My LLMD wants to start me on Zith/Mepron treatment (500mg Zith/2 tsp Mepron for 21 days) and then evaluate my sx.
I am a little wary as I have always tested negative for Babs even on the Bowen test. Borrellia tests have all been neg except for a low positive Bowen.
I am presently only on low dose pulsed Minocin (for last 7 weeks) but have night sweats (since 2000) on and off every week or so and a rash that comes and goes in my chest area. Also some chills when lying down at times, confusion, dizziness, weakness in the gluts, weakness in legs, arthritis in hips (in my 30's!) and post exertional fatigue and confusion.
I have heard that Rickettsia can also cause these symptoms and wonder whether the babs treatment is a good move or not.
It seems so many here do it over and over again.
I would love to hear from those who have had effective treatment and what and how long it took.
How do I know I have it?
Will the drugs tell me?
He said most patients don't herx terribly but start feeling better. This is not what I heard!
Oh, I also havve chronic Mycoplasma Pneumonia (which is why I take the Minocin).
Thanks!
Chris
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
Chris,
There are many strains of babesia that there is no test for. So it is very possible you have it and don't test positive. I know some people try artemisinin first, an anti-parasitic herb. If they herx on that, they take it as a sign they have Mepron.
I've heard many people take Mepron hard. Especially because, as a drug itself, it is hard on the body.
Posted by david1097 (Member # 3662) on :
I have had babesia for many years... a sub clinical case. That was before I added Lyme to the mix.
The bggest thing tht I have seen when the babesia got knocked down was elimination of the out of breath, total dragging feeling on physical exertion. I had the problem long before I had lyme but it was only after a bout of fatigue. Asside from that I had the odd episode of "dizzyness-confusion" again typically as a result of fatigue.
I replased after taking mepron + zith for 6 months then stopping. The breathklessness was the first thing to come back, nigt sweats also came back. But the sweats can also come from other things to. When I restarted with babesia drugs again, within about 7 days the things started to clear up.
Babesia is tough to get rid of but mepron + zith seems to be the best treatment so far.
You might ask for malarone instead of mepron. It has the same stuff inside and it might be a bit cheaper. The big advantage is that it is a pill. Much easier to deal with than the yellow paint-- mepron.
A word on tests. There are many species of babesia, only a few are characterized so the tests are not very good. The only proof is by seeing the parasite on blood smears. the problem with this is that the volume of blood in this case is so small that unless you have a very high load, you won't likley see them.
On Bowen, my personal feeling is that I do not trust the tests. There is only limited information written about the reagents that they use... not enough to convince me that the the tests are accurate. That being said, in a last ditch effort, where everything else is negative, their tests could possible provide some direction to look in terms of diseases since it appears that sick peolple get positives whereas not- sick people do not . I am geussing it means somthing but not sure what.
Hope that helps
Posted by HEATHERKISS (Member # 6789) on :
Hello Myco,
BIAXIN(zith family of antibiotics) and MEPRON is working for me. I'm working 4 days this week!!!
I did herx for 4 days at 3 1/2 weeks. It wasn't to bad.
Watch out for the really vivid weird dreams and depression. I had depression during the herx. I also have screwed up dreams almost every nite.
It's worth doing to feel better!
Heather
Posted by mycoplasma1 (Member # 6377) on :
Bump. Anyone else?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I would DEFINITELY try the babs treatment. It could be the WHOLE reason you are not well. If babs is not treated, you cannot get well from Lyme.
The herxing can be bad, but it's better than living the rest of your life in bed.
------------------ oops! Lymetutu
Posted by HEATHERKISS (Member # 6789) on :
up
Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :
Im starting the artemisinin test in a few days. Im pretty sure that i do have it based on some of my symptoms.
If i do have it not sure what i will use as iam allergic to zmax and thus probably allergic to all macrolides.
Posted by HaplyCarlessdave (Member # 413) on :
I don't think 'malarone' is much cheaper, if at all. But when it comes to rude looking and tasting stuff like atovaquone, I'd rather choke down tablets of solidified bright yellow rude tasting stuff than drink the bright yellow rude tasting liquid straight up!
I would recommend strongly artimesia, and would recommend trying out garlic, too. I still think garlic was most powerful when I chewed up and swallowed raw garlic cloves. I was on 'biaxin' and doxycycline, , too, as well, for lyme and possible left over ehrlichia, probably, during this stage of treatment..
It's hard to avoid people noticing the smell, of course. But I really think garlic was key to my recovery. I think it is very complimentary to artimesia anua or artimisinin for fighting babesia..
Be sure to drink enough water while taking this stuff.
I am almost sure I couldn't have beat babesia with atovaquone alone. With only the combination of artimesia and garlic, maybe. But it probably would have taken much longer.
oops!