I've been on the MP for 28 months. I've been taking Benicar 3 times daily ever since I started in October of 2006. I was bed-ridden before I started it and I am now fully functional -- while still experiencing both healing and herxing.
Benicar is an amazing drug for a long list of reasons. My blood pressure did fluctuate quite a bit in the first year, going to levels that some people would say was dangerous. My main pathogen load was mycoplasma pneumonia, but I've seen symptoms come & go that are consistent with Bartonella and Lyme. I am pretty sure I got Bb and Bartonella in the mid 1990s; I even recall changes in my temperament that lead me to believe it was a deeply neurological infection. Recent MRI results of my brain support this notion.
I take occasional breaks from the antibiotics (but not the Benicar) and continue to herx (which is documented by other MPers). During this time, I'll do the Hulda Clark liver cleanse and take different kinds of enzymes (Mangosteen, Rechts Regulat, etc.). I take a cheapo mag-cal-zinc supplement every night and sleep like a baby. I do drink aloe vera juice several times weekly too.
My D25 is less than 7, so I'll start eating salmon weekly instead of every few weeks. Next month, I'll return to walking and biking outside as I love the outdoors. Ideally, I'd like to keep my D25 between 15 and 20. I don't have any proof, but I believe that this is the optimum range for enabling the innate immune response, while not starving the rest of my body from minimal amounts of D. By the way, my D 1,25 level is 25.
Hope this perspective helps in some way. If people are curious about my recent blood test results, or have other questions, I'd be happy to post more details.
Posted by adamm (Member # 11910) on :
Hey, good to hear you're improving! I'm curious about your MRI, though. What in particular did it show? Just white mater lesions? Was this a first MRI for you? If not, was it better than the last one?
Posted by UnexpectedIlls (Member # 15144) on :
SO happy for your improvements!!!
You are different from a lot of the mpers that I have spoken to.. you take other supplements... I remember when I was doing it I was told I couldn't take ANY supps... lol
Good for you and continued health and healing to you!!
The Salmon from Wholefoods is out of this world!!! Posted by nomoremuscles (Member # 9560) on :
Great news, Cold feet!
Wishin' it were me.
Posted by RJPII (Member # 5876) on :
That is inspiring to hear and hats off to you Cold Feet for staying with it. I have been thinking about trying the MP for several years after attending a conference on it.
I might reach out at some to see if you happen to have reference to any other testimonial or recent reference info. on it. I am particularly interested about learning more about the prequalifying tests. For example, if someone does not meet the vitD range critiria to start it, have people started it or a modified version of it. Thanks again for sharing!
Posted by Cold Feet (Member # 9882) on :
Adam,
That's a smart question - as that was first MRI of the brain. My doc and I are curious to see what the next MRI will reveal in 8-10 months. Wouldn't it be cool if the ``hyperintensities'' were gone? That's the hope, of course.
In the first year of the MP, I was suffering greatly while also sharing the benefits with anyone that wanted to hear about it. And even the ones that didn't! But knowing how difficult it is, I've taken my zeal down a few notches, as it's a very challenging protocol indeed.
That said, I can't believe how thorough and effective is has been for me. Just last week, I though I had an eye infection. Well, the pain that was causing SOMETHING is just about gone. It's one of the many examples of weird pains that come and go while on the MP. Weird, but now somehow more understandable to me.
I am happy to be a resource for anyone, should you have questions about this interesting, complex and very difficult protocol.
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