posted
I was just wondering who had some experience with Levaquin for Bartonella. Like how long were you on the Levaquin before you noticed a changed? Even if that change felt worse in the beginning. And what other side effects might I expect with it? Also how long were you on the Levaquin before you felt it had cleared the Bart? I'm still new to this and I searched around the site but couldn't specifically find this. Plus I have to say as hopeful as all of you make me feel that I can get past this it's still so overwhelming reading how this has hurt so many people. I just can't say thank you enough for providing a place for all of us to come together. Thanks for your help and I look forward to chatting often.
Posts: 10 | From New England | Registered: Mar 2008
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
welcome newbie!
since you are not receiving replies, i suggest you copy your post above, and paste it into MEDICAL ... you will get replies there.
if you need a shoulder to cry on, rant, or a hug; post in general support...here.
if it's medical questions; they go there.
hoping you'll get your answers now; i've not been on those meds.
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My wife took Levaquin and started a herxheimer like reaction by day # 4, of week # 1. The Levaquin works right away, no doubt about it. It works like an antibiotic should, there is no waiting around and guessing does it work or not.
She could only tolerate Levaquin four days per week with three days per week off because the herxheimer like reactions were so severe, particularly towards the end of the week around Thursday evenings.
Why? One pill of Levaquin takes more than 72 hours to fully metabolize out of your body. Consequently, the second days dosage feels stronger than the first because the first days dosage has not yet been cleared from your system when you are adding more. The third days dosage is even stronger still because the second and first days dosages are still lingering in your body, and so on. By day # 4, the built-up dosage was so high that my wife was really having a hard time of it.
Taking three days per week off helped her tolerate the medication and helped us manage the herxheimer like reactions. It also delayed the onset of the tendonitis pain that is a well known dangerous side effect of this excellent antibiotic.
Bearing in mind what Bartonella is and how it lives was the key to killing it. This organism lives on and in your red blood cells. It also colonizes the inter-lining of your capillary blood vessels. Why? Capillaries are close to the surface of your skin and thus when a mosquito or tick comes along to suck blood, it is easy for the Bartonella to leave one victim and move to another. This is how this thing gets around and maintains itself in the natural environment.
Humans blood cells can live up to 120 days before they die and are replaced by the body's bone marrow. Theoretically, to kill this pathogen, a drug like Levaquin must be in your system for up to 120 days to make sure that all infected young and old blood cells, get treated. My wife was treated for roughly 70 days and that did the trick. She could not tolerate this medication for 120 days. Lucky for us she did not have to.
If you start this medication have someone there to help you get through it. My wife was bedridden 90% of the time during that 9 week treatment period. If things get too severe it is up to you to stop and recover, then start again until the Bartonella is dead and you will be free of this dreadful disease.
Find a way to manage and endure the herxheimer so that you no longer need to endure the disease. That has been our experience. Start with the lowest 250 mG dosage and try it. Watch out for the tendonitis pain. A little tendonitis pain you should be able to tolerate, but if it gets too much then stop the Levaquin immediately, recover, then start again.
Don't complain to the doctor for every little thing, otherwise he may get nervous and stop therapy just when you are almost home free.
I fired our first LLMD because he got cold feet, stopped therapy, and consequently, my poor wife suffered unnecessarily for an additional 2 1/2 years with re-sergeant, under-treated Bartonella, that nearly killed her. By the end of that 2 1/2 year period my wife was traveling, by ambulance, to the local ER at least once or twice a month for I.V. Valium and I.V. pain meds to calm the severe body spasms caused by the undertreated Bartonella.
I almost fired our second LLMD until I told her to get it together and give my wife one of the few medications that really, really, does work against any tick borne illness.
Levaquin is toxic, dangerous, and much maligned on the internet, but it works!
You cannot kill tick borne diseases with bubblegum flavored antibiotics.
I hope this helps.
Godspeed.
Posts: 45 | From upstate NY | Registered: Sep 2007
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
I was on Levaquin for 12 weeks and feel like the bart was cleared in that time. I was switched to Rifampin to be sure we got it all and had no reaction whatsoever to the Rifampin.
I herxed for six weeks on the Levaquin, then started to improve.
Like the previous poster said, the herx was quite severe. I was in a lot of pain and was pretty disabled from it. Epsom salt baths helped with the pain. I also drank lots of lemon water.
In the end it was worth it.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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Thank you so much. I thought I was in pain before but it evidentally was nothing compared to where I'm at now. My poor husband just doesn't even know what to do. You're information and foresight are greatly appreciated. I needed to hear about the herxing. Didn't even know what that was, but I will now tell you that is exactly what is happening. Thank you and I will try to hang in there. I just got through telling my DH that I wasn't sure I had the strength needed to get through this. Your reply has helped. Thank you again! Posts: 10 | From New England | Registered: Mar 2008
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reading how this has hurt so many people. I just can't say thank you enough ![[bow]](graemlins/bow.gif)
for providing a place for all of us to come together. Thanks for your help and I look forward to chatting often.
![[group hug]](graemlins/grouphug.gif)
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