posted
I've been prescribed 600mg Rifampin TWICE a day. (Yes, that's 2 300mg capsules twice daily).
Is that appropriate, or does that seem too high?
I wanted to check on here first to see what other people are taking. I don't trust doctor's judgement, sadly.
Thanks
Posts: 81 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2005
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TheCrimeOfLyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4019
posted
I was on 600 a day. 300 mg capsules twice daily obviously but others HAVE been on 1200 mg a day.
How much do you weigh? I was little then, only 98 lbs and 5 foot 7!
-------------------- You want your life back? Take it. Posts: 3169 | From Greensburg, Pennsylvania | Registered: Jun 2003
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liz28
Unregistered
posted
Crime of Lyme is a toughie of superhuman strength. Also, Auntybiotic's mother took that dosage, but her symptoms were extreme in a way you've never described. If you look up Auntybiotic's old posts, you'll find a lot of information on this drug. Unless you are convinced your neighbor has five heads--and wasn't that way when you first moved in--you do not have the most extreme version of bartonella, and you could probably try ramping up if the highest rifampin dosage is too intense.
If you find you want to experiment with lower doses, you can find bags of empty gel caps at your local health food store for about $15 for 1000 capsules. Empty one-third of one 300mg capsule into the empty gel cap, then take it once in the morning and once at night, always on an empty stomach, far away from any other antibiotic, vitamin or supplement. Rifampin interacts with many different drugs, often reducing their efficacy (especially mepron), but it doesn't stay in your system for long.
If this is the bartonella drug for you, you should see an effect within two days. Hopefully, it will be of the good variety, because you are starting at such a low dosage. As you read through Lymenet, you may find stories of people going through a complete personality change on 30mg of rifampin.
Rifampin has been known to cause extreme herxes that last for one to two months, even when you ramp up. Even though this suggests the drug is working, these are tough herxes to sit through. It's actually a good idea to warn family members, and not do too much driving.
There can be ongoing fever, extreme anxiety and mood swings, a beet-red flushed complexion, insomnia and sweating. Once you go into remission, it's also a good idea to stay on the drug at least a month more. I was on rifampin for two months of ramping up, then five months of 300mg 2x/day, and had one long break of being symptom-free for a couple of weeks. The trigger for a relapse was a supplement called vinpocetine, but anything else probably would have done it: stress, finances, too much chocolate.
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Andie333
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7370
posted
I'm on 300 mg twice a day.
My herxing has been noticeable but fairly minimal. I did notice headaches and facial flushing, plus some increased cognitive difficulties.
Andie
Posts: 2549 | From never never land | Registered: May 2005
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posted
Thanks for the responses. I don't know what the hell to do. I'm too weak/sick/in too much pain to respond or think.
Posts: 81 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
I took 600 mg once a day on an empty stomach (very important - 1 hr before breakfast is the best) along with 200 mg Minocin Bid + 500 mg zith a day and it still didn't get my bart. It built up resistance to the Rifampin rather quickly even with all this stuff on board. I did this for 3 months, and did the Zith/Mino combo for 2 months before that. There are studies that say to take it 4 x's a day at 600 mg per dose. Even at 1200 mg a day, you need to take it in combo with another drug.
-------------------- You're only a failure when you stop trying. Posts: 945 | From U.S | Registered: Oct 2004
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liz28
Unregistered
posted
CLC, the normal rifampin dosage is 300mg per day, and rifampin is one of the most harshest antibiotics for the liver. It must be taken with liver support. It is perfectly okay to start slowly. You are much better off taking a week at a lower dose to see what happens than starting at overdose level.
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liz28
Unregistered
posted
CLC, the normal rifampin dosage is 300mg twice per day, and rifampin is one of the most harshest antibiotics for the liver. It must be taken with liver support. It is perfectly okay to start slowly. You are much better off taking a week at a lower dose to see what happens than starting at overdose level.
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posted
My NY LLMD who is generally very conservative and cautious believes 600 mg Rifampin a day to be a proper dose for BART if it can be tolerated.
I did do that for a while. Then my Cali LLMD wanted to switch me to Cipro which he thought would be more effective. But I had a terrible time on cipro and probably was allergic. So back to rifampin I went. Unfortunately tho it is a known effect that rifampin is much worse to go back on. Its even in the physicians desk reference that patients may experience unusually difficult and perhaps intolerable reactions trying to go back on it once off. That was true for me. I don't think I'll ever get back up to 600 mg per day. Stuck at 300 mg now.
Note that one doesn't actually herx as a result of BART. that is a lyme only phenomenon. You may have medication toxicity reactions or an uptick of Lyme symptoms...but it isn't a bartonella herx. Such a thing doesn't exist.
Pomegranite
Posts: 309 | From CA | Registered: Nov 2002
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Rifampin interacts with many different drugs, often reducing their efficacy (especially mepron), but it doesn't stay in your system for long.
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