posted
Does anyone havge a GOOD list of Bart symptoms?...Like from aLLMD. THose web sites out there are pretty simple stated...thanks
daniella
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This is copied from something Tincup wrote in 2002:
BARTONELLA ALERT
It is well known that co-infections may occur with Lyme Disease relatively frequently. Patients with a history of Lyme Disease who have incomplete resolution of symptoms should be evaluated for Bartonella infections. Bartonella is an intracellular, gram-negative bacteria that can become chronic. Certain lab tests may not detect the infection due to a variety of strains and the lack of sensitivity of the tests. It is advised to use both PCR and IFA methods of testing and not to dismiss the disease due to negative tests when symptoms are present. Various Bartonella species have been recognized since the early 1950's.
Bartonella may not present in its usual form when additional infections, such as Lyme or Babesia are present. In addition, typical Bartonella lesions are not always seen in patients, therefore, a diagnosis of ``fever of unknown origin'' should alert a physician to consider Bartonella. It is estimated that approximately 2/3 of the patients with Bartonella have a fever. Involvement of practically every organ has been reported.
There are a variety of symptoms associated with Bartonella, including, but not limited to, the following:
BRAIN: Encephalopathy may occur 1-6 weeks after the initial infection and is fairly common in patients with Bartonella. Note: Approximately 50 percent of patients who develop Encephalopathy can be affected by seizures (from focal to generalized, and from brief and self-limited to status epilepticus). Headaches, Cognitive Dysfunction, and CNS Lesions may be evident.
RASH AND LYMPHADENITIS: Erythematous papules (red splotches or slightly raised red spots) may develop. Such papules occasionally occur on the lower limbs but are more common on the upper limbs, the head, and neck. The papules may appear on the skin or mucous membranes. Bartonella may also cause subcutaneous nodules, with some bone involvement possible. The nodules may show some hyperpigmentation, be tender, fester, and/or be enlarged or swollen, but not always.
EYES: Conjunctivitis, Bartonella Neuroretinitis, Loss of Vision, Flame Shaped Hemorrhages, Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion with Vision Loss, Cotton Wool Exudates, Parinaud's Oculoglandular Syndrome, and Papilledema.
BONES AND MUSCLES: Osteomyelitis, Myositis, Osteolytic Lesions (softening of bone), Myelitis, Radiculitis, Transverse Myelitis, Arthritis, Chronic Demyelinating Polyneuropathy.
HEART: Endocarditis, Cardiomegaly. Possible lab findings: The following may show up during standard testing:
Thrombocytopenia, pancytopenia, anemia, elevated serum alkaline phosphatase level, elevated bilirubin, abnormal liver enzymes. X-ray of the bone may show areas of lysis or poorly-defined areas of cortical destruction with periosteal reaction. Cardiomegaly may show up on a chest X-Ray.
Biopsies of lymph nodes reveal pathology often indistinguishable from sarcoidosis. Reports of biopsies strongly suggestive of lymphoma do occur.
Tests occasionally show an enlarged liver with multiple hypodense areas scattered throughout the parenchyma.
TREATMENT: You MUST consult a knowledgeable physician for information on treatment for disseminated Bartonella. Some of the medications which have been used in the past have included Doxycycline (with or without Rifampin), Ciprofloxacin, Erythromycin, Azithromycin, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole, gentamicin, and other macrolide antibiotics.
-------------------- ~Things may happen in my life time to change who I am but I refuse to let them reduce me...~ Posts: 968 | From private | Registered: Jan 2005
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liz28
Unregistered
posted
Swollen lymph nodes Splitting sinus headaches Sore throat Shin splints Unfounded rage Founded rage, reduced diplomacy Relapsing fever, building to continuous fever Continous lowgrade fever Fatigue Low stamina Sore, scritchy eyes Hair loss (along with other thyroid problems) Severe insomnia
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thanks liz28...sounds like it is a personal list huh? thanks again...
-------------------- ~Things may happen in my life time to change who I am but I refuse to let them reduce me...~ Posts: 968 | From private | Registered: Jan 2005
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caat
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 2321
posted
just to add, a curious thing, bart can sometimes cause *aseptic* meningitis- just like lyme. That is, meningitis without a large showing of white blood cells in either the blood or the spinal fluid. Most other bacteria that cause meningitis show large amounts of wbc, AFAIK. And I think but am not certain that bart can cause that septic meningitis as well.
Another odd clue is that the nodules when present are not always red.
Another is that some sources say bart can cause boils- don't know if staph co-infections ruled out there though...
People say it loves the eyes. Can cause conjuctivitis (pink eye? pig's stye?). An optimologist here said he saw a lot of pink eye in people with lyme- I think maybe it's actually bart (?).
I suspect I may have bartonella and am being treated with high doses of zith and rifampin. I just started the zith and will add rifampin soon. I'm combining 400mg doxy also as I have so far relapsed into meningitis when taking abx that doesn't cross the bbb.
So far, 2 days of zith- heart palpitations are a bit better- less of them and not so strong. Jaw bone and teeth hurt- I think it's a herx.
I'm also coming down with a flue, and WAY overdid it the past few days so I can't tell if my other bones are herxing or not- very achey and pain from the flue etc.
The reason I suspect bart is because it is sometimes partially resistant to doxy alone and when systemic it is resistant to rocephin- had both. Of course I might have babs instead- but I have bone involvment- babs doesn't do that AFAIK.
You can check the ID manuals on my web site, maybe there's other tidbits I missed. Go to co-infections then bart. They are pretty conventional in symptom description though.
Posts: 1436 | From Humboldt county ca usa | Registered: Mar 2002
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thansk so much caat.... What would the tretament be then for someone on iv rocephin? Should I add rifampin?
-------------------- ~Things may happen in my life time to change who I am but I refuse to let them reduce me...~ Posts: 968 | From private | Registered: Jan 2005
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suki444
Unregistered
posted
Hi there
I started to get many neuro symptoms coming back, internal buzzing/vibrations, muscle twitches, tingling, muscles going into a rigor, heart palpitations and my LLMD said it sounded Bartonella-ish.
I have treated Babesia extensively in the past too. Septrin and Biaxin helped me out of that but my LLMD said that if my neuro symptoms came back I had to add in Levaquin, Doxy or Rifampin but to ring him first.
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