I was diagnosed Western Blot by primary care dr. end of August.
No tick bite that I recall (mom says we did as kids) and never any rash.
Saw two ID drs. and Rheumatologist none convinced it was Lyme.
Because I cannot afford any top notch LLMD I am seeing a dr. who is new in treating Lyme patients.
He accepts my insurance.
I have seen my Lyme dr. twice end of November and in January.
Due soon for another two month follow up.
My lyme symptoms are nowhere near as bad as others, but I still am concerned with the care I am getting and how to beat the Lyme.
My biggest concerns in regards to my symptoms are the mixed words/typos and air hunger.
I mentioned the air hunger to my dr. in January and he blew it off.
I am seeing a rheumatologist this week as I was diagnosed with mild asthma in September.
My dr. believes in low dose abx with herbals, supplements and natural abx.
At present I am taking the following: Lumbrokinase, Samento (alternating w/ Banderol) and 250 mg once a day of Clindamycin.
I also take chelated magnesium, R-lipoic acid, MSM, Ubiquinol CoQ10, Vit D3, Biotin, Zinc picolinate and krill oil.
I also take Florastor twice daily and a 50 billion count probiotic once daily.
I was on Zithromax for two months before the Clindamycin.
I am gluten and wheat free with little dairy and little sugar.
I have not felt anything that I felt like was a herx.
I experience my normal cycle of aches, pains and other symptoms that come and go.
I am able to function daily working two jobs and exercise most of the time.
I find myself getting fatigued when I sit and do nothing or when I lay down to take a power nap and have difficulty getting up-my eyes just won't stay open otherwise I can carry on until I sit and the energy ends.
I don't feel my symptoms worsening except for the air hunger and the ringing in my ears is getting more noticeable.
I feel some of my symptoms are coming less often.
I feel others are showing no improvement like the mixed words/typos.
I would appreciate any advice on what else I should be doing to get rid of the Lyme and sticking with this dr. as he is the only option I have now.
I have bought chlorella and olive leaf extract capsules, I just haven't found a way to get them into my body with everything else.
[ 02-21-2011, 02:59 PM: Message edited by: one4islands ]
Posted by apljack (Member # 14233) on :
Sounds like you need treatment for Babs. Babesia is becoming more "popular" and perhaps you can find some articles to bring into your doctor. There was something recent in Self Magazine, do a search on this site.
Do you have Buhner's book on herbal remedies?
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
This doctor is putting you on one antibiotic at a time.
If you study the Burrascano Guidelines, this monotherapy is not what he recommends. Lyme has the ability to change forms, so it can easily change into a form that that one antibiotic cannot reach. Taking one med at a time will not kill lyme, in other words. I wasted 2 years doing that with a doctor who didn't know better. But, at least I was on high doses. I did improve some.
In addition, Burrascano only mentions clindamycin as being an old remedy for babesiosis (in combination with quinine). It had a high failure rate as a babs treatment, he says.
Burrascano does not mention this med as a treatment for lyme disease.
So, when you say your doc is new and gives low doses of antibiotics, you are telling us right there that his expertise level is low and his treatment is "low and slow." I would not expect much to happen with the type of treatment you have gotten from him so far. With low doses of meds, a person often does not herx.
Also, nearly everyone with lyme for at least 1 year has coinfections. If you don't treat them, you won't ever get rid of the lyme. These diseases all help one another stay in our bodies.
Babesiosis, for example, is believed to compromise the immune system. So, then you will never be able to fight off the lyme as long as the babs is not treated. And, lyme definitely compromises the immune system significantly after one year, so you can't fight off and get rid of any coinfections. This is all from the Burrascano Guidelines.
Sounds like your doc doesn't know much about babs.
I am sorry that you have no other alternatives right now.
Your supplements sound good.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I guess you will hear different things from all of us. Were you taking the clinda for Lyme? It's the only antibiotic that works for me and I herxed on it after a month.
I also have air hunger but no babesia. I think Lyme can diminish oxygen access in us as well.
I was able to affect the ear ringing by using a PEMF machine for 10 sessions. Google it - some chiropractors may have it.
It puts out electromagnetic pulses which boost the body's electromagnetic energy, aid in ion transport in all cells, reduce pain, help the nerves. It stopped all ear ringing for 6 hours at a time.
Posted by Camp Other (Member # 29797) on :
Robin123,
The PEMF machine is interesting... can you hear it while it's turned on?
I wonder what frequency it is set to...
Posted by one4islands (Member # 28187) on :