Before it comes up, I did do a search of the site but found a ton of different answers/posts and was extremely confused.
I haven't been treating in about 3 months so I'm super excited to get this show on the road. I've finally got a decent LLMD and decent RXs and then I get hit again because I can't afford it.
The levaquin was $483 for a 30 days supply with a discount card as I do not have insurance.
I need to know what drugs treat Bart so I can look them up and find the most cost effective treatment. I would love to use levaquin because it is said it is the first line of defense for bart but I can't afford it.
I am allergic to Zithromax. I need suggestions. I need help. I'm in horrible pain.
The flagyl was cheap, thnk goodness, but now I don't know where to go from here.
So I need something to treat Bart that goes with Flagyl.
And again, I know there are other posts about it and I'm sorry but I was getting really confused trying to read through all of them.
***The other thing I'm looking for is dosages, in order to find out how much this is going to be without insurance I need to know dosages, so can you please PM with dosage info.***
Here's the running list I've got from looking through the search function...
Everyone agree? And if so I need dosages. I'm plugging in each drug into a discount card to check the price and checking Kroger's $4 list, because like Bactrim and Cipro are on there.
I would really love a mix that would hit Bart and Lyme without including doxy if possible, if not I'll bite the bullet and get over it, lol.
But in order to get the price I need dosage, I've just been guessing and getting a big window of prices.
I'm sorry to bug you all, I'm just calling back the LLMD today and I want to be prepared so if she says well such and such abx I can be like no no too expensive, Can we try this instead?
Thanks for everyone who is taking the time to read this.
[ 10-04-2010, 06:35 AM: Message edited by: littlebit27 ]
Posted by hoot (Member # 19281) on :
bump it up Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
Drugs of choice for Bart are Levaquin (not available in Generic), Rifampin (generic availalbe) and Bactrim DS.
Most people do well on Levaquin. I tried it for 2 weeks and just stopped as I was noticing some mild discomfort in my achilles tendons (it can cause tendonitis / rumpture.) Will be switching to Rifampin and then maybe Bactrim.
Dr. S says he prefers Rifampin for people with Neuro bart (Anxiety, Brain fog, etc.)
Posted by zil (Member # 12048) on :
You could try the Bactrim DS for bart and get a week to 10 days of amoxicillin or some kind of penicillin for the bronchitis. No insurance is hard. Maybe some of the herbs people use in additon?
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
Japanese Knotweed Boneset tea (for immediate relief) Red Root Crypotlepis
Posted by littlebit27 (Member # 24477) on :
I did amoxicillan and septra for bronchitis and still have it. I really wanted to try the levaquin but that's way too much money for a prescription right now.
I'm trying herbs but I really want to know which abx kill bart. I've got to get this bart under control. The last week or so has really proven to me I have bart and it is in control right now.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Posted by littlebit27 (Member # 24477) on :
Ok and here are the drugs I've found to be in a range that I can afford.
Cipro Bactrim DS Biaxin (possibly, depends on dosage) Doxy Clindamycin (again depends on dosage) Ceftin Rifampin (depends on dosage, for what I plugged in I got $100/month-too much for me right now)
Factive is through the roof. And Levaquin is wayy too much.
And I have flagyl already. So including flagyl and drugs from the "i can afford list" if you were me, what would you ask the LLMD for?
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
My daughter is taking adult doses of Bactrim and Biaxin. And my husband is taking Rifampin. I'll pm you the doses.
Posted by littlebit27 (Member # 24477) on :
Ok thanks
Posted by littlebit27 (Member # 24477) on :
Does anyone know about Ceftin/Bactrim/Flagyl For Bart and Lyme? Does that even work, is it possible?
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
If at all possible I would include cipro in your meds. Cipro, Levaquin and Factive are all in the same class of drugs -- quinolone antibiotics. Cipro is the oldest and factive the newest.
The standard dose of rifampin is 600 mg daily -- but if you have a bad case of bart then many people start with only 50 or 75 mg daily for the first week or two and then gradually increase the dose over several months. It took hubby 8 months to get to the full dose. This med comes in either 150 mg or 300 mg capsules -- you can just buy some empty capsules at the health food store and split up the pills yourself -- won't be exactly the same dose in each pill but close enough.
Be sure to ask your doc if they have any samples -- hubby gets some factive samples at every appointment and also coupons he uses on that med.
Also there are many programs run by the drug companies that will provide either free or reduced cost prescriptions -- depends on income.
Hubby did best on factive and rifampin. He has tried most of the meds on your list -- just not ceftin or biaxin or gentamycin -- everything else I think.
Bea Seibert
Posted by littlebit27 (Member # 24477) on :
Thank you for your input. I looked up help for this med and the only thing I could find was where a hospital had to order it and had to give it to you.
What about these combos?
Ceftin/Bactrim/Flagyl
Cipro/Biaxin/Flagyl
Cipro/Ceftin/Flagyl
Doxy/Cipro/Flagyl
Doxy/Bactrim/Flagyl
Any of these work?
Thanks
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
That Ceftin/Bactrim/Flagyl combo looks good.
In my experience though... Ceftin seems to just drive Lyme and Co away.
And while that will help you to feel good for awhile (I was at 95% on ceftin, doxy, flagyl)... I don't think it has long term effects.
Posted by littlebit27 (Member # 24477) on :
So how did you get the other 5%?
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
The most powerful drugs are levaquin (and some of the other quinolones), then rifampin. It is recommended that you try one of them first. Levaquin is probably the most powerful drug against bartonella but it is risky as it can cause tendontis.
You take Rifampin with a macrolide such as biaxin or zithromax.
Mycobutin (or RIfabutin) is in the same family as Rifampin and some doctors believe it is more effective against bart.
I am using Bactrim DS, which is very cheap, with a macrolide drug for bartonella. The macrolide will also target intercellular form of lyme. I take 500 mg of zithromax.
Previously I did levaquin, which I had to quit after five weeks because of thendonitis - and rifampin, which did not do much for me. Bactrim DS has been very effective for my neurological symptoms but it takes a while to work. Levaquin was much quicker.
You should take something else for the cyst form of lyme such as flagyl or plaquenil or tindamax (expensive). Maybe also doxy or minocycline for blood form.
Ketek is another expensive drug but it is very effective against lyme and is thought to help with bart when taken with another drug. It is also a macrolide.
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
I didn't get the other 5%
I went off abx's after 9 months and bacterias and coinfections slowly came back out.
I do herbal protocols (i'm not anti-abx's)
I just need a break from them (hopefully forever!)
Posted by MariaA (Member # 9128) on :
you can't combine biaxin and cipro, they interact. I've been in the same boat as you many times- having to do all this research and base things on how much they cost. One useful site is drugs.com for their drug interactions checker- even LLMD's sometimes miss major interactions if it's not the combo they normally prescribe. Other useful sites are pharmacychecker.com- you can order generics of some meds (like Rifampin) from overseas pharmacies a bit cheaper. I think my rifampin was about $40 or $50 a month through this place:
I think tindamax is also inexpensive at that site, which makes an even larger difference than the cost difference for Rifampin. The confusing thing is that they tend to sell 100-capsule dosages of everything, so it's basically one and a half months of some meds, or three months of other meds, depending on your dosage.
I took rifampin, biaxin, and Bactrim at the same time- rifampin and bactrim DS target bartonella, and bactrim might target babesia. Another option is the Gasser Protocol for neurological Lyme, which is high dose Roxithromycin (do a search here for sources overseas, you can't get it in the US) and high dose bactrim DS. Back in the early days of AIDS, there was some excitement about roxithromycin targeting some protozoal infections as well, so this might be a good protocol for people suffering both bartonella and babesia and Lyme with brain involvement. Roxithromycin is basically in the same class of drugs as biaxin and azithromycin, but is known to have good brain penetration.
Posted by littlebit27 (Member # 24477) on :
I didn't even think of the interaction aspect of it. I was thinking more along the lines of will it work lol.
Well I think I will ask the LLMD, when she calls back, about either doing Bactrim/Biaxin/Flagyl or Ceftin/Bactrim/Flagyl.
Neither is cheap but better in price. The rifampin to get here for the correct dosage is only $73 with the discount card so that's not terrible. I'm too afraid to order any meds offline. I'm a wuss.
Posted by littlebit27 (Member # 24477) on :
Well Biaxin/Bactrim/Flagyl it is....oh dear I'm scared, lol.
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
I'm on Rifampin / Doxy.
Posted by rks (Member # 24316) on :
Not sure what state you're in, but if it's Maryland, you can go online and get the MD Rx card, which gives a pretty good discount on some and really good discount on others.
It's free to any Maryland resident. You just sign up at the website and print out the card that pops up after signing up.
They also have a section where you can type in the drug name and dosage, then your zip code and it will spit out a list of pharmacies as well as the price they will charge you.
However, it doesn't work for Target, but you can always go into the Target store and ask them what they'd charge, then decide where you want to go.
Mine are divided between Giant and CVS at the moment.
If you're not in Maryland, try a search for your state and perhaps they'll have something similar.
I take Rifampin and Azithromycin for bart. My LLMD told me the azith helps kick up the Rifampin.
I just started it this past Sunday.
And, doubt it's kicked in so soon, but the past five days I have been feeling soooo much better. Better than I have in years! Feel like my old self. Hope it lasts!
Good Luck!
Posted by littlebit27 (Member # 24477) on :
I'm not in MD, I'm in GA. So as of right now it's biaxin/bactrim because that is the cheapest route to go right now.
I do use discount cards and that's why I was able to save $243 on the biaxin! LOL.
But I will pass this info onto my friend who is in MD.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)