posted
I'm kind of confused. Here's what I have taken since beginning treatment.
My local doctor prescribed minocycline. I was on that for 1 month with no improvement whatsoever. I didn't even really have much of a herx.
He switched me to a doxycycline/flagyl combo. After about 3 weeks I noticed I was feeling better. I didn't feel like I was going to faint all the time. It was great.
At this time I went to see my llmd in Louisiana. Based on my symptoms he felt like I could have Babesia. So he switched me off of doxy and put me on Zithromax along with malarone. I was still taking flagyl.
I was on this combo for about 2 months with no improvement. Actually I got worse. I started feeling lightheaded more and started having vertigo which I had never really had before.
When I went back to him (well actually I saw his assistant ) he felt like I needed to focus Lyme disease since I wasn't seeing any difference with the Babesia treatment. He put me back on Doxy/flagyl combo and took me off of malarone.
So now I'm confused. I wish there was a way I could no for sure if I had babesia. It's so frustrating. I know I have Lyme Disease..... but I don't know if I have anything else.
My main symptoms right now (after 2 weeks on doxy/flagyl) are:
chest pain heart palps achiness all over vertigo lightheadedness headaches air hunger
okay that sounds like a lot..
I just don't know what to think. For those who were diagnosed with Babs, how did you know you had it?
What did you take for treatment?? How did the treatment make you feel?
Can you treat Lyme Disease and Babesia at the same time??
I'm sure these are all questions that I should ask my llmd and I will, but just wanted to get ya'll opinion.
Thanks!!!!
Posts: 248 | From Tejas | Registered: Jun 2007
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posted
Yes, you can treat both at the same time....or you can rotate the meds. My dr does 10 days of one, then 10 days of the other.
Worked well for me. I took clindamycin/quinine for most of my treatment time.
Later I took artemisinin and zith to finish it off.
Your symptoms sound very much like they are more babesia than Lyme....but it's hard to say.
You weren't tested for babs??
Bottom line: be patient!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
Well, your symptoms do SOUND like babesia... but then again, it certainly could be lyme doing it.
It's so hard to tell.
I'm assuming you tested negative for babesia but are treating it anyway?
Maybe sending off a blood smear to Fry Labs to have a look-see would be a good idea? They have some wicked-good slides and if anything is lurking, they are the best at finding it, from what I've seen. Their contact info is in the Newbie Links, along with some photos on their website and on this website.
It might give you some peace of mind. Sometimes it's turned up other coinfections people didn't know they had. (i.e., Bartonella.)
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Dear Lauren,
I was tested for babesia via Fish at Igenex.
My test results were negative.
Yet, like you, had tons of babesia symptoms.
I have done two courses of malarone.
I herx like crazy on babesia meds.
First time, I saw no improvements until the end of month 3.
What I am saying is that currently, Igenex can only test for two strains.
There are many.
I was treated by same LLMD for babesia based on symptoms as testing, again
Is not very reliable for co-infections unless you have the strain they are testing for.
Since many symptoms can "overlap" with Lyme and/or co-infections,
It may be better to treat based on symptoms than not.
A great deal of my "air hunger" has turned out to be POTs.
That can cause shortness of breath as well.
I may still need more babesia treatment, but am doing better overall for treating babesia.
I had the worst night sweats on malarone.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
I was treated for babs even after a negative test for it.
I had night sweats very badly, air hunger, and heart palps.
I started babs/Lyme treatment at the same time, and herxed badly, but there's no way to know which bug was causing the herx.
Now I have maybe one night sweat per month but not nearly as signiicant as before, some light air hunger at the start of a herx, and no heart palps.
I was on Mepron/Biaxin/Art for 8 months, then switched to Malarone/Lariam/Art for the last two months.
I have also been treating Lyme at the same time and started treating Bart two months ago.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
Could be other things, as always- but
sure sounds like Babesiosis to me re your symptoms- I wonder if you could have been having a long Herx- for me babesiosis tx was very different from Lyme trx- with Lyme when I became responsive at last it was up up UP and the only downs were clear herxes- with babs tx- and I was on Mepron -Zith for two YEARS- I initally was VERY responsive, herxed, leveled off with gains, then I would wobble up down a little with that, it was frsutrating, often felt just ahead of the curve and only knew that because if I went off meds felt worse- and then added Artemisia a year into it- and herxed herxed and then one wobbly and then leveled off one step above before-
But it was much less clearcut in terms of symptom management and feelings of success associated with that- a much muddier response to tx than Lyme!!! Annoying frankly!!!
Bartonella often had similar symptoms to babs though- and Ehrlihicosis- Anaplasmosis can deplete oxygenation too and cause all those same things- so I would make sure you have been evaluated/treated for that because it can be seronegative even when acute-
But people DO Herx with Babs and my Herxes with Babs were longer than those with Lyme excepting Rocephin-
So to sum up- I don't know(*)!!!! but I sympathize!!! What Michelle M said sounds like a great idea (as usual)- Fry lab maybe???? They do direct microscopy and can get photos of the little critters whatever they are*)!!!
Best wishes, Sarah
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
It definately sounds like Babs to me. And it is very normal to get worse and have an increase in symptoms when you start a new medication. You may have been bringing out the Babesia.
You will know soon enough, mainly because once you bring out the infection and then not treat it, your babesia symptoms will get worse as long as your not on any meds that will kill it.
Lisi
Babesia symptom list.
20. What signs and symptoms would lead a doctor to suspect a Babesia infection in a patient? How many strains of Babesiosis have been identified and how many are commonly tested for in commercial labs?
The following signs/symptoms may be present in those infected with Babesiosis:
Fatigue* Arthralgias* (aching joints) Myalgia* (muscle pain) Drenching sweats* Headaches* Emotional lability* Depression* Dark urine* Splenomegaly* (enlarged spleen) Dizziness* Nausea and vomiting* Cough* Dyspnea* (difficulty breathing) Fever* Chills* Hepatosplenomegaly* (enlarged liver) Jaundice* Malaise* Shortness of breath* Bleeding tendencies, bruising* Thrombocytopenia* (low platelets in the blood) Hemoglobinuria* (red cell breakdown, with release of hemoglobin in the urine) Hyperesthesia* (over sensitivity to touch) Pulmonary edema* (fluid accumulation, swelling in the lungs) Encephalopathy* (alters brain function) Low to normal range leukocyte counts* Possible elevated levels of dehydrogenase, bilirubin, transaminase* Anorexia*
Approximately 25%- 66% of Babesia patients are known to be co-infected with Lyme disease. These symptoms may continue for long periods of time, decrease, then return. A low Babesiosis titer (IgG) often indicates a chronic infection.
An acute or current infection may show a higher reading on the IgM test initially. There are over 100 species of Babesia in the United States but only ONE or TWO species are currently checked by commercial labs.
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) he felt like I needed to focus Lyme disease since I wasn't seeing any difference with the Babesia treatment. He put me back on Doxy/flagyl combo and took me off of malarone.
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