While I await my Igenex test results, my doctor has me on a few non-antibiotic treatments, and praise God, I have noticed some improvement. I'm nowhere near well yet, but the black fog I've been in for six years is starting to lift and my pain has subsided to a noticeable degree, but how do I know which of his protocols is responsible for this?
Ideally, I would have liked to start with just one thing and slowly add others one at a time, but I trust my doctor. At the same time, I don't want to be taking all these treatments if they're not doing anything. Thoughts?
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Tell us what you are on and we will tell you what each one does.
Posted by Kat1777 (Member # 39231) on :
Well, here's a list:
1. Vitamin B12 shots 2. No sugar, no yeast, no white pasta, no white potato, no alcohol diet 3. Teasel tincture--still building up with that; I'm only at two drops three times per day so far 4. Vitamin C--still working up with this too 5. Probiotics 6. IF Relief from Nature's Sunshine--this was an optional product on the list the doctor gave me but its benefits (specifically inflammation reduction, pain relief and possible temperature regulation all appealed to me)
That's it so far.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Here is a quote for you about the Vitamin B12 shots:
"OPTIONAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
FOR NEUROLOGIC SYMPTOMS- here, the goal is three-fold- supply the metabolic needs, replenish what has become depleted, and protect the neurons and their supportive cells.
The �required� supplements, above, must be taken, and the items that follow below are considered �add-ons�....
METHYLCOBALAMIN (Methyl B12)
Methylcobalamin is a prescription drug derived from vitamin B12. This can help to heal problems with the central and peripheral nervous system, improve depressed immune function, and help to restore more normal sleeping patterns. Many patients note improved energy as well. Because the oral form is not absorbed when swallowed or dissolved under the tongue, Methyl B12 must be taken by injection. Dose is generally 25 mg. (1 c.c.) daily for 3 to 6 months. Long term studies have never demonstrated any side effects from this drug.
However, the urine is expected to turn red shortly after each dose- if the urine is not red, a higher dose may be needed or the present supply may have lost potency. The injectable form of this is not available in regular drug stores. It must be manufactured (compounded) by specialty pharmacies on order." (page 29)
Read pages 27-31 to learn what all of the various supplements do for the lyme patient.
My lyme doctor says that the diet alone can reduce symptoms by about 30%, and some people have reported that it did that for them. Regardless, you need to be on the diet when you are on antibiotics to avoid getting yeast in the gut. The yeast symptoms are as bad as the lyme symptoms. The probiotics are needed when on antibiotics to restore the gut flora that antibiotics kill. Read pages 34-35 which cover this subject.
Lyme disease depletes the body of many things, so you need to provide all of these things to the body. When you read the list of required supplements, you will see that it is rather long. The more you give your body what it needs (for example, multi-vitamin, magnesium, etc.), the better able it will be to function as it is supposed to function and the better chance you have that your immune system will be able to get the upper hand on this complex disease.
Lyme causes a lot of inflammation, so perhaps the IF relief is also helping you. Inflammation causes many of a lyme patient's symptoms, including the mental symptoms.
It sounds like your doctor has lots of experience treating lyme and knows the supplements that are needed. Just know that good lyme doctors put patients on a number of supplements at the first appointment, based on your symptoms and what they know the disease can do to a body.
So, what was done with you is typical. Think of it as taking a multi-vitamin pill (which I think you should be on). You don't say, "Maybe I don't need all of these vitamins. I would like to just take one individual vitamin at a time and see which one is helping me."
However, since these things are all costly, I understand that you don't want to take something that you don't really need.
Congratulations on the improvements so far. Don't mess with a winner.
Study the Burrascano Guidelines (link above) and learn what is likely causing all of the symptoms you have and what supplements and meds treat these symptoms. Then, you will understand more of what your doctor is doing for you. Wish you the best.