I've heard different things about "boosting" the immune system. Most say boosting it is what you want to do, but I have read that "modulating" it is what you want to do. I assume modulating means either to keep it stable or lessen it.
I'm currently taking Ceftin and Plaquenil. I believe plaquenil has an antibiotic effect as well as modulating the immune system to keep the auto-immunity in check. I wonder how that affects the immune boosting supplements and herbs I take.
What do you think? Could it be harmful to try to boost your immune system and make auto-immunity problems worse?
[ 11-19-2010, 03:04 PM: Message edited by: wgshuckers ]
Posted by joalo (Member # 12752) on :
Up.
Posted by cleo (Member # 6646) on :
Boost it. Autoimmune is a crap diagnosis it is an UNPROVEN THEORY. If I think of all the people I know and take into account all of them that are diagnosed with an ai condition like thyroid, psoriasis,or one of over a 100 other autoimmune conditions, its pretty much everyone I know. It is pretty hard to justify that everyones' body is just attacking itself. There is no proof of ai it is just a hypothosis. Heart disease is inflammation of the veins and arteries why then isn't it considered autoimmune? Why does plaquenil work the truth is they don't know they are guessing it modulates the immune system. God forbid that it could be killing an infection. Why does minocin, biaxin work for ra. They say because it has antiinflammatory properties. ugh when will they get it. Sorry for the rant. So in my humble opinion boost it.
Posted by Terminator (Member # 27328) on :
boost. the problem is how
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- First, the problem of lyme is not one of auto-immunity. It is a stealth infection. The body is not attacking itself but trying so very hard to find elusive, tricky spirochetes. The body KNOWS something is wrong, it just can't figure it out, exactly.
As for your question of "boosting" - it may all be in the interpretation of terms but the word boost implies violence to some and a hearty push to others. Even a slight push can be too much.
So, interpreting it as force, boosting can be dangerous - mostly because those to suggest boosting are not the LL doctors. Or for those who use that term, read further for context.
Support, modulating is key. Modulating means helping to strengthen the part that needs that and to calm the part that needs that.
Lyme flips two parts of the immune system and Th1 and Th2 act totally different than one might expect. Indiscriminate boosting can make things worse and also stress other body functions and systems. It's best to have an expert LLMD or LL ND to work with you on this.
And immune support cannot replace treatment for infection. They go hand in hand. The infection must be addressed and that, in turn, usually helps the immune system turn around.
Liver support is also immune support. Adrenal support is also immune support.
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Includes how to find an ILADS-educated LL ND, an Acupuncturist, a doctor of Oriental Medicine (O.M.D.), or a doctor of Ayurvedic Medicine (D.Ay.), certified herbalists or nutritionists, etc.
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Chapter 1 from the that book "Insights Into Lyme Disease Treatment"
Excerpt:
. . . Immune System Supplements
Various immune supplements can be beneficial for strengthening the immune system, which is another important component to healing from the Lyme disease complex.
I sometimes administer intramuscular transfer factor to my patients, or I may give them Researched Nutritionals� Transfer Factor LymPlus, or Multi-Immune Transfer Factor, the latter of which can be really useful for calming down an overactive immune system. I also use low-dose Naltrexone in my practice. . . . -