I'm kind of running scared because my babesia treatment isn't working and I feel like I can't breathe.
I have problems swallowing meds so I'm on three tsp of mepron daily, which so far I am tolerating.
That is besides bicillin shots 3x a weeks for Lyme, Leviquin for bartenella, and a small dose of Ceftin too. I've been taking IM bicillin for at least a year so the ceftin is to help the bicillin along.
This is a lot of abx.
THe zithromax ( we tried a baby dose of liquid) which is usually taken with mepron killed my esophagus, and I had to go off all medications untill my gastric system felt better.
I'm taking those meds again, but the mepron alone is just not working.
I can't swallow biaxin, or malarone, or anything that's a fairly large size pill for me. Even the liquids give me problems. So I'm out of options.
My llmd wants me to start on IV Zithromax along with mepron 2x a day this week, in addition to all the other meds I currently take.
He had suggested also the possibility of Gentimycin shots. Has anyone heard anything about these shots?
I'm concerned that these massive doses of abx will kill me, if the Lyme, babs and bart don't get me first.
I'm certainly concerned about C Difficile.
I'm off to a pulminologist today to rule out any other problems, but I must admit that I feel desperate.
Does anyone have any ideas?
Lymehead
-------------------- RI Posts: 440 | From New York | Registered: Sep 2005
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
Mepron is not normally used by itself. Have you tried Larium?
The GI upset is a problem, maybe you should go off orals and stick with the Bicillin and then focus on babesia treatment first. C.diff is a very scary illness and you are right to be concerned. Have you talked with your LLMD about trying the Cowden protocol, all herbal, no pills, just drops of herbs. A good option for those with GI upset. In the meantime, be kind to your GI, take the florastor and probiotics, and nexium and carafate to help it heal, glutamine, ginger root, aloe vera and flax seed oil.
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posted
What about the pediatrict doses of Malarone that is a very small pill. Also have you thought about cutting the zithro in half? But If you can do the IV Zithro and Mepron that would work on the Babs. And aviod the stomach issues.
But you are on alot of abx. I know I would be herxing like crazy. I wouldn't take that much at one time IT WOULD KILL ME. Plus you are really going to tax your liver.
I would talk to your doc! Most doc's don't do all co-infection at once, but maybe some do.
Pediatric Malarone might be an option, if it's small enough.
I could take two of them. Or whatever is needed for the appropriate dose.
Does it need abx to work in conjunction with it?
How big is Larium, and does it have to be taken along with an abx too to be effective?
It does depend on the size of the pill.
I know I'm doing that with the Leviquin. Instead of one 500 mg a day, I'm taking two 250 mg at a time and they are tiny, so I am tolerating that so far.
The Zithromax killed me in a liquid form. One half a tsp which he said was a baby dose was enough to set me back big time.
I think Zith is just very hard on the stomach.
I do agree that I can't go on anymore abx than I'm taking already!
But I do need to breath and feel better.
Lymehead
-------------------- RI Posts: 440 | From New York | Registered: Sep 2005
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Vermont_Lymie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9780
posted
Malarone 250/100 each day helped my breathing alot.
But it took about 4+ weeks to feel that difference.
The pediatric pills are tiny! Surely you could swallow those.
If you take 4 pediatric malarones, they are equal to one adult dose.
Ask your llmd if you could cut back on the abx in order to start taking babs treatment. But the malarone herxing can be rough for the first 2 months in my experience.
Definitely go see a pulmonologist. You can always treat the breathing symptoms while treating the underlying babs that may be creating the breathing difficulties.
Good luck!
Posts: 2557 | From home | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
Thanks for your input, but so far the pharmacy says that the pediatric Malarone is not a much smaller pill than the adult version.
I'm wondering if a compound pharmacy can turn the pill into a liquid like mepron?
If I do have to take IV zith, does it bypass the gastric system? Or can I get bad stomach problems even though it's IV?
Any other suggestions?
By the way, it's definitely the babs that's causing my breathing problems.
I just came back from the pulmonologist and everything shows up clear.
Lymehead
-------------------- RI Posts: 440 | From New York | Registered: Sep 2005
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JimBoB
Unregistered
posted
I had to quit abx altogether in February of 2006. My stomach just couldn't take them.
I did much better on herbs, though I am not cured by any means. I still take the herbs. I am trying a little, 200mg a day, Amoxicillin right now, along with the herbs. As I took it a few months ago for prostatitis, and by taking it away from my meals WITH about a third of a glass of skim milk, I find I can tolerate it for a week or two. MAYBE three IF I push myself.
C-Salts from nutri.com pretty much cured my bad stomach as long as I stay off the oral abx. And the Sali-Pipe from England has helped tremendously with my breathing problems.
What was your previous dose of Mepron, and for how long were you on it?
Posts: 275 | From Home | Registered: May 2007
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Vermont_Lymie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9780
posted
quote:Originally posted by Talktel: Thanks for your input, but so far the pharmacy says that the pediatric Malarone is not a much smaller pill than the adult version.
I'm wondering if a compound pharmacy can turn the pill into a liquid like mepron?
Lymehead
Hi, I would not believe the pharmacist that told you that.
I started on pediatric malarone, and that is one very small pill -- much smaller than the adult pill (which is not too large a pill itself, rather average sized)!
You may be able to look up the size via Google. Good luck.
Posts: 2557 | From home | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
Larium is the only med that has even touched my babesia symptoms, so if all else fails you might want to see if your LLMD will try it. The pill itself is round and flat a little bit smaller then a tums. If you check with the pharmacist you may even be able to crush it if you can't swallow it.
Good luck
Posts: 58 | From NY | Registered: Dec 2005
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trueblue
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7348
posted
I'm not sure this helps but the adult Malarone is the size of a regular strength asprin/tylenol (325mg), maybe a little smaller, and it's coated (giving it better slip-ablilty).
It's the same size as a Nystatin tablet.
Ok, that may be little help but all the searches I did only showed the pediatric size looking about half size. I couldn't find a measurement anywhere. (My guess is probably like a baby asprin.)
I did run across somewhere where it said it could be split, so... you might be able to make it smaller or possibly crush it. I would call GSK and ask them.
The only thing with splitting coated pills is they usually go down easier coated and without rough edges.
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