Has anyone heard the theory that long term in treating lyme, it is better not to boost the immune system?
Something like when you activate the immune system that the Lyme responds in kind and becomes stronger somehow and that this has been seen with the ALS patients.
IF that theory is correct, would low dose naltrexon be considered to be boosting the immune system?
It all becomes very confusing. Thanks for any thoughts on the subject G
Posted by LightAtTheEnd (Member # 24065) on :
The only theory I have heard is that you want to boost the immune system so it can fight the Lyme bacteria.
It is definitely bad to knock your immune system down, such as with steroids or trauma--Lyme definitely gets stronger if you do that.
But Lyme can also mimic or cause autoimmune-type symptoms.
I have wondered before whether strengethening your immune system, if you have an autoimmune disease, would that just give it more ammunition to attack yourself with?
I looked that up in a book somewhere, and learned that the immune system is a complicated thing with many layers and ways it can malfunction or be influenced; not just "up" or "down."
I don't know anything about low dose naltrexone, except that it is sometimes used as some kind of treatment for Lyme. Not sure what it does or how well it works.
Posted by lightparfait (Member # 22022) on :
YOu dont want to boost the immune system...as it is already running on overload.
Yu want to lighten the burden of the immune system by detoxing or getting rid of infection, bacteria, viruses...
YOu don't want to cause an immune reaction..or an autoimmune condition.
You want to support the immune system...by decreasing its burden.
Follow treads on detox and immune system support. OR look at this site from chronic disease/autism protocols which help support and unburden the immune system.
Dr S says Resveratrol has the ability to regulate inflammation.
When more inflammation is needed resvertrol supports that. When less is need it supports that too.
Says it's one of the best products to use when auto-immunity is suspected.
So what would be "bad" immune-boosting supps?
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- I agree that it's better not to boost anything.
Regulate, modulate, support, facilitate, etc. but "boosting" can backfire in many ways.
With lyme, it can be very dangerous to boost the immune system.
Two parts of a chronic yme patient's immune system actually get switched around, unlike in those who do not have lyme. It takes the work of a very educated LL doctor to work with this. -
[ 02-16-2010, 04:23 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
So what are ways of "boosting" the immune system that some of us need to be careful with?
Posted by Amanda (Member # 14107) on :
Several highly regarded LLMD give IVIG to "boost" their patients immune system. If you have low immune cell counts, then boosting the immune system is important.
You can have inflammation, and still have depressed immune cell count.
Posted by MariaA (Member # 9128) on :
low-dose naltrexone boosts endorphin levels. Endorphins regulate the immune system- so taking LDN sometimes causes inflammation to go down, and sometimes causes immune system activity to come up in other ways.