Trying to figure out if hubby really has subclinical Babesia or if Bart is really the issue.
He definitely herxes on Alinia. Am concerned that LLMD has discontinued Levaquin and that only leaves Bactrim as a Bart med.
Someone recently posted that sweats and air hunger could be Bart symptoms as well as Babs symptoms. Hubby gets these symptoms from Alinia treatment as well as the episodic tremors/myoclonus/seizure-like spells.
Alinia is used to treat ameoba histolytica (a red blood cell parasite) and other G.I. parasites and current LLMD uses it to treat Babs.
Does anyone think it could be used to treat Bart as well?
Bea Seibert
Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :
Hi Bea,
I have not been on Alinia, but have very bad Bart as you may remember.
The friends of mine who have been on Alinia were prescribed it due either to Babs or an entirely different parasite - often for parasites in general that the LLMDs thought could be a collateral issue.
Many of these friends of mine had a very hard time tolerating Alinia.
Alinia has never been mentioned to me as a possibility for Bartonella, and believe me, I'm pretty much out of options for Bart and I think the LLMDs would have considered it if they felt it would be an option.
Take care, Jill
Posted by minoucat (Member # 5175) on :
Bea -- my understanding is not. Alinia is an antiprotozoal, used primarily for parasites like giardia.Its antprotozoal properties are why it is supposed to have an effect against babs.
Jill -- The hubby just finished IV Avelox for bart -- he's also tried pretty much everything abx-wise (except for Larium). Avelox has definitely helped in the short run and the sx that we see as bart are completely gone at the moment, but it's way too soon to tell if it's had a long-term effect.
He did have some soreness in the elbows and knees at the end of the avelox treatment, but nothing compared to the pain of Levaquin or Cipro.
No herbal tx that he tried have worked for him for bart.
Good luck.
[ 15. April 2008, 07:44 PM: Message edited by: minoucat ]
Posted by Cass A (Member # 11134) on :
For what it's worth, my LLMD, who has been treating Lyme for about 20 years, says that Babs, Bart, and Lyme tend to come in on you like a tag-team wrestlers--when you get one of them nearly handled, you tend to get attacked heavily by one of the others. As a result, his tactic now is to treat ONE most agressively, while treating the other two only a little bit until the first is not manifesting at all, then go on to the next with the same type of treatment.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Cass A
Posted by Jill E. (Member # 9121) on :
Thanks, Minocat, regarding the info on IV Avelox.
My LLMD had considered Avelox or Factive for me, after I developed a 15-month disability from Levaquin due to weakness and pain in my Achilles Tendons. He said Avelox and Factive seem to have less risk regarding the tendons. I had been on Rifampin for a very long time and recently had to give it up, so I may consider Avelox, although the tendon issue frightens me.