posted
After 1 year & 8 months of antibiotic treatment, I would consider myself 95% better. I plan to continue treatment until I reach my goal of 100% symptom free. I'm doing really well but it's such an uphill struggle.
In the next year or so, we would like to begin trying for our first baby. My LLMD says that if I am symptom free, no abx should be needed. Does anyone have any feedback on this advice? Even when symptom free, I would not be free of the disease. I would be very concerned about passing it to my children if I did not take abx while pregnant. Thoughts???
I would love to get a second opinion from another trusted LLMD that has helped other Lyme patients through pregnancy. I live in the midwest but am willing to travel anywhere within the US. Please let me know if you have any feedback on this topic or LLMD suggestions.
Thanks! K
Posts: 44 | From Midwest | Registered: May 2010
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Yes, we just got back from seeing him today. Will pm you with information.
Posts: 9020 | From Illinois | Registered: May 2006
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
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The world famous Dr. J. spoke at the recent lyme conference in Toronto. He addressed your question specifically. Here are the notes I took at his presentation.
To me, he is saying that to be safe you should be on 2 antibiotics for lyme while pregnant.
The notes:
2011 ILADS Conference, Toronto, Canada
Pregnancy & Tick Borne Diseases: Gestational Lyme
Dr. J 10/28/11
Impulsivity is an earmark of children born with lyme. Lyme is a multi-system disorder. It can wax and wane and change. It likes collagen (valves), nerves, and joints; it is almost always tick borne
HIV, CMV, any infection in mother can be transmitted to the fetus.
If lyme is transmitted, you will see severe hypotonia (floppy baby), child will be irritable, tire easily, sensitive to light, noise, skin. The hypotonia will cause trouble sucking due to the lips being floppy. This can improve as time goes on. 30% of these children will have developmental delays.
Tissue PCR biopsy is more likely to be positive rather than a test of bodily fluids (blood, urine, spinal fluid, etc.). Test placenta and foreskin remnant.
Some of these children are classified as autism spectrum early on due to their failure to progress. These children do NOT experience regression as is often seen in autistic children. If antibiotics help them, it points to lyme as the true diagnosis.
He described 2 patients. One little boy ran around his office. He had never spoken. It was doubtful that he could understand what others said. But Dr. J. noticed that the boy made good eye contact with him, which autistic children will not do. He took his face in his hands and said to the boy, ``I am going to unlock your brain.'' The next time the child returned, he ran to Dr. J., put Dr. J's hands on his face and said, ``Thank you for unlocking my brain.''
The other boy had committed a long list of crimes, the most serious of which was attempted murder of his mother, and was about to be removed from his home due to his crimes. The boy announced that nobody was taking any blood from him. Dr. J. gave him a choice--either give blood or have a wrestling hold put on him. He put the hold on the child lightly and the child asked for him to stop. Then, he jumped into Dr. J's lap and hugged him (while Dr. J. patted him down for contraband) and cried profusely for about 2 minutes. When asked why he was crying like this, the little criminal said, ``Nobody has ever given me a choice before!'' This boy was diagnosed with lyme thanks to the persistence of his mother.
Treating the pregnant mother: There is less than 1% transmission of the illness if the mother is treated with 2 antibiotics during the pregnancy; 25% rate of transmission if she is treated with just one antibiotic; and 50% rate of transmission if she is not given antibiotics at all.
It doesn't matter what trimester the mother becomes infected. These are the statistics.
A baby born with babesiosis is in really bad shape. He told of one with heart and numerous other serious problems who was given numerous transfusions at birth, plus atovaquone and azithromycin and is now well. It took 1 week to see great improvement.
Some medications he suggests for the pregnant mother include 1,000 mg amoxicillin every 8 hours for months, also mentioned IM (intramuscular injections), ceftriaxone (? not sure of this--something that started with ``ceft`` but not ceftin), etc.
The mother can only breast feed the child if she is on antibiotics. Then, yes, it is fine to breastfeed.
He mentioned that a lab known as Advanced Laboratories can now culture for the lyme bacteria. Western Blots test only for exposure, so this is a much better test.
He said that a father can infect a mother. In in vitro fertilization, a father infected the embryo, but it was not part of a study, just anecdotal.
He quoted Dr. H., ``If the mind doesn't know, the eyes don't see'' to explain how lyme can be missed in these children so that they are misdiagnosed.
One month of amoxi should be given to the mother if she is bitten while breastfeeding.
To treat bartonella in children, give them zith and/or Bactrim, ciprofloxacin in an older child.
Antineuronal antibodies can be found in infected children. If they are found, treat the child with antibiotics. The child can have strep antibodies also. He uses various meds including IV Gamma globulin, if needed.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
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*** please do not use doctor's names in posts, see terms of use ***
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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Keebler
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