Since I got Lyme in 2003, the thing that has kept me sick is the way Lyme and coinfections screw up my digestion. I know what my problems are and am aware of an assortment of things that could fix them, but can't take those things because I'm allergic to almost everything.
It's frustrating that the fact that I'm sick is what prevents me from getting well, which is why I have spent 15 years living in limbo instead of getting well.
Being able to take an effective antioxidant is crucial. Antioxidants manage the inflammation that's caused by the toxins that are produced by infections. When that inflammation is managed, everything calms down, I can experience some degree of well-being, and things tend to move in a healing direction.
When that inflammation isn't being managed, I suffer and lose ground.
For years vitamin C was the antioxidant that kept me going, despite my having some allergic reaction to it. Finally my reaction to C became overwhelming, and I replaced it with a combination of quercetin and Dimethylglycine.
There are lots of antioxidants, but I have some kind of problem tolerating most of them. Mega-Hydrate contains vitamin C. Fulvic acid bothers my heartburn. Noni juice and Japanese Knotweed (Resveratrol) give me diarrhea. I am allergic to Grape Seed Extract, Aloe Vera, Serrapeptase, and the dairy in Colostrum. The natural sugar in Aronia (chokeberry) feeds my candida. Humic Acid overwhelms my impaired detox pathways with toxins.
When psychologists put a rat in a maze that doesn't have a solution, the rat eventually gives up and experiences "learned helplessness." I feel like that rat.
GVS
Posted by Lassie27 (Member # 31083) on :
try dnrs for sensitivities? whynot?
Posted by lymenotlite (Member # 33166) on :
Buhner likes C-Salts but I don't know whether it would suit your needs. From Amazon: It is Corn Free Vitamin C IP Certified NON GMO by SGS (Switzerland). No Sugar, Salt, Gluten. Filler Free.
Named “The Best Vitamin C” By Dr. Andrew Weil In Two Of His NY Times Best-Selling Books. Non-Acidic & Stomach Friendly. Enhanced Absorption Provides Maximum Immune Support
There are more than a thousand reviews on Amazon. Maybe you could find information there.
Posted by D Bergy (Member # 9984) on :
One thing I would try is to improve the mucosa in your intestinal tract. If it is inadequate then you will develop allergies and other digestive problems.
I don't have Lyme but do have Crohn's disease so I have been treating my own digestive problems for several years.
L-Glutamine has helped my intestinal tract rather dramatically. It doesn't take very long either. If it is going to help, you will know in under a week.
Dan
Posted by GVS (Member # 48913) on :
C-Salts is a great brand of vitamin C. It's the brand I take when I'm not allergic to vitamin C.
Glutamine also helps. Most people take three 5 mg. doses spread out during the day. Taking one large dose of 15 mg. first thing in the morning works for me, and definitely helps the day start off better.
GVS
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Vitamin C can contribute to possibly already high levels of oxalates. Oxalates can really mess us up.
I am not able to take any of the items you listed either. I'm still alive.
Eat what your body accepts and try to relax about it.
Posted by lymenotlite (Member # 33166) on :
Have you tried Alka Seltzer Gold for relief. I also got bit in 2003. My gut has been bothering me a lot since yesterday so I took some ASG and am already feeling quite a bit of relief.
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
that was one of the most difficult topics in my health, because the puzzle was waaay too complex...
what to eat or not, when, was it beneficial or not?
I had little clue. When lyme left for good 10 years ago (almost exactly), most allergies left with lyme.
But about 5 years later, I started having strange allergies appearing (burning mouth). It was slow, but surely, every year, the list increased.
i could not eat apples, kiwi, pomegranate, pears, pineapple, all nuts (except for cashews), oranges (all types), and I don't even remember anymore what else.
They caused me either burning in my mouth or/and stomach pains, diarrhea...
I started to fear becoming allergic to everything, like during active lyme.
Plus, the fatigue started increasing too...
I found my solution, but I don't know if it will work for everyone: I cut all gluten, all dairy, eggs, soy, corn and MSG ('natural flavors' are MSG too), following Anthony William's suggestions.
I can still react if I eat a lot of almonds (like 1 whole cup with skin will burn my tongue), but I don't react to any fruit anymore.
I can eat any fruit in any amount today, while 6 months ago, my fruit allergy list was very big.
My daughter who's 15 follows my diet, and she was even more allergic than myself, since birth.
She's also on the same NO LIST foods (no gluten, no dairy etc), and her allergies have improved about 90%.
She still has some issues with kiwis, for example, but no longer with oranges, pomegranate, tomato etc.
His theory is the following:
1- certain foods feed pathogens (such as eggs, gluten, corn, soy, dairy, excess fats such as in pork, butter).
2- These pathogens are toxic: they produce neurotoxins and herxheimer when they die.
3- it's pathogens' toxins that cause increase in food allergies (if I understood it well).
These pathogens' toxins are extremely poisonous and they overtax our liver and kidneys, lowering our immune system.
And we can even react allergic to pathogens' toxins themselves, because they are very poisonous on their own (we all know babesia, bart and borrelia....).
The excess of pathogen toxins sort of create a neurological weakness, as though we become almost like neurologically allergic to everything (extreme weak and over sensible central nervous system).
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
This theory matches my experience, because during ACTIVE lyme, I got an almost immediate explosion of food allergies (and chemical sensititivity, then electrosmog sensitivity).
Every time I could win lyme, and it got dormant, the number of food allergies fell considerably.
The reason I probably got allergies years after lyme, could be that I got other pathogens (slow growing) that I was feeding with eggs, soy, corn and dairy (I never stopped eggs, corn, soy AND dairy 100% as I kept on eating buffalo muzarela, butter and cream)...
In any case, cutting these foods 100% out of my diet SLOWLY improved my fruit and veggie allergies.
I mean, I see the clear difference between today and 6 months ago.
The fear of getting allergic to everything is now fully gone, as I can eat almost everything (except for the NO list above).
what improved in amazing ways too is my electrosensitivity.
it's in any ways, much better than about 13 years ago. During the height of lyme disease, I could not stand electrosmog, as I got hyper sensitive too.
It's interesting to note that both food allergies and electrosensitivity practically disappeared in my case, just now, after this 'diet'.
I do suspect his theory of hypersensitive nerves causing all these allergies and sensitivities is correct.
anyway, we're continuing on our low protein, low fat, no eggs, no dairy, no gluten etc diet because it is bringing us results in more than one area.
Only time will tell if we're going to the right direction, but as for food allergies, we're full of hope they will be something of the past.
Posted by GVS (Member # 48913) on :
Lymetoo,
When and if my head stops burning it might be possible for me to experience positive emotions.
Whether that happens or not, I have the right to my own feelings.
GVS
Posted by D Bergy (Member # 9984) on :
I am not familiar with the burning head thing. Is that a lyme symptom? I am only familiar with it in the context of a benzo withdrawal or tolerance to the same.
Can you elaborate on that?
Dan
Posted by MissVictoria (Member # 45232) on :
I LOVE Pure Encapsulations DGL Plus. I take it 30 mins before eating and I'm able to digest my food and not have any pain