I myself had 2 autoimmune issues before lyme, Type 1 diabetes and thryoid. Since treating lyme for the past 10 months I just starting having weird blood results
Positive ANA 1:80 2 wks later 1:40 double stranded DNA (neg) *all of which llmd said not to worry about, but I just went for a thryoid sonogram and the tech was a snob and wouldn't tell me if she saw anything unusaul. *I have been having weird symptoms the last few days and don't know if it's from lyme or another autoimmune which could be a possibility reflecting blood results.
Just curious if anyone has had difficulty with adrenal fatigue or autoimmune with lyme treatment? jen
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Your LLMD has seen all this before - many times over. So, while he says not to worry, there are still plenty of things you can do for support. Understanding more how the body works - or doesn't - may help. There a many links here, you can dance over them, save them, study them but know that there are some things that can make a world of difference and that usually replaces fear with power and determination.
You can discuss certain supportive supplements with your LLMD and he may have specific details for immune support. That's area not mentioned here, but adrenal and glucose support are good basics.
I'm sure your LLMD has discussed a low to moderate glycemic index eating program. A Mediterranean Diet of sorts. Still enjoy lots of great foods in healthy amounts with lots of garden herbs and the rich flavors of lots of spices (not all are hot).
Most likely the "autoimmune" pattern is the body trying really hard to eradicate lyme but, because of its stealth nature, the body can't quite manage it but part of the immune system is still revved while another part is just exhausted.
Such patterns usually resolve by treating the infection.
Positive ANAs are pretty common for lyme patients.
Diabetes, too, can be caused by lyme (and other infections). When the infection is under control, this may reverse.
This book is specific to lyme and other chronic stealth infections. The author discusses the endocrine connection and effects of STRESS on a person with such infections. You can read customer reviews and look inside the book at this link to its page at Amazon.
The Potbelly Syndrome: How Common Germs Cause Obesity, Diabetes, And Heart Disease (Paperback) - 2005
by Russell Farris and Per Marin, MD, PhD
=======================
What you can do about it:
In addition to Adrenal support (a whole other topic), Here are few things that can help: Gymnema Sylvestre tops the list. It is absolutely wonderful - and it helps stop cravings for sweets. Usually best in a formula.
. . . Gymnema is bitter in taste, and cooling in action. It improves blood sugar control in diabetics, numbs the taste of sweet completely (for about 20 minutes), and decreases appetite (for about 90 minutes).
. . .
Gymnema actually means "sugar destroyer." It grows in the wild forests of central India, all the way to Western Ghats and up to the Himalayas.
Research indicates that gymnema stimulates insulin secretion or release of insulin from the pancreas. Japanese studies have shown that it improves glucose tolerance in animal models of diabetes, and other studies show that the effects can last for up to two months after discontinuation.
This herb is a good long-term tonic for Type I and II diabetics. Results are best seen after long-term administration, over six months to a year. I prefer to use it in combination with several other herbs for blood sugar control, because it affects only a few aspects of the imbalance.
In case you're curious, sugar tastes like sand for twenty minutes after you chew on a little gymnema.
- Full chapter at link above. And you can also search the book for ``Diabetes'' for a gold mine of more information.
Avoid extremes in diabetes control, study warns Driving blood sugar down too low can be as risky as leaving it too high
Wed., Jan. 27, 2010
LONDON - Moderation appears to be the best approach to controlling blood sugar in a form of diabetes that affects many adults, researchers said Wednesday, since lowering it too far can be as risky as letting it stay too high.
- full article at link above. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- You also asked if anyone has trouble with adrenal fatigue. BIG TIME. It's a hallmark of chronic lyme. The term "fatigue" does not even begin to describe what most lyme patients face.
What can help: --------------------------
Cordyceps is recommend here:
This is included in Burrascano's Guidelines, but you may want to be able to refer to it separately, too:
Curcumin Prevents Some Stress-Related Changes (By CP Staff)
Excerpts:
A recently published study investigated the effects of curcumin, a constituent of the botanical turmeric, on changes in cognition and memory caused by stress. . . .
. . . In this new study, researchers investigated the effect of curcumin supplementation on stress-induced learning defects in mice. . . .
. . . In addition, curcumin reversed the stress-induced increase in the levels of serum corticosterone, the primary hormone secreted during the stress response. . . .
. . . The researchers concluded, ``Thus, curcumin may be an effective therapeutic for learning and memory disturbances as was seen within these stress models, and
its neuroprotective effect was mediated in part by normalizing the corticosterone response, resulting in down-regulating of the phosphorylated calcium/calmodulin kinase II and glutamate receptor levels.''
=======================
This is not a lyme book.
This book has only one reference to lyme (in the historical use of sarsarparilla for another spirochetal infection). However, it is a vital first book to read - or a reference - for anyone interested in understanding nutritional methods.
Search for Ashwagandha; Cordyceps; Siberian Ginseng in this book:
Graciously, much of this book is on line. It can also be purchased from this site or through Amazon where you can look inside the book and see many customer reviews.
To search for medical abstracts -
Posted by Paulette-2-Lively (Member # 26137) on :
Hi Jen,
Ya I have adrenal failure(pobably from Lyme). In the beginning of my treatment for lyme the LLMD told me not to worry about the symptoms and I should not take steroids, but the reality for me is that I was in complete adrenal failure, not just a little fatigued.
Many with lyme have had adrenal fatigue and done well on low doses hydrocortisone for support.
The only way to know how bad your adrenal problem is,is to run some labs: -24 hour salivary cortisol -Aldosterone -ACTH (made by pituitary to stimulate adrenals to make cortisol)
-ACTH stimulation test (This is 'gold standard' for diagnosing adrenal problems) -Potassium(K) & sodium(Na) (K may be high & Na low Or they may be normal)
-AM plasma cortisol (limited info because it can be normal and the rest of the day your cortisol levels are low)
If you think you may have adrenal problems you should really get it checked out. Although you really have to read the test results yourself, there are many Drs. who will not diagnose adrenal insufficieny (AI) until your adrenals are less than 10% working, and there is a large grey area that indicates AI to a dangerous level, but Dr. may tell you that tests are 'normal'
There are several people with lyme & addison's on this forum, If you run tests we can help you make sense of them :-)