posted
How many of you have been cured of Lyme and coinfections (negative Western blot and remission of all symptoms) since treatment?
I've been mostly bedridden from Lyme now for 17 years. Was undiagnosed for the first eight years. Over the past nine years of treatment I've regained the ability to work 2 1/2 days per week but remain bedridden beyond that.
Does a cure really exist? I have Lyme, bart, and babs. Thank you.
-------------------- Ellen _ _ ___________ _ _ lyme disease dysautonomia Chiari malformation anxiety Posts: 72 | From Birmingham, AL | Registered: Dec 2013
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
No one knows for sure if a cure exists but I personally only think about getting into remission and keeping my immune system working as well as possible.
A negative Western Blot is not an indication that lyme is cured. Some ppl with raging lyme disease have a negative Western Blot. A Western Blot does not measure the actual infection (organism itself). It measures antibodies that our bodies are making to fight the infection. If your immune system is not making antibodies, the Western Blot will be negative.
Terry I'm not a doctor
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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Ellen101
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 35432
posted
If you have been treating for 9 yrs and still so ill then perhaps it is time to look beyond lyme? One of my LLNP's explained this very well comparing lyme to a pot on a stove. Lyme may have ignited the fire causing the flames but to keep going after lyme with years of antibiotics would be fruitless and possibly make things worse. Instead now you need to tackle the mess lyme left behind, adrenal issues, leaky gut etc.
Posts: 1750 | From United States | Registered: Dec 2011
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Just so you know:
"Only years after a successfully treated infection will the serologic response begin to diminish." (page 4 of Burrascano)
This is saying that a person's Western Blot lyme test will be positive for many years after they are successfully treated.
That is how it is with me. I got rid of lyme, babs, and bart over 8 1/2 years ago. That's how long it has been since I completed my treatment. I have been symptom free all this time. But, a recent lyme Western Blot was done on me by a doctor who doesn't know anything about lyme. It was positive.
So, the body keeps antibodies against lyme in circulation in the blood for many years after the lyme has been cured. (The Western Blot detects these antibodies, not the lyme bacteria itself.) I say cured because Burrascano says that if a person can go for 3 years after treatment without a relapse, then lyme will not come back on them. They are cured.
I had undiagnosed lyme disease for at least 10 years before a doctor thought to test me for it and I was finally diagnosed. Still, I got rid of it.
I have friends who went to the doctors I recommend and they have been cured also.
In addition, there are some top name lyme doctors who had lyme many, many years ago. They have not had relapses. Dr. H, DNP S, Dr. S, to name 3 that I know of. Also Pam Weintraub, author of "Cure Unknown." And, I assume her husband and 2 sons are also still lyme free. Also, Dr. Burrascano himself.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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