I have tried to titrate up on my Rifampin, but cannot seem to tolerate more than 75 mg. Even at 100mg my heart pounds and I have air hunger.
Question: I am in screaming pain, so I think it is doing something. I am currently taking it with Biaxin. Do I continue on the low dose or give it up and try something else for Bartonella?
Posted by Haley (Member # 22008) on :
Rifampin is a tough one to decipher. It may be side effects of the medicine as some people can't seem to process it in their system.
I had severe problems but I started with 600 mg. I almost went to ER because I felt like I was having a heart attack.
I am considering trying it again just to see if it may have been hitting an infection hard. I do remember that after only two weeks on Rifampin some of my severe symptoms left. A year later they seem to be back.
Sorrry. I'm not much help and can't answer your question but I thought I would share my experience with you.
Posted by Sophie1234 (Member # 26412) on :
Thank you Haley. I have a call in to my dr. and will see what he says. God bless you.
Posted by Pocono Lyme (Member # 5939) on :
Sophie,
Bea Seibert posted an article a while back about Rifampin having a mild effect on Babesia.
I think her husband also couldn't tolerate Very low doses of Rifampin. After treating with Chloroquine and Primaquine he was able to do high dose Rifampin.
Hope this might help you.
Posted by Sophie1234 (Member # 26412) on :
That is good to know, Pocono I will look for this post. Thank you!
Posted by NMN (Member # 11007) on :
hi Pocono,
I just wanted to chine in with this link I posted a few days ago which I dont think got much notice.
Rigampin is effective against babesia/malaria parasitic infections. I have been fighting bart for quite a while and it has been causing some nasty eye inflammation the worst being uveitis which of course is sight threatening.
I could not for the life of me work out why when I used high doses of rifampin (i.e 900mg/1200mg) I would get immediate relief from many symptoms and get a huge boost of energy back followed by a worsening 3 days later but overall my eye would settle. I used these doses as this is what is used by opthamologists for chronic bartonella of the eye.
After many rounds I have realised that babs/malaria type co is being immediately suppressed by these rifampin doses and the knock on effect 3 days or so later is the rifampin hitting the inter cell lyme and bart.
In this particular study they used up to 1500mg in single dose which I have used for a few days also. You must have your lyme and bart load down to tolerate these kinds of doses of course.
Having said that I see your post about Beas husband and that does not surprise me as it really depends on the parasite you are fighting. I never herx on babs meds I just get better.
I agree, you may not have your loads down enough to tolerate yet.
Posted by Haley (Member # 22008) on :
NMN - I did notice your prior post and thought it was very interesting as I am considering doing Rifampin again.
It was really like going through hell when I tried it before. One of the worse parts was that on top of the side effects my sleep meds didn't work so I couldn't sleep. I was a wreck.
How in the heck did you do 900/1200 mg? How did this dose effect you (any side effects)? Were you able to sleep? How long have you been on this protocol?
Posted by NMN (Member # 11007) on :
Hi Haley,
I have been doing aggressive treatment for bart for 2 years now. In the beginning 300 mg would send me up the walls also.
I have been taking 1200mg for 6 days now and side effects are nothing noticable to be honest. I take 5mg melatonin time release as always for sleep and it works fine. I sleep 8-11 hours a night although dreams are a bit crazy.
I have to admit I do not think I could tolerate such strong bart treatments were it not for the cymbalta I am taking now. Having said that I dont think that would even suppress the bart rages were they to surface strongly.
I have been taking it with 2 or 3 mino a day but I am struggling to keep babesia at bay right now so I have changed Mino for Bactrim DS which is will help keep babs in check and also hit the bart from a different angle. Thankfully no bad herxing anymore. I think my lyme load is well down now.
I am going to go after babs/malaria with a prim & cloro combo soon as it is undermining all bart and lyme treatments while it is present.
I will only do 2 weeks of rifampin at this dose and then I will switch to levaquin for 2 weeks and then back again. I will also start bicillin shots again twice a week to cover lyme.
Posted by NMN (Member # 11007) on :
The other reason for switching rifampin in and out is due to studies I have read in which subjects had 50% reduction in blood levels after 2 weeks.
I think our bodies break down all of these meds over time.
Posted by FunkOdyssey (Member # 15855) on :
NMN- Are you taking that 1200mg rifampin in one daily dose or two divided doses?