Ivermectin

[Calida]

Has anyone used Ivermectin? If so, would you mind sharing your experience?

My doc prescribed this recently (for me) and I haven’t filled the script. I’ve been raising Old English Sheepdogs for 30+ years and refused “preventative” heartworm meds (Ivermectin) for all my dogs as using a neurotoxin for no reason never made sense. If my dog did get heartworm (none did), I would treat. While researching Ivermectin, I came across the following at petmed:

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/toxicity/c_dg_ivermectin_toxicity

“This toxic reaction occurs especially in dogs that are genetically hypersensitive to ivermectin, an anti-parasite medication most commonly used for heartworm prevention, or to treat ear and hair mites, which can lead to mange. Ivermectin prevents or kills parasites by causing neurological damage to the parasite, resulting in paralysis and death for the parasite. But dogs genetically sensitive to the medication have an anomaly that allows the ivermectin to pass the dog’s blood-brain barrier and into its central nervous system, which can be lethal for the animal.

While the sensitivity to this type of medication is not always guaranteed, the following breeds are most likely to be affected:

Old English Sheepdog
English Sheepdog
Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)
Australian Shepherd
German Shepherd
Long-haired Whippet”

I was surprised to find that my dogs top the list. Also happy to print this out for my vet as he made a strong, guilt-laden argument for its use in Baxter just recently.

I also found this case of neurotoxicity in a gentleman who went into a coma, eventually dying, because ivermectin toxicity cannot be reversed. While my doc did say it doesn’t cross the blood brain barrier, he did say, about a year ago, that my blood brain barrier was most likely compromised by those sweet little Lyme spirochetes.

Ivermectin
http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/58/1/143.full.pdf

I do have great faith in my doc and have followed his protocol to the letter. His ivermectin script was based on brain fog as he said it has helped some of his patients in the past although he hasn’t prescribed it recently. It’s a small dose taken daily for 30 days with one refill. My issue is the potential cumulative neurotoxic effect if it passes through the BB barrier.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Best always,
Kelly

Dx: Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis/SLE overlap, Raynaud's June 2013, Lyme August 2013
AP: Azithromycin (Teva) 250mg BID, May 2014, Clindamycin 600mg every 8 hours for 2 weeks July 27, 2015 - Aug 10, 2015
Minocycline (Teva generic) 100mg BID November 20, 2014
Meds: LDN 3.5 mg, Prednisone 5 mg (discontinued), Aspirin 81mg, Liposomal Artimisinin 50mg QID x 3 weeks, 4th week off, rotating (discontinued May 2015, restarted 2016 7 days per month), Daily Nystatin, 2 tabs BID, as a preventative measure
Supplements

[Maz]

Yes, I used Ivermectin for about 3 years in very low dose and just stopped it a year or so ago. If memory serves (pls don’t quote me as this was a while back… haha!), I seem to recall that the doc said that the standard human dose (short term?) is about 5-6mg TID. I only took 2mg twice a day, because the higher dose made me a bit dizzy and my (our) doc was fine with that. Of course, what seemed fine for me may not be for someone else, so can only really share my experience. Being an anti-parasitic, I’ve read that LLMDs are using it for microfilarial nematodes that are passed by ticks and similar to Filariasis passed by mosquitos. Hope that helps, Calida.

[Calida]

Yes, thanks Maz 🙂

I need some anecdotal human experience as I’m a bit fearful regarding Ivermectin. My mother passed young due to dementia (probably infectious in nature) so I’m torn. I’d like to hold on to what little sanity and brain function I have left!

Do you feel it helped? If so, how soon did you notice a positive effect?

Dx: Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis/SLE overlap, Raynaud's June 2013, Lyme August 2013
AP: Azithromycin (Teva) 250mg BID, May 2014, Clindamycin 600mg every 8 hours for 2 weeks July 27, 2015 - Aug 10, 2015
Minocycline (Teva generic) 100mg BID November 20, 2014
Meds: LDN 3.5 mg, Prednisone 5 mg (discontinued), Aspirin 81mg, Liposomal Artimisinin 50mg QID x 3 weeks, 4th week off, rotating (discontinued May 2015, restarted 2016 7 days per month), Daily Nystatin, 2 tabs BID, as a preventative measure
Supplements

[Maz]

Hard to say, Calida, as I’ve had recurrent episodes of DILE and the toxic multinodular goiter and that has blurred the picture of many of my treatments significantly. I just got dx’d with DILE from the very low dose (12.5mg – half tab daily) Atenolol that I was taking for 2 years to control palps from thyroid issues….turns out it was causing more damage than helped! I’m just one of those peeps who seems to have trouble metabolizing many different classes of drugs. It’s one reason I can’t ever see myself using any of the standard rheumatic drugs, as so many have been tied to DILE, including the biologics, sulphasalizine, penicillamine….blah, blah, blah. I actually got put on Ivermectin as a treatment for protomyxozoa rheumatica as I tested positive through Fry Labs for that protozoan and it’s been found helpful for treatment of it. I’d have to be re-tested again for the bug, but it costs so much for the test. Since stopping Atenolol and an adjustment in my thyroid meds, I’m doing really well, though, so luxuriating in the bliss of the moment!

[Calida]

DILE again?! That’s awful but so happy you’re doing well.
My husband had the worst symptoms of Graves except palps, thanks to his regular use of a beta blocker.

Fry labs hasn’t been suggested but the doc knows I’m not a knight searching for the Holy Grail, I’m not dead and I’m content with that status. Still, I wouldn’t mind clearing up the latest short-term memory issues but I’m not sure how far I’m willing to go. Perhaps continued abx will take care of it.

Thanks for your input, valuable as always.

Long live the bliss! 🙂

Dx: Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis/SLE overlap, Raynaud's June 2013, Lyme August 2013
AP: Azithromycin (Teva) 250mg BID, May 2014, Clindamycin 600mg every 8 hours for 2 weeks July 27, 2015 - Aug 10, 2015
Minocycline (Teva generic) 100mg BID November 20, 2014
Meds: LDN 3.5 mg, Prednisone 5 mg (discontinued), Aspirin 81mg, Liposomal Artimisinin 50mg QID x 3 weeks, 4th week off, rotating (discontinued May 2015, restarted 2016 7 days per month), Daily Nystatin, 2 tabs BID, as a preventative measure
Supplements

[Maz]

Thanks, Calida! What’s the status of your thyroid at the moment? Don’t see anything mentioned in your sig so wondering, if previously normal, if it’s been checked recently. Also, how are your inflam numbers looking?

[Linda L]

Calida, why has your doc prescribed Ivermectin? Is there any proof you might have parasites?

RA tried everything: Methotraxate, Arava, Humira. Pneumonia three times. Anemia. Very low iron. Hypothyroidism
AP from April 2014 till August 2015. No luck.
Current medications: Natural thyroid, Mobic, supplements,
vitamins and minerals.
MTHFR heterozygous

[lynnie_sydney]

Hi Linda
You may like to take a look at this By Eva Sapi

Can species other than bacteria, virus or fungus be responsible for these chronic problems found in Lyme patients? It has been proposed that certain parasites could also be a factor in Lyme disease. European doctors have already incorporated Ivermectin, an antihelminth drug, into their Lyme disease protocol with surprising success. Ivermectin is well known for its effectiveness against filarial nematode infections and is often used by veterinarians to eradicate parasitic infections

http://www.lyme.no/index.php/component/content/article/37-artikler/gjesteskribent/335-eva-sapi-phd

Be well! Lynnie

Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)

[Calida]

Maz wrote:

Thanks, Calida! What’s the status of your thyroid at the moment? Don’t see anything mentioned in your sig so wondering, if previously normal, if it’s been checked recently. Also, how are your inflam numbers looking?

Back in 2013, Dr. M, scleroderma specialist at UPittsburg MC, said my thyroid was enlarged. That seemed to make sense in light of my hair loss, dry skin, brain fog and the strange fact that I could no longer wear turtlenecks as I suddenly developed a horrible choking sensation when anything lightly presses against my throat. I had so many issues back then, I didn’t follow up but I did ask Dr. M in CT about it in July 2014. He tested TSH and Free T4 and both were in normal range. My thyroid is still enlarged, as are the surrounding lymph nodes (also since 2013), but I should see a specialist who orders additional thyroid labs such as reverse T3 and free T3.

The last CRP was 2.3 in January 2016. The test may have been repeated at my last visit on Sept 1 but I haven’t received the results. Oddly, the DNA antibody number seems to be a reliable indicator of an impending flare.

Dx: Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis/SLE overlap, Raynaud's June 2013, Lyme August 2013
AP: Azithromycin (Teva) 250mg BID, May 2014, Clindamycin 600mg every 8 hours for 2 weeks July 27, 2015 - Aug 10, 2015
Minocycline (Teva generic) 100mg BID November 20, 2014
Meds: LDN 3.5 mg, Prednisone 5 mg (discontinued), Aspirin 81mg, Liposomal Artimisinin 50mg QID x 3 weeks, 4th week off, rotating (discontinued May 2015, restarted 2016 7 days per month), Daily Nystatin, 2 tabs BID, as a preventative measure
Supplements

[Calida]

Linda L wrote:

Calida, why has your doc prescribed Ivermectin? Is there any proof you might have parasites?

Hi Linda,

No, no positive test results for parasites. I’m seeing a Lyme doc and using antibiotics, along with a pulsed antimalarial, but the last flare indicated that something still needs to be addressed. As Lynnie’s article about Eva Sapi states, Ivermectin has been added to the Lyme/coinfection arsenal of treatments.

I’m still very hesitant and most likely will not use the Ivermectin unless I test positive for something that indicates a need for that med. Very difficult decision ahead…

Best always,
Kelly

Dx: Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis/SLE overlap, Raynaud's June 2013, Lyme August 2013
AP: Azithromycin (Teva) 250mg BID, May 2014, Clindamycin 600mg every 8 hours for 2 weeks July 27, 2015 - Aug 10, 2015
Minocycline (Teva generic) 100mg BID November 20, 2014
Meds: LDN 3.5 mg, Prednisone 5 mg (discontinued), Aspirin 81mg, Liposomal Artimisinin 50mg QID x 3 weeks, 4th week off, rotating (discontinued May 2015, restarted 2016 7 days per month), Daily Nystatin, 2 tabs BID, as a preventative measure
Supplements

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