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My son has the stretch marks all along his back. They started on the lower back and went away after about 6 months. Then with each change in antibiotics they have reappeared and moved up his back. This has gone on for 15 months. Getting rid of this is not easy for us. He has gotten better in so many ways though.

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Has anyone had experience with the "strech marks on the torso" type rash - does it go away with treatment, and if so, how long did it take to see if it fading (or disappearing overnight?) Thanks!

I have 2 sons with the stretch marks. My youngest who has been the sickest had bright red marks when diagnosed, they gradually faded which is how Dr. J monitored the bartonella. They did get bright again and now have faded. His bartonella test finally showed past infection, IGg, when they faded. He has been sick for 7 years and it did take much of that time to fade (after the appropriate meds were given). He also has immune deficiency so that is likely why it took him so long. It is known to be a very difficult infection to clear.

Good luck,

Sue

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My son's stretch marks have faded dramatically. That's how we actually knew that we were dealing with Bartonella. We were quite convinced that lyme and co-infections were NOT the problem, as he only seemed to be getting worse (enlarged spleen, elevated liver enzymes,) and we assumed that was from all the abx. Then, he got so bad that he started on IV abx (cleocin for him), and suddenly the magic happened...the stretch marks started fading dramatically. It has now been 2 years, and they are mostly gone, but we know that there's still some to go (plus the bart is still hiding the babesia, as well.) It does take time, and is very difficult to treat.

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Im not sure they are bartonella marks - and neither is our LLMD who looked at them. They are on the "love handle" area - a common site for strech marks, and he's growing, and tends to plump up a bit and then shoot up, so they could be either.

 

They showed up in the past 2 months or so. He would be gestational Lyme - pandas, so the marks don't correlate with any tic bite. He has pandas and mycoplasma for sure, and I test CDC positive for having had Lyme (but no symptoms).

 

DS was on Doxy then mino for mycoP prior to the rash showing up. And it looks like his mycoplasma titers have stopped rising (after 5 months on those antibitotics - he had been on high does azith for 2 years for the pandas prior to that and they mycoP titer went up 500 points while he was on those! )

 

Doc put him on Septra for possible bartonella (becasue I asked for something bartonella related) - and he did 2 weeks of it but couldn't tolerate it, so he is off it and all antibiotics at the moment. But, I do think the marks faded a little - but that could be my imagination! And since you all are telling me it takes months for them to fade - most likely is my wishful thinking that it could work that fast.

 

Although as I write this, I'm realizing that he was on the azith for 2 years for pandas, and maybe that kept a little lid on the bartonella, and once he switched to Doxy, the bart was able to become more active. I asked for Septra (which is same as Bactrim) instead of the axith/rifampin combo they usually use because DS was on the azith for so long, I felt it wasn't going to do anything....

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I just took some photos of the rash and put them side by side with the photos I took 3-4 weeks ago. They are definately faded. No doubt. About half as many streaks and less intensity. I don't think strech marks can fade that fast - but I'm not sure. He did loose a little weight on the Septra - it reduced his appetite.

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norcal -- i'm not exactly sure what you're looking for and at first wasn't going to answer b/c my experience is very different b/c i have not treated with abx.

 

i went to our integrative MD who uses a form of energy medicine and treats with homeopathy. after some time of treatment, perhaps 3 mths -- my migraines stepped up in big order and after about 4 mths, i got a small rash on my hip. it was so odd and appeared without any impetus i'm quite sure it was a bartonella rash. dr didn't actually see the rash but believes it very well could have been. it was just a very small spot and it came with no notion and left with no notion after only about a week. i think it was a different situation b/c it was more of a healing crisis rash rather than a rash that appears with infection and is then used for diagnosis, so i'm not sure what that means it terms of how long it takes to go away.

 

why is your dr not sure about the origini of the rash? are you saying you didn't think it was bartonella b/c it faded quickly? are you questioning if it is something that could have been brought out by treatment? what's your concern -- to keep him on bart treatment or not?

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Hi Smarty- - yes - that is my concern - to pursue Bart treatment or not. But I think it is more likely BART now because it did fade so quickly. Stretch marks take forever to go away, and usually fade to silvery marks after years. HIs are just going away - no silvery nothing, and within a couple weeks. He has not had the marks for long either. At most 4 months (don't know exactly, don't see him with out shirt too much, he's 13, and you have to kind of look for them.

 

We have confirmed mycoplasma, and test negative for bart, but of course with Lyme the psych symptoms always make them think Bart (or nuero-lyme) . Garth Nicholson thinks we should just keep pursuing Myco treatment (which helped a lot (high does Doxy for several months) - doesn't exacerbated as much or as easily anymore). but since DS's OCD symptom (misophonia) has actually gotten worse, I was debating another IVIG for pandas (which was tremendously helpful the first two times).

 

The rash looks exactly like stretch marks..even the LLMD said you can't really tell when its on that part of the body.

 

I put in call to them yesterday. they said to go back on the Septra and to double probiotics.

 

He also said he felt tiered and had some headaches during week 2 on the spetra (same time that diarrhea kicked in). ..but I had swithced probiotics to something room temp stable for camp (cuturelle)...so that could be factor in diarrhea as well.

 

He was at camp when that happened, and since I couldn't be there to see how bad it was - I pulled told them to stop the Septra. Also, during that time I was visiting with my sister who had reaction years ago to Bactrim - was in ICU for 4 day - body stopped making white blood cells. She is allergic to penicillin so doc had given her Bactrim for a sinus (or ear?) infection. Nearly died....she told me this story and I freaked out when I heard he told me he was having issues at camp - pulled him off it.

 

 

But his mood (related to his OCD thing) is much better and the marks faded...and now that he's home I'm willing to put him back on it.

 

Next question is - how to treat at same time as the mycoplasma....that will be our next appointment.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just took some photos of the rash and put them side by side with the photos I took 3-4 weeks ago. They are definately faded. No doubt. About half as many streaks and less intensity. I don't think strech marks can fade that fast - but I'm not sure. He did loose a little weight on the Septra - it reduced his appetite.

 

Norcal mom,

We have successfully cleared my son's Bartonella infection. His rash took one year to clear and now he will continue on the antibiotics for an additional 3 - 4 months to be certain it is truly eradicated from his body. However, my good friend saw a successful resolution of her son's Bartonella rash in four weeks. I think the quick fading of the rash is a good sign that you will eventually be successful in clearing up this infection. BTW, I too thought my son's Bartonella rash (located on the upper hip area) was due to a growth spurt at age 14. Our doc said that is a common assumption but, when you think about it, growth spurt stretch marks aren't usually red - and they do not fade with antibiotics. Best of luck to you.

Edited by RNmom
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Has anyone tested VEGF levels in blood for elevation? This is what causes the marks to be visible, I believe.

 

My daughter's original Bartonella rash was horizontal stripes on her lower back - it looked like a large animal scratched her with its claws.

 

Now it's moving vertically and wrapping around the sides of her hips. She has also had them on her breasts in a sunburst pattern. They sound so pretty, don't they? :(

 

She is not specifically being treated for Bartonella yet (we are still working on Babesia), but the marks have clearly changed pattern with antibiotic use.

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I have to disagree with if you see the rash fading its a good sign. Reason being the bartonella can go and hide behind cysts and biofilm. We have have been dealing with this for over a year and a half. You have to get this from all angles just like lyme. My sons bart hid from the year of zithromax we used for PANDAS. It probably killed some but went into the other forms because at that time I didn't know about lyme/bart. I have seen the stretch marks come, go, travel around the back and hips and spread outward. Just remember this bug hides just like lyme. You have to bust.

Edited by lismom
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I have a high positive Igenex Bartonella test, and have never had the stretch marks.

On day 2 of Levaquin, I thought I saw them on my back shoulder, but couldn't be sure I didn't scratch myself. Gone in the morning, never seen the stretch marks anywhere.

 

I had my VEGF tested last year as part of the mold protocol, came back normal.

However, after working hard on Lyme, parasites, and cysts the last 7 months or longer, and not being treated long/aggressively enough for Bartonella last year,

Bartonella has been creeping back the last few months and I'm going back on treatment.

 

Still no red stretch marks.

 

I think I see them flair up on the base of dd's neck- I've taken a picture or two- purple squiggly lines, but not lasting.

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We too have seen Bart rash come and go over the months.

 

I have to disagree with if you see the rash fading its a good sign. Reason being the bartonella can go and hide behind cysts and biofilm. We have have been dealing with this for over a year and a half. You have to get this from all angles just like lyme. My sons bart hid from the year of zithromax we used for PANDAS. It probably killed some but went into the other forms because at that time I didn't know about lyme/bart. I have seen the stretch marks come, go, travel around the back and hips and spread outward. Just remember this bug hides just like lyme. You have to bust.

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