Topic: What can I take to continue BABESIA treatment on my new drug combo? (needing advice)
Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
My LLMD wants to start me up on Rifampin and Minocycline. I am getting them filled at the pharmacy today, so I suppose I will be starting them within the next couple days.
I am concerned about stopping my Mepron, because I'm concerned about stopping babesia treatment so soon (less than 5 months in). I have been on Artemisinin also with the Mepron for about a month now, so I will continue the Artemisinin while on Rifampin and Mino.
What else (if anything) should I do to continue to treat my babesia?
My LLMD doesn't want to keep treating my babesia....he is not too concerned about it at the 4 1/2 month mark. I am choosing to disregard his lack of concern in light of my severe herxes on Artemisinin that tell me I still have babesia.
My local family doctor is interested in prescribing me whatever will help me right now if I bring in research and make a good case for it. She is just tired of seeing me struggle with this.
What should I add?
I have 4 bottles of Mepron left on a prescription now, and I have a bottle and a half here so I could "double up".....IF I wanted to use that as my anti-babesia agent. (NOTE: I am not crazy, but I'm not ruling this out) Obviously I would have to take Zithro too at that point.
The whole premise of this, however, is that I want to start both Rifampin and Minocycline....so continuing Mepron with that is risky (abosrption issues). That is why I haven't already done all three of these together.
Does anyone have any better ideas? Can I take quinine with Rifampin and Minocycline? (my parasite load should be lower by now, so i won't herx too severely) Should I try Malarone?
Any other ideas? I need to think outside the box here. I just need some help.
I guess I could just do double (so more is absorbed) the Mepron dose with Rifampin and Zithromax (so I wouldn't use my Mino for now), but I really wanted to start the Rifampin and Minocycline at the same time.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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johnnyb
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7645
posted
Hoos,
There was another thread on here saying that you could take the Zhang Art by itself, because it already contains multiple ingredients, and so would prevent resistance (Zhang confirmed this with a poster here).
I myself have been taking Olive Leaf Extact along with the Art, but I feel as if I've been slowly relapsing since stopping the mepron / macrolide combo, so I am going to see if my LLMD will put me back on it.
But, yeah, both mino and rifampin are supposed to reduce the effectiveness of the mepron, and a macrolide (zith, biaxin, etc..) will prevent babs from developing resistance to mepron.
Malarone IS mepron plus another drug, except that my LLMD said the mepron concentration in malarone is about 5 times weaker than taking the actual mepron itself.
Stephen Buhner also recommends cryptolepsis for babesia (ask me about it in chat if you need more info). Enula is another herbal choice that some have used with success.
As you can see, there are no definites here, but I hope this helps.
- J
Posts: 1197 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jul 2005
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Rianna
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11038
posted
Your options are more limited when starting Rifampin as it can interact with so many different drugs.
For me mepron or malarone did not do anything, initially starting malarone it totally pushed the babesia to ground and then it came roaring back and the side effects were terrible so my LLMD quickly changed me over to IV and oral Clindmycin 1500mg a day with oral quinine sulphate 3 x 325mg a day - You have to keep probiotics real high with clindamycin so i use oral and rectal refloridization.
I am also on Cryptolepsis from woodlandesance.com
My Babs herx's have been terrible but Im finally hitting my target.
There are so many other babesia options other than Mepron/malarone
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
My lyme doc treated my babesiosis with Bactrim DS two times per day, plus artimesinin in a pulsed fashion (Friday through Sunday). It got rid of my babs.
You will have to check and see how Bactrim interacts with the meds you are going to start taking. Hopefully, you can take them all at the same time with no problem.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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