posted
Is there any definitive symptoms to help diagnose babesia?
I have daily headaches and bone pain which from what I've read could be babesia.
I also have joint pain and swelling and muscle pain and weakness.
Positive bands 23 and 41 Igm. so I definitely have borelia.
Thanks
Posts: 92 | From Georgia | Registered: Aug 2010
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seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
Almost all the symptoms you described are classic Lyme, but there is overlap. Air hunger, sweats, chills, and debilitating fatigue are some common Babs symptoms.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
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bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
From Dr. S's book, "The Lyme Disease Solution"
Babesiosis
As with other co-infections, there is a lot of overlap of symptoms between Lyme disease and Babesiosis. An accumulation of the following signs and symptoms probably warrant testing and/or treatment of Babesiosis:
___Chills
___Fatigue and often excessive sleepiness
___High fever at onset of illness
___Night sweats that are often drenching and profuse
___Severe muscle pains, especially the large muscles of the legs (quads, buttocks, etc.)
___Neurological symptoms often described as "dizzy, tipsy, and spaciness," similar to a sensation of "floating" or "walking off the top of a mountain onto a cloud"
___Depression
___Episodes of breathlessness, "air hunger", and/or cough
___Decreased appetite and/or nausea
___Spleen and/or liver enlargement
___Abnormal labs (low white blood count, low platelet counts, mild elevation of liver enzymes, and elevated sed rate)
___Headaches (migraine-like, persistent, and especially involving the back of the head and upper neck areas)
___Joint pain (more common with Lyme and Bartonella)
___anxiety/panic (more common with Bartonella)
___Lymph gland swelling (more common with Bartonella and Lyme)
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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posted
How did you KNOW you had/have babesia infection? Blood test results?
Posts: 92 | From Georgia | Registered: Aug 2010
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canefan17
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 22149
posted
Lymetoo,
What kinda back pain
I'm positive I've been having babs flareups
but the back pain I wasn't sure on the cause.
For me it's mostly lower-mid back
Posts: 5394 | From Houston, Tx | Registered: Aug 2009
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nefferdun
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Member # 20157
posted
Babesia can be asymptomatic in some people. I did not think I had it for three years but I tested positive. Then it was obvious.
I never had the fever or drenching sweat many people complain about. But I had no stamina and was always tired. I had bouts of air hunger (feels like you cannot get enough oxygen so you try to get a deep breath or yawn.) I also had bouts of headaches which I thought were migraines. Imetrex always cleared them up.
I was dizzy with babesia when it was active. I had vertigo, ataxia (walking like a drunk) and felt like I was very spacey - "walking off the mountain into the clouds".
I also had depression. Not weepiness or sadness. Depression. I had no motivation, no joy. I was unable to respond - just a dead to the world feeling.
When babesia was most dominate I could fall asleep almost any time which was nice - after the insomnia of bart!
Mentally I was out of it as though my mind was stuffed with marshmallows. I could not concentrate at all. My brain was not getting enough oxygen to think. I could not do the things I used to do with ease. Thoughts would be gone before I finished thinking them. So confused.
I've been treating with Mepron/zithro 9 weeks and improved but still have a ways to go.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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jackie51
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Member # 14233
posted
Nefferdon-I think you've answerd my question regarding babs. I've got the dizzy, the depression, the sleepies, the can't think. I guess it's back on the Babs meds.
Posts: 1374 | From Crazy Town | Registered: Dec 2007
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I knew I had babs when it was seen in one of the babs blood tests done by Igenex.
It was the one where they actually look at your blood and see the babs in some of your red blood cells.
It's called the FISH test.
Unfortunately, many people have babs but test negative for it.
From page 5 of Burrascano:
"In Babesiosis, no single test is reliable enough to be used alone. Only in early infections (less than two weeks duration) can the standard blood smear be helpful. In later stages, one can use serology, PCR, and fluorescent in-situ hybridization (�FISH�) assay. Unfortunately, many other protozoans can be found in ticks, most likely representing species other than B. microti, yet commercial tests for only B. microti and B duncani (Formerly known as WA-1) are available at this time! In other words, the patient may have an infection that cannot be tested for. Here, as in Borrelia, clinical assessment is the primary diagnostic tool."
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Do you have to have a low white blood cell with babs? I have been treating bart and symptoms of babs have surfaced.
air hunger more fatigue cough vertigo feeling but not vertigo pain in thighs which is new
I have taken malarone before without zith and improved greatly without a herx but it didn't last. I have read that babs quickly develops resistance to malarone alone thats why zith is given. I had the same response to plaquenil but with a herx and then went downhill while on it. I have read the same for plaq. about babs. http://www.canlyme.com/
I am starting coartem tom. and am very nervous. I have heard herx and no herx.
Are there other vectors for babs other than ticks? Can it be passed between family members?
Posts: 433 | From new york | Registered: Dec 2004
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canefan17
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 22149
posted
How sad is this...
When I think of Babs I think of "Night Sweats." And when I think of "Night Sweats" I think of "Night Moves" - by Bob Seger
posted
I had 2 positive FISH tests from Igenex for Babs.
My main sx is the "dizzy, tipsy, and spaciness, similar to a sensation of floating or walking off the top of a mountain onto a cloud"
Posts: 133 | From Philly/NJ | Registered: Nov 2009
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