posted
Hi Guys I recently tested positive for borelia via the Pharmasan I spot, and babesia microti and Duncani via the Ingenx co-infection panel, including FISH. Also MARCONS, HHV6 and high levels of EBV. The testing was in the context of many years of flu-like malaise. My LLMD wants to go after the babs first, and has suggested a regime of mepron and azithromycin. I am trying to find ways to manage the expense. Would Malarone, which seems cheaper, be a suitable substitute for the mepron? And do they have a similar adverse effects profile? I have read up on both - rather freaked by feedback from someone that Malarone produced long-term mental illness in his wife.
Posts: 4 | From Manchester UK | Registered: Apr 2015
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Have you read page 24 of the Burrascano Guidelines? They are here:
A cheap way of treating babesia is using Bactrim DS. That is how I got rid of babs. My doctor gave me Bactrim because I got hives from all of the meds that must be paired with Mepron/Malarone. So, the preferred treatment (Mepron/Malarone) was not an option for me.
He said it would do the trick, but it would take twice as long.
So, you can try that if you can't afford Mepron/Malarone. Be sure to add artemesinin in a pulsed fashion (say, 3 days in a row each week) while on any babesiosis therapy as stated in Burrascano.
The addition of this herb did wonders for me when I was treating babs. It took away nearly all of my weekly babs flare symptoms which were horrible.
If your case of babs proves difficult to get rid of, then you may need to take Mepron and Malarone and Bactrim DS all at once.
But, you can start out with a lesser regimen and see how it goes. If you use Mepron or Malarone, be sure to eat the fatty food needed to get it to absorb.
And, if you are not noticing improvement, then be sure to have your doctor check your blood Mepron/Malarone levels. Many lyme doctors do not know this is possible to do. It is very important because too low of a level will cause treatment failure as Burrascano states.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Thanks very much for your response. Unfortunately, repeated treatment for UTI with Bactrim has left me with an allergy to it. I checked out your links - very helpful.
Posts: 4 | From Manchester UK | Registered: Apr 2015
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poppy
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posted
Malarone works for some people, mepron for others. Seems to be an individual thing. Maybe try the cheaper one first? It is my understanding that mepron needs to be paired with another drug to avoid resistance. Don't know about malarone as it is a combination already.
There is a generic mepron but it isn't much cheaper than the brandname.
I second the artemesinin recommendation.
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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poppy
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I might add that I was started on a lower dose on malarone for months, but wasn't working very well. Might have knocked it down some but finally had to go with mepron + another drug, which it took it down fast. But it might have been because malarone whittled it down first. Hard to say what is going on frequently.
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Judie
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I took mepron and malarone at the same time. You can also do a very high dose of malarone if you can't get mepron.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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posted
BABESIA duncanni is difficult to treat, it is very antibiotic resistant. I took oral Zithromax for 3 months and added in mepron for four weeks at the end, and I was still testing positive ( though my antibody test was lower than pretreatment).
I am now on my fourth month using Cryptolepsis drops to hopefully get rid of the remaining babs. I also took Byron white formula mc-bab 2 and beyond balance a-bab at one point. The only one I haven't tried is Artemesia.
I have not used malarone at all. My mepron was covered by insurance so price was not an issue. Mepron is strong stuff, I threw up once when I accidently took it on an empty stomach.
If you have duncannii, it could take months to clear so I'd hit it with what you can, as its presence makes treating everything else difficult.
-------------------- Sick since 2000 Bulls eye 2005 Dx Babesia, Lyme 2014 Posts: 247 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Aug 2014
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posted
Thanks guys, great input. I will keep doing my due diligence. Have just been reading Dr. S books, which I found very helpful.
[ 04-04-2015, 11:08 AM: Message edited by: faithful777 ]
Posts: 4 | From Manchester UK | Registered: Apr 2015
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
These are notes I took on a talk by Dr. H, the top lyme doc in the U.S. The subject was babesiosis.
I posted them here years ago, but they will be enlightening to you now also.
2011 ILADS Conference, Toronto, Canada
Lyme & Babesiosis: Updates on Treatment & Diagnosis 2011
Dr. H 10/28/11
He has 20 years of experience treating lyme; has treated more than 12,000 chronic patients He was in France and China discussing babesiosis. Talked with Chinese CDC regarding parasites
Some of his patients get better with glutathione alone. It opens up the detox pathways (is an anti-oxidant)
Borrelia miyamotoi is showing up in ticks in Hyde Park, NY. This strain is in Japan. We can't test for it.
There is a new ehrlichia species also found.
Indicators of bad outcome with babesiosis:
male sex, extremely high WBC
We see blood transfusion babesiosis in California. WA-1 is now in the Northeast U.S.. It is found along the entire eastern seaboard. It is difficult to get a positive test for it. LabCorp has a WA-1 test. The FISH through Igenex is also very useful.
He treats with clindamycin with azithromycin, also Mepron, then malarone. There is lots of Mepron resistance. So, he adds Septra (Bactrim). This works well. Also, he uses much higher doses of Mepron due to the Mepron resistance.
He uses coartem (which has Artemisinin in it) Dosage is 4 twice per day. Take at 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.; then switch to 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. It can be pulsed once per month.
You can't combine this with any med that affects the QT interval.
Babs is spreading world-wide. Babs also suppresses the immune system (based on a study of b. microti)
Artemisinin is not as effective now as it was in the past. Use art when coartem doesn't cure the person. He no longer uses ketek.
Beta blockers (blood pressure medicines) control these types of parasites. So, use them as an antagonist. We need a study on this. Heparin may also inhibit babs. Need a large study on this.
Curcumin (an herb)--he is now using it to treat babs. Published studies show it is useful for malaria.
Cryptolepis has been used in Africa for malaria. There is a published study in Ghana. It had a 93% cure rate (a 50% cure rate in 3 days; 90% cure rate in 7 days) You can get it at: www.woodlandessence.com
If adrenal function is low (patient has a low cortisol), they will not respond to antibiotics.
He told of a patient with intractable babs. They were treated for babs for 5 years and were not cured. Then, he gave them 1 teaspoon of cryptolepis 3 times per day with Byron White herbs. This is making the patient feel well. He hasn't found any side effects with the cryptolepis. It may not be curative. It lowers the parasite load and strengthens the patient's immune system.
Brucellosis also causes night sweats, so check for this in a patient with night sweats.
Use malarone for the patient who can't clear babs. Low dose to maintain them.
We need new treatment options for babs.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Has anyone else heard that BABESIA tests can remain positive for months or years after contracting it?
My antibody test went from high (over 1,000) to a reading of about 300. There doesn't seem to be any way to prove whether it's eradicated or still lingering. 😕
-------------------- Sick since 2000 Bulls eye 2005 Dx Babesia, Lyme 2014 Posts: 247 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Aug 2014
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