posted
LLMD told me that if there is ABSOLUTELY NO improvement with Mepron/Zith fter 3 months than we need to be treating something else. I've had positive FISH. He is one of the bigger Lyme docs in the country.
In one of the only studies on babesia, it said after even only a 10 day combo of mepron/zith, that after 3 months most patients were symptom free, and after 6 months all were symptom free. So it seems improvement comes later on even after stopping the Mepron.
My main symptom is the "imbalance without true vertigo" or "walking on a cloud/tipsy" feeling. But he does not believe babesia is the culprit of the vertigo.
Posts: 306 | From NY | Registered: Sep 2010
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BoxerMom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25251
posted
Wow. Weird.
It took me one year on various Mepron combos to get rid of my Babesia symptoms. Then after 18 months of treating Lyme/Bart, I relapsed with Babesia and I'm back on Mepron/Zith.
I don't think I had much improvement at 3 months. I did have obvious herxing, and some symptoms improved. But it took much longer than 3 months to feel significantly better.
I remember at 9 months (it was Christmas), still feeling absolutely miserable and thinking I would be sick forever.
Then, 3 months later, all my symptoms changed as Babesia faded to the background and Bartonella came forward.
In this study, were these patients with ONLY Babesia infection? Which strain? How long were they infected before they began treatment?
These were not chronic Lyme patients, I assure you. If they were chronic Lyme patients, they would not all be symptom-free in 3-6 months with only 10 days of treatment. PUHLEEZE!
t9im
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25489
posted
Our daughters LLMD indicated from his experience its a minimun of 8 months treatment for babesia.
He treats for 2 months after symptoms are gone so that should mean 6 months. Imagine if you go 6 months, stop treatment and then they just multiply again so your back up to 1 to 3% of your red blood cells being infected.
I would say for the 1st 6 - 8 weeks our daughter became worse while on the mepron / zith and we then slowly started to see improvements.
We are just starting month 9 now. Some of the temps and hot flashes are returning but this can be herxing from an increase in dossage of tindamax for lyme.
-------------------- Tim Posts: 1111 | From Glastonbury, CT | Registered: Apr 2010
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jackie51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14233
posted
I'm at around 4 months for Mepron/Zith/Artmesia. Just tested negative for Babs. Doc wants me on for 2 more months, then I'm done. I wanted to get off of it but he convinced me otherwise.
Still, every day I feel just a little bit better and little bit more motivated. It is a world of difference from this time last year or the year before. This is a "stay the course" regimen.
Posts: 1374 | From Crazy Town | Registered: Dec 2007
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jackie51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14233
posted
FYI--I tested very, very low, supposedly chronic babs. That is why I'm at the 6 month level of treatment. I agree with others that it takes longer if you've got a stronger infection.
Posts: 1374 | From Crazy Town | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
If I were you, I would be adding artemisinin in a short course to your mepron+zith. You can't take this alone or for a long time. Somewhere on this forum, there has been a protocol for art. You might do a search of the archives. Some doctors do use this.
And some patients have not been cured with mepron+zith, and had to try other anti-malarials, such as coartem, chloroquine, lariam, etc.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
My doc is a "name" guy and he wants me on 4 months of pulsed Mepron, Septra, Doxy, and Artemisinin. 2 weeks on and 1 off.
Posts: 410 | From Victoria BC, Canada | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
My LLMD said I'll probably be on Mepron for a year.
-------------------- Currently infected with Lyme, Babesia, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Mycoplasma, & Q-fever.
10 months into treatment, currently on Bicillin, Rocephin, Doxy, Biaxin, and Mepron. Posts: 87 | From USA | Registered: Sep 2010
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
I was on Mepron or Malarone/Lariam for 20 months. When I got off them to switch over to alternative treatment, I still had babs. I don't think it's that easy to get rid of.
Even though my case of babs was very bad, I needed to treat bart and parasites before I felt noticeably better. I don't think treating a single infection will make you feel overall better.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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blinkie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14470
posted
I used mepron/zith for 6 months early in treatment, then lyme was the big player. Now, all my babs symptoms are all I have left but they are debilitating.
I never tested for any strain of babs but my symptoms are classic and reposnd to all the anti malarial drugs on the market.
I'm currently in month three of lariam with two months of bactrim DS, zith and flagyl as well. I just added a pulse of artemisinin 4 days on, 3 days off. I'm making marked, steady improvement.
I plan to stay the course with this for at least 6 months, then I will switch from lariam to mepron to see what happens. Then, I'm going to do another 3 month round of chloroquin/primaquine to mop up the rest.
I suspect I have Duncani and it appears to be a beast to beat.
Posts: 1104 | From N.California | Registered: Jan 2008
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posted
I've treated babesia for fourteen months with Mepron/Zith/Tidamax and IV Clindamycin, and added lariam three months ago.
It took me at least six months to see any improvement from Mepron. In fact, it wasn't until I asked to be switched to Malarone, and symptoms returned, that I realized how much Mepron had resolved most everything.
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
Nspiker, same for me. Didn't feel relief for many months, then when I'd switch to Malarone/Lariam, symptoms would worsen and I'd have to get back on Mepron.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
Sixgoofy, I really didn't think Mepron was working at all....silly me!
I think it works so slowly, you don't notice it's effects. I'm wondering how I'm going to transition off of it!
Posts: 964 | From san diego | Registered: Oct 2009
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