posted
Please help me to understand because you people seem to know what you are talking about. I tested positive for Lyme three years ago and was treated with antibiotics. HOWEVER, as many of you know, this does not always do the trick. I have had frequent and severe headaches, daily head pains, an almost constant toothache like nerve pain in my upper molar (not tooth related, neck and shoulder pain and stiffness)... the list goes on and on since my diagnosis. I've been on several courses of antibiotics, not really knowing whether it was still Lyme or not and am again on antibiotics but here is my question:
My Lyme test is still showing a "current" infection. Does this mean anything, or will I always test this way? My doctor tried to explain but by the time he was done I was completely confused.
Also, has anyone tried Cat's Claw? There is a nutritionist in New Haven CT who is claiming to cure people of Lyme using some natural sulfa (sulfer?) based drug from Britain.
Thanks for any help in advance!
Posts: 144 | From Connecticut | Registered: Sep 2006
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Dear Pauline,
I must admit that I've learned quite a lot here.
Very educational.
However, I am still learning day to day.
In order for me to reach remission, I must remain symptom free on antibiotics for 2-3 months.
Then my LLMD has a "remission protocol" to follow to either back up or negate this diagnosis.
If you are still feeling unwell, you may have co-infections that have not been treated.
Or, it could still be the Lyme.
Do you see a LLMD?
I can honestly credit my growing knowledge of this disease and co-infections
To the many members of this board whose topics I've read.
Who have answered my questions patiently (when I didn't know to Search first) .
Who have tirelessly given of their experiences in dealing with Lyme and/or co-infections.
Ask any question you want.
That is what this board is here for.
Stay and peruse the topics.
Search for items you may have questions on.
Bring a pad of paper with you to your Doctor's office to write down exactly what he/she says.
Hang in there.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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I am clearly having a herximer reaction so I must still be infected, plus my headaches have gotten better since being on antibiotics (although, I wonder if it's the antibiotics antiinflamatory effects).
Does anyone ever take anything and then test negative - natural perhaps? Doesn't sound like at this stage antibiotics are going to cure me for good, just help me out in the short term
Is there a good book or site to find out about alternative treatment? Anything more effective than Samento?
There's got to be a way. This can't be a superbug for goodness sake!
Posts: 144 | From Connecticut | Registered: Sep 2006
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Amanda
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14107
posted
OUr Lyme tests come back with IgM antibodies (new infection) and IgG (old infection).
Our bodies make antibodies in these 2 groups for different purposes. The antibodies that are made new are around to tell your fighting cells "hey, there's something in here, go get rid of it and here is what it looks like".
After your body has "recovered" from an infection, the newer antibodies go away. But, the body alwasy like to keep some copies around, so that if the infection happens again, the body can say, "oh yeah, we fought that germ before", and it can mount a faster defense than the first time, when it had never seen the germ before.
Problem with Lyme is that its very complicated, and for whatever reason, the old and new antibodies aren't alwasy as reliable in telling you where you are in the disease.
One thing though, if you are still coming up positive with new antibodies, that shows you your infection is active within the last year and a half. WHEN YOU GET BETTER, because you will, after two or three years of feeling great, you'll likely only come up positive on the Old antiboidies.
Some of us never come up positive at all, big mystery this disease
-------------------- "few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example" - Mark Twain Posts: 1008 | From US | Registered: Dec 2007
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The Top 10 Lyme Disease Treatments: Defeat Lyme Disease with the Best of Conventional and Alternative Medicine by Bryan Rosner
Healing Lyme: Natural Healing And Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis And Its Coinfections by Stephen Buhner.
Posts: 6947 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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treepatrol
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 4117
posted
Simple ! Your still infected. Given enough time if you rid yourself of lyme eventially the positives will disapear after immune system goes through its overhaul on its time schedual.
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