This is topic Igenex results back - Babesia - I knew it! Questions- in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.


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Posted by johnnyb (Member # 7645) on :
 
Wish I had gotten the positive and treatment back in 2003. Considering I've had air hunger and chills so much, I kept suspecting Babs, but until I did the new Igenex FISH test and checked for more strains, I always came up negative.

What is the most common treatment for Babesia?

Is Babs like lyme, where its almost impossible to lose it, or can you eradicate it and then move on to just worrying about lyme relapses?

Thanks, everybody!

- JB

[ 20. June 2008, 02:50 PM: Message edited by: johnnyb ]
 

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Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
 
Once you have had Babesiosis, you can never give blood again, let's put it that way!! Remission, not eradication... The Red Cross has lifetime exclusion for Babesiosis.

I believe you should be able to stay on IM Bicillin while treating Babs, but double check with doc as always, but believe that's just fine.

Mepron & zithromax is common treatment. I did mepron & Zith for 2 years, artemisia added in for the last year of that. I am the longest treating Babs person I know but I also have a history of malaria and could have been dealing with more than Babs.

Quinine has nasty side effects often so Mepron, malarone are more commonly used. Lariam is the cheapest but can trigger psyche side effects so many docs avoid it-

Babesiosis treatment has a muddiness to it often, long plateaus & lulls are common.

Herxes are often very hard and obvious, nightmares, palpitations, headaches, etc.

But it is great to have it gone*)!*)!*)!!

There is some evidence that active Babs can predispose one toward cancer- oncogenic viruses live longer in the body that has Babs- and Babs can trigger TBE viruses by making the body more acidic- so getting rid of babs is great on many levels!!!

Congratulations!!! I got rid of MANY things with Babs treatment that I had not realized WERE Babs- like residual arthritis in my hands!!! Gone ever since Mepron, bless mepron!! mepron is bright yellow and you tend to either hate it or lvoe it. I loved it, tastes like mushy bananas!!

Best wishes,
Sarah
 

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Posted by adamm (Member # 11910) on :
 
I think at least some strains of babs may actually be impossible to

get

rid of (there's no lifetime exclusion on account of Lyme, BTW.)

What are your symptoms, just out of curiosity?


And others folks,

DO all strains sequester in the tissues?
 

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Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
 
I took Mepron and Biaxin. I believe they can be taken with Bicillin.

Now I'm on Lariam just to be sure it stays in remission. I don't know how long I'll continue on it.
 

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Posted by Vermont_Lymie (Member # 9780) on :
 
Yes, I stayed on the lyme abx (high dose amoxy) while taking malarone for babesia. I believe that you can continue using bicillin with babesia treatment.
 

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Posted by lymednva (Member # 9098) on :
 
I was just scanning Dr. B's guidelines recently and looked at the suggested Babs treatment protocols.

In his opinion the best combo is Mepron, Biaxin(clarithromycin) and artemisinin.

I am on that protocol and it has hit me hard, but I am finally seeing briefer herxes and less fatigue.

As always, follow the advice of your LLMD. Of course, I find that being an informed patient doesn't hurt.
 

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Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
 
Johnny -- How much was the FISH test? What is it, exactly? Is it just a co-infection test? I had a Fry one done earlier and only got Bartonella back positive (though I have had Babesia symptoms), and possibly soon in the future I want to do another test to see if anything else comes back positive.

Thanks!
 

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Posted by johnnyb (Member # 7645) on :
 
Insurance won't cover it, and its $500!

I think it tests for more strains of Babs, and its more accurate, but I can find out more when I see my LLMD tomorrow to discuss results.

Here is what I found on Igenex:
http://www.igenex.com/tickset1.htm

[ 20. June 2008, 02:52 PM: Message edited by: johnnyb ]
 

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Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
 
I took mepron, biaxin, septra and art for babs.

I would highly recommend taking septra with your treatment immediately. It was the only drug that finally cleared my babesia. I now test neg on all my tests.
 

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Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
 
Johnny - Nope, I go to my LLMD in Maryland area.

I was just curious about the test so I can ask my LLMD if I should have it done. Thanks for the info!
 

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Posted by lucy96734 (Member # 8372) on :
 
I took Mepron and Ketek together for 7 months. I tolerated the Mepron well and made great strides. I HATED the taste and it affected my appetite I really had to think about eating while I was treating Babs. I ended up losing a bit of weight. I was never hungry.
 

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Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
 
I read an abstract that said that WA1 Babs phylogenetically was so close to the type of malaria that sequesters in the liver and has a liver stage that they thouht it must as well- but they have just begun to really study Babs!!!

WA1 and Microti are VERY different though-
WA1 is way more lethal-
 

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Posted by Aligondo Bruce (Member # 6219) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by CaliforniaLyme:
I read an abstract that said that WA1 Babs phylogenetically was so close to the type of malaria that sequesters in the liver and has a liver stage that they thouht it must as well- but they have just begun to really study Babs!!!

WA1 and Microti are VERY different though-
WA1 is way more lethal-

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