A lot has happened for me in regards to treating my health challenges since my last post. Since December, I've been seeing a new and promising, local integrative physician. And just when you thought you've had every test that could be run, run, you're presented with some more that seem just so appropriate. I guess I've finally found that harmony with my new physician.
For so long, I've had the route in my mind, that I should have been traveling all along, to get better from my chronic Lyme disease, paved of course by the work of Stephen Buhner, Dr. Marty Ross, MD, and Dr. Richard Horowitz, MD. I've read and learned so much from these knowledgeable humans in regards to healing from chronic Lyme disease. The only problem was I never really had my own Dr. Horowitz or Dr Ross.
And while I won't boast that I've found the right doctor, because there's no way for me to know that this early on in treatment, what I have found is another human being who is knowledgeable, ILADS oriented, medicinally integrative, caring, compassionate, and probably most important, open-minded.
And while I won't boast that I've found the right doctor, because there's no way for me to know that this early on in treatment, what I have found is another human being who is knowledgeable, ILADS oriented, medicinally integrative, caring, compassionate, and probably most important, open-minded.
Recent Testing & results
What's the one thing a new doctor calls for on the first appointment? That's right - more tests! This time around though, the tests that were ordered included hormone testing, IGeneX coinfection testing, and some basic lab work.
The results? Well, being that I am dealing with chronic Lyme, my hormone levels were off -- this was to be expected. Everything else checked out fine (I'm sure you've heard that countless times) except for the IGeneX test, which was all too revealing.
Since the beginning, I always knew coinfections could be responsible for my symptoms, and I wanted to get tested for them through IGeneX, but I was always reluctant to spend over a grand on testing that I learned to be not 100% accurate, and to be very expensive. Well, in short, a couple months ago, I reached a point where I was completely fed up with not get any better, and the coinfection testing route was one of only a few roads left to take.
Well, I took it and am I glad I did. On February 12th, 2015, my IGeneX coinfection test results came back and I learned that not only do I have chronic Lyme -- this was confirmed through IGeneX in October of 2011 -- but that I also have another friends who has been hiding in the shadows - Babesia Microti.
The results? Well, being that I am dealing with chronic Lyme, my hormone levels were off -- this was to be expected. Everything else checked out fine (I'm sure you've heard that countless times) except for the IGeneX test, which was all too revealing.
Since the beginning, I always knew coinfections could be responsible for my symptoms, and I wanted to get tested for them through IGeneX, but I was always reluctant to spend over a grand on testing that I learned to be not 100% accurate, and to be very expensive. Well, in short, a couple months ago, I reached a point where I was completely fed up with not get any better, and the coinfection testing route was one of only a few roads left to take.
Well, I took it and am I glad I did. On February 12th, 2015, my IGeneX coinfection test results came back and I learned that not only do I have chronic Lyme -- this was confirmed through IGeneX in October of 2011 -- but that I also have another friends who has been hiding in the shadows - Babesia Microti.
The treatment plan
The appointment with my new doctor, after all my test results came back, had me excited. And while I did test positive for Babesia, my doctor also, with good reason and symptoms, suspects I am dealing with systemic yeast.
I've tired many natural remedies for excessive yeast overgrowth such as oregano oil, grapefruit seed extract, caprylic acid, coconut products, nystatin, etc. They've also seemed to elicit some type of die off response, but I never felt these guys completed the job.
So as of a couple days ago, I further stripped my diet -- which is already lacking any gluten, dairy, and processed sugar. I've adopted the Candida diet, which, in a nutshell, is very restrictive in an effort to starve the yeast, but you know what? It's doing something unprecedented.
Aside from the diet, I've started taking SF722 by Thorne, which is a phenomenal product for killing yeast. Stephen Buhner recommends it. And the newest addition to my entire treatment arsenal is Diflucan, which I started today at 8:30 this morning. I'm going to take this for 30 days, and according to my physician, I should notice an improvement with my symptoms once it's complete.
Oh, and how could I forget the probiotic?! I've started taking Prescript-Assist which is a soil-based probiotic. It's a little pricey, but it does the job that no probiotic has ever done before for me.
I've tired many natural remedies for excessive yeast overgrowth such as oregano oil, grapefruit seed extract, caprylic acid, coconut products, nystatin, etc. They've also seemed to elicit some type of die off response, but I never felt these guys completed the job.
So as of a couple days ago, I further stripped my diet -- which is already lacking any gluten, dairy, and processed sugar. I've adopted the Candida diet, which, in a nutshell, is very restrictive in an effort to starve the yeast, but you know what? It's doing something unprecedented.
Aside from the diet, I've started taking SF722 by Thorne, which is a phenomenal product for killing yeast. Stephen Buhner recommends it. And the newest addition to my entire treatment arsenal is Diflucan, which I started today at 8:30 this morning. I'm going to take this for 30 days, and according to my physician, I should notice an improvement with my symptoms once it's complete.
Oh, and how could I forget the probiotic?! I've started taking Prescript-Assist which is a soil-based probiotic. It's a little pricey, but it does the job that no probiotic has ever done before for me.
Where's the Lyme in all of this?
Honestly, I don't know. I'm still taking the Buhner herbs for the Lyme, but I don't know if it's even active anymore. Since taking the Buhner herbs, so many of my symptoms have vanished, but I never felt like I could get to 100%. I always felt I got around 80% better, but never got any higher.
After learning that systemic yeast and Babesia may be responsible for a lot of my symptoms, and that Babesia needs to be treated before Lyme can go away, Lyme is really on the back burner right now. It really just goes to show that Lyme disease is Lyme disease, but chronic Lyme disease is Lyme disease plus coinfections, heavy metals, biofilms, gene mutations, KPU, Biotoxin Illness, etc.
So for now, the yeast will be treated first, and from there, we're moving on to the Babesia, and from there, and if need be, the Lyme. The pathogenic load will be lowered so it can be ascertained if pathogens themselves are solely responsible for my continued symptoms, or if there are other factors that need to be addressed, such as heavy metals, biofilms, etc, that are keeping me from feeling good.
After learning that systemic yeast and Babesia may be responsible for a lot of my symptoms, and that Babesia needs to be treated before Lyme can go away, Lyme is really on the back burner right now. It really just goes to show that Lyme disease is Lyme disease, but chronic Lyme disease is Lyme disease plus coinfections, heavy metals, biofilms, gene mutations, KPU, Biotoxin Illness, etc.
So for now, the yeast will be treated first, and from there, we're moving on to the Babesia, and from there, and if need be, the Lyme. The pathogenic load will be lowered so it can be ascertained if pathogens themselves are solely responsible for my continued symptoms, or if there are other factors that need to be addressed, such as heavy metals, biofilms, etc, that are keeping me from feeling good.
Detoxification?
Of course, where would any chronic Lyme disease treatment protocol be without detoxification. I've come across a lot of detoxification protocols, supplements, and claims, and majority of them are bogus -- or maybe they just didn't help me. I've learned that, yes, while the human body has its own methods and functions for detoxification, these functions and cycles won't work properly if the proper nutrients are lacking.
For me, I've found that treating my MTHFR gene mutation has made a huge difference in how I feel. A little more than a month ago, I began taking liposomal glutathione every single day, and let me say, my body needed it. My doctor plans to put me on intravenous glutathione soon which I'm excited for, as well as other i.v. benefactors such as the Myers cocktail, hydrogen peroxide, and possibly ozone.
I've also been taking modified citrus pectin to bind to toxins from these pathogens because according to my genes, my body doesn't know how to target and eliminate them. A good, powdered multivitamin is great as well, but I need to find one that doesn't turn my stomach inside out.
The above detoxification methods are the ones I employ on a consistent basis to keep any herxheimer reactions at bay, but when they do creep up, I am prepared with my infrared sauna and Alka-Seltzer Gold, and even apple cider vinegar. I kid you not when I say that taking 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar during a herxheimer reaction made me feel better. Whenever I took it, it was only 2 teaspoons, but I realized that in this case, the dosage made the difference. Will it work again? I don't know, but I'll definitely give it another shot.
For me, I've found that treating my MTHFR gene mutation has made a huge difference in how I feel. A little more than a month ago, I began taking liposomal glutathione every single day, and let me say, my body needed it. My doctor plans to put me on intravenous glutathione soon which I'm excited for, as well as other i.v. benefactors such as the Myers cocktail, hydrogen peroxide, and possibly ozone.
I've also been taking modified citrus pectin to bind to toxins from these pathogens because according to my genes, my body doesn't know how to target and eliminate them. A good, powdered multivitamin is great as well, but I need to find one that doesn't turn my stomach inside out.
The above detoxification methods are the ones I employ on a consistent basis to keep any herxheimer reactions at bay, but when they do creep up, I am prepared with my infrared sauna and Alka-Seltzer Gold, and even apple cider vinegar. I kid you not when I say that taking 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar during a herxheimer reaction made me feel better. Whenever I took it, it was only 2 teaspoons, but I realized that in this case, the dosage made the difference. Will it work again? I don't know, but I'll definitely give it another shot.
Bring it to an end
I'm sorry that was rather long, but I just had a lot to say I suppose. Anyways, I'm excited for the direction I'm heading in. A lot of hope has been restored and the chance to actually just be normal again feels within reach. It's a very uplifting feeling and I haven't felt it in quite some time. As treatment progresses, I'll be sure keep this blog updated. Thank you for reading and hopefully some of this information can be of use to at least just one person.
