posted
I have realized that I am dealing with two problems (well, among the several others!) - but with regard to the neuro.
First, the neurotoxins. My question is, when the neurotoxins die...where do they go? If, inside the brain...or from the nerves...what is the exit strategy?
Second, the problem in the nerve cell itself, damaged over time. Is it the synapse, or the neurotransmitter, or both? I have read some on this and am posting if others have had experience in how to treat this aspect which, from what I gather cannot be healed from antibiotics.
For example...they crying jags. Is that neuro herx from dying off toxins or is that result of post damaged limbic system...or both?
What about the total lack of focus? Does that fall under nervous system because of damaged in neurotoxins or is that OCD, ADD psychiatric result?
Most importantly for me is the word comprehension and recal. I have realized for a long time there has been a huge problem with this and a simple example is someone says spoon and I may think they mean plate and I continue to operate on that incorrect assumption. Over the last few months even, I have had more and more trouble speaking.
I plan to come up with strategies to focus on this however I seek some insight on the limits of antibiotics with regard to the neurotoxins. And an understanding of how much is neurotoxin and how much is damage already done.
I think for the first thing is I will read out loud.
In actuality, it is my impression now after 6 months of abx therapy that really truly recovering from lyme disease is going to take a whole lot and I mean a whole lot of very hard work at the speech and physical rehabilitation.
Marnie
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 773
posted
Bb needs our choline (a B vitamin). This impacts acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter.
We need several NUTRIENTS to make our neurotransmitters, our neurohormones, proteins, antibodies, hormones...
We need minerals, vitamins and amino acids...all in balance (that's the tricky part).
When one neurotransmitter is thrown off, it impacts the others (and ultimately the neurohormones too).
It also impacts cholesterol...cholesterol is the "insulation" around the nerves. It is being made, broken down, made...ongoing...or should be.
When even ONE nutrient is deficient, it impacts many others because they all work in harmony. The body tries to make up for the deficiency using other nutrients, but they each have very specific functions.
Our body "recognizes" it is "under attack" and responds in ways to try to fight. (In lyme, Mg levels drop very "significantly" very fast.)
Unfortunately this is one very, very toxic pathogen and we don't have enough of the nutrients needed to fight.
Posts: 9424 | From Sunshine State | Registered: Mar 2001
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liz28
Unregistered
posted
While the medical aspect of this can only be answered by a real scientist, I agree with Marnie about how much of this is nutrition. The neuro symptoms you described did turn around quickly for me when approached from three angles: finally getting on the right antibiotics, pursuing a healthier diet, and taking prescriptions and supplements for inflammation.
After doing a quick tour of my fridge to see what helped, the best by far was Provigil, a narcolepsy drug that is so effective at improving concentration and sleep issues, college students take it to stay awake during exams. After I started on this drug, I was able to go back to work full-time. It's very expensive, so if it interests you, you may wish to check with your insurance company first to ensure they cover it. Since it has also has become a fad pushed as the latest miracle cure, you may also wish to research it extensively before trying it. And if you do try it, start at a much lower dosage than the manufacturer recommends, or it will have the same effect as drinking twelve espressos in a row--you'll be bouncing off the walls.
As per Dr. B's protocols, it's a requirement to replenish the omegas. There's another recent Lymenet thread on "very dry skin" that talks about pharmaceutical grade fish oil, and you could contact those people for places to buy it. I take a tablespoon of refrigerated flaxseed oil twice a day along with food, and cannot say too many times how much it helps. Really, in one day there was a big difference. Again, with the omegas it's better to buy the bottles of liquid supplements (and flaxseed must be refrigerated) because they provide much higher doses than capsules.
As Marnie has written extensively in her posts, magnesium is a key supplement. Opinion varies on which kind to take. Magnesium citrate has always seemed to help, as have CoQ10 and lecithin. Refined lecithin is often sold under the name "phosphatidylcholine," but some vitamin stores sell lecithin itself in a jar. Go for either of these over straight choline supplements.
Yeast overgrowth can also mimic Lyme neuro symptoms. Unfortunately, probiotics are one supplement you have to splurge on with Lyme, because the expensive ones replenish the widest spectrum of flora killed off by antibiotics, and the cheap ones just get one or two. All the good ones are around $25 a bottle. And in addition, you have to take nystatin or diflucan when on longterm antibiotics.
For me, a lot of the depression comes from constant systemic inflammation. It's temporary, and will bounce back to normal as you get your health back. I take a prescription drug called Celebrex for inflammation, and many have written about vitamin store supplements called bromelain and theanine, the relaxing ingredient in green tea. Again, I add the disclaimer that Celebrex is a prescription, which you may wish to research for possible side effects--which it definitely has. Theanine definitely works, but I've never tried bromelain.
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