posted
My belief is by the time Lyme gets chronic we have a large amount of infection that continues to replicate. Our immune system does the best it can to stay on top but cannot always. That is the only thing that makes sense to me. I am not a doc so this is just from sailing the Lyme seas for the past 8 years. I'd love to hear other explanations!!
Posts: 859 | From Southeast | Registered: Mar 2011
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Lyme will keep coming back until you get your immune system back to normal functioning.
Burrascano discovered that a certain type of exercise program will boost the compromised immune system of a lyme patient and eventually restore the system to normal.
That exercise is one continuous hour of weightlifting every other day--a full body workout each time. That includes arms, chest, back, abs, buttocks, and legs.
Read it on page 31 of Burrascano.
My excellent lyme doc told me at my FIRST APPOINTMENT that I would NEVER get better unless I did this exercise. It was hard, but I persevered.
I got rid of lyme (and babs and bark) 12 years ago now and it has NEVER come back.
No return of lyme in spite of me going through an extremely stressful period, having to get steroid injections in my back, later having to take oral steroids, etc.
So, none of the stresses that can happen in 12 years were enough to overwhelm my immune system.
Lyme compromises our immune system like AIDS. Read it in Burrascano.
He says that by the time a person has had lyme for 1 year, their immune system is compromised to a significant degree. This is what keeps us ill. And, this is what causes Burrascano to say that ANYONE who has had lyme for at least one year 100% of the time has coinfections.
By one year of lyme, your immune system cannot withstand coinfections, viruses, etc.
See these relevant quotes:
"Illness present for at least one year (this is approximately when immune breakdown attains clinically significant levels)." (p.3)
"patients with disseminated Lyme complicated by these co-infections are usually immunocompromised" (p. 25)
"EARLY DISSEMINATED: Milder symptoms present for less than one year and not complicated by immune deficiency or prior steroid treatment" (p. 20)
"LATE DISSEMINATED: present greater than one year, more severely ill patients, and those with prior significant steroid therapy or any other cause of impaired immunity:" (p. 20)
So, you will continue to relapse until you get your immune system strong. To do that, don't do anything that weakens the immune system, such as:
smoking drinking alcohol taking immune suppressant drugs such as steroids, cortisone, prednisone, etc.
AND, Do everything that strengthens the immune system, such as:
the Burrascano exercise program eating raw garlic taking Vitamin C not eating sugar etc
The other thing that will cause a relapse is being undertreated originally. If you do not treat sufficiently when you first get lyme, then you will continue to get it back until you treat sufficiently PLUS restore your immune system as above.
"Undertreated infections will inevitably resurface, usually as chronic Lyme,..." (p. 3)
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
My joints will not tolerate weightlifting. So I do swimming, with a snorkel and mask so I don't need to lift my head to breathe. Also use a kickboard to support my head when doing the backstroke, also hold it to do the sidestroke.
Back to your question - all kinds of things you can do to boost your immune system. I personally take Vit C, Vit D and Host Defense (17 mushrooms - mushrooms are very good for the immune system).
Also, what if you need to treat again, or do magnesium boosting again for energy?
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks TF as always! You helped get me to Dr. H and I will always be grateful. The exercise piece is critical it seems a piece most want to overlook- I admit my own error here- and with it- I am much better. Do you still workout like this every other day. You've been a Saint! Thank you-
Posts: 859 | From Southeast | Registered: Mar 2011
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I did the every other day workout while treating lyme and coinfections and for about 1 year after I completed my treatment.
Eventually, I had to stop as I herniated a disc in my back. So, that was it for at least a year. Then, eventually, I got back into weightlifting as I was able.
For the last few years, I do it about once per week (sometimes 3 times per week; sometimes once in 2 weeks--depends on my health and other family issues).
I don't do a full hour now. I do at least 30 minutes though. And, I don't do a full body workout. I have to watch what I do due to the bad disk in my back.
Regarding alcohol, I stayed away from it for about 1 year after completing my treatment, just in case.
Now, I drink a little wine a few times per year. I may drink a very small amount of wine for a week and do that 3 times per year.
I don't smoke.
So, as you can see, you are not stuck doing the weightlifting FOREVER. But, I think it is wise to do it at least 1 year after getting rid of lyme.
If I had not herniated a disk in my back, I would have continued doing it for years as I liked it and the strength it gave me and the look of muscles that I had then.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks for the update TF! So sorry about your back. You always provide solid treatment info based on Dr.B's guidelines. What a labor of love- thank you! You help many see their way out of this! Hugs!
Posts: 859 | From Southeast | Registered: Mar 2011
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/