posted
So I'm just at the beginning of treating bart and I'm already feeling defeated.
I did a month of biaxn and symptoms are back. Not sure what llmd will put me on next.
Has anyone here actually cleared bart? Is it curable? If I get rid of it will it come back?
Just trying to be realistic here...is this something I will need to deal with the rest of my life?
Posts: 16 | From NJ | Registered: Oct 2010
| IP: Logged |
tricia386
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 29623
posted
I would like to know this too.....
-------------------- Lyme activated in April 2010 by gardasil vaccine. DX: Lyme,Babs,Myco,Bart 11/10 Treatment Started: 3/28/11 Posts: 1752 | From Albany, NY | Registered: Dec 2010
| IP: Logged |
map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
I tried rifampin for 3 months. I felt much better after couple months into it but....
once I stopped rifampin the sx all come back within a couple weeks. I was reading article yesterday from a doc that specializes in bart and he said 6 mths of abx.
Recently, I tried to start up rifampin again and I stopped after 3 days. I just don't feel like going through it now.
I can't answer the curable question. I haven't lived it yet. Coming back? It is one strong determined bacteria. Many say harder to kill off than lyme bacteria.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6495 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
tricia386
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 29623
posted
I have been on rifampin for a week and half and the headaches are starting I do notice less twitching and vibrating though
-------------------- Lyme activated in April 2010 by gardasil vaccine. DX: Lyme,Babs,Myco,Bart 11/10 Treatment Started: 3/28/11 Posts: 1752 | From Albany, NY | Registered: Dec 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
So map1131 since you registered on the site in 2002 is it safe to say you've been fighting this for at least 9 years???
I guess I just want to know what mindset to move forward with.
If this is a lifelong battle then so be it...I guess I just started off a little more optimistic since my other bloodwork was fine and I'm fairly healthy otherwise.
For those with bart..if you can't clear it how do they know if you've got lyme too? Or do you just never get around to treating that?
Posts: 16 | From NJ | Registered: Oct 2010
| IP: Logged |
tricia386
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 29623
posted
good question
-------------------- Lyme activated in April 2010 by gardasil vaccine. DX: Lyme,Babs,Myco,Bart 11/10 Treatment Started: 3/28/11 Posts: 1752 | From Albany, NY | Registered: Dec 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've just started taking rifampin and from the herxes it is clear I must have bart. My LLMD said that I will need to stay on it for some time after the symptoms are gone because getting rid of it can be deceptive.
Posts: 258 | From Spokane, WA | Registered: Oct 2008
| IP: Logged |
Lymeorsomething
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16359
posted
Rifampin is OK but Cipro, Levaquin, or Factive are prob the go-to meds if you can handle them for a long enough stretch...
-------------------- "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." Posts: 2062 | From CT | Registered: Jul 2008
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I got rid of lyme, babesiosis, and bartonella.
In March, it will be 6 years since I completed my treatment. I am still symptom free, and I am totally normal.
For bart, my doc gave me levaquin, 500 mg once per day. Stayed on that for 30 days. Then, I took Bactrim DS for almost a year to treat babs, but Bactrim hits bart also my doc said. That's how I cleared the bart.
I was told to stop taking magnesium for the 30 days I was on levaquin.
I have at least 4 friends who had lyme, babs, and bart, and they all got rid of all of their diseases also. So, I consider the doctor the key to getting rid of these diseases.
We all got well by going to Burrascano type doctors. You need a doc with a lot of expertise to get rid of these things for you. And, you need an obedient patient. No drinking or smoking either.
For nearly everyone, this does not have to be a lifelong battle by any means.
Just know that lots of doctors treat lyme disease, but not many know how to get rid of it for someone.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
Tammy N.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26835
posted
TF - do you recall why doc had you stop taking magnesium? (I thought that mag. may actually be what helps against possible tendon issues.)
Posts: 2238 | From East Coast | Registered: Jul 2010
| IP: Logged |
lululymemom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26405
posted
Although Biaxin is not usually the first line of defense against Bart, some doctors do perscribe this and did for me as well. I haven't started this yet, but I was also perscribed Flagyl which I think may be more effective than Baixin alone.
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Tammy, because magnesium will bind Levaquin and render it less effective.
It is best to load up with magnesium BEFORE starting the Levaquin to help avoid tendon issues.
You can actually take magnesium while taking Levaquin if you space them far enough apart. But, back years ago when I was being treated (this is nearly 7 years ago, now, when I treated bart), this is what the doc had me do.
I guess this way the patient can't mess things up.
Here's a good website that talks about levaquin and the effect of magnesium and other supplements (calcium, zinc, iron, etc.) on it:
posted
The old thinking was 1 month of levaquin. Hubby was prescribed this by the Dr B back in 2002 I think. He went back for a follow-up appointment and the doc said that the new dosing was 3 months of levaquin.
Unfortunately hubby only had a clinical diagnosis of BLO at that time. So we thought the bart must be gone after the 3 months of levaquin. We changed LLMD's and moved on with treatment. After treating for babs in 2007 it became very obvious the bart was still a major issue.
Hubby once again went on levaquin and then factive and rifampin and crytolepis and HH and HH2 (Zhang herbs) and bactrim for a year and more. But it was the combo of factive plus rifampin for 3 months or so that finally made the difference. But hubby stayed on just the factive for 6 more months. Total treatment was 2 1/2 years this time.
We do think that the bart is finally gone and now we are back to treating babs again.
If you have a positive bart titer then I would get that checked every 4 - 6 months to judge how treatment is going. Or repeat a bloodslide from either F lab or Clongen to check for improvement.
Hubby went from a severe infection to mild (5% of cells) to a clean bloodslide. Can't be absolutely sure that the clean bloodslide didn't miss something so we plan to retest in 4 - 6 months regardless of symptoms.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
canefan17
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 22149
posted
edit
Posts: 5394 | From Houston, Tx | Registered: Aug 2009
| IP: Logged |
map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
My problem is that I'm a tick magnet. Also fleas, spiders, mites are constantly seeking me out. For whatever reason mosquitos don't seem to find me appealing?
So bbb2009, my journey with lyme & friends started in 99. I did 3 yrs of abx early into it and went downhill. I started doing alternative treatments, mainly buying a rife machine. My best investment.
My troubles are from another bite another bacteria, virus or parasite that damns my recovery.
I've had a hard time with fighting bart with rife, but lately I've hit some freqs that are helping. Thanks to the Rife thread.
Abx in my body just seem to be more than my system can handle.
My signature is my truth.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6495 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic