it was working, or I was reacting to it? My doc wants me to start the artemisinin again, to see how I do now, but to tell you the truth, I couldn't take it if the headache ramps up from where it is today.

I did the Babesia antibody tests, the PCR (WA-1 and Microti) and the FISH. All negative, the PCRs twice.

Lymetoo, my doc seems to not use clinda/quinine. I thought that combo had an even higher profile of side effects.

This whole thing is very confusing. Many of my sysmptoms could equally be Bartonella, or Chlamydia, which I have been exposed to, and are waiting on results of testing. Even Ehrlichia, which I still test positive for.

It's good to hear some are maintaining improvement after treatment. In regards to the Babesia, I've heard that different parts of the life cycle need different treatment, but how the %$#@ are you supposed to know what is needed when?

------------------
Sonoma County Lyme Support
[email protected]

Posted by KH (Member # 4170) on :

I tested neg through bowen but took 6 months of mepron/zith cause husband tested pos and we did not want to take any chances.

Well now it is 5 months after the treatment and I tested pos for babesia. I am looking into taking Riamet now. I thought all along I had babesia, red little dots on arms, and fast heart beat, and just recently started to get a little hot at night.