Bartonella flare length

Hi everyone, I'm on almost 2 weeks of a very bad neurological flare. We never really treated Bart ( never tested positive for it) but have treated babesia for many, many months. If this is bart would that be normal for it to pop out after months of treating babesia? From what a lot of you have described it sounds like it usually flares when starting babesia treatment. How long have your flares lasted? If I start rifampin will things get a lot worse?

It could be Bart coming to the forefront....or it could be babesia symptoms that you thought were bart.

I'm realizing now that there are more symptom overlap than I first thought a few years ago.

It makes sense now that Dr. J. treats all three of the B's.

I think I'd be further ahead (over 3 years treating now) - if I had been treated for all the B's in a timely manner.

No point in staying on a lyme only protocol for a year...sheesh!!!

tonyaraven said...
I know everyone is different but how long do flares last? I've been off all antibiotics and herbs for 2 weeks now hoping it was a herx but no improvement! It's so startling to when suddenly out of no where I feel like I'm attacked with pins and needles in hands, feet and face. I try not to say things like 'why me' ...but WHY US??? Please let us all get well!

If you stopped all abx and herbs 2 weeks ago and you're still in a flare and you haven't treated bartonella yet, then it seems quite logical that this is bartonella coming out.

I have no experience with Rifampin, so I can't say if it would cause a worse herx than what you're already in. You could talk to your doctor about Rifampin and when to start it. You could try some bart herbs now and see how they affect you. If it's bart coming out, then the herbs might improve your symptoms. If you're not on knotweed, definitely get that. It should be core for Lyme and bart. IHA Formula (isatis/houttuynia/alchornia) or houttuynia alone and/or sida acuta are for treating bart.

I have used all 3 and personally got the most symptom improvement with the IHA formula.

Did you all test positive for Bart? I didn't, 2 different tests that came back negative. I had pins and needles and muscle twitching when symptoms first began in 2015, they were concerned about ms and did lots of tests. The symptoms went away and only returned very mild on occasion but these pins and needles are so intense at times! All of a sudden my hands and feet and sometimes face will be hit hard...it's creepy! Same with episodes of panic, extra blurry vision, and head/neck/back pain...hits out of no where! I did start BLT about 6 weeks ago but only worked up to 12 drops once a day so perhaps that isn't enough to do much.

are pins and needles a bart symptom?

tonyaraven said...
are pins and needles a bart symptom?

I've had that but not sure what causes it. Do you have any other new symptoms or any that are known to be bart?

I started Rifampin last night and I have all these symptoms.. sounds like a bartonella flair to me.

Babesia felt more like extreme weakness and really "out of it" feeling.

I keep having all these weird nervy pain traveling throughout my body, especially strange things in my neck and head that is accompanied by severe anxiety! I so badly need a break!

The pins and needles feeling could indicate a lack of oxygen in the tissue due to a malfunctioning blood circulation.
As we all know these pathogens like to mess with the blood flow to prevent the immune system from reaching them.

Post Edited (insomniaaa) : 3/17/2018 4:42:41 PM (GMT-6)

Hi Lovemy3

Welcome to our community!


How long have you had symptoms?

Did you do a lumbar puncture to test for Lyme and Bart? Sorry to hear that as it's not a good test.


Your WB shows you do have Lyme. Good to see you have a LLMD to treat you.

Have you got a good detox regimen going ? This can help flush out the toxins and reduce inflammation.

Particularly for the CNS, you can try Nutramedix Pinella or Jernigan's Neuro-Anti-tox II CNS/PNS.

They should be available on Amazon for purchase .

Lovemy3 said...

Girlie said...
Hi Lovemy3

Welcome to our community!


How long have you had symptoms?

Did you do a lumbar puncture to test for Lyme and Bart? Sorry to hear that as it's not a good test.


Your WB shows you do have Lyme. Good to see you have a LLMD to treat you.

Have you got a good detox regimen going ? This can help flush out the toxins and reduce inflammation.

Particularly for the CNS, you can try Nutramedix Pinella or Jernigan's Neuro-Anti-tox II CNS/PNS.

They should be available on Amazon for purchase .

Hi Girlie!
Thanks so much for responding. My symptoms started sept 2017. Driving and started feeling like I was having a heart attack. No heart issue found at ER, but heart kept racing, hot flushes, startling while asleep, insomnia, nausea, no appetite, head foggy, couldn’t concentrate.

Yes I did the LP to test for neuro Lyme and Bart. Neurologist also checking other things MS etc. I read that after the fact I’m just hoping for definitive answers. I hate this, just seems like it’s no end point.

I don’t have a detox regimen. I bought some activated charcoal but haven’t started it yet. I’ll get one of the ones you suggested.

Sometimes it feels like my brain is on fire and the pressure is crazy. I don’t want to complain bc I don’t hv joint pain, severe fatigue or other things I read people suffering with. But I’m struggling with the psych symptoms esp when my head is burning or feeling pressure. I’ve never had any type of anxiety before this and I don’t feel depressed which makes it even crazier to deal with when the intrusive thoughts start to get overwhelming. I feel like I’m losing my mind and myself.

I’m fighting but scared that I’ll never be myself again. I was a normal healthy 35yo then my life just went off the rails. I just don’t understand how this disease is so hard to get rid of or know when to stop meds. I’ve lost so much weight and can’t seem to stop losing weight.

I would love to go to Dr J (I have a family friend that went to him and she’s been better for a few years just minor anxiety) but I can’t afford to pay out of pocket, I’m seriously thinking abt it though. I don’t know if I need IV abx. Is it normal to hv neuro/psych symptoms as your first symptoms?

Are you talking about the Dr J in Kansas or the one in Wasington,DC?

I recently went to the clinic in Washington.

Make sure you tske the charcoal a couple hours (on either side) away from any meds, supplements, food..as it will bind to anything in your GI tract and remove it.

My fave detox is warm (not hot) Epsom salt baths. I also add in some lavender and marjoram EO's.
I also dry brush my skin prior to the bath..it removes dead skin and opens the pores allowing for better detoxing.



You should be taking probiotics everyday, drinking lots of water. (And at least one full glass with the charcoal


Some people find taking Alka Seltzer gold helps with toxin removal.

Eating a clean diet is important, too.

Hi Lovemy3, I can so relate to what you are going through. I have 3 children and there are times that I just get so scared that there mother is going crazy and will not be able to get through this. It's a very cruel disease, and the fact that most doctors just try to pass it off as general anxiety makes me so angry! I hope we both get a break! Hang in there!

DC is abt 3 hours away so not terrible. Ugh that would’ve been great to see his protocol. I’m going to call up to get some info bc I feel like that’s prob my next step. Are you seeing him for Lyme?