I�m sure my story is similar to most; 12 doctors with answers from migraine to fibromyalgia to it�s all in my head! Once I found Dr. R in NY, everything changed! Here are my blood test results, most of which I don�t understand: Burgdorferi IgG = 2.4 Outer Surface A + C IgM = 2.9 Outer Surface E IgM = 2.7 LFA IgM = 2.0 C2 + C6 IgM = 2.3 Garinii IgG = 1.4 Garinii IgM = 2.4 Afzelii IgM = 2.4 Ehrlichia IgG = 2.0 Bartonella IgM = 1.8 I have tons of questions and would greatly appreciate any answers, feedback, or advice: 1. Can anyone tell me which antibiotics address which infections? Right now I�m only taking Zithromax and a lot of supplements. 2. What constitutes �chronic lyme� is it because both IgG and IgM bands are present or is it based on severity of symptoms? 3. Does everyone definitely herx, is there anything you can do to prevent it? 4. If you don�t herx, does that mean the antibiotics aren�t working? 5. If blood tests come up negative after treatment and a person is able to get pregnant, what antibiotic is taken during pregnancy? 6. If pregnancy is not an option, does anyone know if the spirochete are able to reach the woman�s eggs? If the eggs are not infected, has anyone looked into surrogacy? 7. Since spirochete are similar to other infections that are sexually transmitted, can lyme or co infections be sexually transmitted? 8. Will taking florastor cause a yeast infection since it is �good yeast� whereas acidophilus is �good bacteria�? 9. How do you measure if you�re getting better � do you keep repeating blood tests to see if levels have decreased or is it just by seeing if symptoms get better?
Posted by ardraneala (Member # 31416) on :
number 6 is a great idea....and i think you are seeing my new doctor >_>
Posted by dmc (Member # 5102) on :
2. On page 3 of the Guidelines, Burrascano gives his definition of "chronic lyme." Basically, if you have had lyme for at least a year, you are generally considered in the chronic stage.
3. Not everyone herxes. If you are given high doses of meds and combinations of meds as per Burrascano, a herx is virtually guaranteed.
People whose docs give them one med at a time and low doses rarely herx. This is known as the "low and slow" method and is not what is recommended by Burrascano.
To help or prevent a herx, you detoxify your body using various methods such as drinking water with lemons squeezed into it, taking epsom salts baths, etc.
The herx is caused by a build up of dead germs or the toxins these dead germs emit when killed. Makes you feel lousy. So, flush out the body and cleanse it and the herx will be more bearable.
4. Can be many reasons why a person doesn't herx. It CAN mean that the med is not killing germs for you. But, some people don't herx and just get progressively better. So, no hard and fast rule here. See answer to #3 above also.
5. Burrascano's Guidelines gives medications that can be used in pregnancy also.
7. Lyme doctors differ in their opinions as to whether lyme can be transmitted sexually. So, the jury is still out on that one. My lyme doc said he thought it was possible but rare. Also, believes that male to female transmission is more likely since there is more passing of bodily fluids that way.
I had undiagnosed lyme for 10 years and never passed it to my husband all that time. I had him tested once I was diagnosed just to be sure.
It is now over 6 years since I completed my treatment and I am still symptom free, enjoying my life. My husband still does not have any symptoms of any illness, so it seems we are both fine.
8. Doctors prescribe florastor during lyme treatment because it helps to keep the proper flora in the gut. Antibiotics kill all our gut flora.
Just know that everyone has yeast in their gut. So, you don't "get" a yeast infection in the gut. Rather, you get a yeast overgrowth in the mouth and in the gut from high dose antibiotics and from combos of such meds. The Florastor, probiotics, nystatin, etc. help to keep the yeast from overgrowing. Diflucan is needed if an overgrowth occurs. It will kill it. A good lyme doc will advise you on how to keep yeast under control. An anti-yeast diet as per Burrascano is your best defense along with taking a high quality probiotic a number of times per day. Read it all in Burrascano.
9. We measure whether or not we are getting better based on our symptoms. You must be totally symptom free for at least 2 months before you stop lyme treatment.
Some docs retest patients. Some test the person's CD 57 level prior to allowing them to stop meds.
As stated before, all of this is discussed in the Burrascano Guidelines. Suggest you study them. You will get your answers from a lyme specialist that way.
Posted by LymeOverwhelmed (Member # 32212) on :
Thanks everyone for your responses and advice! Burrascano's Guidelines helped so much, thank you for letting me know this great tool was out there. I'm new to all of this but I can see that lymenet is gonna be a lifesaver!
Posted by anonymiss (Member # 32018) on :
LymeOverwhelmed,
Am I right in reading your test results that you tested positive for B. garinii, B. afzelii, AND B. burgdorferi?
I ask because "conventional" medical wisdom professes that garinii and afzelii are European variants of borrelia and cause "atypical" symptoms that aren't readily associated with B. burgdorferi in North America. Quite a few people I have spoken with here have some of those symptoms that allegedly only manifest in those European variants, including myself, so I wonder if those European variants aren't more common in the US than we are led to believe.
At any rate, welcome to the party. It's a lot like being in medical school, only not being able to go to class because you feel like crap all the time.
Posted by LymeOverwhelmed (Member # 32212) on :
Hi anonymiss,
Yes, those are all of my immunosciences test results. I have not spoken with Dr. R about what they mean yet. He said to wait until my next appointment in July. I've been trying to research ways of reading the results and what the levels or numbers associated with each infection mean. I'll keep you posted once I see my LLMD and I'll definitely bring up that question.
Posted by LymeOverwhelmed (Member # 32212) on :
Anonymiss,
I had my appointment and Dr R did confirm that I have all of these European strains. I was in Europe about 15 years ago so he thinks that is a possibility but he also said that it is becoming more and more common in the US. What are your symptoms?
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Good to see you're getting your questions answered.
You can also use the search function at the top here - click on it and type in anything you want to learn about, and the archived threads will come up -
I thought that garinii and afzelii genospecies are still more in Europe than here, if anyone knows?
Posted by Harmony (Member # 32424) on :
Another great source of information:
Google "putting Lyme behind you" by Dr. Burrascano and CALDA (California Lyme Disease Association) March 2011