MY LYME DOCTOR THINKS THAT I HAVE BARTONELLA (SP??), I HAD TAKEN LEVAQUIN BEFORE BUT IT MAD MY MUSCLES BURT BAD SO SHE TOOK ME OFF OF THAT AND NOW I HAVE TO TAKE RIFAMPIN..... I AM A BIG BABY WHEN IT COMES TO TAKEN MEDICINE....I HAVE ALOT OF ANXIETY FROM THE LYMES, AND I AM SUPER TERRIFIED OF BEING ALLERGIC.....ANY SUGGESTIONS, OR HAS ANYONE EVERY TAKEN IT?????
THANKS,JENN
Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
My daughter did Rifampin. I believe it's better to take it in conjunction with zithromax. I can't remember, one suppresses growth of the bacteria, the other kills it.
Rifampin was very hard to take.
I did six months of zithromax, then on the last day added one rifampin. I was a mess for a week from just one pill
That means it could've really gone straight to an infection in my brain. I'll go to the LLMD this week and he may put me back on it.
It did help my daughter, though. So, it's like walking over hot coals. Sometimes you gotta, to get to the other side.
Posted by dmc (Member # 5102) on :
Been on 600mg once day for 6 months now....LOVE IT.
Had horrible first weel, emotional herx, bawled for two days, but once through that progress has been better.
I was spiraling downward...Rifampin w/ abx had stopped that. Biggest thing it helped was bladder control and my edema has lessened greatly.
It's made me well enough to do rehab weight training 2 hours 3x week.
I found it a blessing. Not everyone reacts the same way to every med.
This is a just a suggestion-Don't freak yourself out before trying something.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
If you will click on the little word "search" above in the middle of this page, you can do a search on Rifampin here.
You will literally find hundreds of threads on the subject.
I had some anxiety before taking rifampin as well....I was nervous about starting, but it's well worth it.....
It made my anxiety worse for about a month and then it got so much better!
I got spinal pain and a few gnarly headaches....
But overall, it has really helped me! My head cleared up quit a bit too....smiles...and my energy is so much better....
I'm currently herxing because I increased my Zith dose...but it is starting to pass...
Try and not to be worried, I know it's hard, but it really has helped me and could help you as well...everyone is so individual, but I'd give it a try...
When you take the pill, mentally tell your body how much it is going to help.Our thoughts are very powerful! Get in the right mind set about it, so you don't psych yourself ...
I did this with IM Bicillin because all my life I was told I was allergic to penecillin's...
did a test and I'm not allergic....so much anxiety before the first shot...but I'm ok...it's hard to not psych ourselves out, but we waste so much precious energy on it...
My best to you~ If you have questions or need support while starting , I'm here...
Love~ Fawne
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Rifampin was probably one of the hardest meds on my body.
Other than the orange pee (which my children thought was cool)
It gave me horriffic muscle cramps especially at night.
Legs, calves, feet, bladder ....
I had to really increase my magnesium on this med.
I hoped I kicked bartonella to the curb as this is one med
I hope to never have to take again.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by roro (Member # 13383) on :
I have been on 600mg since august. it has been the easiest drug for me to tolerate so far. it has really helped my bart tremedously
some of my symptoms that were definitely the bart have disappeared completely. all of the behavioral/cognitive stuff, the daily fevers and sweats, and a lot of the burning skin sensations and muscle pain, the GI issues
i started out on a pulse 5 days a week, then stayed on it every day.
i take it on an empty stomach and have had no issues from it. its known as being very well tolerated.
Posted by psano2 (Member # 11711) on :
I've been on 600mg/day of rifampin since last May. It's helped me a lot. If you have a high bacteria load, you may herx heavily on it at first, but for me, I started feeling better fairly quickly after starting it.
I did stop it for a while in the middle of this course, but I think I started relapsing, so I started it again.
I don't have any adverse effects from it at all, except for the orange pee, as the other person said.
Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
Rifampin, in my opinion, is what helped me the most out of all the medicine I took. Got me up to 70%.
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