rifampin makes Pred not work

[lor]

Hi,
I am being treated for Lyme. My doc put me on rifampin along with omnicef. The problem is what I read is rifampin makes pred not work. I had my self weined down to 2.5 mg 2xday. Boy what a flare. My flares used to start and peak and go away. Not no more, it has peaked and is staying. I have been on these abx for 13 days. Called my doc and he said we have to do damage control, told me to quit taking rifampin and start the pred again. 🙁 I can hardly walk, knees are so bad. He wants to talk to me about my blood work, said it will take awhile to explain it and will call me today. He is a LLMD, but I am so afraid he is going to sugest RA Drugs. And then I think maybe I should cause I have no quality of life right now. I can’t even work a full day this week. Every joint hurts, so……………… much.

life sucks today :-((

lor

[nspiker]

Hi lor,

You are correct that Rifampin will reduce pain medication and/or many medications in the body. I’m assuming you’re taking Rifampin for bartonella. My LLMD warned that pain would definitely increase. You are kind of experiencing a double-whammy; increased pain from treating bart, and reduced effectiveness of pain meds. There is another member on this site who is also treating bart, and is in lots of pain too. I took Rifampin for five weeks, and could never work up to the full dose, due to side effects. Finally got off it, but for me it’s taking a while to clear out of my system.

Hopefully, your LLMD will give you something to counteract the pain, and get it under control without immune-suppressing drugs. I’m wondering what he sees in your bloodwork? Let us know what is recommended, as others could also be helped.

nancy

[lor]

Hi Nancy,

I sure will let you all know what he says. Yes he was treating for Bart. I was thinking maybe it is time I should do the IV’s. He has suggested them many times though out the years. I am so…………………. tired of the pain. Do you know how long it takes for the pain meds to start working again? Or the pred? I need some releif. It has been over 24 hours since my last rifampin. I think I am feeling slightly better. I might make it a whole day here at work.

lori

[nspiker]

Hi lor,

Rifampin has a short half-life, something like 1.5 to 5 hours. I don’t know how long it will take for your pain meds to be effective again. Hopefully, right away. Remember to keep detoxing with water, lemon water, epsom salts and hydrogen peroxide baths.

Most of my treatment has been oral, except for IV clindamycin. I’m curious as to why your doc wants to switch to IV’s? Have you not progressed on orals?
nancy

[stwig]

Hi Lori,
I think we should rename Rifampin and call it TPM, The Pain Maker ! It drastically increased my pain as well. I took 150mg twice a day for 16 days, and then lowered it to 1 pill per day as I could not stand that level of pain any more. It has been 6 days since going down to 1 per day. I still have pain in my legs but it is reduced by about 25%.

I think the pain is due to the fact that Rifampin is actually really good at getting deep into the tissues and killing bart. Unfortunately that leaves us with deep toxin overload that causes a lot of toxicity pain.

I find that sitting in my FIR sauna helps, and I feel a little less toxic after a good sweat. I am going to try a detox of Alka Seltzer Gold followed by Glutathione capsules later today in hopes that will get some more toxins out. Next week going to see a Naturopath about starting detox IV’s. I feel like I have to do more detox methods to keep up with the killing rate of the Rifampin.

Hang in there, keep on fighting.
Starla

[lor]

I have had this since 1997. Treated with herbs and holisic stuff, till I found a LLMD in 2005. Was almost better on the oral abx in 2007, and I had sinus surgery and all went down hill since. 🙁 I have not had alot of imporvement in years it seems. Sometimes I feel I am holding. My doc hasn’t called me back yet. It is me that is thinking maybe it is time to do IV’s. I think I am very slowly getting worse.

I think the pain meds are starting to work. I was able to walk to the post office at lunch here.

lori

[lor]

Hi Starla,

My doc told me to quit the rifampin. I was taking 300mg 2x day. I could not walk on Monday.

lori

[lor]

Hey Nancy,

I said I’d let you know what my LLMD said about my blood work. It was as I thought, my RA stuff was higher, not the worst he has seen but they were high. He still thinks its the bart, cause when I stopped the rifampin and started the Pred again, not much improvement. So he had me start the rifampin again. I started it on Friday and Saturday I had a good day. But Sunday back to the pain. 🙁 I had thought babs caused leg pain I treated babs for 1 1/2 yrs. But the more I am reading Bart does also. I am begining to give up. My husband wants me to go on the RA drugs, I told him not yet.

lori

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