I've been trying to gather information by reading old posts, but I just can't read too much today.
I have intense pain attacks on my right side and especially my right eye and ear. I haven't started treatment, yet. I've had Lyme for about 12 years but this pain started last year in June. I take seizure drugs, Xanax and Vicodin to keep me from jumping out of the window for pain.
I would really like to stay holistic, but will consider abx if I have to.
Does a herx reaction usually increase pain, also?
I am very scared of starting treatment, this pain is already excruciating.
I just want to be prepared, tell me about your experience, I can take it.
Thank you so much,
Sonja
Posts: 35 | From Arizona | Registered: Dec 2006
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NP40
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6711
posted
Hi Sonja,
Unfortunately, herx's do increase pain so you may need to upgrade meds to combat that. Many here use herbals to combat lyme. If you go to Amazon you'll find the book "Healing Lyme" by Stephen Buhner which many here follow.
Keep reading the board as the info here will be invaluable for you getting well.
Posts: 1632 | From Northern Wisconsin | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
Thank you, my husband is just reading through Buhner but there are contra indications (??) between some seizure drugs and herbs. I will have to start one way or the other, so I better stock up on Vicodin
Thanks again,
Sonja
Posts: 35 | From Arizona | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
Thank you, my husband is just reading through Buhner but there are contra indications (??) between some seizure drugs and herbs. I will have to start one way or the other, so I better stock up on Vicodin
Thanks again,
Sonja
Posts: 35 | From Arizona | Registered: Dec 2006
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luvs2ride
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8090
posted
Hi Sonja
I first contracted Lyme 11 yrs ago and was treated for 6 mths of abx after which I thought all was well. Little did I know that the migraines, root canals (5), stiff neck, memory problems, hearing loss etc that I was to suffer over the next 11 yrs may have been lyme still in my body.
It wasn't until 8/05 which migratory joint pain broke out that I was again diagnosed with lyme. This time they said it was not acute (new) but rather chronic, late stage lyme.
My initial LLMD did not believe in abx. He has written several articles about abx in many reputable medical magazines. He feels since abx came on the scene we have had a great reduction in acute illness but a large increase in chronic illness. He feels the abx are driving the bugs inward and creating the superbugs. My track record could not prove him wrong.
I got a 2nd opinion from an ILADS LLMD who confirmed the lyme by clinical diagnosis. Igenex could confirm I have had lyme but could not confirm I have it now. The 2nd LLMD sent me to a rheumie who diagnosed RA and scoffed at the lyme saying sure I had had it but it is gone now.
Still, with tears in my eyes, I begged him to let me try an abx protocol for RA that uses very low doses of minocycline pulsed every MWF instead of the methotrexate he wanted to put me on. I assured him I felt my medical history would show beyond a doubt that I am a bacteria factory and I believed strongly anything that suppresses my immune system like methotrexate could kill me.
He was angry but prescribed the mino anyway. To date, that is the only abx I have taken. I researched RA and learned it can be caused by a number of things including LYME, Leaky Gut Syndrome, Root Canals, Systemic Yeast, Heavy Metal toxicity. I sought doctors and dentists who believed in such things and began to determine by testing which of these conditions applied to me. They all did.
I am beginning my 10th month of treatment for each of these conditions and I am thriving. I have not pulled my teeth. My doctor felt this would put me in the hospital. I have removed my amalgams. We have worked very hard at healing my leaky gut. I consume 15 enzyme pills daily to help with digestion. L-glutamine for gut. I eat garlic and coconut oil daily to attack the yeast and the bacterias. I did a parasite cleanse. I am on monthly injections of glutathione and lipostabil.(started out weekly, then bi-weekly and just dropped back to monthly this month) I am also receiving monthly shots of Bio Puncture. This is the only chelation to date as my doctor feared too much chelation would be like hitting me with a baseball bat. I just don't handle die off very well at all. All of the injections seem to help tremendously.
Following GiGi's very recent post regarding Distroxin, I have begun taking it and WOW I can tell it is detoxing me pretty good. So far, I really like it.
All in all, I am remarkably well now. 1 yr ago, I was housebound with every joint swollen and afflicted. I can now do all I did before but sometimes I have to compensate for any flare ups I may have. I ride horses and that takes a very physically fit person. I ride at least once a week, more if I can, but I work 48 hrs a week so my time is limited. I rode for 2 hrs today and am pain free tonight. I enjoy it so much and come away so happy, I feel it is therapy in itself.
When I am pain free consistently for 2 mths, I will consider this round of lyme to be in remission. I will, for the rest of my life, take extremely good care of my body making sure I stay alkaline and I will avoid stress to the very best of my ability.
I was in a big pay, big demand career for 20 yrs and I believe this constant stress took me down more than the bugs or the metals. I always lived a healthy life other than the stress and I used to make the statement "You can do everything right, but if you are stressed it will override all the good". Amazingly though, I could not find my way out of my stressful career until my health collapsed. Then I had no choice.
Today I am still in the same industry but in the low end of it where the prestige is not as great but neither is the stress. I am quite happy to be here and grateful to be able to work at all.
Whether you go abx or alternative, it is imperative you heal your body and strengthen your immune system. There are some people who think abx strengthen the immune system but this is not so. They do reduce the bacteria load, or drive it into dormancy and that is a good thing. If you are also building up your immune system, it will be able to finish the job or at least keep the bugs at bay. It also will help the body withstand the side effects of the abx.
I recommend a competent doctor's guidance and I believe strongly you must find a doctor fully trained in nutrition. Most of our doctors in America have very poor training in this area.
Best of luck to you. If you live near Winston-Salem, NC, I will be happy to share my doctor's name with you. Just PM me.
Luvs
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
quoting sonya
Does a herx reaction usually increase pain, also?
I am very scared of starting treatment, this pain is already excruciating. *************************
herxing was really terrible for me and started day 1 with my right arm from shoulder to fingers. felt like my arm was a punching bag, and stayed that way for 1.5 years!!
had other herxes here/there but were tolerable; the arm wasn't! had ice/heat on it all the time; had pillow under it as i tried to sleep.
be really careful of FLAGYL! terrible herx while on pc 1 yr. ago 2-9! lymenetters tracked me down and called police to check up on me. scary!
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