Marz
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3446
posted
I've been on malarone for two weeks now and my fatigue has been worse on it.
I've read sleepiness can be a side effect of malarone, but am wondering why and had this thought...
Since babesia is inside the red blood cells, does the malarone just kill the babesia in the cell, or does the red blood cell get "destroyed" too?
If that would be the case, could the fatigue be due to fewer red blood cells, less iron, etc???
Does this get better the longer you're on it?
Posts: 1297 | From USA | Registered: Dec 2002
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
When you begin to treat babesiosis (with malarone or other antibiotic for babs), you need to expect your symptoms will flare (or herx as some call it).
Each time you start a new babs medicine, expect more intense flares. That's because each med has its own killing profile as they call it. Each med can kill in a certain way. So, when you started malarone, it was able to kill some babs that the other meds you took previously were not able to do. Hence the flare/herx.
This happened to me after 7 days of babs treatment and it was horrible. It kept happening every 7 days. My lyme doc said that babs has a 7 day cycle and a 14 day cycle and that I was experiencing the 7 day cycle.
Later on, my flares occurred every 14 days. It was VERY strange.
So, I would say that the malarone is really hitting the babs and that is why you are feeling so fatigued on this new babs treatment.
My weekly flare was this: all I could do for 48 hours was lay. I didn't talk, eat, drink, get up to go to the bathroom, etc. I drifted in and out of consciousness and the entire flare I had a horrible sense of DOOM! I could not shake this horrible mental state.
So, if all you are having is worse fatigue, that isn't bad at all. Do as much detoxing as possible. That will help get rid of the dead babs germs and the increased fatigue may go away.
I don't know if treating babs kills more red blood cells or not. I know that babs kills them. It gets inside them and explodes them. That is why babs causes such fatigue. Not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to all the cells of your body.
Red blood cells are the ONLY cells that carry oxygen to your body. It takes a good while to replace them. (Immature red blood cells can't carry oxygen. It takes time for new red blood cells to become mature.)
So, I really think that this points to you having a herx and not the killing off of even more red blood cells by malarone. Just my analysis based on what I know about what babs does to the body.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Beverly
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 1271
posted
It kills the infected red blood cell, so yes, as all the infected red blood cells die you will feel tired.
It has been a really long time for me but when I treated Babesia I finally started to get well.
Good luck to you.
-------------------- God Bless You! Everything..is just my opinion. Posts: 6638 | From Michigan | Registered: Jun 2001
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I too am on heavy babesia treatment. I do feel like I may be finally making progress, but I am on just about every med there is for it!
What a Hard infection this seems to be to get on top of!!
Marz, I have found L-arginine in high doses to be helpful! I take seven grams daily, but know some people take up to ten.
Stephen Buhner def. recommends this, and there is a LOT of science behind it. just DO NOT TAKE, if you have an ACTIVE herpes virus!!!!
Posts: 477 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Nov 2015
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Marz
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3446
posted
Well, it's been 3 weeks now on malarone and fatigue has lifted some yesterday and today.
My naturopath had me on artemisin but saw LLMD a month ago and she had me stop art and only on the malarone.
Did the herxing go in cycles for you guys or was it always slowly better?
Hope that's enough!
I did get shingles after I got lyme so suppose I better not do the l- arginine.
Posts: 1297 | From USA | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
I think people are all different in how they respond... I have never been able to really pin point any "herxing" really ever.
Some say they do. I just call it good days and bad days and if the good days are getting more and better than YAY!!!
My Dr. always says if you don't see any change in a month you need to add on a drug, or try something else.
I think he is right! I spent a lot of wasted time thinking things were going to help, and they never did.
Posts: 477 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Nov 2015
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
When I reported my horrendous weekly babs flares to my lyme doc, he had me add artimesinin to my meds.
It was like a miracle! The next flare was practically nothing. Unbelievable.
He had me start taking the art right before the flare was due and keep taking it until the flare ended. So, in my case, I took the art starting every Friday through Sunday of each week.
I cannot tell you enough about how well this herb worked. He had me take it on an empty stomach.
I note that Burrascano says art should be added to babs treatment in all cases. My doc added it once I was on treatment one month and reported the flares.
Greatest thing I ever took!
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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