posted
Phoiph, I'm not having it tested. I'm trusting/hoping that the Ozone Tx will do the trick if it was infected.
Posts: 564 | From NW Arkansas | Registered: May 2003
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posted
Phoiph—Just curious if you’ve heard of anyone having success using 1.5-2ATA for Lyme and all of its related conditions, such as POTS. I’m strongly considering picking up a hard-shelled chamber that goes to 3ATA. I’m doing this both for ease of use and to be able to experiment with higher pressures later on in treatment. Most of the published papers I’ve read state that in order to have good bacterial die off, you need a pressure of 2.4ATA, but after going through this forum and hearing other testimonials, it seems that die off occurs quite frequently at 1.3ATA, and I too experienced a herx-like reaction the first time I went to 45 minutes at 1.3ATA. When, if ever, would you recommend going up to higher pressures, and since I’ve been told oxygen concentrators don’t work above 1.3ATA, would you recommend just doing pressure or adding pure oxygen tanks into the mix?
Digby:
Sauna—When I first got sick, I purchased an infrared sauna and, unwisely, spent 20 minutes in there at 113F, and I went through the worse herx ever, even though at the time I didn’t know what it was. I tried a dozen times to get back into it over the years, for as little as five minutes, and every time it was the same. Personally, I think my intolerance simply had to do with toxicity. The sauna just dumped things too fast and my binders couldn’t keep up. For a spell I thought perhaps the sauna had picked up some mycotoxins because it came from our original house, but when I bought a brand new Clearlight Sauna, same thing happened. I’m chomping at the bit to get started on that detox protocol, so I purchased Joove near and mid infrared lights to remove the heat aspect, but I herxed like crazy standing in front of them for ten minutes. In the hopes of adjusting, I restarted with the Joove for three minutes a day, 1.5 with the front of my body, and 1.5 on the back of my body. I increase the dose by 10 seconds every day, and now I’m up to 3 minutes on the front and three minutes on the back. When I can get up to 20 minutes without herxing, I’m planning to give the sauna another shot.
Ozone—I started with ozone and hydrogen peroxide treatments here in town, and always seeming to feel a bit better afterwards, I decided to try the big guns and traveled weekly to Carson City to do 2 10-pass treatments with Dr. S. This runs much like a dialysis machine where they pull blood, ozonate it, put it back in. This is done 10 times in a treatment, and although I experienced die-off and chills every night of the treatment, I always felt better the next day. However, after making the drive for five weeks and not really noticing any lasting effects, I purchased the Longevity unit and stated doing rectal insufflations, nasal insufflations, and taking ozonated olive oil. I got nothing from the rectal insufflations, the nasal insufflations seemed to target the biofilms and MARCONS in my nose due to CIRS, but the ozonated olive oil was by far the biggest mover. I’d experience die offs and chills every time, but now that I am on Megaspore, I don’t think I would have the same effect. At this point, I gave up on Ozone, mostly because after doing extensive geneic testing, I seem to have issues with peroxinitrite, high levels of hydrogen peroxide, and issues utilizing iron in my heme pathway due to having multiple varients on the HFE gene. I’m on multiple protocols to scrub my excess iron and hydrogen peroxide (brought my ferratin down from 370 to 180), and although I’ve stopped a very aggressive antioxidant protocol to allow HBOT to do its thing, I feel continuing with ozone would produce too much ROS.
Coffee enemas—I have done a coffee enema every day for the past year and a half, mostly because I continued to pass what resembled rope worms. I had one biopsied and, as expected, it came back inconclusive. I even did the Russian rope worm protocol, which did pass a lot. However, I have come to believe these “rope worms” were simply sluffling of my intestinal tract. The minute I stopped the coffee enemas about two weeks ago, I stopped getting the “rope worms” in my stool. I might continue to do them once every few weeks, but I haven’t decided on that yet. To replace that therapy, I am going to start doing Caster Oil packs.
Stem Cells—I did my stem cell therapy in the US, and it was by far the worst treatment I have done. They put you in a semi-conscious state, open an incision in your lower abdomen, and then take a long needle and jam it up into your abdomen. Because I didn’t have a lot of fat on my belly, they had to dig and scrape for thirty minutes. Under normal circumstances, they would pull enough fat to do a treatment that day, and another treatment a few weeks later. But I had just enough fat for the treatment that day. From what I understand, stem cells will typically go to where they are needed, and when you inject them the same day you had them removed, they tend to go right back to your abdomen to repair the damage caused by the surgery. Adding that type of insult while already super sick was devastating for me, and I honestly believe it dramatically delayed recovery. I understand they have better luck injecting stem cells directly into the site of injury, such as a knee, rather than putting them back in through an IV in the hopes they will go where they are needed to heal a systemic insult. Personally, I feel Lyme and the damage it creates is just too far reaching to hope that stem cells will actually find your core issue and help. For me, I noticed absolutely no benefits, and to this day my abdomen just doesn’t look the same. Platelet therapy, from what I understand, works better. I had my platelets reinjected after my cavitation surgery, and I did seem to heal quite quickly. Whether or not it was the platelets, I don’t know.
RIFE—I had the GB400 with plasma tube, and after running through hundreds of frequencies, both for Lyme, Bart, and Babs, I gave up on it. I gave my machine to my uncle who has prostate cancer.
Posts: 11 | From Nevada | Registered: Jul 2018
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posted
Hi Happydays- what a great story! So happy you have found mhbot. You seem to be a wealth of information too
Question for all-- I boarded up for the hurricane- we were in the path originally. So sad for those in coastal NC.
Anyway, my Airsep Newlife 10 - went on the fritz today. It is likely 6 or so years old - maybe more. I got it secondhand. Anyway, does anyone know who I should buy from that might have a discount and can get it here somewhat fast. I have reached out to Phoiph as well.
Thank you all for your help! Also, has anyone else been in this position and do you just dive without air I'm guessing till the new Airsep gets here. Thank you!!
Posts: 859 | From Southeast | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
Hi Gang: I think I found the contact. Let me know if anyone might need it. Phoiph had given it to me sometime ago. Thank you all....
Do let me know if anyone has been in this spot before and if you just continued to dive without oxygen. Thanks!!
Posts: 859 | From Southeast | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
Digby, forgot to mention that I read a paper that stated that doing HBOT in tandem with stem cell can improve the efficacy of stem cell therapy. Might be something you look into.
Posts: 11 | From Nevada | Registered: Jul 2018
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posted
Gang, I found the solution thanks to Phoiph! The storm had me on high alert and I was thinking I needed a new one- Phoiph to the rescue! Bless you, Phoiph!
Just for anyone else- should you have a power surge - even if you cannot tell, the Airsep can need a reset with the fuse button on the front -under the counter.
So thankful my dives will not be interrupted. That is my Hurricane Florence Blessing! God bless those folks in NC Wilmington area....
Happydays -- wow! You are an inspiration and I admire your will not give up attitude You are a fighter too!
I recommend ANY and ALL folks trying this modality to READ the thread. It is GOLDEN! Full of insight that honestly cannot be replaced!!
I have to through you a big KUDOS too -- HAPPYDAYS!! You are right -- TERRAIN is EVERYTHING! I don't think I fully believed that until I saw recently how tweaking my diet and really going full on Keto -- I was keto (very mild- likely in and out) due to eating boatloads of veggies. Now, I would say I am FULL ON KETO and man, the difference. Have been using keto stix etc and my ketonix to measure. I snack on bone broth and some stevia dark chocolate (so very good-- cocopolo.com -- sandy is so dear). I also love Eating Evolved Ketocups (no sugar and very low carb with MCT oil- now you must like dark chocolate as this isn't for people wanting a sugar like treat - but for those of us that like HEALTHY- GOD SEND!). EatingEvolved.com. Steph is an angel there!
Keto is really helping my body- as well as, resting more - Thanks to all of you an especially Phoiph for giving me a talking to. I NEEDED it.... That is a real friend GOD BLESS YOU PHOIPH!
And PEImomma -- thank you for your encouragement of late, Digby and KGG -- you all ROCK!
Keep up the good work Team-- such knowledgeable folks here .... Thanks for sharing all you know and for offering support..... YOU ALL ROCK!!
Posts: 859 | From Southeast | Registered: Mar 2011
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I have done approx 85 dives so far but I am still crashing (completely run out of gas)
What preceeds a crash is overexertion over an extended period of time ..
Usually what accompanies a crash in addition to laying down a lot is junk food cravings and weight gain
I think with mHBOT and all the other antibacterials I have used the crashes take longer to happen and I bounce back sooner but I still am crashing
Here are my questions
Do any of you vetran home chamber HBOT users still crash and aside what do you do about it when it happens?
How many dives did you do before the crashes ended?
Have any of you had amalgams removed done Dr Klinghart protocol or any other protocol before during or after mHBOT that has helped with crashes? Thank You in advance for your feedback
Posts: 261 | From California | Registered: Sep 2017
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posted
After about a year of antibiotics, IV and oral, I still had debilitating cognitive problems, deficits, etc. I did 40 dives in a hard chamber, 2.0 atmospheres. I did it five days a week, an hour each dive. It worked wonders!!! Saved, healed my brain. Started noticing improvement after about 10 treatments. I have neurolyme and Bartonella. Still had physical symptoms but the cognitive stuff was mostly restored.
posted
I should have listened a little closer to Digby and Phoiph. After a month or so of diving, I felt great and could start exercising again. Then I decided to find out where my max levels were, pushed it as hard as I possibly could biking, and experienced a crash the next day. After 5 days, I'm recovering well, but having just purchased a hard chamber, I decided to go to 1.5ATA and had another mini-crash. Now I'm determined to go low and slow, and when I start feeling better again, I'm going to have to constantly remind myself not to overdo things. It's like there is this sinister little voice in the back of my head that always whispers, "Go faster, go harder, you can do this!" Balance can be the hardest thing to accept.
Posts: 11 | From Nevada | Registered: Jul 2018
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posted
Hominahomina--I had 6 amalgams removed, just make sure you use a biological dentist that takes all the precautionary measures to ensure you don't end up eating chunks of mercury. Funny, but the only time I have been sick since I got Lyme was right after my amalgams were removed. There is also a test you can run to show which alternative fillers work with your body to make sure you don't replace the amalgam with something equally toxic to your body.
Dr. K is a big proponent of the IonCleanse, and I have been using that three times a week for a couple of years. He mentioned that there were a number of studies showing it was amazing for heavy metal mobilization, primarily aluminum. He suggest taking cilantro when using the IonCleanse, and recommends only using it a couple of times a week because you continue to mobilize heavy metals for three days afterwards. Every time I do the IonCleanse, I make sure to take more Zeobind and Bentonite Clay.
Posts: 11 | From Nevada | Registered: Jul 2018
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posted
Thanks you guys for responding Happy Days You did not say if you benefited from the amalgam removal and the Ion cleanse With the Ion cleanse is that a foot bath? Where are you located?
For me crashes come after doing a lot of exertion over a longer period of time It used to be I would have a larger crash after one season of exertion
Cindy83 where did you do your dives?
Posts: 261 | From California | Registered: Sep 2017
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posted
Hominahomina—From my research, it is really difficult to determine if you have heavy metal toxicity. I did a porphyrins test a few years back (24 hour urine collection), and I had really high levels in Coproporphyrin III, which can signify a mercury toxicity issue. However, there are a slew genetic issues that can also affect your porphyrins, so I ran a Doctors Data Hair Analysis and used Andy Cutler’s method of interpretation. Instead of looking at the heavy metals found in your hair, which many find unreliable, you look at your mineral transport chain. The idea is that if you do have heavy metal toxicity, it will impair other minerals. You end up having to do some rather detailed calculations, and my end result was borderline. So I decided to remove all amalgams in one go.
Once they were out, I started a very slow chelation process. Cutler believes that if you mobilize metals in your body fat too quickly (faster than your binders can pull out), you run the risk of having them cross your blood brain barrier and cause serious trouble. So I avoided ALA and glutathione in the beginning and stuck with your garden variety binders, in addition to doing IonCleanse with cilantro. While I have heard of people who had their amalgams out and suddenly felt amazing, I think those people don’t have other serious issues that block their detox pathways. So once they remove the source of mercury, they clear what is in their body and they feel better. In my case, having the dreaded haplotype 4-3-53, my detox pathways were totally blocked. So while I eliminated a primary source of mercury, I still needed to remove it from my body and brain, and just as with many of these chronic issue, this can take between 1 and 3 years of steady chelation. From what I remember, the idea is to pull it from your body fat first (not your brain, so no binders that cross the BBB), and with your body constantly trying to stay in balance, mercury will redistribute from your brain to your body to balance that void. After a couple of months, I believe Cutler suggests adding in ALA and other binders that can cross the BBB.
So to answer your questions about whether amalgam removal helped—yes, I am sure it did. However, I didn’t feel any better in the months following the amalgam removal because I was still most likely riddled with heavy metals. I only started feeling better after about a year of steady chelation. But during that year I was also treating POTS, Lyme, Bart, and Babs, so what percentage did the amalgam remove contribute? Impossible to tell. It is also impossible to tell if the IonCleanse (a footbath) played a part or not. When I first got sick, I thought the IonCleanse was an absolute joke, but after reading a bunch of published papers and listening to Dr. K, who I really respect, rave about it, I added it into my routine. Dr. K mainly talks about the IonCleanse being great for Aluminum.
Some healful tips I learned along the way: I attempted both DMPS and DMSA to chelate heavy metals, and I took perhaps 1/10,000 of what they would administer in an IV, and even at these miniscule doses, I swear I thought I was going to die. About an hour after I took them, I would get organ pain like I’ve never had before. So had I done the IV, I probably wouldn’t be here today. That’s not to say the IVs don’t work for some people, but I would HIGHLY recommend doing a test dose orally prior to doing the IV. A lot of doctors just like to throw people on the IV, almost second nature. In my opinion, this is very, very dangerous. I’ve heard of people never recovering from IV DMPS. But then again, I am sure there are people out there it worked just fine for.
As for my location, I am in Las Vegas.
Posts: 11 | From Nevada | Registered: Jul 2018
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Phoiph
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 41238
posted
From Happydays:
"Phoiph—Just curious if you’ve heard of anyone having success using 1.5-2ATA for Lyme and all of its related conditions, such as POTS. I’m strongly considering picking up a hard-shelled chamber that goes to 3ATA. I’m doing this both for ease of use and to be able to experiment with higher pressures later on in treatment. Most of the published papers I’ve read state that in order to have good bacterial die off, you need a pressure of 2.4ATA, but after going through this forum and hearing other testimonials, it seems that die off occurs quite frequently at 1.3ATA, and I too experienced a herx-like reaction the first time I went to 45 minutes at 1.3ATA. When, if ever, would you recommend going up to higher pressures, and since I’ve been told oxygen concentrators don’t work above 1.3ATA, would you recommend just doing pressure or adding pure oxygen tanks into the mix?"
Hi Happydays~
The reason I promote "low and slow" mHBOT for Lyme, is because that is what got me well and has benefited so many others since.
I have yet to meet someone who has become well (long term) from Lyme using higher pressures (and I know of a lot who have tried). IMO, Lyme is a neurological disease, and it is well documented (see Harch) that lower pressures are beneficial for neurological diseases, but higher pressures can be detrimental. More is not always better!
Also, higher pressures can not be done over the long term, and consistent treatment over time is necessary for chronic Lyme and many other chronic conditions to fully heal the body.
True healing is worth the wait. There are no short cuts!
Posts: 2075 | From Earth | Registered: Jul 2013
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Phoiph
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posted
Hi Cindy83~
Glad to hear of your cognitive improvements!
Do you plan to continue your treatments with mHBOT to address your remaining issues?
Posts: 2075 | From Earth | Registered: Jul 2013
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posted
Happydays Do you have to have your amalgams out before using the ioncleanse? What machine do you have? Thanks
Posts: 261 | From California | Registered: Sep 2017
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posted
Hominahomina--Yes, I had them removed prior to doing IonCleanse (the actual brand name of the machine). However, I don't believe there is any concern about the IonCleanse pulling mercury from your amalgams as there is with certain binders. I just didn't bother with chelation techniques prior to removing my amalgams.
Posts: 11 | From Nevada | Registered: Jul 2018
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posted
Phoiph--Yep, I hear you loud and clear now! With 1.5 still being such minor pressure, you'd think that it wouldn't have a detrimental effect, but it sure did produce a much greater herxy effect than 1.3. So now I am back to 1.3 and feeling much better.
Another quick question--do you suggest doing 40 dives and then taking a break for a week, or do you recommend staying consistent every day?
Posts: 11 | From Nevada | Registered: Jul 2018
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posted
Happydays So one could do the Ioncleanse with amalgams How much did you pay for yours? Thanks
Posts: 261 | From California | Registered: Sep 2017
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posted
Hominahomina-- That is kind of a catch 22. IonCleanse mobilizes toxins that are in your adipose. If your detox pathways are working well, your system should flush most of them out. However, if your detox pathways aren't working well, you now have a bunch of mobilized metals, which will circulate round your system, possibly crossing your BBB. You would need to add binders to mop up as much mobilized metals as possible (remember, binders don't mop up everything, and the bond is weak, so as the bound metals move through your system, many of them will become un-bound.) But if you hop on a bunch of binders while your amalgams are still in in at attempt to mop up the mobilized metals, there is a possibility that those binders will pull mercury from your amalgams and distribute them, which you don't want. Most doctors suggest getting amalgams out prior to trying to chelate. I studied this a long time ago, but I know there are lots of good published papers floating around out there. Personally, with metal chelation being a marathon rather than a sprint, I would wait until your amalgams are out, but that is my non-doctor opinion.
Posts: 11 | From Nevada | Registered: Jul 2018
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posted
Happydays, "Balance Grasshopper" You made me laugh...I struggle with knowing how much I can do all the time and I still overdo it and crash. Well, it's not really a crash anymore...more just musculoskeletal pain.
You asked about higher pressures...I did 25 dives at 2 to 2.5 atm at my doc's office and it made me significantly worse. I still can't figure out how Phoiph talked me into the soft chamber but it is the best intervention I've tried and I've been dealing with this for decades.
Posts: 564 | From NW Arkansas | Registered: May 2003
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posted
Well, everytime I dove I got a severe headache that required serious pain meds. What was interesting was that the headache would disappear while I was at pressure and come back an hour later.
Over the course of the 25 dives (I did 5 per week) I got worse over all...just an intensifying of all my symptoms, especially fatigue.
Posts: 564 | From NW Arkansas | Registered: May 2003
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Phoiph
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 41238
posted
I remember...and it was amazing that you still kept going.
In retrospect, do you have any theories as to why you had the headaches (at the time, we had discussed possible vascular shifts during and after the dives)?
Posts: 2075 | From Earth | Registered: Jul 2013
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posted
What an amazing round table. Table of experts - Digby and Phoiph.
Just wanted to give a little update since going KETO full on. OMG how come I did not do it FULL ON sooner. I have virtually NO pain. It is miraculous (well in my life anyway). And, I feel my MHBOT is going better too. Much easier.
I am so thankful to have the level of caring support that we have on this team. Phoiph- thank you for your call and helping me from a storm breakdown Did not know about the fuse!
Happydays and Hominahomina, hang in. Keep moving forward. NEVER, EVER give up.... HUGS ALL AROUND!
Posts: 859 | From Southeast | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
Phoiph, I wish I did. Headaches are still in my top 3 symptoms. The soft chamber doesn't make them worse anymore, even if I pressurize quickly. I'm sure the vascular response is part of it.
Posts: 564 | From NW Arkansas | Registered: May 2003
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Haley
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Member # 22008
posted
Digby
Do you have any dental materials in your mouth? I’m having all my crowns removed and several root canals pulled.
I had one tooth done that still had mercury in it. I woke up for the first time in years without a clogged sinus.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
Haley, I do have quite a few composite filings. I had all my amalgam filings removed in the early 80s and chelated in various ways pretty consistently since then. I can't say that I felt any better from all that.
Posts: 564 | From NW Arkansas | Registered: May 2003
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Phoiph
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posted
Willbeatthis~
You're very welcome...glad it was just the fuse, and was an easy fix.
So happy to hear you're doing better!
Posts: 2075 | From Earth | Registered: Jul 2013
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Haley
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Member # 22008
posted
As long as you don’t have metals in your mouth, then the headaches are probably not coming from your mouth.
I also realized, when checking my pH of my saliva every morning, that my teeth are soaking in acid because of all the metal in the crowns. I don’t have any mercury in my mouth, but I do have lots of cheap metal crowns.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
Thanks to all for contributing to this very informative thread. Im gradually making my way through it, but it's very long and will take me a while haha
I really want to start mHBOT sometime, but unfortunately I have quite bad eustachian tube dysfunction, with popping and crunching in one ear for YEARS. This is the ear where I was bitten by a tick id imagine, and where I got a very bad otitis externa infection whilst swimming in thailand. Showed it to an ENT on numerous occasions to no avail. Aside from them prescribing me steroid spray which im convinced allowed the bugs to migrate to my brain.
Im doing my best to clear my nasal passages from the infections that are no doubt there, with sprays etc, but i think i have some paralysis from Lyme + cos in my neck muscles and extreme tightness (along with general parkinsonian and cognitive probs)... so im not convinced the sprays + physio etc will sort it out enough, before HBOT.
I hope to be starting HBOT sometime and will post my results. But any ideas on how to work around this eustachian tube / sinus problems? Or is a complete contraindication? I think i can improve them, but probably not completely until I treat the Lyme + cos... which is why im looking at HBOT... which comes full circle again!
Any pointers much appreciated
Posts: 38 | From NSW, Australia | Registered: Sep 2018
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kgg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5867
posted
Welcome, OzLyme! I don't believe it is a complete contraindication. But it is important. When my sinuses are stuffy and I am concerned that I won't be able to clear my ears, I will use an allergy med and a decongestant about an hour prior to diving. I also make sure I take 10 minutes to dive and stop if I develop any ear pain.
Posts: 1848 | From Maine | Registered: Jun 2004
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Phoiph
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 41238
posted
Hi OzLyme~
I agree with kgg, that is not necessarily a deal breaker, but you must approach the process slowly and carefully.
If you feel any pain (pressure that can be equalized by clearing your ears is normal) while pressurizing, you must release some pressure from the chamber immediately, and dive at a slightly lower pressure (where you have no pain) for that session. If you continue to work up in this way, your ears should adjust over time.
If you have trouble equalizing your ears in general, you can try the "Cobra" yoga position in the chamber while pressurizing and depressurizing.
In more extreme cases, people have had ear tubes placed so they could do HBO.
MBDQ, one of our earliest divers here, posted these suggestions on a thread in 2013:
MBDQ: "...I have had ear issues as well, doing the mild HBOT. I gave myself barotrauma by going in the chamber while I was congested and not being able to easily clear my ears. I am doing better now, although I can still hear crackling in my Eustachian tubes when I yawn and swallow.
The barotrauma absolutely terrified me because I feel like the mHBOT is really causing me to herx and it has helped my debilitating migraines. I want to be able to continue treatment.
An ENT confirmed the barotrauma and I had to take a break for a few weeks. I then worked back up to full pressure slowly.
I use the following to help: 1) Go up and down as slowly as possible so you can concentrate on clearing your ears and "staying with and ahead" of the pressure changes. Basically, keep clearing your ears constantly- which for me is leaning my head back and yawning, moving my jaw from side to side
2) If an ear is not clearing easily, go back up and get to a depth where the ears are clearing again, then you can try descending again
3) I use a device that has been helpful called an ear popper if I feel I am having trouble clearing. It blows air up your nose while you swallow, popping the ears. You can purchase without a prescription via Amazon. $250 but worth it for me and my ear issues. Some HBOT places have them for patients to use.
4) Do not put a pillow behind your head in descent and ascent- I find it is easier to clear the ears with the head tilted back and flat on the mattress.
5) Out of the chamber practice the valsalva maneuver or other ear clearing practices to train your ears to clear more easily. This is still tough for me, despite being able to clear in the chamber. I guess my anatomy doesn't like it.
6) If necessary, use decongestants to help you. Some HBOT centers have people use Afrin and/or Mucinex. For me, this is not ideal as they can cause rebound mucous and dependence.
7) try to make sure you are as decongested as possible before going in. Get your lymph moving via a short brisk walk, gently rebounding, bouncing on an exercise ball etc. I also use a neti pot to try and keep the sinuses clear. I am prone to stuffiness and have enlarged adenoids.
Overall, do not dive if you have barotrauma. You need to heal first then try again. I'm sorry. This is so frustrating!!..."Posts: 2075 | From Earth | Registered: Jul 2013
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quote:Originally posted by Happydays: With 1.5 still being such minor pressure, you'd think that it wouldn't have a detrimental effect, but it sure did produce a much greater herxy effect than 1.3. So now I am back to 1.3 and feeling much better.
ATA and small numbers can be confusing. To compare 1.3ATA to 1.5 ATA, subtract the 1 (since we are starting at 1 atmosphere) to see the relative change.
Increasing from .3 ATA to .5 ATA is adding .2, which is a 66% increase in pressure, not a minor change.
BTW, to convert from ATA to PSI, multiply by 14.69
.3 * 14.69 = 4.407 PSI
.5 * 14.69 = 7.345 PSI
Posts: 9 | From Northeast USA | Registered: Jun 2018
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Phoiph
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 41238
posted
Another way to look at it:
1.3 ATA (0.3 atmospheres) is equivalent to the pressure at approximately 10 feet underwater.
1.5 ATA (0.5 atmospheres) is equivalent to the pressure at approximately 16.5 feet underwater.
Posts: 2075 | From Earth | Registered: Jul 2013
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Ill look into getting one of those ear opener things. Really, for me, i think whatevers stuck up in my eustachian tube / sinuses / god knows where... is a big part of my problems. Maybe a biofilm, maybe fungus, not sure. But I felt something sliding in my ears last night, and my muscles were tightening and relaxing as it moved. Scary! Was half expecting a worm or a biofilm to fall out, but it never does, unfortunately.
(Btw ive seen an ENT numerous times, sinuses mostly "normal" on camera, and my brain MRI showed mild sinus inflammation / swelling... so they think its a mild, acute infection event theyve captured... but its been ongoing, been that way for many many years now, so im sure its contributing / heavily implicated in my illness)
So ill keep researching HBOT via this thread (i actually emailed that company about shipping to Aus but havent heard back yet) and keep researching possible solutions to my inner ear probs.
I look forward to adding my HBOT experiences to this thread once i get there
posted
...and i just learned i have mild to moderate sleep apnea. Though just on the surface it seems like it would help a lot, Ive read conflicting things - that HBOT helps, and other sources saying it doesn't.
Anyone know anyone who has used it for helping with sleep apnea?
Posts: 38 | From NSW, Australia | Registered: Sep 2018
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kgg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5867
posted
Phioph may have interacted with someone with sleep apnea and mHBO. I have not. My young adult son has what they call mild sleep apnea. Mild being that he stops breathing 14 times in a hour. That does not sound mild to me. Anyway, he uses a CPAP and he feels incredibly worse if he does not use it. So he has 100% compliance.
Imho, sleep is the foundation of our health. Any good Lyme doc starts with how we are or are not sleeping. Please look into a CPAP or APAP machine.
Posts: 1848 | From Maine | Registered: Jun 2004
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posted
Oh, I definitely am. I booked into the next available appointment as soon as the sleep doc rang me today, and tried to get in sooner. My interest in HBOT is not for apnea treatment, its for Lyme mostly, to perhaps help reduce the damage I've already done. Sorry I should have made that clear
Im already sleeping terribly. Mostly night sweat style things, but im afraid its actually REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder, which goes along with Parkinsons / Lewy Body.
Considering ive been going to see Drs for about 8 months telling my symptoms, being told its in my head etc, and no one mentioned getting my sleep tested, until I asked for the study.... Im pretty annoyed with them.
Posts: 38 | From NSW, Australia | Registered: Sep 2018
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kgg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5867
posted
Honestly, OzLyme, it is the same here. And it is criminal. Good for you for advocating for yourself! Many can't or won't and they are worse off for it. I am not familiar with REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder. Will go look it up. I hope it is just the regular sleep apnea that getting the right machine and mask will help. And that given some time your sleep deficit will be taken care of you will feel a little better.
Posts: 1848 | From Maine | Registered: Jun 2004
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Thank you Happydays for all the good information about your healing journey. You certainly know a lot about this disease.
I need some help when it comes to my treatment with the hyperbaric soft sided chamber.
I got the chamber in 2016 and I have used it for 3-4 Hours a day most days since I bought it.
Until recently I always felt better and even good after one of my sessions.
Recently the hyperbaric hasn't been going well. I have woken up after sleeping for a while in the chamber and I've woken up in bad bad pain in my pelvis. It will hurt to move my hips to each side or forward and backward. It has happened many times in a row. I have needed to take tramadol for the pain.
What can I take to make hyperbaric more effective or less painful for me afterwards?
What is a "binder" and where do I get the good ones?
Besides hyperbaric I've done antibiotic doxicycline for 6 weeks and I also did two different herbal protocols one of which was called "beyond balance".
I also did I.V. vitamins.
I only found relief with the hyperbaric and I want to go on using it if it stops hurting!
Thanks all, Zeitgeist
Posts: 44 | From Indianapolis | Registered: Sep 2008
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kgg
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5867
posted
Greetings, Zeitgeist. Am I reading it correctly that you are diving for 3-4 hours per day? There are some of us that are diving for 90 minutes but many find that too much. I just wanted to clarify that is what you meant.
Posts: 1848 | From Maine | Registered: Jun 2004
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Yes--I most definitely go for a "dive" every single day and it has been three to four hours for every session.
I have almost always felt great after the hyperbaric.
But now for the first time I'm getting bad pelvis/hip pain.
I have had the hyperbaric since February 2016 and I've used it almost every day since.
I would really like to use it right now because I did an accident to my thumb where it got jammed and my thumb hurts from that right now.
I also have a complicated form of schooliosis which causes me much back pain and injuries and these different sports-type injuries have benefitted from the hyperbaric chamber.
Now I'm so scared to go in there so I'm staying out for a bit.
Any insights or personal experience you can share will be so appreciated!
Thanks, Zeitgeist
Posts: 44 | From Indianapolis | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
zeitgeist...I can't comment on your specific symptom but I will say that 3 to 4 hours a day of mHBOT is excessive and could lead to Oxygen toxicity. The normal hormetic response to increased O2 is to upregulate endogenous antioxidants (among many other responses). If you push the response too hard you will have MORE reactive oxygen species at the cellular level which is just bad!
If it was me I would take a break for a few days and continue at the 60 minute level which we know works.
Peace.
Posts: 564 | From NW Arkansas | Registered: May 2003
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Phoiph
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 41238
posted
zeitgeist~
Important question:
During your 3-4 hour daily sessions...
Are you breathing supplemental oxygen via an oxygen concentrator with your chamber?
Or, are you using the chamber with compressed room air only?
Posts: 2075 | From Earth | Registered: Jul 2013
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For sleep apnea - Ive just been diagnosed. For the time being, I'm trialling a CPAP machine and think its working quite well. Im really enjoying being able to sleep through the night without depriving my brain of oxygen!
However, since I'm in my early thirties, and would have to potentially wear this thing for many years.... and since I'm always interested in the CAUSE of my conditions... I've been doing some research.
In my case some hormonal drugs i was given my an endocrinologist a few years back may be to blame. Along with Lyme and mould toxicity. Oh and some structural problems with my neck and congestion in sinuses!
So the list is long. However I intend to view this as a kind of challenge, and seek to address all of these problems. In the meantime, I will gladly keep using the CPAP machine. But hopefully Ill get to the stage where one day... i may not need it. Thats the hope / goal, at least
I heard a very interesting podcast where a guest speaker, a neurologist called Dr Gominak did the deep dive on the causes of sleep problems such as sleep apnea, REM disorder, etc.
She links it to the gut microbes and vitamins, and claims that getting the correct vitamin D level along with B vitamins and correct microbiome... can lead to great results. E.g. REM sleep disorder (Parkinsons) improving, which is usually unheard of. And sleep apnea improving - not needing the CPAP machine in time.
And she mentions how critical sleep is for our health - sleep is when we heal. This has always been terrible news for me, since I've had horrible sleep problems, especially this year. A lot of damage has been done I'm sure. However she also mentions how the brain seems to "keep score" of all the required repairs it needs to do, and tries to "make up" for this once sleeping is restored. So if you can restore the sleep, you can self-heal to quite an impressive extent.
Google Dr Gominak if you're interested.
I intend to also add HBOT in at some stage, to try to help undo some of the damage due to hypoxia, to whatever extent possible.
In the meantime -CPAP is invaluable to me. Good luck!
Posts: 38 | From NSW, Australia | Registered: Sep 2018
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