Bartonella: rifampin or bactrim?

[lfran]

Am looking for input as to whether Bactim or rifampin is preferred for bartonella. It seems that some LLMDs use one, others use the other. I have looked up the info on both, and the rifampin scares me a bit.

 

So...although some people already answered this in a previous post, I wanted to start a new post to ask as many people as possible which they prefer themselves (side effects, etc), which their doctor prefers (and who the LLMD is if it's Dr. J or Dr. B or one of the other pioneers) and how they monitor for liver issues, etc.

 

Thanks so much.

[philamom]

Dr. J has my daughter on Minocin. We check the LFT's every 3 months.

[lismom]

My son is on minocin and rifampin. Our LLMD is not a pioneer but recovered from lyme and bart herself. We check levels every month.

Edited June 5, 2011 by lismom

[lfran]

Thanks. Do you know what the names of the LFT tests are (CBT CMP ALT AST?)? And, what happens if they are elevated...is the damage done, or will stopping the meds reverse any problems?

Dr. J has my daughter on Minocin. We check the LFT's every 3 months.

[philamom]

Thanks. Do you know what the names of the LFT tests are (CBT CMP ALT AST?)? And, what happens if they are elevated...is the damage done, or will stopping the meds reverse any problems?

Dr. J has my daughter on Minocin. We check the LFT's every 3 months.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel w/eGFR or Hepatic Panel checks the ALT & AST. If it is slighty elevated they will just keep an check on it. If it is extremely elevated they might advise an antibiotic change or to stop them completely. In most cases, I would think the problems would be reversed. Lyme can also raise ALT & AST. I was told it is seen commomly with patients who have lyme and should resolve with treatment.

 

My daughter's AST has been slighty elevated since Nov 2009. Ironically, when she went off of abxs last summer for 8 weeks she had her highest elevated AST & ALT result...though she did take Flagyl right before stopping abx, so it may have been from that.

 

I also received a positive Igenex Lyme result in December. I looked at all my blood tests I had done over the years, and my ALT/AST has been elevated ever since my daughter was born in 2001 but never before. I was rarely ever on antibiotics.

 

Anyway, at this time none of my daughter's doctors seem overly concerned with her elevated levels. I'm keeping a close eye on it though.

Edited June 6, 2011 by philamom

[Tamistwins]

We see dr. J originally he was going to prescribe bactrim but we have a sulfur allergy so we r on rifampin.

[justinekno]

Dr. J. has also said that elevated ALT enzymes are common in children going through puberty. It can be related to bone growth so if only those numbers are elevated, he is not concerned unless the other numbers on the panel are elevated also.

 

 

Thanks. Do you know what the names of the LFT tests are (CBT CMP ALT AST?)? And, what happens if they are elevated...is the damage done, or will stopping the meds reverse any problems?

Dr. J has my daughter on Minocin. We check the LFT's every 3 months.

Comprehensive Metabolic Panel w/eGFR or Hepatic Panel checks the ALT & AST. If it is slighty elevated they will just keep an check on it. If it is extremely elevated they might advise an antibiotic change or to stop them completely. In most cases, I would think the problems would be reversed. Lyme can also raise ALT & AST. I was told it is seen commomly with patients who have lyme and should resolve with treatment.

 

My daughter's AST has been slighty elevated since Nov 2009. Ironically, when she went off of abxs last summer for 8 weeks she had her highest elevated AST & ALT result...though she did take Flagyl right before stopping abx, so it may have been from that.

 

I also received a positive Igenex Lyme result in December. I looked at all my blood tests I had done over the years, and my ALT/AST has been elevated ever since my daughter was born in 2001 but never before. I was rarely ever on antibiotics.

 

Anyway, at this time none of my daughter's doctors seem overly concerned with her elevated levels. I'm keeping a close eye on it though.

[mama2alex]

Our ds10 has been on Rifampin since Sept '10 and we are rotating to Septra (same as Bactrim) in a month. He is also currently on Cipro and Ceftin (just rotated to Ceftin from Zithromax), as well as BEG spray in the nose. We see Dr. H in CA.

 

We are doing a CMP and CBC every 6 to 8 weeks - no problems so far.