LymeNet Flash: IS MACULAR DEGENERATION INDUCED BY LYME???

This is topic IS MACULAR DEGENERATION INDUCED BY LYME??? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by Reno'sBack (Member # 7367) on :

IS THERE PRESENTLY ANY RESEARCH BEING DONE LINKING MACULAR DEGENERATION WITH LYME DISEASE? MY GRANDPA HAS BOTH & WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THE NAME OF THE LLMD/OPHTHAMOLOGIST...ANY IDEAS?
THEY'RE DOING STEM-CELL FOR MACULAR IN CALLY, BUT WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT.
THANKS~~Stac

Posted by janet thomas (Member # 7122) on :

Sometimes, degenerative or hemorrhagic macular changes are observed in subjects who are either relatively young or who show a total absence of drusen and other signs of early macular degeneration. These patients often display signs of a chronic type of systemic infection. In all such cases, the patient's blood tested positive for such agents as Lyme disease, Chlamydia pneumoniae, toxoplasmosis or other infectious agents associated with subretinal neovascularization in younger individuals. Anecdotal evidence indicates that an appropriate oral antibiotic improves both the general condition and the status of the retina.
http://www.schepens.com/macula_degeneration.htm

Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :

Stac,
Check your email.
Carol

Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :

Good article in the June issue of Alternative Medicine, page 61 on what nutrients need to be supplemented.

Free radical assault on the eyes raises the risk of macular degeneration.

Bb uses OUR nutrients...rapidly depleting them.

``Visual defects are common in surviving preterm infants. Increased levels of harmful neurochemical mediators that have been reported in these conditions include oxygen free radicals, excitatory amino acids, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) and in thromboxane A2 (TXA2) which are aggravated in magnesium deficiency and may be ameliorated by magnesium.''
http://www.barttersite.com/mgpreemies.htm

From the magazine mentioned above:

"While your eyes need antioxidants and omega-3s, they also need other nutrients, like B-complex vitamins (for nerve function) and magnesium to maintain blood flow to the eye. But no matter how well you eat, chances are you'll fall short on these and other important nutrients. Some Harvard researchers are so sure of this that, in a 2002 report, they recommended that all adults take a multivitamin/mineral supplement."

Sis HAD to resort to steroid shots IN her eyes to stop the damage due to the tremendous inflammation on the optic nerve. At one point all she could see was the big "E" on the chart. It worked. She can see now, but has a little permanent damage.

LLMD/Opthamologist...nearly nonexistent. Too "rare". Uveitis is the biggest problem, generally speaking.

Posted by bg (Member # 46416) on :

Stac, it runs in my family; 3 generations that I'm aware of.

You've been given a lot of good info & links...read them well.

I have a favor to ask....would you type in lower case please? It's so much easier on our late-stage lyme eyes and double space after 6-8 lines of text please. All caps on the internet suggests you are "shouting" at us ... sure you didn't mean to. Thanks!

Also, check treepatrol's newbie links for 300 other illnesses mimic lyme ... not sure if macular degeneration is on there or not. It shows NIH info & citations....

bettyg

Posted by Reno'sBack (Member # 7367) on :

Hi Betty, Sorry about that. Lyme has ruined my vision...it's MUCH easier for me to read Large Print! Oops!

As Marnie said, I, too, couldn't

make out the "E" on the top of the chart.

``Stacey

Posted by Reno'sBack (Member # 7367) on :

Hi Again, Betty--

Unfortunately, I, too, have 3 generations with Lyme.

I was on the old Lymenet before

this new format...I'm as old as

dirt, in other words!
~~Stac

Posted by map1131 (Member # 2022) on :

Yes, this can most certainly be from lyme and other pathogens. My eye doctor watched me closely for about 3 yrs and just last Dec he finally seen real improvement in my eyes.

I've been doing much better, so I'd say as the bacteria load lessens so does damages.

Janet, I found your post interesting on mentioning chlamydia pneumoniae. Two weeks ago my muscle tester doctor told me to start a series of rife treatments for this. I reacted very strongly to those rife treatments for two weeks and now they aren't so bad.

It is just so unbelievable all the pathogens that are also in our bodies from these bug bites. No wonder it is so hard to get well.

Take care, Pam

Posted by GiGi (Member # 259) on :

Dr. Edward C. Kondrot in his book "Miracle Eye Cure" specifically writes about microcurrent and correcting eye problems. By using microcurrent along with a nutritional program, he has successes with Macular Degeneration, wet or dry, Diabetic Retinopathy, Vascula Retinal Disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Juvenile Macular Degeneration, Inflammatory Retinal Disease, and Drug Toxicity of the Retina.

All of these treatments are included in the KMT (Klinghardt Matrix Therapy microcurrent/microbial inhibition devices). We use it frequently just to keep our eyesight as sharp as possible.

All of that of course has to be included treating a variety of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi & mold) and environmental/dental toxicity problems. It requires addressing all of these, and KMT works great with all.

Long time no see, dear Reno! Where have you been? Our best to you and Gramps.

Take care.

Posted by Reno'sBack (Member # 7367) on :

I HAVE A PUBLIC APOLOGY TO MAKE

TO GUDRUN & JACK. I WAS MISINFORMED & SPOKE VERY

HASTILY. THEY WERE WITH ME

WHILE RECEIVING LYME TREATMENT

& I APOLOGIZE FOR SHOWING ANY

DISRESPECT BY INFRINGING UPON

YOUR PRIVACY. GRAMPS JUST LEFT

& SENDS HIS BEST TO YOU BOTH

AS DO I. I'M CALLING LANCASTER

TOMORROW TO MAKE 2 APPT.S WITH

THE OPHTHAMOLOGIST. THANK-YOU

ALL FOR ALL OF THE INFORMATION!!

HUGS~~Stac

Posted by bg (Member # 46416) on :

Stacey, thanks for replying and best wishes on your eyesight.

When I was with Dad with eye specialists, he ended up buying this magnifier where you could read ONE column of the newspaper in super wide width. He loved using it, and it had a battery for nighttime. Was $175.00 & that was probably 6-8 yrs. ago.

bettyg
bettyg

Posted by Areneli (Member # 6740) on :

We also have to remember that not all diseases are caused or connected to LD
(althought sometimes it seems so)

Posted by Reno'sBack (Member # 7367) on :

Hi Betty, Thank-You for the suggestion. Gramps just had an appt. @ Johns Hopkins 2 weeks ago. I just talked to him...He was reading the USA Today (Boy, I MISS that!) They told him he's fine to drive, also.
The Future TERRIFIES me for his sake. Gramps was so sad...I hate to see him hurt.
He's been going to the Cleveland Clinic for the last decade for his LOW BLOOD PRESSURE...Gosh, it's a GOOD, but rare, day when my Mom & I break 100...usually 90/60.

WHOOPS! SORRY! With the (possible) new developments, The Cleveland Clinic & Johns Hopkins are the LAST places to utter the wwords LYME DISEASE!

I'm calling Lancaster in the a.m...Luckily we L-O-V-E to Travel! The ONLY reason I'm in Clearfield is becoz' it took 13 yrs. to find a FANTASTIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST. It's the 2nd county in the state for Lyme!

Stay out of the rain, everyone.
~Stac

Posted by Reno'sBack (Member # 7367) on :

Hi Arenelli, Thank-You for responding. We'll know much more after we see the Ophthamologist. Could be. I'm going to print out what Carol & Marnie had posted. So much to think about...I can't Thank everyone enough!!

~Stac

Posted by perplexed (Member # 1913) on :

I do not have macular degeneration, but the Lyme disease has given me the wonderful gift of cystoid macular edema. I had and IV test done on my pupils by a wonderful Opthamologist who knows of lyme and how it effects the eyes.

He showed me the pictures afterwards and both eyes have holes in them, but the right one is legally blind and he cannot say if the left one will end up the same or not. He sees me every 4-6 mos now, unless I have a flare up. The damage cannot be reversed and new eyeglasse will not help. This has been a hard symptom for me to swallow as my reading is limited, trip when I walk...from no depth perception and floaters like you wouldn't believe.

Just thought you would be interested...

perplexed

Posted by Reno'sBack (Member # 7367) on :

I'm so sorry, Perplexed! I just hung up with the Opthamologist (maybe) 3 mins. before I got online & read your post. It breaks my Heart!

My Grandpa & I have appointments in Lancaster @ the
end of June. He's a Lyme Opthamologist &, supposedly, knows his stuff...I hope & Pray!

If you have any questions you'd like me to ask, just name it. We're all in this together. My Mom has floaters,also. When she saw our LLMD a few weeks ago, she told him about the white lights--he told her he sees colors!

VISION PROBLEMS ARE THE SCARIEST ANYONE COULD THINK OF!!

Good Luck & God Bless~Stacey

P.S. When I got a call from the Scientist @ a University in California, he told me the Dr. uses HBOT befoe the stem-cell transplant for Macular Degeneration--it's been very sucessful.

Posted by Tom Grier (Member # 7025) on :

The classic risk factors for Macular Degeneration are Diabetes, and familial risk factors, but what is rarely talked about is that in several Heart Disease Risk Factor studies where they used aspirin, there was always a significant increase in incidence of macular degeneration.

Perhaps the loss of platelet adhesion caused bleeding problems? No one is yet certain as to the cause? But Aspirin is a risk factor for Macular Degeneration.

Are you taking any aspirin and is it more than 81 grains a day?

I do believe that Lyme can cause many eye problems and Macular degeneration is not out of the question, but it would take a very big retrospective study to really know for sure.

Posted by bg (Member # 46416) on :

STACY, I OWE YOU A DEEP APOLOGY SINCE I

FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR MACULAR

DEGENERATION PROBLEM OF LOW VISION. I ASKED

YOU TO USE LOWER CASE; I'M VERY SORRY FOR MY

INSENSITIVITIES TO WHAT VISION YOU HAVE LEFT.

DIABETIS LEADING TO MAC. DEGEN. & ASPIRIN

TAKEN AT DOSAGES LARGER THAN 81 MG ....

I HADN'T HEARD OF THAT.

I WAS DX LAST YEAR WITH DIABETES 2 IN JAN.,

LYME IN JULY, AND SLEEP APNEA/RESTLESS LEG

SYNDROME IN DEC. THANKS FOR SHARING THAT.

BETTYG

Posted by Linda LD (Member # 6663) on :

STACY,

MY GRANDMOTHER IS 100 WITH ALZHEIMERS. MY UNCLE HAS PARKINSON--BUT MY DAD SEEMS FINE.HE DOES, HOWEVER HAVE MACULAR DEGENERATION.

IF YOU FIND A CONECTION PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

MY OTHER GRANDMOTHER DIED IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR--SHE HAD MACULAR DEGENERATION AND I HAVE OFTEN THOUGHT SHE PROBABLY HAD LYMED DISEASE.

THANKS,
LINDA

Posted by Reno'sBack (Member # 7367) on :

HI BETTY & LINDA,
I WROTE A LONG POST & LOST IT...I FEEL LIKE THAT GUY IN THE COMICS...WHO IS IT?...ANDY CAPP!
IN SHORT, MY GTRANDPA HAS MACULAR, I COULDN'T SEE THE BIG "E".
I'M TRYING TO LOCATE A LYME ARTICLE I WAS READING ON TESTING & SUCCESSFULLY TREATING
PARKINSON'S & ALZHEIMER'S WITH ABX.(I THINK IT WAS MAB?)
BETTY, I'M SO SORRY ABOUT YOUR DX! DR.S TOLD MY MOM TO WATCH OUT FOR THAT. MILK IS HER DOWNFALL...SHE SHOULD HAVE A COW GRAZING IN THE YARD!
I'LL POST LATER.
~Stac