Symptoms of Babesia?

[jess100]

Hi Everyone

I was diagnosed with Babesia about 6 months ago along with Anaplasmosis and several viruses (EBV, CMV, HHV 6 I think). I have not yet started the meds for Babesia for several reasons which would be hard to explain here.

Then I read here that some people who put off taking the meds regretted doing so, thinking Babesia got a stronger hold. So that got me thinking I should take the plunge if I can possibly do so. I have been sick since 2011 or 2012 so it probably already has a hold, but of course could do more damage.

But in reading up on Babesia I don't have any of the "official symptoms" (CDC, etc) nor those that people are talking on forums about except fatigue and depression-and both of those could be explained by other causes . I've always tended toward depression so that's nothing new although its severity seems worse. And fatigue is probably from EBV. I would say I have sleep problems but that doesn't seem like a hallmark symptom bc there can be so many causes (I suspect cortisol for many reasons)

I don't remember having fever, or sweats, and don't remember any specific sickness. All this seemed to come on gradually. (I don't remember being bitten by a tick either)
I don't now have night sweats or air hunger-I'm just out of breath easier than I was. But that doesn't seem to fit with others' description of air hunger. I certainly don't have lack of appetite or weight loss (I struggle with not eating too much too often and have gained weight)

So if I don't currently have any symptoms that clearly point to Babesia, is it possible the test was incorrect? That is, can a blood test show positive for Babesia when it's something else? My test results are
IgG <40 (with <40 being negative)
IgM 640 (with < 20 being negative)


Is it possible I had Babesia and no longer have it? (For example I had cat scratch fever in the past and now no test is showing any signs of Bartonella)

Should I ask for a blood smear from a reputable lab before starting the meds? Surely there are reputable labs that would take the time to look for it. (or maybe I'm being too optomistic here)

Do others here have experience with Babesia symptoms that I could be missing? If you have Babesia symptoms and feel up to it, please post what they are.
Thanks

 

[jess100]

Hi Everyone

I was diagnosed with Babesia about 6 months ago along with Anaplasmosis and several viruses (EBV, CMV, HHV 6 I think). I have not yet started the meds for Babesia for several reasons which would be hard to explain here.


Then I read here that some people who put off taking the meds regretted doing so, thinking Babesia got a stronger hold. So that got me thinking I should take the plunge if I can possibly do so. I have been sick since 2011 or 2012 so it probably already has a hold, but of course could do more damage.



But in reading up on Babesia I don't have any of the "official symptoms" (CDC, etc) nor those that people are talking on forums about except fatigue and depression-and both of those could be explained by other causes . I've always tended toward depression so that's nothing new although its severity seems worse. And fatigue is probably from EBV. I would say I have sleep problems but that doesn't seem like a hallmark symptom bc there can be so many causes (I suspect cortisol for many reasons)



I don't remember having fever, or sweats, and don't remember any specific sickness. All this seemed to come on gradually. (I don't remember being bitten by a tick either)
I don't now have night sweats or air hunger-I'm just out of breath easier than I was. But that doesn't seem to fit with others' description of air hunger. I certainly don't have lack of appetite or weight loss (I struggle with not eating too much too often and have gained weight)


So if I don't currently have any symptoms that clearly point to Babesia, is it possible the test was incorrect? That is, can a blood test show positive for Babesia when it's something else? My test results are
IgG <40 (with <40 being negative)
IgM 640 (with < 20 being negative)



Is it possible I had Babesia and no longer have it? (For example I had cat scratch fever in the past and now no test is showing any signs of Bartonella)



Should I ask for a blood smear from a reputable lab before starting the meds? Surely there are reputable labs that would take the time to look for it. (or maybe I'm being too optomistic here)



Do others here have experience with Babesia symptoms that I could be missing? If you have Babesia symptoms and feel up to it, please post what they are.
Thanks

Any opinions on my questions?

 

[Hanna]

If you consider you don't have any of the "regular symptoms" of babs, perhaps it would be better to have an other test done ?
An alternative -if you don't want to begin with meds- would be taking phytotherapy for Babesia and see what happens, if you notice some improvement. Buhner herbs for example for babesia : cryptolepis/sida acuta ?

 

[Dufresne]

Elevated IgM doesn't argue for past infection, but current.

I'd go for a smear, but use a lab that is thought to do a good job, like Igenex or Fry Labs.

I don't suffer the typical babesia symptoms either, however the bug certainly causes me a fair bit of misery. Most of my mental/neurological symptoms are due to, or exacerbated by, babesia.

I'm pretty sure my remaining brain fog is almost solely caused by babesia (I've borrelia too). By this I mean that things don't feel completely real. It really does a number on my creativity; difficulties processing, as well as improvising in speech or music persist. It also causes me significant anxiety.

Physically the only symptom I can really pin to it is a sort of reddening of my face.

Following a less acidifying diet has helped all the above symptoms, as has alkaline water, and various anti-oxidant strategies (though mostly unsustainable). Starting treatment with antimalarials always gives me a day or two of near 100% reprieve from these symptoms but they mostly come back after that. It's a stubborn bug that I've been treating fairly intensely for the last six months.

 

[jess100]

I'm also feeling really, really depressed for a while now-mostly in the form of absolute deadness about anything good or bad-like there is a plate of glass between me and my emotions. I know what emotions used to be there but don't really feel anything. Does anyone else with Babesia have this too?