posted
Hubby just restarted Zithromax. 250 mg every other day.
Tried 500 mg daily plus 50 mg Rifampin previously -- only lasted 3 days. Ended up in the hospital due to G.I. issues -- peristalsis was slowing down (previous history of partially paralyzed ileus). Given Lactulose plus suppository and enema.
Endoscopy found chronic gastritis and duodenitis -- no h. pylori. After a week he was finally able to go on a regular diet -- initially nausea and vomiting on just liquids. And of course the nausea/vomiting was a major trigger for tremors/muscle rigors.
So it has been 3 weeks since he has had any antibiotics. Working really hard on trying to heal his gastritis with herbs and some Carafate.
Anyone else have G.I. problems that improved with Bart treatment?
Hubby initially clinically diagnosed with Bart based on history of G.I. problems -- initial symptom of illness. Took 3 months of Levaquin in the past -- a couple of years ago. No real herx or anything.
Tried Rifampin over a year ago -- I think it was 100 mg 1 or 2 times a day then. Ended up taking only 20 pills over about a month. Made tremors/myoclonus much worse. Then took one month of Cipro. That med didn't do much either.
Fry Lab found Bart on a bloodslide 2 times this summer about 3 months apart. Actually had antibodies the one time we tested that with their lab. Just don't know which if any symptoms are actually caused by the Bart.
Not sure the Zith is going to work. Hubby just woke up frozen stiff with muscle rigors a few hours after first Zith. The muscle rigors had decreased to one episode daily usually following a meal. Have meds to control that symptom -- IV Demerol, but too much of that med causes constipation and nay be what caused the G.I. slowdown that resulted in the hospitalization. It seems like we are on a merry go round with no end in sight.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
I've been on zith for over a year and I have bart and I don't feel that it's helped at all. I'm not taking zith for bart though. I'm on 250 mg 2X per day. I think you have to get the right combo of abx for bart and that varies a lot from what I've been able to tell.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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Jill E.
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Member # 9121
posted
Bea,
When I was on just Rifampin for Bart, my already terrible myoclonus became so bad and so frequent, I felt like I was having mini-seizures every minute or so.
Finally, one of my LLMDs said that Rifampin needs to be combined with something - often Zith, but I can't be on two liver-toxic drugs at once. So we combined Rifampin with Doxy and my myoclonus has lessened significantly. Still there, but much better.
I still have tremors and other Bart symptoms that have not responded.
I've only made it to a half dose of Rifampin after many months.
Maybe hubby can combine low-dose Rifampin with Zith or Doxy like I have - I can't do the full dose of Rifampin, but Rifampin alone for Bart made me herx like crazy. Levaquin also worsened my myoclonus, unlike your hubby.
Doxy and Zith can both be tough on the GI tract, though. It depends how he tolerates either of those.
Before Rifampin, one of my LLMDS wanted to try Zith for Bart for me, because Zith is often used for pediatric Bart, and I am so sensitive to meds. He thought it would quiet down the symptoms, but not necessarily eradicate Bart.
I'm glad to see you are back. You've been missed around here!
Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
I took zithromax in combination with mepron for my babesia treatment and I do have bartonella. Classic bartonella rash and I do have bartonella symptoms. Well my bartonella rash is gone now but I still have symptoms. I have not specifically been on bartonella treatment at any point and I am going to ask my doctor if he thinks I should be treated for it.
So yes my bart rash is gone but I am still really sick. It is my understanding that zithro. isn't specifically prescribed for bart.
~catwoman
Posts: 255 | From where we don't have Lyme disease | Registered: Jan 2007
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posted
Terryk-I wanted to see the article, but the link wouldn't work-do you know the www address?
Posts: 561 | From eastcoast | Registered: Aug 2006
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
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posted
shoney, It's a video, you need to install real player.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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Foggy
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posted
Bea, I found the Rifamp & Zithro combo to be very helpful for my Bart symptoms, especially the weird tremors etc. GI was OK on it with lots of Probiot.
Hope he improves as you've been through so much. Hang in there
Posts: 2451 | From Lyme Central | Registered: Aug 2001
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valymemom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Wish we had the miracle combo for your hubby. Wish....wish....wishing....
Have you tried resveratrol along with the abx......then maybe add the boneset and red root that Buhner recommends. I know you mix herbs, oils, supplements and abx.
Posts: 1240 | From Centreville,VA | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Update -- Hubby felt like his G.I. was slowing down too much even on the 250 mg of Zith -- only took 1 dose.
Waited a couple of days and switched to Cipro at 250 mg daily. Lasted for 5 days and then had to stop. Has been in bed and housebound for a week now. LLMD suggested waiting a few days and then trying 125 mg daily of Cipro.
Looks like the Bart must have really been multiplying in the year since hubby tried treating it with Cipro before. Doesn't look like this is going to be a fun infection to treat.
Am checking into the cost of IV Cipro -- IV Zithromax is way too expensive. But on the other hand, if the Bart is really in the G.I. tract then I wonder if oral meds would be better anyway.
Have been giving hubby redroot tincture for a couple of weeks. Been adding back his supplements 2 or 3 every week as he had to totally stop everything when he couldn't even keep liquids down without vomiting.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Zith is notorious for causing GI problems. I just started it (250 per day) and the word diarhea is used about 100 times in the pharmacy's warnings sheet.
It's definitely effected me negatively and not helped with my symptoms at all so far. I've only been on it a few days, but it's got my stomach in a complete wreck. I think tonight's dose will be my last - I don't need anything new on top of everything else.
Oh, and make sure it's not taken with ANY antacids - they completely negate any effects of the abx.
Posts: 91 | From East TN | Registered: Mar 2007
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kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
I started 500mg zith daily back in June. I function pretty well on it. I can't be far from a bathroom if I skip a day then start up the next.
As far as treating bartonella, I think that with Rifampin was a huge help in treating my daughter's bart. (Adding the vitamin D gave it the last boost to get over the hump).
She started treating babesia (mepron/zith)and is now taking minocycline.
She will most likely loop back and treat bart again just to make sure we keep it knocked down. It could be the mino is also hitting the bartonella.
Don't know what to say about Cipro. My LLMD won't use it.
I've been thinking about you and your husband, it's good to see you posting again.
Jill- Rifampin can actually CAUSE tremors! It is a side effect of the drug itself - not necessarily a herx. I was getting tremors from it as well - really freaking me out, and it turns out that it is a side effect.
Rifampin has been a life saver for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love this drug! I feel like it has given me my life back!!! I am finally able to work again after 4 years of being home bound. I have been on it for six months.
Seibert - I had bad nausea from the Rifampin in the very beg. for a good 6 weeks at least. Then it completely went away.
hope this helps,
Anneke
Posts: 364 | From California | Registered: Sep 2005
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I am a fan of zithromax and have taken it at times through my two year treatment and also am taking it now along with mepron, atriminisin, circumin and some alternative/energetic plus detoxification.
I am still rather vulnerable and so I take the zith combo every third day to avoid any herxing or crazy die offs that I won't be able to handle. I think the plan is to up the dosage soon but it was a good way to re-ease me back into it.
Bart was a HUGE issue for me in the GI tract as well as with the muscle rigors.
It seems as if my bartonella has subsided naturally through treatment of the lyme and babesia without focusing on it specifically. I believe the IM bicillin was also helpful in this and the breaks from antibiotics I needed to take at times to be
Certain to regenerate when I felt that they were causing more harm than good. It has been a delicate balance and I've realized that since the treatment is so long, it is okay to stop for awhile to preserve and protect that which
I don't want to be destroyed in the process.
I have noticed over time that my GI symptoms are not nearly as interfering on a continual basis as they once were, not to say I don't have them. I am not vomiting as I once was doing very often.
Also the muscle rigors have lessened.
So I believe zithromax was helpful overall, in combination with the rest.
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