posted
I'm seriously considering Levaquin to treat Bartonella/Brucella.
I hate the quinolones, but I think I've run out of options. Bactrim, doxy, mino, and rifampin aren't working, although Bactrim used to work.
Are there any antibiotic options I may be missing? I think I have pericarditis, so I feel like I need "big guns" because I'm so sick. I'm not sure if the herbals would help or not.
I plan on adding in Plaquenil, so maybe that'll help...
Posts: 748 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2015
| IP: Logged |
posted
What about Mycobutin? It's crazy hard on the adrenals though.
Bactrim doesn't work anymore? I'm asking because I am on it again after 6 months of double dose Mycobutin and Biaxin.
I'm not sure if I still have Bart or if It's adrenal fatigue. My adrenals are trashed. They share the same symptoms.
Posts: 845 | From Northeast | Registered: May 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
Bactrim doesn't work for me anymore unfortunately, although it was my miracle drug this time last year. I'm sure no two people's experiences are the same, though.
I've not heard of Mycobutin, I'll have to read about it. I'm not sure I could handle something messing up my adrenals though... I think they're already shot, but I don't have test results to prove it yet.
Last time I checked in February, my AM cortisol levels had fallen by 9 points from what they were just a few months prior. They had been on a downward slide.
Posts: 748 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2015
| IP: Logged |
Judie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 38323
posted
After I took levaquin and got devastated I found studies that said bartonella never gets cured from fluoroquinolones, it builds resistance.
There was a thread on it awhile back.
I'm trying to find the studies for you, but I ran across these about dosages and resistance:
"Bartonella: Levaquin/Cipro -- largely promoted for the treatment of bartonellosis may not be a good idea. The fluoroquinolones are associated with tendon /muscle/joint pain with the risk of tendon rupture. In a recent patient, the agents caused knee swelling and pain, not tendon pain which resolved with cessation of therapy. More importantly however: Bartonella species may develop resistance to these antibiotics fairly quickly."
Levaquin causes heart conditions, so you might want to consider that.
Azythromycin is one of the bartonella treatments for cats (I had to treat my cat and refused fluoroquinolones).
He was cured with a long duration of azythromycin.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
| IP: Logged |
posted
There is a book called "safe uses of cortisol" you should read if you haven't. I'm taking cortef and thyroid support and it helps a tremendous amount.
I think that my adrenals have been a big part of my illness all along. I wish I had addressed them sooner.
Posts: 845 | From Northeast | Registered: May 2011
| IP: Logged |
WPinVA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33581
posted
Did you ever take Rifampin with a macrolide (zithromax, etc)? I think that is how it is supposed to be taken.
Posts: 1737 | From Virginia | Registered: Aug 2011
| IP: Logged |
Jordana
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 45305
posted
Do you have an IV option?
There is a sequestered drug used mostly for intra-abdominal infections called aztreonam. It's a "big gun" and it does hit gram negative bacteria. I guarantee none of the bugs that have taken up residence in you have seen it before.
But it is *only* administered IV as it can't clear the gut -- although it does penetrate the gut from the outside in.
Posts: 2057 | From Florida | Registered: Feb 2015
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sorry to take so long to reply. I've been really unwell.
I did forget that I've tried Zithromax too, with Bactrim. I took rifampin with doxy. I wish IV were an option but I don't think it will be.
One doc says Levaquin is pretty much the last option. Another doc says he's scared of the quinolones. What to do, what to do...
I think I read someone say that mino and rifampin didn't work for them until they added in plaquenil. Maybe I should try that and see what happens...
Posts: 748 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2015
| IP: Logged |
I've been loading up on magnesium in case I have to do this...
Also RC1, I ordered an adrenal test kit. If things come back abnormal I'll definitely be looking into supplementing. Thanks for the tip! I'll check out the book too.
Dr. H talks in his book about a man who didn't improve until adrenals were addressed, so I'm sure it might be an issue for me as well.
Posts: 748 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2015
| IP: Logged |
Judie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 38323
posted
"I've been loading up on magnesium in case I have to do this..."
I did that. It didn't work. Good luck.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
| IP: Logged |
Honestly, this is giving me tremendous anxiety. Nothing is killing this infection, and the infection is slowly trying to kill me. But the last-resort treatment the doctor prescribed could kill me too. Posts: 748 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2015
| IP: Logged |
Judie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 38323
posted
I'm so sorry Sam. There are some herbals that are suppose to target bartonella and they are very good.
After my levaquin experience, I stopped all Lyme treatment with antibiotics and focused on healing the damage.
I work with a master herbalist now and am doing much better. If there's a naturopathic school or Chinese medicine school in your area, try to see the top person who uses herbs. A lot of herbal school have a clinic and they're cheap.
The levaquin damage (from taking it only 8 days) was worse than Lyme was for me.
The LLMD refused to believe it was from levaquin and insisted it was a herx. I knew better. It's been over a year of healing the damage from that poison.
Before I started levaquin, I started a thread asking only for positive experiences on fluoroquinolones. I REALLY wanted it to work, but it's a chemo drug.
Ask yourself if you'd go through chemo to heal your infection. Maybe you would. It's a hard decision. You can always go back and take levaquin if herbals don't work.
Good luck!
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
| 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!
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic