First off I tested seropositive for Babesia and Bartonella and not Lyme. I am on Mepron, Zithromax, Bactrim DS, and pulsed Artemisinin.
My symptoms were slowly improving the last few weeks until the last couple of days. The last couple days I have had skin peeling on my body. The undersides of my thumb and pointer finger have been peeling (I originally mistook it for cracking) for more than a year off and on, and that came back in force. I also have new skin peeling on the bottom of my left foot.
The last couple days I have also been extremely OCD. When I think of something I obsess over it until I can get to my computer and read about it. Any small thought that pops into my head causes me to obsess and compromises my current activity. I have not had this symptom for a few weeks while on treatment, but had it at times in the last few years, before starting abx.
On treatment my muscle twitching had greatly improved. Last night my muscles were extremely twitchy, particularly my leg muscles.
Since starting treatment I have been sleeping a bunch. I have gotten 9 hours of sleep a night on average. The last two nights I have had horrible insomnia. The night before last I slept at 2:00 and woke up at 8:00. Last night I could not sleep until 6:00 and woke up at 11:00.
If I had to venture a guess I would say these symptoms are a sign of Bartonella hitting me with a vengeance. Which infection do you think is causing it? I hope that none of the symptoms make you think Lyme, as I am hopeful that I just have Babs and Bart, but if you think Lyme is more likely then tell me. Also, why do you think that I would improve for three weeks and then suddenly be hit? Do you think the infections are becoming more aggressive in response to treatment? Thanks guys.
Posted by Ian (Member # 24637) on :
In addition facial pimples have been popping up the last couple days and today I have a small red rash on my chest.
Posted by djf2005 (Member # 11449) on :
Sounds like you need to detox...
Stay on therapy but start to employ some good supps to aid you in ridding the body of the nuero toxins, etc..
Posted by Ian (Member # 24637) on :
I'm on a multivitamin, fishoil, b-complex, probiotic, potassium/magnesium aspartate, NT factor, alpha lipoic acid, kolorex (for candida), rhodiola (for adrenals), vitamin d, and olive leaf extract. I see my doc in a few days. Any other supplements that I should ask him about?
Posted by Aimee (Member # 20946) on :
My son's skin on his fingers and toes started peeling when we added Bactrim to his regimin. My guess is it is Bartonella realted or drug related but he did also test positive for Lyme and was also on Zith and Mepron. But the peeling definitely started shortly after adding the Bactrim which we used to specifically target the Bartonella.
Posted by lyme in Putnam (Member # 11561) on :
I live ocd, I am on meds and since I re-started lyme treatment, went up on the ocd meds. Good luck. I take pretty much the same supplements as you, but my ocd med is anafranil. The thought doesn't go away no matter how you try and on treatment, it almost feels useless taking any ocd stuff at times. Have lyme and bart.
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
If you have bart in my opinion the Bactrim and Zith are not strong enough for that infection. Will probably need to add in Levaquin or Factive and/or Rifampin. I guess you could try increasing the olive leaf extract, but not sure that is strong enough either for bart.
Of course it could depend on what strain of bart you have, but whatever hubby has did not respond to over a year of Bactrim.
Good luck.
Bea Seibert
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
Ian, when I start a new drug or combo, I feel really good at first (maybe 3 days, maybe 3 weeks) and then I start feeling badly again.
I find that when I go heavy on the detox (my LLMD gives glutathione IV, and lemon water really helps me) then my symptoms start going down again.
I could be wrong, but I've come to think that when I immediately feel better, the bacteria have taken a nose dive behind the bushes.
And then when I feel worse and detox helps, I think the drugs are doing their job and my symptoms are from an overload of toxins caused by the die off.
Maybe I'm right? Don't know. But I hope you feel better soon.
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
I wonder if you are all of a suddden becoming allergic to one of the meds, such as the Bactrim? Because skin peeling, to me, sounds kind of extreme (guess it depends how bad it is). I can't imagine that would be a herx.
For some reason, skin peeling makes me think of auto-immune also. If I were you, I would look into other conditions that can cause skin peeling, or ask a doctor about it, because it could be another condition you aren't addressing.
Realize of course that infections can cause/result in/lead to autoimmunity. I would definitely not take steroids or anything if you have active infection. But it would be nice to know what's causing the peeling.
So check out drug allergy and other conditions for the skin peeling.
The OCD....could be anything really. Bart is a possibility. I would definitely see a psychiatrist (not a therapist/psychologist) to get on proper treatment for OCD. I have lived with OCD, and it is miserable. No need to try to tough it out without meds if you don't have to.
I also recommend the book "Brain Lock: Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior" by Jeffrey Schwartz. You can usually find it at bookstores like Barnes and Noble. It's also at amazon.com. It is a popular book for overcoming OCD.
People's brain scans have changed, just from following the behavioral practices in that book. It's only like $10 on amazon.
There are a lot of good meds out there for insomnia too. I know these suggestions are only addressing the symptom, but it's hard to live with OCD and being sleep-deprived. How can you ever recover like that? Ya know? And it's a vicious cycle...when you aren't getting sleep, your OCD will be worse because your brain is more fatigued. Then worse OCD can keep you up. Vicious cycle.
A lot of time with Mepron, people start to herx about 2-3 weeks in. Not sure how long you've been on these meds.
Yes, it does sound like Bart. But OCD and insomnia can come out when the body is under any kind of stress, so it's hard to know exactly which infection it could be.
Good luck!
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
My LLMD checked my hands for peeling and said that lyme causes it.
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
skin peeling and bactrim are associated. Bactrim is one med that can cause horrific skin peeling (Steven Johnson Syndrome)...
this syndrome is rare, but it might be prudent for you to fly it by your LLMD...
Not saying that this is the cause of your problem at all....just ck. to be safe!
Posted by CD57 (Member # 11749) on :
Oh Ian, I'm so sorry. I am one member that can absolutely relate to this. The OCD thing is the worst.
I think it's probably bartonella and a need to detox yes.
Posted by anemone (Member # 19995) on :
I've got the finger pad peeling. It seemed to clear up for a bit when I was on Amox, Doxy, Plaq. I stopped the Doxy so I could pulse Flagyl and it seems to have returned. I also have the twitching and the rashy pimples, and I think that's all Bart. I took a 3 month course of Rifampin and that did not seem to touch the Bart, can't take Levaquin or Zith, unfortunately.
Posted by Ian (Member # 24637) on :
Thanks so much for your responses guys. I've been on my current treatment regimen for almost exactly three weeks. Before then I was on Ceftin and Bactrim, because the tests hadn't come back and my doc originally thought Bartonella and maybe Lyme. Then my tests came back and were seropositive for Babesia and Bartonella.
I don't think it's Steven Johnson because it's only peeling of a couple fingers of my right hand and peeling of the underside of my foot. Plus I've had the peeling of my fingers for about a year, off and on, long before I started treatment.
So do you guys think that Bartonella can cause skin peeling? I've heard that it's more common with Lyme, but I'm hoping that it's just the Bartonella.
In terms of detox I have been taking all the above supplements, drinking lots of water, and taking epsom salt baths every couple of days. Anything else you would recommend?
I see my doc in a few days. I have a list of things to ask him: the skin peeling and whether Bartonella often causes it, the OCD and insomnia, and whether the Bactrim and Zith alone might not be powerful enough for the Bartonella. Any other questions that you would recommend?
Thanks for your help as always.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
My now famous lyme doctor told me to eat 4 lemons per day and drink lots of water throughout lyme treatment. That was the detox plan he recommended.
You have to use fresh lemons, not concentrated lemon juice. Squeeze the lemons into the water and drink that as your only drink all day long. Eat what is left of the fruit of the lemon also.
Many have been helped by the lemons. They are a natural cleanser of the body.
In the morning, you can have the water hot with lemon, if you like. The rest of the day, it can be cold or whatever you like. I really hope this helps you detox. It made my herxes mild--nothing to write home about.