Topic: Is there Anyone here that CAN'T tolerate Artemesinin?
tabbytamer
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3159
posted
I've been tolerating the Mepron/Zith fine. But tried adding the Art, 100 mgs twice a day, and by the end of the week realized my horrid headaches and nausea might be related.
This is the second day without the Art and my headache and nausea are gone (still on Mepron/zith).
posted
Art does a number of things. It is an anti protozoa for one, which means it will go after babs and other protozoa like bugs.
Google art in connection to cancer therapy and under anti-malaria. You will find how art works within the blood to remove the affecting bug - it is very interesting.
You might also be killing of other parasites besides just the babs - this can also cause headaches.
I have had similar experience using Art. I have used it along with Babs treatment and also part of a parasite clense runs. Wormwood in general is very ant-parasitic
I no longer get any headaches when taking the art -
I also know of a few of when they added the art to the mix for babs that they also had an intensification of symptoms. You might want to back off on your dosing.
Posts: 582 | From milwaukee wi | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
100 mg's twice a day is a very small dose. I would stick it out and see what happens after a week or so. Your Sx's will probably subside as the parasites that you are killing reducce in numbers, and then you can up your dose.
-------------------- You're only a failure when you stop trying. Posts: 945 | From U.S | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
Maybe because it's working?? (nausea and headaches are symptoms of babs) I had no problems with it. [/QB][/QUOTE]
I also had headaches, some nausea on artemesinin which I thought was a herxheimera and an indication that the artemesinin was getting the Babsesia and other parasites.
I found it to be farily strong stuff. It was one of the few treatments that had me in bed for a good part of the day. I am still taking it, but hardly notice any herxheimer reaction.
Posts: 628 | From the south | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I added in art after four months on mepon zith and experienced intolerable herxes. It turns out I could only take 20mg a day.
I'm on round 2 of mepron zith and am doing very well with 25mg of art, so I will be increasing it but very slowly.
Posts: 925 | From California | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
i thought you could only buy arteminisin in 100mg dose, where can you get it in 20mg? thanks for any info, radha
Posts: 392 | From New York | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
I am THERE with you, Tabby.
My WA-1 buddy!
I did the same thing, a couple weeks of Mepron/Zith, then added Art, only at two 100 mg pills three times a day.
And WOWEEEE, did my head explode.
The good news is that after a time, the exploding head tapered down.
I would stick it out. It packs a serious punch. I wouldn't take it as a sign you can't handle it - I'd take it as a sign it's WORKING.
Wishing better times for you!
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
Please do not give the advice "to stick it out" and that "the symptoms will probably subside", to someone who says they're getting HORRIBLE headaches from 200 mg of artemisinin that it is a "very small dose".
I tried to push through several weeks'long artemisinin-induced HORRIBLE headaches (and that is such a euphemism/understatement to call them "headaches") and I feel I could've have died from them. It took a few days after I stopped for the headaches to subside.
So in short: stop the art if the headaches are so bad ESPECIALLY if they are that bad at only 200 mg/day.
I used to "push through" beyond what is reasonable with tx and I now think this is NOT a good idea.
Treating Babs can be particularly brutal and only those of us who have experienced the bad, bad, BAD reactions with Babesia treatments know what I am talking about.
I had the dreadful headaches with all anti-babs treatments (atovaquone, lariam and even doxy) but the artemisinin was by far the very WORST.
Nelly
Posts: 416 | From france | Registered: Oct 2001
| IP: Logged |
Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
Tabby dearest,
I would be SURE to have some serious headache support meds, such as Relpax, hanging around.
My LLMD even prescribed me some pain meds, for the first time EVER, when I started Artemisinin.
The WA-1 strain has been shown to cause vascular debris and sludge.. And my experience has been it shows a preference for the brain. Hence the really horrid headaches. We know it's really hard to get rid of, so I want to hit it with every possible gun.
Maybe a pulsing schedule of art would work for you? Ask your doc... I do know that for me it tapered down a LOT within a week, from un-freakin-bearable to "OK, I can deal with this."
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
tabbytamer
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3159
posted
Thanks everyone.
Yeah, my usual migraine/cluster headache cocktail, which includes Demerol and Toradol, didn't seem to help.
Two days off the Art, headache gone.
Still would also like to know if Art is available in smaller than 100 mg doses . . . ?
groovy2
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6304
posted
Hi Tab
You are problely herxing from the art--
A herx is a good sign that bugs are dying--
When I herx I up my dose of meds-- doing this has served me well--
Yep it hurts but Im tired of being sick and tired--
These is one of those sercomstances that No pain No Gain-- No way around it--
I herxed on Art -most folks do-- gave me migrains -- about a week--
The only thing I have noticed is that if I take Doxi and Art at the same time I Barf-
so I spread threw the day --Jay--
Posts: 2999 | From Austin tx USA | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged |
trueblue
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7348
posted
Tabby, I've been away and just read this now.
Anyway... I started taking Artemisinin at 100mgs at bed and on wakening. I was on no other meds when I started it. It knocked me on my @$$. Nausea, diarreah, headaches, chills, sweats, felt like my body was beat up inside and out.
I took it for 4 weeks before adding 1 Malarone and then 10 days later 400 mg Ketek. I am tolerating the Art better now but it still seems to be the strongest of the 3 meds I'm on.
(I have no idea how high my load was, I tested positive for Babs 8 years ago and was never treated. Likely had it for 20. I'm assuming I was loaded with parasites and it's working.)
If you think you want to try it again at a lower dose perhaps you could get some empty gelatin caps and split the powder into them. It may be difficult to get an exact dosage but you could roughly half (or quarter) it and see if it's any more tolerable.
Just a thought, not sure it helps, though.
DolphinLady ~ How are you splitting the Artemisinin into smaller doses?
-------------------- more light, more love more truth and more innovation Posts: 3783 | From somewhere other than here | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
riversinger
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4851
posted
Tabby, I had severe headaches and nausea to the point of vomiting when I did a trial of artemesinin to see if I had Babesia. My doctor was sure it was a herx. I was sure it wasn't. I was only on the artemesinin at the time.
I later found that I had Bartonella, and there has been absolutely no clear evidence that I have any strain of Babesia. In fact, the "trial" of artemesinin may have put off treatment of the Bartonella long enough to cause permanent optic nerve damage.
I don't blame the doctor, these bugs are hard to catch. However, you have to trust how far you can and should push your body.
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!
![[group hug]](graemlins/grouphug.gif)
![[kiss]](graemlins/kissing.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic