I was dx with Lyme in august of 09. Treated for 8 months and recovered completely - so i thought. came off abx because i was symptom free for 16 weeks, and was fine for 4 months. Then beaten up what seemed like overnight by new symptoms that are now making me sicker than i was before it all! my LLMD feels lyme is mostly erradicated, but that babesia has finally reared its ugly head. I have different symptoms now than i did last year, now i am plagued with a racing heart, chest pains, and air hunger from hell. Had my heart thoroughly checked and everythings normal.
My questions are:
1. is it common to 'cure' your lyme symptoms later to have a horrible relapse of a co infection?
2. why do co infections show up after lyme has been defeated?
Just curious to hear if anyone else had a relapse due to a co infection. Thanks!
Posted by iamgreek (Member # 29517) on :
Hey pal, I have the same symptoms, racing heart, air hunger exc. I have been treating babs for month now and been feeling much better. Babs is tough to ride of, you need to focus your energy there. You'll get rid of it, get the right meds. Im on mepron and zith...doing much better.
Posted by karebear50 (Member # 24110) on :
You sound similiar to me. I was doing pretty well, then symptoms started coming back. My LLMD is also now thinking that that we might be dealing with babs more than the Lyme disease.
Sorry, I don't have any answers to your questions, because I think I am right where you are now. Nice to know you are not alone though.
Posted by Toboein (Member # 22635) on :
def nice to know im not alone
thanks for your answers.
im only 24 years old, i feel like im trapped in the crippled body of an 80 year old. it gets so depressing, im scared to go out because the breathing problems become so severe once anxiety sinks it. i hate this feeling. i want these bugs gone, and i think it sucks even more to have been so close to normal only to fall back down harder than i did before.
I hope you guys get better. Karebear, keep me updated on how you move along with this, my LLMD also thinks the babs is almost 99% of my issue now seeing as all my lyme symptoms are non existant. id like to know how you trudge through this.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
From page 23 of Burrascano's lyme treatment guidelines:
"It has also been reported that Babesia infections can range in severity from mild, subclinical infection, to fulminant, potentially life threatening illness. Subclinical infection is often missed because the symptoms are incorrectly ascribed to Lyme.
Babesia infections, even mild ones, may recur even after treatment and cause severe illness. This phenomenon has been reported to occur at any time, including up to several years after the initial infection!"
Also, right before this quote it says:
"Babesia infection is becoming more commonly recognized, especially in patients who already have Lyme Disease. It has been published that as many as 66% of Lyme patients show serologic evidence of co-infection with Babesia microti."
So, to answer your questions, if your doc did not treat you for babesiosis when he treated your lyme disease, then that is why it is showing up now.
Babesiosis is so common with lyme that many lyme docs just treat all lyme patients for babesiosis also, regardless of symptoms or test results.
I had no symptoms of babs, but I had it. When my third lyme doc started treating me for it, I really got crazy weekly babs flares. (Previous lyme docs only treated me for lyme. Any time I stopped meds, in 2 weeks I was sick again.)
So, you had what is known as a subclinical case of babesiosis and, left untreated, it finally got the best of your immune system and began to display itself.
This isn't uncommon. Many people have told me that as their lyme got treated, coinfections began to manifest themselves.
Don't get discouraged. You will get rid of this disease too. You will get back to normal.
It has now been nearly 6 years since I completed my treatment and I am still symptom-free enjoying my life. I had lyme, babesiosis and bartonella.
Posted by Toboein (Member # 22635) on :
TF thank you, that is very encouraging.
reassurance at this time is priceless and unbelievably comforting. thank you for the reply, it makes a lot of sense.
6 years! i cant remember the last time i was symptom free for 6 minutes. Good for you, i hope it keeps up!
Posted by momlyme (Member # 27775) on :
You are definitely not alone. My 11 year old son feels and looks like a crippled old man. This is a cruel disease and knows no age boundries. He also has the air hunger and chest pains... not so much the racing heart.
I hope you feel better soon.
Posted by apljack (Member # 14233) on :
My doctor started treating me for Babs because I never felt well once treatment for ehrlichia/lyme was over. While my blood test was borderline, it was enough for him to treat it. I am almost normal.
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
You are not alone I am 24 too, and just started this journey it is really hard. If you ever need to talk Toboein let me know, I just want to be a normal 24 yr old w/engery. Thank god my boyfriend is very supportive, i thank god everyday for him and my family. When I feel like I cant keep going, they encourage me I can.
TF thank you for that encouraging story, sometimes i just feel like giving up (
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