Topic: The "Is it a flare or is it a relapse" dilemma..
bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
Hi folks:
I'm not a newbie. Been dealing with this crap for 8 years since May 2010.
Overall, I've been better than most and have responded well to treatment. Within the first 6 weeks of treatment in 2010 I was back at 90-95% with only a few remaining symptoms. But those symptoms have been persistent buggers.
I've flared along the way, particularly when we go after Bartonella, Babesia, Parasites, etc.
By 2014 I was feeling great. 95% most days. Life returned to normal. But then I relapsed again in late 2015 with some bad symptoms like hoarse voice, top of head pressure (feels like someone is pushing with 2 fingers), feeling hot/sweaty, tinnitus, bad eye floaters, etc, etc, etc.
I found a great Applied Kinesiologist / energy tester in 2016 and made great progress and felt a lot better by late 2016. But early 2017 I restarted babesia herbs (Liposomal Artemisinin and MC-Bab-2) and had the best year yet. I had stretches of 3-4 months of nearly 100%. Most of the time I was 90-95% and feeling good. Over the past 2 years, we've treated Babs, parasites, mold, and SIBO.
This past August I met with my LLMD and told him this was the best I have felt since 2014. It was great. I told him I thought it was the parasite / babs meds as that is when I made the most progress the past 18 months...after starting those meds.
Wouldn't you know it that 3 weeks ago I took a turn for the worst. I had a flare of older "2015/2016" symptoms. Things I've all had before but were gone. Top of head pressure, post nasal drip, ear fullness, ear pain, increased tinnitus, increased eye floaters, hoarse voice, feeling hot, anxious/amped up from time to time like I've had 20 cups of coffee.
NOTHING has changed in my treatment. I'm still on MC-Bab2 ramping up (have been at 16 drops 2x / day since June.) The only new thing we added in June as Houttouynia from Nutramedix. I started this slowly in June and by August was at 5 drops a day. I've been at 5 drops for the past month. No change. I still pulse my Liposomal Artemisinin the same way...5 days on, 2 days off, 3 weeks on, 1 week off.
So why the hell am I now having problem these past 3 weeks? It's not quite as bad as 2015/2016, but it is the worst I've felt since early 2017, 18 months ago.
Just when I think I'm done...I'm not.
I really hate it.
Is it a flare? If so, how could I be flaring if my meds haven't changed in recent weeks/months?
Or is it a relapse? Have I been on my Bab's meds too long without rotating them? Is there resistance?
Not sure if I should grin an bear it at this time, or increase MC-Bab-2, or stop everything for a break.
This disease is so freakin' frustrating.
Sorry to vent. Just really frustrated after doing so well for so long...again. I can't go back down the rabbit hole a 3rd time. I just can't.
I have to beat this.
btw...recently found out I've tested chronically positive for Yersinia Enterocolitica in my IgA. Not sure what that means but apparently persistent IgA results are often correlated with folks with Reactive Arthritis.
Sigh.
Hoping / praying it is just a flare and will pass.
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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Brussels
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13480
posted
BCB, sorry for your 'relapse' or whatever this is...
Could it be babs coming back (by your symptoms?).
What does the kinesiologist say? CAn s/he test the pathogens?
What about your mouth / teeth? Is the mouth clean?
Food allergies? SIBO? Candida?
It can be frustrating, but I think you are not that bad. If you reached months on 100%, it's a VERY POSITIVE sign.
I have to say that for me, I could reach 100% quite a few times, until I relapsed.
It was frustrating too, because every time I thought I GOT IT, I relapsed.
Or got bitten again... and got reinfected.
That went on and on, until I finally found what stopped relapses for me: photon + nosodes.
But I guess it was the 'last piece of the puzzle' in my case (not for everyone, I suppose?).
I know my body still fights infections, here and then, and so does my daughter.
But I suppose disease (lyme or any chronic disease) is just a matter of a tipping point: you still have low grade infections but can live well, until the tipping point, where somehow 'too much' becomes 'too much' and you fall ill.
But sincerely, I think that your body / treatment is not that bad and that you'll be able to find your 'homeostasis' one day.
Reaching 100% is a REAL privilege, not many people reach that. Once you tasted it, you know it's possible.
And that is already a very good sign, believe me.
Have you tried liposomal products? They are amazing at supporting the body. I can't live with my lipo vit C any more. If done at home, they cost very little.
Keep treating! You'll probably find a way to get back to homeostasis. I hope so!!!
Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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posted
I am very sorry to hear this BCB! Anything that would have caused your immune system to dip down allowing things to kick up?
Stress even? A very busy summer?
I almost wonder if the change of seasons is a factor although its been steadily so hot.
I am actually in the same exact situation. Would explain but my head hurts too bad to type.
Hopefully things will level out quickly. Its really hard to get back in the heavy duty self care game when you have had a little leeway, its just crazy. Probably not a good time to take a break from everything.
Hang in there! Maybe your body was taxed in some way and it needs to get the upper hand again. Glutathione!!!!
-------------------- unsure445 Posts: 824 | From northeast | Registered: Jun 2008
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Bartenderbonnie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 49177
posted
Every Fall I suffer horribly.
In my case, which I just figured out after many years, it is Fall mold allergies. It is not a relapse or flair. Although very similar.
You say it started 3 weeks ago and also in the Fall of '15.
Tinnitius, hoarse voice, ear pain, nasal drip, head pressure can all be caused by mold allergies.
My symptoms start in September, 1st symptom extreme fatigue. I know it will all go downhill from there.
This year I grabbed the bull by the horns with aggressive protocols. Because I finally figured out what I was fighting against.
Must say the game changer was Quercetin 250mg 2x a day. Quite stimulating, energy levels very high, be careful. Also Claritin, Echinacea, prescriped Azelastine, ginger cinnamon lemon green tea.
Posts: 2977 | From Florida | Registered: Nov 2016
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Brussels
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13480
posted
It could be also the cold coming.
Less vit D, the body needs to use more energy to heat, enzymes work muuuch less well, body metabolism may become a burden.
I also fall ill with candida by the end of fall.
Dr K usually says that a mild drop in body temperature is of huge advantage for critters. They thrive in cold body temperature, he used to say...
It's a good idea to already start some extra boosting treatment as Bonnie suggests, before the whole house crumbles.
I did a super antioxidant 'soup' of liposomes today: lots of turmeric, then acerola powder, spirulina and bits of MSM, plus my daily liposomal Vit C and lipo Mag...
Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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posted
I would say (very hopefully), that it is a flare from the fall season. Sounds like it's ramping up your allergies (even if you don't think you have any.)
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
Hi Folks:
Well things are better this week. I'd say I'm 90% give or take. Still not quite as good as back in June-August, but better. Some symptoms still there but are more mild and manageable.
I stopped the Houttuynia drops a week ago. And think that could be what was causing the flare. Perhaps it was Bart or some other bug that was angry due to Houttuynia.
So good news is I'm feeling better. Bad news is it seems I've got a Bart (or other) problem that is lurking.
Brussels...what type of photon machine do you use and where do you get the nosodes?
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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Brussels
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13480
posted
Glad things are moving forward.
Many people feel great, until they start treating something, like taking a herb, doing a sauna, pulling off teeth.
They think that the herb or sauna or teeth CAUSED their problem, but I would rather think that the problem was already there, and that a herb / detox /treatment of teeth just got activated.
And that was for a good reason, as sooner or later, untreated problems start to surface anyway...
Keep treating.
I used a device called the PE1, photonic energetics, just google it.
And you can find all about photon + nosode here in lymenet, but in the old files (around 2009).
I could buy all nosodes easily here in GErmany, but now the company closed (guess for what reason), and it got harder to find these.
I can still find them, separately, from different companies.
Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
Well now I'm thinking that my flare last month may have been due to my Liposomal Artemisinin.
I took my usual week off the herb two weeks ago and felt better. Restarted it last week and felt a bit worse. Then this week, worse again. Not as bad as in Sept, but some of the symptoms are popping up again. Next week is 3rd week of the pulse. We'll see what happens then as well as what happens the following week when I'm off everything.
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
| IP: Logged |
Brussels
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13480
posted
Good to know!
Are you doing lipo artemisinin on your own (homemade) or have you bought it somewhere?
Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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