Alyssa’s Lyme Story – For Paint May Lyme Green

I have sat down and started typing this many times but usually end up deleting after the first few sentences. I have a hard time opening up and sharing my story…so, please, be kind if I make a few mistakes. I am 35 and I have Lyme.

I always have known something was a bit off. Through my twenties I struggled with many emotional difficulties..meaning my emotions were a bit all over the place. I figured I was just young and had always been told I was over-emotional and too sensitive. I drank too much at times because I couldn’t keep my head clear…I did things that never settled well with me-seemed out of character-but I couldn’t remember who I was exactly. I slowly was losing touch with me. In my late twenties the migraines began. These blinding, pulsating migraines…so I started taking pills to help with the pain. The allergy problems started to creep in….so they gave me more pills for that. There was a bad bought of knee pain…so I was sent to the orthopedist. They couldn’t find anything so gave me some steroids and suggested exploratory surgery. I declined…..it finally went away. My knees would grind when I walked up the stairs, I would get tired after putting in too many work hours. I figured I was getting older…I just was slowing down…at 29.

At 31, things started happening fast. There were days I would cry…for no reason what-so-ever. I called the doctor and asked if my tear ducts could be broken….she laughed and said I was suffering from depression. After repeated attempts to explain I was not depressed, that something was wrong, she handed me a script for an anti-depressent. I didn’t take that. I went on a date and thought to myself, “I am all tingly and dizzy….I must really like this guy”. We went out a few more times….One night after a drink I was walking down the path and my legs crumpled beneath me. I shrugged it off thinking maybe I had just tripped on something. The allergies were getting worse. The doctor visits more frequent. I was coming apart at the seams and my doctor wouldn’t listen. My mother knew something was wrong.

Then the petite seizures started. I didn’t fall to the floor and shake….no….that would have been recognizable. I would get this strange sensation through my body and the world would start going gray. My hands would tremble and I wouldn’t be able to speak. I could hear people calling my name but I couldn’t respond. I would come out of it and gasp for air and heave giant sobs begging my mother to help me. She went with me to the doctors….again…are you depressed? Pregnant perhaps? Mom stepped in and they refered me to a neurologist. In the mean time….I was losing my strength. I needed my mother to help me walk to the car, my right leg was dragging, my hands were curled in fists that I couldn’t open. My vision was declining daily, I was hunched and unable to sit up, I had sharp electrical pains shooting down my legs. The simplest tasks of washing my hair or pouring a drink were unmanageable. I had difficulty chewing and swallowing my food-to the point that sometimes I would have to take the food back out of my mouth so I wouldn’t choke. My body was shutting down.
My neurologist order an MRI and a spinal tap-ASAP! Someone finally was taking this seriously. He recoginzed that my slurred speech , gray skin tone, and extreme muscle weakness was a problem. I slowly and painfully got through the test. The nerves along my spine had swelled out around my spinal column…making my Spinal Tap dangerous and painful. He called within 2 hours of the Tap…I needed to come back to his office right away. The MRI was in too. The MRI showed multiple white spots on my brain and my Cerebral Spinal Fluid had a very high white cell count. The next day my life was changed forever….I was diagnosed with Late Stage Central Nervous System Lyme with Brain Infection (Meningits/Encephalytis). I was relieved to have an answer and my doctor was afraid for my life. There was nothing humorous when I said I feel my body dying….it was.

I was then referred to an Infectious Disease doctor…I was told he was very good, “Head of the hospital”. H e saw me right away, took one look at me and replied “There is no way Lyme can make you this sick. We need to test for HIV and various other diseases.” The blood was drawn, my IV was started, round the clock care was decided upon. Keep me home and comfortable with my family. The blood tests came back….and wouldn’t you know. Clean as a whistle. The good doctor shrugged, said one month of IV antibiotics will cure me and that I would just be sick for a few years. There was nothing they could do.

We found my LLMD days later. I spent 2 ½ years being treated for Lyme, Bartonella, Babesia, and Ehrichliosis. It has been a long, torturous journey….and I do believe that hell lives right here on earth with us.

Today, I have been antibiotic free for 6 months. I still get sick. I still have some funky days. I have my life though….and I have found new friends to replace the ones that walked away from me. I have my family, my sense of humor…I can walk, talk and work from home. I still have to pace myself but I am working on that. I go to Physical Therapy for full body reconditioning…and I am getting stronger. I talk to a therapist who gently guides me away from my fear of death and illness. Who helps me understand that I will not be forever broken…that I will get to live and maybe even love again. I am learning to forgive myself and my body.

Special Thanks to my dream team: Mom, Wynn, Dr. Bock, my IV nurses, my massage therapist, Toni, Dr. Ng, my girl Cindy….and a bunch of others who helped make a miracle happen!

 

Home Wreckers, Mold and Fungi

wall damage

My doctors are very concerned about my living conditions. At my last two appointments I was, “highly toxic”. I knew I had heavy metal issues, I had been dealing with that for the past month. I did not know that I was struggling with molds and fungi. Did I suspect it? Well, yes.

I live in an old house, on the California coast. We get A LOT of fog. In addition, about a month after we moved in we discovered a moldtopia growing in the upstairs bathroom. Our lovely landlord was quick to clean it up, but it was only a surface clean. Coincidentally, while I was away at my doctors appointments last week, we had a huge storm here. Part of our house is over an office. The roof in the office sprung some leaks. When I arrived home I found large damp patches of the paint peeling off the wall in my room. The damage corresponds with the location of the leaks downstairs.

Do I think I have a problem? Ah, old house, flat roof, water damage, past mold issues, yeah I think I have a problem. But, what do I do. My doctor told me, quite firmly, to move out. Well, it is never that simple is it. What about the lease? How do I convince my landlord to let us out of our lease, with 6 months left on it, because his house might have a mold problem that is making me sicker?

Off to the internet with me to research this whole mold issue. Here is what I found.

Molds or mildew are fungi. Fungi are neither plant nor animal but have their own kingdom with 100,000 species. (1)

Toxic molds are found indoors where there is humidity, different types of food and no predators. Only a very small number of molds are toxic. However, the ones that are toxic only need a few days in a wet room or flooded wallboard to take hold. Then they create spores to multiply-types of seeds. But most important is that these spores are like powdered donuts. They have biotoxins on them. (1)

Once they are in a room or a house with air flowing they can be very hard to remove, even if the spores are killed with ozone or ultraviolet light. (1)

Indoor mold toxins are much more dangerous and prevalent than most people realize. Visible mold in and around your house is far less dangerous than the mold you cannot see. Indoor mold toxicity, in addition to causing its own unique set of health problems and symptoms, also greatly contributes to the severity of most chronic illnesses. (2)

People do not fully understand the health hazards of fungal exposure. The term toxic mold is somewhat misleading as it exudes an idea that certain molds are toxic, when actually certain types of molds produce secondary metabolites that produce toxins. The correct term is mycotoxins. Airborne mycotoxins from can definitely destroy one’s health. Sometimes, people are unaware that they are breathing mold spores and mycotoxins until they are very sick. Certain people have a minor allergic reactions to the non-toxic mold, but once you leave the affected area they most likely recover with few serious side effects. However, if they have been exposed to the dangerous molds such as Stachybotrys or Chaetomium, they could suffer from a myriad of serious symptoms and illnesses such as chronic bronchitis, learning disabilities, mental deficiencies, heart problems, cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple chemical sensitivity, bleeding lungs and much more. (3)

Although most active mold colonies appear greenish to black (typical of mold growing on bathroom tile grout) in color, the characteristics of mold colonies growing behind vinyl wall covering in buildings takes on very different characteristics. These mold outbreaks typically result in pinkish to yellowish staining of the wall covering. They are quite important because they indicate serious, detrimental moisture within the wallboard behind the wall covering, that can not be removed by your air conditioning or dehumidification systems. Where these problems appear, they usually require the assistance of a professional equipped with pressure measurement and other diagnostic equipment to determine the source(s) of the moisture causing the problem. (4)

Mold toxins are found in foods such as grains and peanuts. Far more serious are the mold toxins found in buildings with water leaks. Buildings with flat roofs and buildings on a concrete slab at the bottom of a hill are ready-made for mold problems. Mold toxins are the most common of the biotoxins and are responsible for many of the symptoms of Lyme Disease patients. (5)

When a building has a water leak or water damage that is not immediately corrected, molds such as Stachybotrys, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Chae-tomium are likely to start colonies. The colonies may be visible or they may be hidden in places such as the tops of ceiling tiles or the bottoms of carpets. They send out spores which contain potent nerve toxins or neurotoxins. (5)

Although health-based standards for mold currently do not exist, it is generally accepted that no one should live or work in an indoor environment beset by extensive mold growth. (6)

“Exposure to certain fungi (molds) can cause human illness. Molds cause adverse health effects through 3 specific mechanisms: generation of a harmful immune response (e.g. Allergy or hypersensitivity pneumonitis [HP]), direct infection by the organism, and toxic-irritant effects from mold byproducts.” (6)

Andrea Fabry describes her family’s encounter with a devastating and hidden health hazard in her blog OUR MOLD JOURNEY. If you suspect mold in your home. Where do you start? Here are some of Andrea’s SUGGESTIONS.

1. http://www.personalconsult.com/articles/whatismold.html
2. http://www.lymebook.com/moldbook
3. http://www.mold-help.org/
4. http://www.personalconsult.com/articles/moldbasicsyouneedtoknow.html
5. http://lymebook.com/blog/the-recovery-process/mold-and-lyme-toxins/
6. http://www.ermimoldtest.com/ermi_health_risks.asp

 

Ehrlichia and Lyme

Ehrlichiosis (HME) was originally thought to be only an animal disease. It was described in humans in 1987 and is now found in 30 states, predominately in the southeast, south-central, and mid-Atlantic states, Europe and Africa. Anaplasmosis (HGE)in humans was first identified in 1990 in a Wisconsin man. Before that it was known to infect horses, sheep, cattle, dogs and cats. It occurs in the upper midwest, northeast, the mid-Atlantic states, northern California, and many parts of Europe. Studies suggest that in endemic areas as much as 15% to 36% of the population has been infected, though often it is not recognized. (1)

Diagnosis is limited by our current ability to test for only two species. Ehrlichia parasites multiply inside host cells, forming large mulberry-shaped clusters called morulae which doctors can sometimes see on blood smears. The infection still can easily be missed. The doctor may suspect ehrlichiosis/anaplasmosis in a patient who does not respond well to treatment for Lyme disease. (1)

Ehrlichiosis is caused by bacteria that belong to the family called Rickettsiae. Rickettsial bacteria cause a number of serious diseases worldwide, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever and typhus. All of these diseases are spread to humans by a tick, flea, or mite bite.

Ehrlichia bacteria can be carried by the Lone Star tick, the American dog tick, and the deer tick, which can also cause Lyme disease. (2)

There are two kinds of ehrlichiosis, both of which are caused by tick-borne rickettsial parasites called Ehrlichia that infect different kinds of white blood cells. In HME (human monocytic ehrlichiosis), they infect monocytes. In HGE (human granulocytic ehrlichiosis), they infect granulocytes. HGE was renamed anaplasmosis in 2003. Ticks carry many Ehrlichia-like parasites that have not been identified yet. It is likely that the lone star tick transmits HME and that the deer tick transmits HGE. (1)

Not every individual tick is infected with the bacteria, so a tick bite does not automatically result in illness. It usually takes 24 to 36 hours for an infected feeding tick to transmit the ehrlichiosis-causing bacteria to its host. (3)

The symptoms of ehrlichiosis usually appear about a week after someone has been bitten by an infected tick. However, it is also common for ehrlichiosis to have very mild symptoms or even no symptoms at all. The only way to conclusively diagnose ehrlichiosis is through a blood test. The good news is that this disease is usually resolved by the immune system and requires no medical treatment. (3)

For people who have compromised or weak immune systems, such as very young children, the elderly or those with autoimmune deficiency diseases, ehrlichiosis can become very serious or fatal if left untreated. When the immune system is unable to effectively fight bacteria, the bacteria are able to multiply quickly and overwhelm the body. (3)

Treatments include-
Doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline, rifampin and zithromax

Symptoms include-
profound fatigue
sever muscle pain
high liver enzymes
low white blood cell count
fevers
severe headaches
nausea
malaise
flat red rash
diarrhea
joint pain
confusion
low platelet count
anemia
kidney failure
respiratory insufficiency

SOURCES-
1. http://www.lymedisease.org/lyme101/coinfections/ehrlichia.html

2. https://www.google.com/health/ref/Ehrlichiosis

3. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-ehrlichiosis.htm

RELATED POSTS-
Babesia
Bartonella
This Disease Called Lyme

 

Babesia

Babesiosis is an infection caused by a malaria-like parasite, also called a “piroplasm,” that infects red blood cells. Babesia microti is believed to be the most common piroplasm infecting humans, but scientists have identified over twenty piroplasms carried by ticks. Ticks may carry only Babesia or they may be infected with both Babesia and Lyme spirochetes. (1)

Long-standing infections may need to be treated for several months, and relapses sometimes occur and must be retreated. (1)

Babesia infection is becoming more commonly recognized, especially in patients who already have Lyme Disease. It has been published that as many as 66% of Lyme patients show evidence of co-infection with Babesia. It has also been reported that Babesial infections can range in severity from mild, subclinical infection, to fulminant, potentially life-threatening illness. The more severe presentations are more likely to be seen in immunocompromised and elderly patients. Milder infections are often missed because the symptoms are incorrectly ascribed to Lyme. Babesial infections, even mild ones, may recrudesce and cause severe illness. This phenomenon has been reported to occur at any time, even up to several years after the initial infection. Furthermore, asymptomatic carriers pose risks: to the blood supply as this infection has been reported to be passed on by blood transfusion, and to the unborn child from an infected mother as it can be transmitted in utero. (2)

Diagnostic tests are insensitive and problematic. There are at least thirteen Babesial forms found in ticks, yet we can currently only test for B. microti and WA-1 with our serologic and nuclear tests. Standard blood smears reportedly are reliable for only the first two weeks of infection, thus are not useful for diagnosing later infections and milder ones including carrier states where the germ load is too low to be detected. Krause, PJ, Telford, SR, Spielman, A, et.al. Concurrent Lyme disease and Babesiosis. JAMA 1996. 275 (21):1660 “As is common in the case of Babesial infections, parasites frequently cannot be seen in blood films.” Therefore, multiple diagnostic test methods are available and each have their own benefits and limitations and often several tests must be done. Be prepared to treat based on clinical presentation, even with negative tests. (2)

No Lyme cure exists if a powerful co-infection like Babesia and/or Bartonella is present and untreated to the point of full removal. Lyme cure is also likely impossible in the presence of ineffective routine dosing, (i.e. like 750 mg of Mepron twice a day), which kills some Babesia but leaves some residual Babesia alive. (3)

Current Babesia testing does not test for all possible human species. Current national labs have not invested large sums to improve species or genus level Babesia testing, or better visualization techniques that would increase the capacity to see Babesia in a blood drop smear. (3)

Many Babesia species infect humans, and more species or species variants are discovered every year. I (Dr. Schaller) believe I am seeing patients with a mix of Babesia species or species variants. For example, I have patients with Babesia microti, Babesia duncani (WA-1) and suspected MO-1. This last species is all over North America. Further, I believe microti has more than one strain in the USA, and we already know it has more than one strain in the world. I believe the dose that kills one species or species variant, does not fully remove other species or other species variants. This is a revolutionary component in approaching Babesia treatment. (3)

Treatments include-
Mepron, malarone, lariam, clindamycin, quinine, alinia, metronidazole, primaquin, zithromax, cryptolepsis, artemisinin, smilax, tesel, enula, mora, rizol oils, flagyl, biaxin, ketek, plaquenil, chlorquine, primaquine, proquanil

Symptoms include-
night sweats
flushing pressure-like headaches
violent nightmares, vivid dreams
shortness of breath, air hunger
dry cough
neck pain
fatigue
dizziness
trouble thinking
fevers
memory loss
chills
sense of imbalance
encephalopathy DEFINITION

Related Post-
SUCCESSFUL BABESIA TREATMENT
BARTONELLA

SOURCES
1. http://www.lymedisease.org/lyme101/coinfections/babesia.html
2. http://www.canlyme.com/coinf.html#ehrl (taken from Burrascano)
3. http://www.babesiabook.com/articles/babesiaupdatereview.html

 

Bartonella

Bartonella is a bacterium that causes illness, the most commonly known of which is a disease called “Cat Scratch Fever.” Thousands of known cases of Bartonella occur in the U.S. each Year, with the vast majority of known cases due to bites from fleas that infest cats or infected dogs (may also occur directly from bites and scratches from infected dogs or cats). Bartonella can also be transmitted by ticks that transmit Lyme Disease. In fact, in a study published recently, deer ticks from New Jersey had a higher prevalence of Bartonella organisms than of Lyme organisms. (1)

It is unclear whether the organism that we see transmitted along with Lyme disease is actually a Bartonella species (such as B. henselae or B. quintana) or is “Bartonella-Like Organism” (BLO) that is yet to be fully identified. While BLO has features similar to organisms in the Bartonella family, it also has features slimiar to the Mycoplasma and the Francisella (causes tularemia) families. (1)

It has been said that Bartonella is the most common of all tick-borne pathogens. Indeed, there seems to be a fairly distinct clinical syndrome when this type of organism is present in the chronic Lyme patient. However, several aspect of this infection seem to indicate that this tick-associated strain of Bartonella is different from that described as “cat scratch disease”. For example, in patients who fit the clinical picture, standard Bartonella blood testing in commonly non-reactive. Furthermore, the usual Bartonella medications do not work for this- they suppress the symptoms but do not permanently clear them. For these reasons I (Dr Burrascano) like to refer to this as a “Bartonella-like organism” (BLO), rather than assume it is a more common species. (2)

Incidentally, animal studies show that Bartonella may be transmitted across the placenta. No human studies have been done. (2)

Bartonellosis is often mild but in serious cases it can affect the whole body. Early signs are fever, fatigue, headache, poor appetite, and an unusual, streaked rash. Swollen glands are typical, especially around the head, neck and arms. Burrascano suspects bartonellosis when neurologic symptoms are out of proportion to the other systemic symptoms of chronic Lyme. He also notes gastritis, lower abdominal pain, sore soles, and tender subcutaneous nodules along the extremities. Lymph nodes may be enlarged and the throat can be sore. (3)

Bartonella are bacteria that live inside cells; they can infect humans, mammals, and a wide range of wild animals. Not all Bartonella species cause disease in humans. Bartonella henselae causes an important emerging infection first reported in 1990 and described as a new species in 1992. It is mainly carried by cats and causes cat-scratch disease, endocarditis, and several other serious diseases in humans. (3)

Bartonella bacteria are known to be carried by fleas, body lice and ticks. Scientists suspect that ticks are a source of infection in some human cases of bartonellosis. People with tick bites and no known exposure to cats have acquired the disease. People who recall being bitten by ticks have been co-infected with Lyme and Bartonella. More research needs to be done to establish the role of ticks in spreading the disease. (3)

Babesia and Bartonella are not little addendums to Lyme disease, but are often far more serious than Lyme disease. Any physician who is not well-versed in these two killing infections perhaps should not be considered competent enough to treat patients with flea and tick infections. These infections do not circle around planet “Lyme” like small moons, instead, they are their own huge planets that cause massive consequences to the human body. (4)

In my experience (Dr. Schaller), Bartonella is profoundly agitating and causes all possible psychiatric troubles. Some patients feel like they have gasoline in their veins and are highly reactive and grossly sensitive. I also believe Babesia and Lyme disease, to a lesser extent, can also cause very diverse psychiatric troubles. (5)

It is important to realize that Bartonella is not rare. It is all over the world and only those living in the polar ice caps are immune to the risk of infection. I (Dr. Schaller) personally believe based on newer and more aggressive testing that it is more common than Lyme disease. Many are falsely diagnosed with Babesia because they are tired and fatigued, and yet this is a highly common symptom of Bartonella reported in vast numbers of studies. It is a major contributing infection to chronic fatigue and Fibromyalgia symptom clusters. (6)

You should appreciate that it is unlikely you will ever be cured of Lyme in the presence of Bartonella. Why? Bartonella is a massive immune suppressing bacteria. It can float attached to Red Blood Cells in vast numbers and not even cause a cold or fever. Just imagine, bacteria are floating in your blood and you might not have any fever at all! If you had Staph or Strep in your blood at these levels you would likely be dead in 48 hours unless you were pumped full of antibiotics in an ICU. So how is it this huge elephant floats in vast numbers and causes no severe fever and no disastrous signs of deadly sepsis—infected blood throughout the body with massive inflammation. It is because it has ways of shutting down the immune system. It violates many rules of bacteria behavior and this is one reason it has been so seriously missed until recent years. (6)

Treatments include-
ceftin, ciprofloxacin, mycobutin, levaqin, septra, doxycycline, omnicet, cumanda, clove bud oil, houttuynia, banderol

Symptoms-
ice pick like headaches
photophobia
anxiety
reflex sympathetic dystorphy
cardiac problems
gut problems
plantar fascial pain
burning pain
night sweats
weight loss
neurological symptoms
foot pain, sore soles
enlarged lymph nodes
rash that looks like red or purple stretch marks PHOTOS
cold hands and feet
intestinal infection
blood thinkening
sore throat
agitation
insomnia
confusion
lower abdominal pain

Related Posts-
BABESIA

1. http://flash.lymenet.org/scripts/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=062704;p=0
2. http://www.lymediseaseresource.com/BurrGuide2008.pdf
3. http://www.lymedisease.org/lyme101/coinfections/bartonella.html
4. http://lymeinfo.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/ignore-bartonella-stay-ill-lose-a-relationship-job-or-hurt-an-organ-part-1/
5. http://www.personalconsult.com/articles/violenceandlyme.html
6. http://74.125.155.132/custom?q=cache:4mhxB9XO9igJ:www.personalconsult.com/bartonella/bartonellaignored.doc+Bartonella&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=google-coop-np

 

Viruses and Lyme

If you have gone through extensive blood testing you have probably been tested for the viruses that are prevalent with Lyme. The three most common of those viruses are Human Herpes virus 6 (HHV 6), Epstien-Barr virus (EBV), and Cytomegalo virus (CMV). Do you know what they are? I thought I did.

Human Herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) is not the virus that causes cold sores, genital herpes, chicken pox, shingles, or infectious mononucleosis. (1)

HHV-6 is an immuno suppressive and neuro tropic virus that can cause encephalitis and seizures during a primary infection or when reactivated from latency in immuno suppressed patients. New research suggests that HHV-6 may play a role in several chronic neurological conditions including MS, mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, status epilepticus and chronic fatigue syndrome. (2)

There are two distinct variants of HHV-6. HHV-6A is the strain most likely to be found in MS, CFS and AIDS and cancer patients. HHV-6B causes roseola, febrile illnesses and encephalitis in infants and reactivates in transplant patients, causing complications such as encephalitis, pneumonitis and liver failure. HHV-6B infects close to 100% of children by the age of two, causing mild flu-like symptoms and rash in some, but occasionally progresses to high fever, encephalitis and seizures. In most cases, the virus goes into latency. However, in patients with impaired immune function, the virus may persist in its active state at low levels for years. (2)

The factors that lead to reactivation in people with intact and functioning immune systems are unclear and probably include genetic and environmental causes (such as hormones, other infections, and exposure to chemicals). Most instances of reactivation will not result in chronic, active infection as the normal immune system will suppress the reactivated virus and return it to a latent state. However, reactivation of HHV-6 in normal adults has been associated with a mononucleosis syndrome, autoimmune disorders, and nervous system diseases. (1)

Recent studies have revealed active HHV-6 infections in single, random blood samples taken from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients (56% positive) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) patients (39% positive). Normal, healthy controls were negative for active HHV-6 virus (0% positive). This is a significant finding and demonstrates that active HHV-6 infections are not seen in healthy people without these disease associations. (1)

Epstein-Barr virus, frequently referred to as EBV, is a member of the herpes virus family and one of the most common human viruses. The virus occurs worldwide, and most people become infected with EBV sometime during their lives. In the United States, as many as 95% of adults between 35 and 40 years of age have been infected. (4)

Symptoms of infectious mononucleosis are fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands. Sometimes, a swollen spleen or liver involvement may develop. Heart problems or involvement of the central nervous system occurs only rarely, and infectious mononucleosis is almost never fatal. There are no known associations between active EBV infection and problems during pregnancy, such as miscarriages or birth defects. Although the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis usually resolve in 1 or 2 months, EBV remains dormant or latent in a few cells in the throat and blood for the rest of the person’s life. Periodically, the virus can reactivate and is commonly found in the saliva of infected persons. This reactivation usually occurs without symptoms of illness. (3)

The virus can affect anyone, but the infection most often occurs in people between the ages of 10 and 35, especially teenagers. It can occur as an epidemic or in single cases, and it is believed to be spread by infectious saliva. (5)

The incubation period for the disease is usually seven to 14 days in children and adolescents. The incubation period in adults is longer; at times it may be 30 to 50 days. (5)

If the virus lasts more than six months, it is frequently called chronic EBV infection. Some doctors think EBV is the cause of a chronic condition called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), although this has not been definitively proven. (5)

CMV is a common virus that infects most people at some time during their lives but rarely causes obvious illness. It is a member of the herpes virus family. Other members of the herpes virus family cause chickenpox, infectious mononucleosis, fever blisters (herpes I) and genital herpes (herpes II). Like other herpes viruses, CMV infection can become dormant for a while and may reactivate at a later time. The virus is carried by people and is not associated with food, water or animals. (6)

Most children and adults who are infected with CMV do not develop symptoms. Those who develop symptoms may experience an illness resembling infectious mononucleosis and have fever, swollen glands and feel tired. People with a compromised immune system (such as AIDS patients or those receiving chemotherapy) may experience more serious illness involving fever, pneumonia and other symptoms. (6)

Cytomegalo virus (CMV) is a common and widespread virus that can infect almost anyone. Most people with CMV don’t even know they have it, because it rarely causes symptoms. The greatest concern is if you’re pregnant or have a weak immune system. (7)

Once you’re infected with CMV, the virus is in your body for life. CMV spreads through body fluids, such as blood, saliva, urine, semen and breast milk. People with weak immune systems have a greater risk of becoming ill from CMV. If you’re pregnant and have never been exposed to the virus but develop an active infection, the virus can cause disabilities in your unborn baby. (7)

Most people with chronic Lyme have chronic viruses in their system especially those viruses in the Herpes family such as Epstein Barr, Cytomegalo, and human Herpes 6.  Other viruses such as Borno, Parvo and Krypto viruses are also known to exist with Lyme. Garlic is a good treatment for these viruses along with other remedies such as colloidal silver, oregano oil and olive leaf extract. (8)

1. http://www.wisconsinlab.com/hhv6.htm
2. http://www.hhv-6foundation.org/overview.html
3. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/ebv.htm
4. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/ebv.htm
5. http://www.healthscout.com/ency/68/44/main.html
6. http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/communicable/cytomegalovirus/fact_sheet.htm
7. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cmv/DS00938
8. http://www.healthdetectives.com/thehealthdetectives/id28.html

 

Alkaline Diet for Lyme

The human body requires specific chemical processes to work efficiently and properly in order to stay healthy and ward off disease. These processes will only operate within a limited pH (potential of hydrogen) range. pH is a scale or balance system that measures the alkalinity or acidity of a solution. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14; the lower the pH the more acidic the solution, the higher the pH the more alkaline (or base) the solution. When a solution is neither acid nor alkaline it has a pH of 7.0 which is neutral. (1)
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Foods are classified as acid-forming or alkalizing depending on the effect they have on the body. An acid-forming food contributes hydrogen ions to the body, making it more acidic. An alkalizing food removes hydrogen ions from the body, making it more alkaline. It is important to note that this classification is based on the effect foods have on the body after digestion, not on their own intrinsic acidity or alkalinity (or how they taste to us). A common misconception is that if a food tastes acidic, it has an acid-forming effect on the body. This is not necessarily true. Very often, an acidic-tasting food is alkalizing. Citric fruits are a good example. People say that lemons, for example, are “too acidic”; however, they are actually alkalizing because the minerals they leave behind after digestion help remove hydrogen ions, decreasing the acidity of the body. (2)
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Lyme disease can bring patients down to dangerously acidic numbers and keep them there, which some doctors believe are responsible for patients’ chronic symptoms. To test your pH, purchase pH strips designed for humans and use them in the morning and one hour after meals. Experiment with meals, and then tweak your diet, eating more of the foods that turn the strip blue, and avoiding or greatly limiting those foods that turn it yellow. Generally, fresh vegetables are alkaline while sweets, grains and meat are acidic. Fruits and oils can be either, depending on the specific choice. (3)
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Bacteria and other parasitic bugs thrive in an acidic environment and find it difficult to survive in a pH above 7. The ideal pH for adults is 7.3, or slightly basic.

Although the presence of a bacterial infection is the root cause of Lyme Disease, the majority of ongoing symptoms are actually caused by circulating Lyme Disease toxins. Because alkalizing nutrients neutralize Lyme Disease toxins, alkalizing the body simply makes you feel better quickly. In Lyme Disease, acidic pH can be the cause of numerous symptoms (especially during herx reactions), including extreme sugar cravings, fatigue, lethargy, depression, poor digestion, and a plethora of other symptoms. When alkalizing treatments are used, these symptoms often disappear instantly. (4)
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Remember we are talking about adding more alkaline foods to your diet not removing all acidic foods. Our body is striving for a balanced pH. The western diet and lifestyle is very acidic which is why there is a general need to balance the pH by adding alkaline foods verses acidic foods.

Adding more fresh organic vegetables to your diet is the easiest way to make it more alkaline. Some of the most alkaline foods are; soy, barley grass, cucumber, dandelion, jicima and kale.

Processed junk foods and foods high in animal protein are acid-forming. Other highly acidic foods include; pickled vegetables, artificial sweeteners, black tea, coffee, and alcohol.

Most grains are acid forming, with the exceptions of millet and buckwheat. Sprouting grains and seeds however, makes them more alkaline.

Food chart download available here-
http://www.acidalkalinediet.com/foodchart.php?gid=&mid=&yid=
I like this chart better than others because the foods are on a scale from highly acidic to highly alkaline.

1. http://www.thewolfeclinic.com/newsletters/2009/february/the_acid_alkaline_balance.html
2. http://www.advancedhealthplan.com/foods.html
3. http://www.ehow.com/how_4776454_later-symptoms-of-lyme-disease.html
4. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0976379716

LINK TO LYMENAIDE FB

 

Lyme Disease and Insomnia

I have insomnia!!! I lay in bed at night trying not to move so I won’t disturb my sleeping husband. Which, of course, only makes matters worse. WHY CAN’T I SLEEP??? Well, I found some potential answers!
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Fatigue is a common symptom experienced by Lyme disease patients, and it can be prolonged and very debilitating. This fatigue can be accompanied by either excessive sleeping or insomnia. Some patients may experience the fatigue intermittently or after exertion, while others may be bedridden. Lyme disease fatigue is NOT the same as simply being tired from overwork or stress. Much like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lyme often causes a profound exhaustion that is significantly worse than what is seen in other illnesses.

Fatigue is common in Lyme disease because energy is being used to battle the systemic infection. Therefore, antibiotics can play an important role in the treatment. Other causes of fatigue, such as anemia, sleep apnea, hormonal disturbances and lifestyle factors should also be evaluated. (1)
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Insomnia is a common condition in which you have trouble falling or staying asleep. This condition can range from mild to severe, depending on how often it occurs and for how long. Insomnia can be chronic (ongoing) or acute (short-term). Chronic insomnia means having symptoms at least 3 nights a week for more than a month. Acute insomnia lasts for less time.

Some people who have insomnia may have trouble falling asleep. Other people may fall asleep easily but wake up too soon. Others may have trouble with both falling asleep and staying asleep. As a result, insomnia may cause you to get too little sleep or have poor-quality sleep. You may not feel refreshed when you wake up. (2)
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Sleep problems are nearly universal among persons with Lyme and most other tick-borne diseases. Such problems are a major contributor to symptoms such as “brain fog,” chronic fatigue, depression, and impaired immune function that are associated with Lyme and other TBDs. Restoring adequate quality sleep for Lyme/TBD patients is therefore one of the highest priorities, even if it involves the temporary use of sleep medications. (3)
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Liver toxicity is a big trigger for insomnia, especially if your body is trying to process loads of toxins. If you tend to awaken at 2:00 A.M. or not fall asleep until that time, this is a sign that your insomnia is related to the liver. Be aware of this if you are hitting the Lyme critters hard and not doing enough detoxification protocol.

Adrenal insufficiency is another cause of sleep deprivation. When the adrenal glands cannot synthesize the proper amount of hormones due to illness and stress, insomnia results.

Other endocrine abnormalities can contribute to insomnia. These include thyroid imbalance, pituitary dysfunction and hypothalamic suppression due to Lyme disease neurotoxins and other factors. (4, but they got it from The Lyme Disease Survival Guide, by Connie Strasheim)
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The general recommendations-

Get on a sleep wake cycle. Go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday.
Meditate.
Avoid caffeine.
Sleep in a dark room.
Electromagnetic frequencies, get the electronics out of your sleep space.
Take a warm bath before bed.

Herbs- Melatonin, Valerine, Herb Som, Sweet Sleep
Be sure that you don’t do any stimulating activity after taking the melatonin, because if you do something (e.g., read or watch TV), then it will backfire and it will keep you up for hours.(3)

Alternatively, ask your doctor about a prescription.

Links 3 and 4 have a lot more information, including additional suggestions for sleep and what you can do to detox your liver (4).

1. http://www.lymeinfo.net/fatigue.html
2. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/inso/inso_whatis.html
3. http://www.lymebook.com/lyme-disease-sleep-insomnia
4. http://planetthrive.com/cgi-bin/members/pub9990284000465.cgi?itemid=9990294291781&action=viewad&categoryid=9990284000465&page=1&placeonpage=1&totaldisplayed=50

 

My First IV

I am having my first IV today, right now, as I write this. I would be scared to death if this was an IV antibiotic but it is a Pro-Oxidant so I am only incredibly nervous.

While I have had needles draw untold amounts of blood out of my body, I have never had anything flow through one and into me. Every fear I ever had for needles and injections came rushing to me as I sat down. Air bubbles, how do they make sure there aren’t any air bubbles. Even though the nurse explains this to me I am staring in fear at the solution as it starts to run into my body. Pro-Oxidant, the paper I signed said that could be hydrogen peroxide. I saw a CSI Las Vegas where people were dying from hydrogen peroxide injections. Oh, I hope the solution is right. The nurse keeps asking me how I’m doing. Honestly I have no idea. All I can feel is the adrenaline coursing through my body.

Breath (inhale), Relax (exhale), repeat…

What are the possible side effects of this again? My hand is starting to tingle and I think it is going numb!!! Nevermind, false alarm, it’s just the uncomfortable angle my wrist is lying at. I’m afraid to move though, what if I mess up the needle? I hate needles! OK, calm- breathe, relax, breathe, relax…

10 minutes in. Surely I would be dead by now if the nurse had botched up and air bubbles had made it in. Is that really a valid fear? Sure if someone injected me with air that would be one thing. I mean, there is oxygen in blood. Isn’t that one of the things Lyme doesn’t like about being in the blood?

The nurse just told me to stop tensing my arm. I didn’t even realize I had my elbow locked. Oh, that’s nice my arm feels much better in a natural position and the needle didn’t move or hurt at all. I really need more breathe & relax only this time instead of just saying it, I should actually feel that I am doing it.

Yes, for sure I would be dead by now, it’s been 25 minutes. Doesn’t your blood recirculate through your whole body every 2 minutes? I should have paid more attention in Human Anatomy class. Wait, I don’t think I ever took that class. But, I read Dr Oz’s book “You the Owner’s Manual”. I liked that book, I could understand everything. It seems I didn’t retain any of it, but I could always read it again.

Breathe, relax, breathe, relax, breathe, relax…

How does this end? Does the nurse need to be here? Surely not. What if the bottle is empty and the air works all the way down to the needle? I should have asked more questions!!! Breathe, relax…

Yay, it’s over. That wasn’t so bad. OK who am I kidding I was pathetic! At least it will be easier next time.

(written during the IV, typed later)

This is the information about the Pro-Oxidant Therapy from my consent form-

What is Pro-Oxidant Therapy? It is the intravenous infusion of a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide or one of the related pro-oxidants for the purpose of adjunctive treatment of atherosclerotic disease, yeast syndrome, chronic bacterial and/or viral infections, prevention and/or treatment of degenerative diseases and other conditions…..In the presence of chronic infection, Pro-Oxidant Therapy may precipitate a herxheimer’s reaction as these infections are eradicated. This reaction may involve a temporary exacerbation of symptoms I currently have or have had in the past associated with my disease/infections.
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Hydrogen peroxide therapy, as well as other oxygen-based treatments, is rapidly gaining in popularity within the alternative medicine community. Mounting evidence suggests that H2O2 properly utilized holistically effects the body; it acts as a catalyst for various needed body processes as well as directly reducing anaerobic bacterial infections. H2O2 oxidizes body waste products and diseased tissue. It has been shown to dissolve calcium and cholesterol deposits in the body, and it stimulates peroxidase production. Oxygen content in the blood and tissues increases with oral and IV use, and hydrogen peroxide stimulates the body’s enzyme systems as well. Even so, the effects of hydrogen peroxide in the body are wide,varied and still not completely understood. (1)

1. http://www.silvermedicine.org/h2o2.html

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The Blood Type Diet

At my most recent BioSet appointment it was recommended that I try following the “Blood Type Diet”. I was somewhat familiar with the diet having read one of the books about six years ago. I have no idea if there is any validity to the diet, and that appears to be the big question when it comes to “The Blood Type Diet”. I do however know that my natural tendency is in line with the diet for my blood type.

While I have never specifically followed the diet for my blood type, which is A, I do feel best when I stick to a fairly vegetarian diet. Too much meat tends to make me lethargic. I have also tested sensitive to chicken, beef, and lamb at different times. The recommendation to try the diet comes at a time when I have been eating a lot more meat than I have eaten in years. So, I’ll give it a go.
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Developed by naturopathic physician Dr. Peter D’Adamo, the Blood Type Diet is based on the theory that protein-like compounds in food called lectins react with different blood types to cause a wide variety of health complaints. To help people avoid eating lectins that are incompatible with their blood type, Dr. D’Adamo provides lists of foods that are beneficial and those that should be avoided, for each blood type. Although critics have claimed the diet lacks scientific support, Dr. D’Adamo draws on a significant body of research dating all the way back to the late 19th century to support his dietary recommendations. In general, the diet recommendations for each blood type include a variety of foods and are well-balanced. (1)
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Type A types
should basically stick to fruits and vegetables (high carbs / low fat). They have thicker blood than other blood types, a sensitive immune system, and should not consume dairy products, animal fats and meats.  They are at a heightened risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

Type B types
should consume a balanced diet (fruits and vegetables, grains, fish, dairy, meat, but avoid chicken).  They have the best chance of bypassing or overcoming everyday types of diseases, including heart disease and cancer.

Type AB types
should consume a mostly vegetarian diet, and only on rare occasions some fish, meat (no chicken), and dairy.

Type O types
should basically stick to a high protein diet (including red meat), low carbs, and enriched with fruits and vegetables.  They should limit the intake of wheat germ, whole wheat products, corn, and avoid dairy products and most nuts. Type O types are commonly affected with hypothyroidism, high stomach acid (leading to ulcers), and thinner blood with greater resistance to blood clotting. (2)
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Fortunately, most lectins found in the diet are not so life threatening, although they can cause a variety of other problems, especially if they are specific to a particular blood type. For the most part your immune systems protect you from lectins. Ninety-five percent of the lectins you absorb from your typical diets are sloughed off by the body. But at least five percent of the lectins you eat are filtered into the bloodstream and different reactions in different organs. (3)
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“Within the diet itself are generally good diet recommendations,” says David W. Grotto, RD, LD, a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. “D’Adamo doesn’t say avoid vegetables and fruit, for example — but his specific recommendations based on blood type — the science is not there to support it. I’m not aware that anyone has duplicated his research.” (4)
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It does appear that Dr. Cowden  recommends or has been known to recommend following a blood type diet.
http://www.lyme-disease-research-database.com/lymeprotocolfile5_files/SAMENTO-PROCOTOL-FOR-LYME-BORRELIOSOS___Wm.-Lee-Cowden-MD.pdf

1. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=diet&dbid=2
2. http://www.acu-cell.com/btd.html
3. http://www.drlam.com/blood_type_diet/
4. http://www.webmd.com/diet/eat-right-for-your-type?page=2

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The Time Has Come

My shopping list had three items on it.

The first item was easy. Coffee maker. No problem, Target $9.99.

The second was a little more difficult. Organic coffee. I don’t even remember the last time I bought coffee. It was probably instant or some flavored variety 10 years ago. This time I was definitely not looking for any added flavor. Just plain and simple coffee, ground and ready for my new machine. I wasn’t expecting there to be nine different options to choose from! Some were deep brown and shiny, some looked dry and almost tan. Did I want a bold one or a balanced one, heavy or light. On top of that I had to decide if I wanted Columbian, Italian, Special Blend, French… yes, ok, let’s go with French. I’ve always wanted to go to France. The French blend looked about middle of the road on the color scale, it wasn’t too oily or too dry. Did it matter? It’s not like I was going to be drinking it.

Which brings me to the last item on my shopping list. -Enema kit. The day had finally come. I knew it would, my doctors have been mentioning enemas for the last month. My body is not doing a good job eliminating toxins, the enemas, along with a handful of other recommendations to alternate through, are meant to solve that.

Well needless to say shopping for an enema kit wasn’t high on my list of things to do in this lifetime. I had hoped to subtly walk in, find a kit and add it nonchalantly to my shopping cart of purchases. No such luck. I went to three different pharmacies! I had to ask at each one where to find the enema kits. Humor was my egos savior. Some funny banter with the shop clerks at each place made it an entertaining rather than embarASSing experience.

I now had all the pieces to administer my coffee enema. I found directions online. I went to at least six different sites to make sure I was well versed in the administration process. I cleaned my coffee pot and all parts of the enema kit. No more procrastinating, the time had come.

This morning I brewed my coffee. I layed my old yoga mat down on the bathroom floor, covered it with a plastic bag and a dish cloth. When the coffee was cool, I filled and assembled my enema kit. I had a pillow, my watch and a jar of coconut oil. I was ready.

The enema itself was easy. I felt no discomfort. I didn’t even have trouble holding it for the 15 minutes.

I did have one problem. I think I must have bought the cheapest kit on the market! The seal obviously wasn’t very good. More coffee poured onto me than into me! Seriously, I was laying in a coffee puddle! Now, I had checked the seal beforehand and, I did notice that it did appear to be cheap and leaking. What was I going to do though, postpone? No way, I had everything in place, this was happening now!

In any case, I got enough into me to experience the enema. Next time I am going to try the douche nozzle as one of the tutorials suggested. If that doesn’t work, I’d hate to be the clerk on the other side of the counter when I return it!

If you want to avoid a shopping experience like mine, there are plenty of enema kit available online. I wouldn’t buy an expensive one. These things tend to start growing mold after a while. The cheap ones work just fine. I also recommend getting the kind that close like a hot water bottle, one less thing to worry about spilling all over the place in a Lyme moment. This is the type of kit I buy -Combo Bottle/Douche Enema

It is recommended to use a with a reusable filter like this one -Coffee Maker (no paper filters), or a French Coffee Press.

Follow Up Posts:
ENEMA TAKE 2
THE ART OF THE REVERSE LATTE
ENEMAS AND COLONICS

Helpful directions and information for administering an enema

http://www.healthguardians.com/pdf/THE%20COFFEE%20ENEMA%20NOW.pdf
http://www.ineedcoffee.com/01/enema/
http://www.bigmedicalsite.com/about-health/keep-your-colon-clean-with-enemas.-see-the-benefits-and-learn-about-coffee-enemas.html
http://www.enemabag.com/how_to_take_an_enema.html

 

Partners in Lyme -by my husband

Mtn. biking together in Moab

My wife and I have travelled the world. We worked as ski instructors and shared a passion for all things outdoors. Our life was always great except for one thing; no matter where we were or what we were doing, my wife felt sick. We had no idea what it was; the doctors always said nothing was wrong. There were times when I agreed with the medical consensus that it must be in her head. I remember thinking “how can you be so miserable when we live in such a beautiful place?” We tried to carry on like normal outdoorsy people; climbing mountains, skiing all day, going on overnight hikes, but as the years went by my partner became less and less enthusiastic. She hardly cared if she didn’t ski for an entire winter!

Multi-day hike in Colorado

I was starting to think my wife had only told me she was into the outdoors in order to keep me interested in her. Now that we were married, the real her could come out! I was sad, upset and angry. I felt alone. I wanted a life partner who shared my passion and enthusiasm for an adventurous life but now I felt that our lives together went up and down like a rollercoaster; she’d have periods when she felt great and we’d go out and conquer the world together, but she’d also have periods when all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball in bed for weeks. Another frustration was that we’d finally go and see a doctor and they would triumphantly claim “you have (insert disease or syndrome)”, we’d get excited and jump fully into the treatment. Sometimes we’d get some results but usually within a month she would be back to feeling like hell again.

Last year a doctor mentioned that my wife may have Lyme Disease and that she should get a blood test. We wanted it to be true, but we were suspicious that it could be another false lead. However the blood test came back positive and all of the symptoms matched. The more we learned, the more convinced we became.

We walked 33 miles this day

I love my wife and I am angry this has happened to her. She is one of those good souls you meet in life. She is funny and cheeky and extremely creative. She is a reliable friend who is honest to a fault. Stupid tick, why did it have to bite her? I now realize how strong my wife is. I dragged her everywhere, hoping she’d love the outdoors like I do. I encouraged her to try rockclimbing, surfing and mountain biking, and by this I mean multi day trips in the middle of nowhere. She always came and she always tried. She told me that she felt lousy, but I couldn’t feel it and couldn’t relate. Everyone has some sort of pain right? I feel awful that I had that attitude and I am glad that she still loves me.

Now here we are; months into a multi-year treatment; I realize that it is pointless to be negative but sometimes it’s hard not to be. I am fit, healthy and raring to go. I want travel and adventure; I crave excitement and have an unending curiosity to see what is over that next ridge, behind that mountain and down that valley. But now for the moment we have to live in a city.

I am frustrated that I need to work 2 jobs just to keep us afloat; frustrated that on a rare day off I am too far from the mountains to go there; frustrated that

Canyoning in El Salvador

Chronic Lyme Disease isn’t recognized by the Infectious Disease Society of America, frustrated that all the money I earn gets spent on surviving and on going to the doctor, no money goes into saving up for a trip somewhere fun. It scares me that there are no guarantees with the treatment; some people will have Lyme forever.

My wife is handling this whole Lyme thing in a remarkably positive way; something I respect. She is strong and is taking charge of her treatment and isn’t asking for any sympathy. Neither am I, but sometimes I feel forgotten. Everyone sympathizes with my wife; “I am so sorry that you have Lyme Disease”, but nobody asks me how I am doing; no one realizes how hard it is to be the partner of a chronically ill person. My wife says that it is more difficult for me than it is for her because I don’t feel sick; I never go to the doctor and have absolutely no pain, yet I am being forced to put my adventurous life on hold. It’s hard for me that the time frame of the treatment is vague, that there is no set program and I have no idea as to where we are in the Lyme killing process.

What I haven’t mentioned yet is the gift that Lyme Disease has given us. It has made a huge difference just knowing what we are fighting, that there is for 100% sure, something wrong. Knowing that we need to take it easy has given us lots of special moments just relaxing together; going for short walks, spending time in a bookstore, hanging out. It’s good, I like it; I feel that our relationship has improved massively. We realize that we are a team and I now know that it wasn’t that she didn’t want to go hiking; it’s that she couldn’t.

FOLLOW UP POST, LYME IS A FAIR DINKUM DISEASE

First Kiss, 2003

 

Muscle Testing

There is a lot of skepticism surrounding the idea of muscle testing. Personally I find it accurate and helpful. I admit I also find it strange.

My first experience with muscle testing or applied kinesiology was in March 09. I went to a chiropractor who used muscle testing to determine which co-infections and viruses I had. I had previously had a blood tests for the viruses. The chiropractor conducting the muscle test did not have those results, yet his were the same. A few months later he tested me to see how I would react to mepron. He determined I would not do well. My LLMD prescribed the mepron anyway. Six weeks later I was off mepron, my liver couldn’t handle it. Consistently the muscle testing has been accurate for me. That doesn’t mean it is always right. And, my sensitivities are always changing.
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Muscle testing is a way to ask the body what it knows. If you’re a head person, you may find it strange to think that the body knows something your head doesn’t. But the body has an amazing ability to know what is true for it and what isn’t true for it. It shows a truth by getting stronger, and it shows an untruth by getting weaker. Muscle testing is testing that stronger/weaker factor in any given situation. (1)

You can use muscle testing in any situation requiring you to make a decision and which the mind is not capable of deciding. This can involve complex situations such as vitamins and supplements, driving directions, foods. If you have allergies it can really help. (1)

Kinesiology is the scientific study of human movement, while Applied Kinesiology is an alternative method of medical diagnosis that employs muscle testing; it was originated by Dr. John Goodheart in the 1960s. Dr. Goodheart found that muscles in the human body instantly became weak when the body was exposed to allergens or harmful substances. (2)

Muscle Testing or Energy Testing as it is sometimes called, can be a valuable diagnostic tool to assess whether a substance is something your body needs or tolerates.  What muscles testing does, if used correctly, is measures the flow of energy through your meridians usually in conjunction with a substance we are testing to see if our energy continues to flow freely in the presence of that substance.  Energy testing was first commonly used in the field of Applied Kinesiology and called Muscle Testing which is the term most commonly used. The term Energy Testing is really more accurate since you are testing the energy flow in the body and using the muscles to test it. (3)

Based on the concept of internal energy fundamental to traditional Chinese medicine, muscle testing is a noninvasive way of evaluating the body’s imbalances and assessing its needs. It involves testing the body’s responses when applying slight pressure to a large muscle, to provide information on energy blockages, the functioning of the organs, nutritional deficiencies, and food sensitivities, among other things. It can also be used to test the body’s responses to herbs and other remedies. (3)

A pilot study attempted to determine whether subjective muscle testing employed by Applied Kinesiology practitioners, prospectively determine those individuals with specific hyperallergenic responses. Seventeen subjects were found positive on Applied Kinesiology (A.K.) muscle testing screening procedures indicating food hypersensitivity (allergy) reactions. Each subject showed muscle weakening (inhibition) reactions to oral provocative testing of one or two foods for a total of 21 positive food reactions. Tests for a hypersensitivity reaction of the serum were performed using both a radio-allergosorbent test (RAST) and immune complex test for IgE and IgG against all 21 of the foods that tested positive with A.K. muscle screening procedures. These serum tests confirmed 19 of the 21 food allergies (90.5%) suspected based on the applied kinesiology screening procedures. This pilot study offers a basis to examine further a means by which to predict the clinical utility of a given substance for a given patient, based on the patterns of neuromuscular response elicited from the patient, representing a conceptual expansion of the standard neurological examination process. (4)

Autonomic Response Testing (ART) tests the function of the Autonomous Nervous System, which is in direct contact with every cell, organ, tissue, and muscle in our bodies and is responsible for the unconscious or autonomic functions: It regulates the heartbeat, the rhythm of the breath, digests the food we eat- and heals us. (5)

ART is different from other forms of muscle testing in that it uses the latest findings of quantum and biophotonic physics to aid in the assessment of the body. This allows for a much deeper level of testing not available to traditional kinesiologists. Tools such as polarization filters and signal enhancers are used to get stronger, clearer feedback from the body. ART often finds things that are missed by traditional kinesiology. ART practitioners in general also have the ability to test for a wider variety of root causes of illness, including specific infections, toxins, and emotional disturbances. (6)

ART is used along with traditional tests to determine the root causes of illness. It is not used to diagnose diseases. ART has been shown to be the most accurate of all
kinesiology techniques, with the best reproducibility and inter-examiner reliability. (6)
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1. http://www.squidoo.com/muscletesting#module8506784
2. http://www.allergyescape.com/muscle-testing.html
3. http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Does-Your-Body-Need?-Using-the-Art-of-Muscle-Testing-Or-Energy-Testing-to-Find-Out&id=2511090
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10069623
5. http://drkatharina.com/?page_id=10
6. http://www.klinghardtacademy.com/Seminars-Workshops/Autonomic-Response-Testing-I-muscle-testing-system-techniques.html

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Bee Venom & Lyme

Bee venom therapy is the part of apitherapy which utilizes bee venom in the treatment of health conditions. Apitherapy is the us of beehive products, including honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom. It has been used since ancient times to treat arthritis, rheumatism, back pain, skin disease and in this modern age as an alternative therapy to treat multiple sclerosis, Lyme disease and chronic fatigue syndrome. Bee venom comes form the stingers of honey bees who use it in defense of the bee colony. (1)

Bee venom is a rich source of enzymes, peptides and biogenic amines. There are at least 18 active components in the venom which have some pharmaceutical properties. The effect mechanism of the venom is not entirely know yet. Scientists believe it can modify the way the immune system functions in the body and contributed to increased cortisol production. (1)

The pain relieving effect of bee venom in the treatment of clinical conditions similar to Lyme disease has been established a long time ago. Bee venom contains a number of potent peptides which are responsible for its healing effect. Recent research proved that one of the peptides in bee venom, melittin, has a strong inhibitory effect on the Lyme spirochete at very low doses. When the spirochete is inhibited it does not multiply and is vulnerable to the host’s own immune system and to medication. The dosage and frequency of treatment is determined by the patient’s clinical response. Patients with Babesia or Mycoplasma infections require higher dosages then those with only B. burgdorferi infections. (2)

Bee venom is a potent antioxidant, anti-fungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and possesses radioprotectant actions. It has been found to exert powerful actions as an antibacterial agent, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, anti-rheumatic, in neurodegenerative disease, as a cardiotonic, an antioxidant, and as a diaphoretic and diuretic. It has also been found to be a strong immunological agent, stimulating the body’s protective mechanisms against disease. (3)

40-50% of bee venom is melittin. Melittin is powerfully antibacterial, more potent than many commercial pharmaceuticals, and is anti-inflammatory. It stimulates the hypophyseal-adrenal system and produces cortisone. Melittin also stabilizes the lysosome cell membrane, protecting against inflammation. (3)

Dr. Klinghardt uses 0.5 ml Bee-venom form Canada (Michael Simics) in 2.5 ml Procaine and injects 0.5 ml procaine in tender spot subcutaneously into the skin. It is relatively painless and has an incredible effect in his Lyme Disease patients.

In some it lasts for 2 days and in others for 3-4 days. Dependent on the response he establishes a schedule: shots every 2-3 days. The client then learns to do their own injections and otherwise follow the bee venom protocol that we have (bee sting kit etc.). Patients start to feel much better very soon, their depression and fatigue lifts, then their pain. It appears to be a great benefit! (4)

1. http://www.beevenom.com/beevenomtherapy.htm#BEE
2. http://www.klinghardtacademy.com/Protocols/The-Treatment-of-Lyme-Disease-with-Bee-Venom.html
3. http://www.gaianstudies.org/articles9.htm
4. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/07/23/bee-venom-lyme.aspx

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Sensory Sensitivities and Lyme, Hyperacusis

I found a a description of a symptom that sums up perfectly how I feel sometimes but have never been able to explain. “Difficulty filtering out irrelevant stimuli.” Symptoms of Lyme can include multiple sensory sensitivities. This note is mostly about auditory sensitivities.
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Sensory hyperarousal occurs in about 50% of patients with later stage neurologic Lyme disease, most often affecting hearing and/or vision. These patients may resort to wearing earplugs, sound protectors, and/or sunglasses indoors. Normal sensory stimulation may over-stimulate, causing confusion and triggering a limbic alarm as if one had been assaulted. (1)
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Lyme disease patients can experience an extreme sensitivity to sound, also known as auditory hyperacusis. In some patients it is limited to louder sounds, but in the more severe cases “ordinary” sounds can be very debilitating. The impact can be felt throughout the body, and this condition can affect every aspect of daily living. Patients can experience heightened awareness and an inability to tolerate conversation, running water, page turning, the humming of electronic devices, other people’s breathing, etc. These normal everyday sounds become painful and unbearable, and as a result the individual’s ability to leave the home is greatly limited. Patients may also experience an increased startle response and an “electric shock” type feeling.

Sounds can also induce dizziness, and this is called Tullio’s phenomenon. According to Jenifer Nields, MD, “This peculiar short-circuiting of the inner ear’s auditory and vestibular functions is known as the Tullio phenomenon. This phenomenon has been deemed pathognomonic for syphilis but, as it appears, can occur in Lyme disease as well, and thus provides one more example of the “new great imitator,” Lyme disease, imitating the old “great imitator,” syphilis.” (Psychiatric Quarterly, Spring 1992)

Sometimes another central auditory processing disorder, tinnitus (buzzing or ringing in the ear), can accompany hyperacusis. Lyme disease patients can also experience sensitivities to light, smells, taste, touch, motion and/or temperatures. (2)
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Hyperacusis is also common in advanced lyme disease due to nerve inflamation and the neurotoxic nature of the spirochetal bacteria. If successfully treated, many lyme patients’ noise tolerance returns to normal. Elevated levels of mercury, lead or other heavy metals may also contribute to hyperacusis in some individuals. (3)
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1. http://www.columbia-lyme.org/patients/ld_lyme_symptoms.html
2. http://www.lymeinfo.net/hyperacusis.html
3. http://www.lumrix.net/medical/otolaryngology/hyperacusis.html

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