I am SOOO SCARED TO start this drug OMGGGG ( I am goin to start out slow I cut the pills into 3's and going to take 1/3 of it this morning and do this for a few days...then work my way up to a half...then a full....etc...
Posted by Dekrator48 (Member # 18239) on :
I've been taking Bactrim DS for 3 weeks.
No real problems so far, but I started herxing 2 1/2 weeks after starting it (last Sat).
At least it must be killing something, and that's good news, since sometimes I don't have much of a herx on some abx.
I started at the full dose.
Posted by Jamers (Member # 28016) on :
I started 5 days ago at 1/2 dose and had what I thought was herxing right away. It wasn't bad but now Im wondering if its herxing or side effects of the pill.
Check out the complete side effects and you can see they resemble lyme disease, especially Bartonella symptoms for me. Its so hard to tell what is normal for herxing and a side effect. I have a very sensitive system and I was okay on the 1/2 pill. I wouldn't worry as much, I put off taking it for 2 Months, and its not that bad.
Just be aware of any side effects.
Posted by philly78 (Member # 31069) on :
I've been on it since April with no major problems.
Posted by tricia386 (Member # 29623) on :
I toook like a quarter of a pill, I did read all the side effects thats why I am soo nervous (
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
I took Bactrim DS for nearly a year. It got rid of babesiosis for me.
As soon as I started it, I started with horrible weekly babs flares. The flare was like clockwork--every Friday evening at about 7 p.m. it would start and it would end at about 7 p.m. on Sunday evening.
The rest of the week, I felt great. Normal.
The flare was the worst thing you could imagine. It made me totally non-functional. I just lay there. No moving, no talking, no eating, no drinking, no going to the bathroom, etc. I floated in and out of consciousness.
And, I had this horrible feeling of doom the entire time--like this is how I would feel for the rest of my life. Couldn't reason with my mind about this. Horrible!
When, it lifted, I went back to normal! Strange.
When I reported it to my lyme doc, he said that babs had a 7 day cycle and a 14 day cycle and I was experiencing the 7 day cycle. (So, this was NOT a side effect of the Bactrim.) He had me add artemisinin to encompass the flare (took it Friday through Sunday of each week). It worked like a miracle. First weekend, flare lasted just 6 hours and was very mild--just had to go to sleep. Every weekend less. Then, got the flares every 14 days, and finally, no more flares. That's how I knew I was done.
So, Bactrim was great for me. In April it was 6 years since I completed my treatment and I am still symptom free, enjoying my life.
Posted by tickbiter (Member # 31829) on :
I am very interested in adding bactrim to my routine as it seems to really treat coinfections. However i have heard different stories about how it treats bartonella but not babesia and vice versa...does anyone have a link to any information on what exactly it treats best? Basically just wondering how much it hits either babs or bart.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I never had any trouble with it.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Here's a link saying Bactrim treats babs and also treats parasites:
My lyme doctor used Bactrim to get rid of my babs, but he also said it hits bart. So, I believe I can give the Bactrim credit for getting rid of my bart too.
The only other bart treatment I had was 30 days of Levaquin right before starting the Bactrim. So, I got rid of bart on Levaquin and Bactrim DS.
Posted by Dekrator48 (Member # 18239) on :
I have to say that I am happy that I am herxing on Bactrim DS.
I believe that this means that this abx will help me in the end.
The only other big herx I had was on doxy.
I have wondered to myself if it might be killing babesia since I experienced chills and sweats along with fatigue, lethargy and increased pain.
Can't say for sure...my babs test was neg.
My bart was positive so maybe it's hitting that too.
The good news: I had more energy this afternoon and my chills have not returned since my last dose of ibuprofen at 1:40 pm today....they were returning like clockwork in 6.5-7 hrs since Sat eve...it's a little early to say the chills are done, but I am hopeful.
Don't be too afraid..take it one day at a time.
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
I was very worried at first too because I actually broke out in hives when I was young and took a sulfa drug. I expected to have a reaction so I started with a very low dose. I read it helps your body de-sensitize to it. I had no trouble and it was one of the best meds I ever used.
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( I am goin to start out slow I cut the pills into 3's and going to take 1/3 of it this morning and do this for a few days...then work my way up to a half...then a full....etc...