Babesia Treatment

I try not to let my life revolve around Lyme but every once in a while I want to post as a reminder to CHECK FOR TICKS!  Protect yourself while outside(I'm talking to you dad and Dave Alonzo) wear deet, light colored clothing.  I also want a journal about my treatment.

Babesia, one of the many co infections of Lyme, is not easy to treat and can cause many symptoms that can really hinder every day activities. This strand of bacteria alone has hundreds of different strands within itself, and is something that is expensive to test.  Through Igenex labs in Ca., the one trustworthy Lyme Literate lab in the U.S. that tests for all its infections CORRECTLY, It will cost somewhere up to or around $1000 for the extended co infections testing including te Lyme test.  This is out of pocket because insurance does not cover.  I was able to turn it into my Regence insurace and they gave me a check for 20%.  My new insurance Cigna would have paid none of it.  It is pricy as the co infection tests are far more extensive and tougher to execute than Lyme Disease. In fact, it is tough to even get one of these tests done through a local lab, and it is almost a waste of time in my mind as it won't be accurate enough to barely tell you anything. However, every person has different body types and the bacteria may show up more for one than another but the only lab I trust is Igenex.  We had Natalia's blood work done there as well.  She was tested for Lyme and the three co-infections that I have which worked out to be about $450 for her testing.  She didn't have to have the full work-up because she would only have what I have and ended up having Lyme and Babesia only.  She did not have the other two.

With Babesia I am on Mepron.  AKA Liquid Gold at $1600/bottle(I pay $279 with insurance).  It is only an oral medicine, that comes only in liquid form, and only in Citrus flavor which tastes like banana pait would smell. This medicine is the thickest, and most NASTY medicine I have ever had to take. It is bright yellow, like a school bus, and literally the texture of paint, Elmer's glue, or nail polish. It feels like glue in your mouth and very hard to swallow.  I find myself holding it in my mouth until I am actually able to swallow.  Having to take a teaspoon of Mepron twice a day

is not be best moments and it gives my teeth a glowing yellow appearance so I try to brush my teeth right after.  I hope that Mepron will move through all my body systems and effectively sweep the Babesia infection out of me!

As far as fighting Natalia's Babesia, she was prescribed Zithromax (I was on this while pregnant with Wade).  There are some treatment regimens that claim treatment of co infections before the Lyme is more effective and that is how "Dr. Bugs" treatment works. Luckely for Natalia Zithromax comes in a cherry flavored liquid form taken twice a day. 

So far her Herx reaction(reacting to die off of the bad bugs) has been mood changes, stomach and muscle pain, slight rash and she did have a seizure about a month ago. 
She is also taking Amoxicillian for Lyme and Nystatin for yeast overgrowth from too much good bacteria dying off due to antibiotics which I am on as well.  For Tally her Nystatin comes in an oral pineapple flavor and mine in 3 pills twice a day.

I think that is the update for the current treatment.  Treating the co-infection before the Lyme infection.