posted
Three years ago I threw a IGM of 1280 for Babesia Duncani through Igenex.
Clindy and Quinne failed, and after a few months Mepron and Zith no longer kept it down. Bactrim sorta helped, but eh didn't really make any long term progress.
I've been on a treatment plan of Coartem and Primaquine, and it seems to be working! Yay!
However, I've come to find now that Coartem (Riamet in Canada or UK) is basically unobtainable now for the time being due to manufacturer Novartis having "limited" supply and backorders.
In the past I've gotten it from several chain pharmacies (walgreens, etc), as well as from Canadadrugs.
Now...everybody is telling me it is currently unavailable. I really hate to quit a medicine thats working especially against the hell of babesia duncani.
Anybody have luck purchasing it in recent times, if so, where? My LLMD's office has no thoughts....
Posts: 106 | From Rural Michigan | Registered: Jul 2011
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TNT
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posted
I'm glad to hear it's helping you! How long have you been on the Coartem & Primaquine?
[ 01-18-2017, 05:55 PM: Message edited by: TNT ]
Posts: 1308 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Oct 2013
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TNT
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posted
I'm sorry I can't help you out, though, I am interested in how long you've been on the Coartem & Primaquine. I remember it didn't take PoconoLyme very long once she got on that protocol to finally kick Babesia.
Posts: 1308 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Oct 2013
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TNT
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posted
I decided to look at one vendor online that I normally use, but they don't carry it. So I looked a little more and I found a place that has it. They have the name brand Coartem and they also have a generic Coartem made and shipped from India for MUCH cheaper! The generic tablet is the same exact ingredients, only 4 times the strength as the name brand. So you only have to take 2 pills daily instead of 8. And, of course, it's cheaper! I called them and talked to a salesperson and he verified they have both the name brand and the generic in stock.
Isn't that awesome?!
The salesperson sounded genuine and the website appears genuine too. The salesperson said they have to have a prescription and they take American Express, Discover, money orders, or check by mail as payment. Orders normally ship in 2-3 weeks and they have a 30 day shipping guarantee or you get a replacement order free or a refund. Sounds good enough for me.
Oh, and their name brand Coartem is at least half the price of what you can buy it locally in the U.S. for. I checked GoodRX.com for you on that.
Normal dosing of Coartem for the three days, then break of 10 days. While on break from Coartem taking the Primaquine.
Seems to actually be getting somewhere. Might not work for all people, but it seems to hit my strain of Babesia.
Posts: 106 | From Rural Michigan | Registered: Jul 2011
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Rumigirl
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Hmmm,the protocol you're on is interesting .
Also, the fact that it is hard to get now, as I wanted to go back on it.
Plus, insurance doesn't usually cover it, & it's expensive, so it's good to know about other sources.
Is anyone else on this protocol?? If so, how is it going?
Is the Primaquine oral or IV?Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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TNT
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quote:Originally posted by k84: I've been on it since Sept.
Normal dosing of Coartem for the three days, then break of 10 days. While on break from Coartem taking the Primaquine.
Seems to actually be getting somewhere. Might not work for all people, but it seems to hit my strain of Babesia.
k84, how did that Coartem/Primaquine do for you? How are you doing now? Thanks!
Posts: 1308 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Oct 2013
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TNT
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posted
Also, has any forum member used this online pharmacy? Was it a good experience?
It seems legit, and it's funny I'm the one inquiring about it now since I'm the one that mentioned it, but I would like any feedback if someone has used it.
Posts: 1308 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Oct 2013
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Rumigirl
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posted
I looked the pharmacy up online last night. It has a lot of bad reviews, meds taking 6-8 weeks, etc. It's not at all clear that it's a legitimate pharmacy. Who knows about the meds, since they come from India, Turkey, etc. Of course, so do many other meds, but at least from good pharmacies.
But is Coartem still hard to get? I need to go back on treatment.
I also wonder how this protocol has worked for people.
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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TNT
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quote:Originally posted by Rumigirl: I looked the pharmacy up online last night. It has a lot of bad reviews, meds taking 6-8 weeks, etc. It's not at all clear that it's a legitimate pharmacy. Who knows about the meds, since they come from India, Turkey, etc. Of course, so do many other meds, but at least from good pharmacies.
But is Coartem still hard to get? I need to go back on treatment.
I also wonder how this protocol has worked for people.
I read of two members here that were cured of their Babesia in two months or less with Coartem and Primaquine. The one person is well-known PoconoLyme, but the other I cannot remember.
I checked with my local Walmart pharmacy the other day, and yes, it is available now. I never checked earlier this year. GoodRx.com has a decent coupon, although still twice as expensive as North Drug Mart.
As for North Drug Mart, are you sure you looked up reviews for the correct pharmacy? I decided to also do a google lookup for reviews and here is what I found:
Northdrugstore.com has bad reviews, but,
Northdrugmart.com has a few decent reviews and is probably a good online pharmacy, but it is not approved by Legitscript and may possibly have some risk with it.
posted
I have used northdrugstore! So far they haven;t stolen from me and even refunded my money when they couldn't fill my prescription for coartem.Sadly they seem to be out of it too.
They have been giving me quinine and daraprim though and they are pretty snappy about getting it to you. I like them.
Posts: 477 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Nov 2015
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quote:Originally posted by k84: I've been on it since Sept.
Normal dosing of Coartem for the three days, then break of 10 days. While on break from Coartem taking the Primaquine.
Seems to actually be getting somewhere. Might not work for all people, but it seems to hit my strain of Babesia.
k84, how did that Coartem/Primaquine do for you? How are you doing now? Thanks!
I used Coartem for about 5 months until I just couldn't stand it anymore. It helped with my babesia symptoms, but didn't cure me. I was running Primiquine phosphate at a high dose, and I feel that was probably more helpful then the Coartem, but together they did SOMETHING.
Posts: 106 | From Rural Michigan | Registered: Jul 2011
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posted
k84, I am really bummed that the coartem and primaquine didn't work for you. How are you doing now, and what are you using for your Babesia? And, just curious, why couldn't you stand the Coartem any more?
Posts: 27 | From Central IL | Registered: Jul 2008
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quote:Originally posted by SickofLyme2: k84, I am really bummed that the coartem and primaquine didn't work for you. How are you doing now, and what are you using for your Babesia? And, just curious, why couldn't you stand the Coartem any more?
Coartem just seemed to make me sicker and sicker, without controlling babesia anymore.
Using high doses of Primiquine (along the lines of doses Aids patients use), I could buy myself about 6 months of remission from Babesia. Not sure about helpfulness long term as I currently am now back again with night sweats and short of breath.
Posts: 106 | From Rural Michigan | Registered: Jul 2011
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So far they haven;t stolen from me and even refunded my money when they couldn't fill my prescription for coartem.Sadly they seem to be out of it too. 
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