Also, if you think it would be helpful, please let people know about our Envita Whiteboard, which is a FREE educational service we provide. --------------------------------------
We have created some videos to help Lyme disease patients. ---------------------------------------------------
New Tools for Understanding and Tackling Lyme Disease
Dino Prato, owner, founder, CEO, and administrator of Envita Medical Centers, and Dr. David Korn, D.D.S., D.O., M.D.(H), Chief Medical Officer of Envita, traveled to Kansas City, Missouri last week for a medical conference.
The title of the conference was ``Lyme & Chronic Illness: New Tools to Promote Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment.''
The conference boasted a diverse faculty of practitioners, researchers, university professors, and diagnostic specialists, including:
Carol Ann Ryser, M.D., Joseph Brewer, M.D., Stephen Fry, M.D., Reginald Dusing, M.D., and David Berg, M.S. Clinical Pathology.
As we have discussed previously on this blog and on the Envita website, accurate testing for and diagnosis of Lyme disease continues to elude the majority of practitioners and researchers. Inaccuracy plagues the standard tests utilized by most doctors.
Both the ELISA test and the Western Blot yield high false negatives.
Both tests are so sensitive that even if the patient is on Advil or Motrin, the tests can show false negatives.
In addition, these tests only test for a few strains of the Lyme bacteria; they do not include all significant antigens; and they utilize narrow criteria put forth by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that were meant to track epidemiological changes, and were never meant to constitute diagnostic criteria.
These standard tests focus on only a few ``bands'' identified by the CDC for purposes of surveillance, not diagnosis.
In fact, the ELISA test has been shown to miss as much as 35% of culture-proven Lyme. --------------------------------------------------
As far as the Western Blot goes, several markers are eliminated from testing that are highly indicative of exposure to the Lyme bacteria.
As a result, Lyme-literate physicians have had to turn to more specialized testing and laboratories to obtain accurate Lyme diagnoses.
They have also had to rely on the clinical diagnosis, and the tell-tale signs, symptoms, history, exposure risk, and course of illness.
As knowledge of the disease progresses, so have evidence-based guidelines used to diagnose it, such as that put forth by the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS).
Lyme disease is a multi-system disturbance that often carries many co-infections that can interfere with its diagnosis.
The disease can also influence and exacerbate other chronic medical conditions.
The conference was held in an effort to help practitioners and researchers alike gain a better understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease in conjunction with chronic illnesses as a whole.
The diversity of the panel's expertise was confirmation of a growing recognition in the Lyme community that we are dealing with a total body disease, affecting everything from the thyroid gland, to the adrenal glands, to hormones, to glucose levels.
[/QB] As many as 20% of Lyme patients develop acute neurological disease, and 5-10% develop cardiovascular problems. [/qb]
The panelists also confirmed that often times, when patients present with symptoms of chronic illness such as
M.S., Lupus, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and many others, practitioners should be looking deeper, as such symptoms may actually be the manifestation of Lyme disease and its co-infections.
As discussed previously on this blog and on the Envita website, conditions such as
Fibromyalgia, arthritis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, multiple sclerosis, ALS, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's, as well as some 350 different diseases, have symptoms similar to Lyme disease.
Known as ``the great imitator,'' the total number of symptoms associated with Lyme disease can total around 100.
Lyme disease was first identified in 1975 as the cause of an epidemic of arthritis occurring near Old Lyme, Connecticut.
Lyme disease is now known to be a complex multi-system disease that results from the immunologic response to infection with the tick-borne spirochete bacteria called Borrelia burgdorfei.
The links between Lyme disease and resulting chronic illness were discussed by the panel.
An emphasis was placed on the range of co-infections that are attendant to the disease. These co-infections can range from bacterial, to viral, to protozoan. *****************************************************
Testing for and treatment of these co-infections must necessarily be as specialized and aggressive as that of the Borrelia bacteria itself.
Lyme and its various co-infections can result in widespread chronic inflammation, causing a recipe for breakdown in the body.
Also discussed was the role that fibrin can play in the progression of the disease.
The infections associated with Lyme disease can actually cause damage to blood vessel walls, leading to deposits of fibrin anywhere there is injury.
Deposits of fibrin can lead to a decrease in blood flow, resulting in less oxygen and fewer nutrients being circulated through the body. This, in turn, can lead to the development of chronic degenerative disease.
The role of immunological markers was also explored.
Chronic Lyme infections are known to suppress the immune system, and the Lyme bacteria can affect all major cell types of the immune system, but it especially affects a subset of immune cells called CD-57.
The ability to measure counts of CD-57 cells is a relatively new breakthrough in Lyme treatment and is gaining popularity among Lyme-literate physicians.
Cell counts can be used to determine how active the infection is, how well the treatment is working, and even whether a relapse is likely to occur after treatment has ended.
CD-57 counts are even being used to validate that Chronic Lyme Disease is an active infection, contrary to what some in the medical community (and insurance companies) have argued.
Other cutting-edge discoveries were discussed, including the role of biofilm in the progression and resistance of Lyme Disease.
One of the panelists included Dr. Stephen E. Fry, M.D., a Lyme researcher for over 14 years and a leading pioneer in the area of biofilm.
Biofilm is best described as a ``slime matrix'' (think Ghost Busters) that coats the Lyme bacteria and its coinfections, making these pathogens very resistant to treatment, including antibiotics.
This sticky slime is made up of diverse single-celled microbes that adhere to one another and form complex community structures.
Once these pathogens colonize, the biofilm grows by cell division and recruitment.
The biofilm's sticky protective coating weakens the patient's immune system while shielding the Lyme pathogens, and can even facilitate communication among these micro-organisms through biochemical signals.
Biofilms even have the capability of developing ``water channels'' that distribute nutrients among the pathogens in the biofilm. Latest treatment techniques are centered around finding ways to ``strip'' this biofilm so that antibiotics and other treatments can reach and destroy the pathogens.
Dr. Korn also had an opportunity at the conference to share the success Envita has been having using a unique, integrative Lyme disease protocol and innovative biofilm-stripping techniques. -------------------------------------------------
The fact remains that the medical community's understanding of Lyme disease is still progressing. As we are learning more and more about the disease and the manifold ways it can affect the body, its complexity is becoming even more apparent.
But the good news is that many in the medical community are starting to realize that their patients' ability to return to health depends upon practitioners' willingness to learn as much as possible and look beyond a collection of symptoms to the imitator hiding beneath.
This realization is no small matter considering that it is estimated that anywhere from 250,000 to 300,000 Americans contract the disease yearly.
This number is greater than the number of cases of AIDS, West Nile Virus, and the Avian Flu combined. -------------------------------------------------------------------
Lyme disease is the most common insect-borne disease in America and is one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the country.
Copyright � 2008-2009 Envita's Natural Issues Blog - All Rights Reserved
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3 Responses to ``New Tools for Understanding and Tackling Lyme Disease''
1. barbara: April 11th, 2009 at 6:35 am
thank you for the very informative site. i have suffered for 6 or more years with Lyme and never understood it as i do now thanx to your website and articles. thanx so much.
2 terrilynn: May 10th, 2009 at 10:25 am
I had received a tick bite about a year ago and received a bulls eye rash.
I didn't know what this meant and it went away in a couple of days or more. I just figured that it would be fine now that the rash was gone. I still have the bite mark and it doesn't seem to heal.
I went to my dr. and he tested me for lyme with the wester blot test that showed only one positive out of the ten, so he said i didn't have it.
I was having the most horrible pain in my back and went to the emergency room twice and was missing work, this was in the last two weeks. He put me on tetracycline for ten days, taking it 4 times a day at 250mg.
It is now sunday may 10,09. And some of my back pain went away after 3 days of taking antibiotics but wedsday will be my last dose and i feel like this is not enough.
I have almost all of the symptoms of lyme disease and am very scard that i will not get help.
Im only 33 and want to live a healthy life and be there for my husband who now serves in the military at fort hood, texas.
My dr. told me to take those antibiotics and hope and pray i feel better. I dont think this will be enough to help me.
I feel if i can get help soon enough i may be able to concor this but it doesn't look promising for me right now.
Thank you for this website i feel like at least there is people out there that know something about this, my dr. doesn't seem to know or want to help me.
3. moderator: May 12th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Hi Terrilyn- You sound like the perfect example of how the Western Blot yields so many false negative results. You are not alone in your frustration.
So many patients are given incorrect diagnoses by their doctors. Also, it may be that 10 days on antibiotics (especially if administered orally) is not enough if you have had the disease for a year or more.
Generally, the longer you've had the disease, the longer it takes to rid the body of the Lyme-causing bacteria, and the treatment plan usually needs to be more comprehensive.
Be aware that your doctor may not be ``lyme literate.''
Lyme disease is a complex condition that not all doctors are familiar with. But there is help out there.
The most important thing is that you not lose hope. If you have any questions or are concerned about the care you are receiving, please feel free to call our Envita Medical Center office (1-866-830-4576).
Also, we have created another great educational tool to help patients such as yourself.
It is called the Envita Whiteboard, and it is a FREE service where you can register to watch videos and learn about different conditions, including Lyme Disease. Here is the web address:
We will also put you on our prayer list, and we wish you the best of health. In the meantime, please stay positive. Know that Lyme disease CAN be conquered.
4. BettyG Iowa: Your comment is awaiting moderation. May 26th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
editor, could i copy your above article and post it to http://www.lymenet.org 's medical board.
i've had chronic lyme 39 yrs. last xmas; 34.5 yrs. MISDIAGNOSED BY 40-50 DRS.
severely neuro and i can't read long blocks of text with no double spacing between them ... short paragraphs only.
may i have your permission to post this in its ENTIRETY there and break it up for severe neuro lyme patients like myself.
thank you for your consideration!!
i even kept making screen larger having few words per line, but my comprehension skills are gone!!
WELL, as you all can see by the above, the moderator/editor ok'd my copying this valuable article here!! thank you ENVITA!
i haven't understood biofilm before; i have a much better understanding with the explanation given above as well as a few other things being mentioned on our lymenet board!
i also look forward to checking out their white board and lyme videos!! *************************************
if any of you take the time NOW to check out either of the above educational tools they have provided, please post on my post here and tell us more about them.
i'm swamped giving out llmd info & my welcome letter to all who join here, plus many private messages from members and trying to read a little/reply. i won't have time for awhile, but WILL check it out as time permits ENJOY EVERYONE!
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SForsgren
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7686
posted
I'd be interested in hearing more from people that have been. I've talked to one along the way that did their program with limited/no benefit. Any others?
-------------------- Be well, Scott Posts: 4617 | From San Jose, CA | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
Ocean
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3496
posted
I spoke with one woman who was doing the program in Jan/Feb and I just e-mailed her about 3 weeks ago and she's still doing really well. she's on a lot of supplements still, but feeling great.
It is expensive, and I know insurance may pay for some of it. If I had the money, I think it would be worth a try, they seem very dedicated there!
wow, you found my post already; i just finished up writing them back thanking them for allowing me to post the above here on lymenet!!
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
here's another reply i received from ENVITA about the above after i sent them the direct link of my/their post:
5-27-09 6 pm
Hello again Betty!
You are most welcome. Thank you very much for putting our article in a format that will be more easily accessible for Chronic Lyme Disease patients.
It certainly sounds like you have your hands full helping others! Good for you. Despite your own struggles, you are still putting your all into reaching out to others and providing them support and guidance in their journey.
You might find that the VIDEO FORMAT of our Whiteboard will be easier to follow than the written articles.
I can only imagine how frustrating and difficult the neuro aspects of the disease must be.
Please feel free to share our educational tools with as many people as you think will benefit from them.
Also, we try to cover a variety of topics on our Natural Issues blog, but I will send you an email the next time we write about a LYME-related topic so that you can check it out and decide if it will be helpful for those in your community.
Again, thank you for your email. I know you are VERY busy, but just in case you didn't see the Lyme educational section on our main website, here you go: ----------------------------------------------------------------
The text might be a little too small, but there is some video animation we created that could be helpful. The video will load as soon as you follow the link. ----------------------------------------------------------- Health & Blessings.
i look forward to checking this out and wanted others to know of these other tools they brought to our attention! betty
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
recent spring lyme conference notes and other links of interest to check out!
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