So..I did a 3 day round of Coartem last weekend. During the Pulse, I was having mild night sweats (head / shoulders only) each night, but otherwise felt great. I typically only have night sweats about 1x / week, so having it 3 nights in a row was unusual. It is the kind of night sweats where my pillow gets a bit damp and I have to turn it over. Otherwise I'm fine.
Since finishing the pulse, I've noticed some other symptoms have popped up. Specifically, I get twinges of muscle aches in my quads / thighs. And I've had night sweats each night since finishing (the past 3 nights.) That makes 6 nights of sweats total...unusual for me. Granted, it has been warmer...but not that warm.
Just wondering what folks think. I know Dr. S says muscle aches in the large muscles of the legs = babs. Do you take this as a good sign? Or do you think I maybe need to do another pulse of Coartem?
I have restarted Malarone / Zith yesterday and just added Rifabutin for Bart today.
Posted by blinkie (Member # 14470) on :
I think babs is a b**** to get rid of. I'm going through this too. No sweats for three days, then bam! sweating around my neck..same thing, have to turn the pillow over.
For me, on nights when I take artemisinin, I don't have sweats. I'm taking malarone and IV zith with tindimax and cryptolepsis. Feeling so, so much better but it's still there.
I'm just going to keep on keeping on...not stopping babesia treatment for a year or more.
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
Rifabutin is related to rifampin which greatly lowers the blood concentration of atavoquone. As only 47% of atavoquone is absorbed (when you eat a high fat meal) you won't be getting much into your body to fight the babs.
A better option for bart would be levaquin (if you dare) or Bactrim DS which also helps make the babesia treatment more effective. So if you are having an increase in symptoms, you probably don't want less babesia treatment.
Babesia treatment is very up and down. I did 6 rounds of Coartem. The first one I felt nearly well. After that I got a little boost forward each time. One of the last rounds I had a big bout of dizziness.
You just never know for sure but probably what you are experiencing is a herx.
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
Thanks Neff.
Re Rifabutin and Atovaquone. Yes I'm aware. But for Duncani, it is the Proguanil in the Malarone that is the big benefit...and that isn't impacted by Rifabutin. So I can deal with the lower absorbtion of Atovaquone.
I can't take Levaquin because of the Zith. You can't combine a macrolide with a fluoroquinolone due to QT interval stuff.
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
Neff..one last thing..how would you say you are doing with Babs? Are you done?
Posted by ktkdommer (Member # 29020) on :
My son takes coartem and is OK the first 2 days on it and then feels sick 2-3 days after that. The first time it knocked him into bed. He does artemesia also.