posted
Hi I would like to know others experiences of taking this drug. I have read of the horrendous side effects some people have but my LLMD says that it is related to having brain inflammation in the first instance.
I have persistent Babs so have little choice but to take it (have done much Mepron + Zith + artemesia). I would like to know how others fared on it!
Did it get rid of your babesia and how bad were the side effects? How long did you take it for??
posted
I tried it and it made me severely depressed for days, and have anxiety and confusion too. I only took one pill and had to stop. Others have better experiences and it is a really good drug for babesia. Have you tried Mepron/Zithromax/Artemesia? I would try the Larium and do what your doctor says, just because some peole have had bad experiences doesn't mean you will. I know of several people who it cured their babesia, and quickly.
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posted
Don't know what type of neuro symptoms you have or what other meds you are taking. Both would make a big difference in response in my opinion.
Also, if you take this would advise taking as many antioxidants as possible -- COQ10 400mg or more, Resveratrol (may need to work up slowly on dose) and other things like Pychnogenol and Vitamin C. These things all help with brain inflammation. Also phosphatidylcholine as well.
If you are on any psychotropic drugs for moods or sleep then that would also compound the situation.
Hubby had what may have been an allergic reaction to Mepron so he tried Larium.
As far as I remember this was the only tick-borne med he was on besides Artemesinin (he never herxed from that as far as I could tell). He was taking Depakote for seizures also -- which didn't really work. Plus IV Ativan.
Anyway you take one pill every 5 days -- he managed to take 3 pills before stopping. Waited 2 or 3 weeks and tried again -- stopped after 1 pill that time.
Was doing all the detox things and antioxidants except for no resveratrol or phosphatidylcholine -- still could not tolerate the side effects of this med.
Greatly increased his tremors/myoclonus/seizure-like episodes and the mood swings were really bad. Also if I remember correctly he had lots worse problems sleeping as well.
I think if he had taken 1 or 2 more doses the 1st time round he might have ended up in the psych ward. It wasn't anything specific -- just overall depression, anxiety, anger as far as I remember.
The clindamycin/quinine combo was much better tolerated, but I don't think it quite did the job so he is going back on this or something else for babesia this week. To prevent side effects from the quinine, the LLMD hubby sees rotates off the clindamycin/quinine in cycles onto another antibiotic. Hubby was on 10 days on and off cycles for 4 months last time.
Another med to add to the list Liz provided is Flagyl. Some LLMD's feel this works on babs. Hubby thought so, but again neuro side effects were too great -- he could only take 1/4 pill a day and stopped after a couple of weeks.
This is one tough bug.
As long as you are aware of potential problems I think that should help, but if problems develop stop the med ASAP.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Some people have used clindamycin + quinine to treat babs.
Also, have you checked to see whether riamet is available there? That might be an alternative to lariam.
Also, do a search for liz's posts on refractory babesia. She felt primaquine might be a useful drug. Some have used septra in a combo too. This protocol has been posted here before.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
I took mepron and then Lariam a few years ago. The Larium was horrendous, but it did the job. The worst part about the Larium was anxiety which I had to use Lorazepam for. Often there were panic attacks and feelings like I was having a heart attack-acutally took an ambulance ride on my 3rd day of Larium because I didn't know what was happening. DX-side effects of Larium. The stuff did work. Even after I stopped the Larium I still had anxiety for a while but it eventually went away.
As we speak, I am just beginning Babs treatment using Mepron again for a relapse, but it's been about 3 years since I took the Larium. Larium, awful stuff, but it works.
Just a note to Mepron users. Another poster recommended using CoQ10. My doc has advised me not to use CoQ10 while on Mepron, it messes with its absorption efficacy.
Robin
Posts: 103 | From California | Registered: Jan 2003
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suki444
Unregistered
posted
Hi
Thanks for the responses...my neuro symptoms on Atov are brain fog, light sensitivity and black moods. I am on no other drugs for neuro or sleep issues.
WildC I have tried the Mepron/Zith/Artemesia and added in Bactrim...have the same doc as you, my European babs is proving tough to control tho.
Actually I have just tried Clindamycin for a bladder infection and cannot tolerate it, makes me run to the loo so have had to stop. So that and quinine would not go down well I fear.
Just worried I will not make it into work the few afternoons I do because of psych stuff...do the side effects take a while to wear off?
posted
Hi, Suki. Two people have written privately today to say they went into severe depressions on lariam.
And also, you may want to check out the dosages described in some replies here. Isn't the regular lariam dosage one pill a week, not one a day?
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