Several years ago my dear cousin, a year younger than I and closely related to me (and we looked alike) experienced sudden liver failure. There was no obvious reason for it, and the doctors labeled it "unexplained."
She had always been the heathiest of us, and it was a shock when she needed a liver transplant. It was an even worse shock when she died the day after the surgery.
Some time after that, a DNA test revealed that my liver was susceptible to damage. I was glad I wasn't much of a drinker, but other things beside alcohol can damage a liver.
So when my LLMD prescribed Plaquenil, I resisted taking it. The possibility of it hurting my liver was too alarming. Then last week he prescribed Malarone. I filled the prescription, but procrastinated about taking it.
Finally decided to start today, but the first thing I read on the data sheet was that it may cause serious or deadly liver damage. And then, "Some people have needed a liver transplant."
That was it. No way can I bring myself to take this pill. The doctor said he would test my liver every month, but serious damage can happen before that, as some travelers have found.
My question to you: Is there something I can do instead? I'm presently taking Doxy and Zithromax. I'd love to be treated with something besides pharmaceuticals, but I'm happy to have at least found a LLMD in this unsophisticated region I live in.
He diagnosed me with Lyme, Bart, and Babs. Initially, the diet helped a great deal, and I didn't start the first antibiotic (Doxy) until I got bronchitis and my tick-related symptoms got a lot worse. I've had very few good days since.
Thanks!
Posted by MannaMe (Member # 33330) on :
Can you take A-Bab, an herbal from Byron White?
My husband used A-Bab as part of his treatment for babesia.
Byron White also has A-Bart and another one for Lyme. I don't remember what that one is called.
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
There is arteminisinin and cryptolepsis (pardon the spelling!) - both are herbals for babesia. Not sure if they would be enough to knock it out w/o abx but worth a try. You'd have to investigate effects on the liver though.
Posted by bluelyme (Member # 47170) on :
Art has to be pulsed from what i hear ..but some one on the other forum did whole herb of sweet annie for a whole year.. .i am curious about this also...its all bout what the liver can detox and enzymes cp450. My llnp want me on alinia?...and i got some csa (crypto sida ,alchorea )...and bvt my help lyse em open... alsoni have heard of peoples liver enzymes restoring to normal from bart treatment ...so infections can muck up the works too...was your cuz diagnosed with anything prior? Meds?...i thought bactim gave me liver damage for a while ..may have just chased bugs there
Posted by D Bergy (Member # 9984) on :
I used Rife frequency treatments to rid my wife of Babesia. She has had no sign of it for several years. Between Lyme, Bart and Babesia, the Babesia was the easier of the three, although that's in relative terms. Still a tough one to totally eliminate.
High fructose corn syrup can damage the liver in some people. Acetaminophen is the leading cause of liver failure.
Dan
Posted by Jordana (Member # 45305) on :
I've taken sida and crypto and now I have a bottle of CSA which really helps with night sweats, but I just don't think it's enough to really get rid of babs. Once I ran out of those herbs the sweats just started right up again, and I took it steadily for four months.
There are some other babesia drugs I've been researching -- coartem, and daraprim. I don't know their effect on the liver but I know I'm scared of mepron and malarone just based on the side effects.
Posted by Alisandne (Member # 27304) on :
Thanks for these responses.
No, my cousin wasn't on any regular meds and hadn't been diagnosed with anything. She lived such a healthy life. Her doctors delved into possible causes and came up empty.
My mother died in her 30's from using carbon tetrachloride, a cleaning product that isn't sold anymore. It was winter, and the windows were closed. The fumes were dangerous, but I wonder how many people actually died, and if my mom's liver handled the toxins poorly.
I haven't taken acetaminophen in years because of the liver connection, and don't consume high fructose corn syrup--although I didn't know it could cause liver problems.
I get a dangerous reaction to anything containing solanine (tomatoes, potatoes, okra, artichokes, etc.) Solanine is a toxin, but present in such small quantities that a normal liver handles it without a problem. But not mine.
Sometimes I think the best thing I can do is build up my immune system as much as I can and hope for the best.
Posted by lymenotlite (Member # 33166) on :
The Buhner babesia protocol helped me a lot and may have gotten rid of babs.
Sounds like the doctors killed your cousin.
Posted by tulips (Member # 44773) on :
This is a very important decision for you. I think you should find a top LLMD to handle your case and also have some consults with a good Naturopath before taking any course of action. And when any meds
or herbs are recommended, do exactly what you're doing now and ask the group before taking it - maybe ask several Lyme groups. There are a few other groups too.
Posted by Alisandne (Member # 27304) on :
Thank you. Yes, it is an important decision for me. Unfortunately, I live in a medically unsophisticated area with only one LLMD about 60 miles away--a kind and caring GP who has gotten sick from tick bites himself. Also unfortunately, my finances are quite limited.
Since writing the above posts, I've had to stop taking the Zithromax. I was having numerous episodes of weaknes where I felt like my heart wasn't keeping up (I don't know how else to describe it), and when I finally thought to take my pulse it was terribly irregular. My first thought was, "What have I eaten lately?" but I hadn't eaten anything different. It was my first week on Zithromax though, so I looked up side effects. Yes, this drug can cause serious heart problems. It also could have caused the knee pain I experienced all week. Who knew an antibiotic could do this? Not I.
Posted by Nula (Member # 38409) on :
Get thee to Amazon.com ... :-) To buy Stephen Buhner's Babesia book.
It doesn't seem like many Lymenet users have read it.
I came to this conclusion as people on here never talk about it. They mention Buhner's protocol he has online, but the book is new, updated, and in a different league.
Do yourself a favor and buy the book. DON'T assume that you can do the protocol based on the information online.
His Babesia protocol online is outdated and does not even remotely contain the information he has included in his new book.
He explains the entire disease. If I didn't have it, I'd be fascinated. I am in awe of his books. Especially the Babesia book. There are tons of herbs and supplements he suggests for babesia, including, but not limited to, Sida acuta, Cryptolepis and Bidens pilosa.
I have a brutal case of Babesia duncani and can't take pharmaceuticals at this time. My gut gave up on me. If I didn't have the Buhner herbs, I'd likely not be here anymore ...
[ 05-24-2016, 06:18 AM: Message edited by: Nula ]
Posted by Alisandne (Member # 27304) on :
Thank you, Nula. Is it Natural Treatments for Lyme Coinfections: Anaplasma, Babesia, and Ehrlichia, published February 2015? If so, I'll order it.
Posted by Nula (Member # 38409) on :
Yes, it is :-)
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
I also got liver problems, since lyme kicked in long ago. Lost of pain, and fear that one day, it was not going to function anymore.
Maybe that's the reason I can't tolerate any abx well. I suffer MORE from the abx than from whatever symptoms I'm treating, so I abandoned abx long ago.
And fared MUCH better without them.
I bought a violet ray last year. I've been using it for about 16 months, regularly.
From all treatments I did so far, this is for me the best for my liver and gall bladder.
I also swear by chlorella and MSM. They helped me immensely (herxes), but the feeling of a tight liver, hardened, heavy, only left me since I started the violet ray regularly.
It was immediate relief since the start, but you got to start slow as it may create a herx like reaction.
No bitter herbs in combination, acupuncture, tapping, Reflex massage, homeopathy, nothing really helped my liver to the extent the violet ray did. For the total cost of 25 dollars in ebay or amazon!
I only now realized, because of your post, that that same fear you have now has disappeared for me. I remember feeling scared for my liver and life, and that is why I'm writing you.
I don't know if it will work for you, but it was a blessing for me.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I got rid of it by taking zithromax and artemisinin. It didn't take that long to knock it out.
(I had had many rounds of clindamycin and quinine prior to the zith and art.. but I feel it was the last combo that got rid of it.)