posted
Its been almost 3 years now since I've had any symptoms. I haven't kept up much with the discussion forum here the last couple years, but I am committed to popping in here once in awhile to let you all know this thing can be beaten.
I was pretty depressed during the time I had Lyme, because I couldn't find anybody who had gotten rid of it for more than a couple of months. Everybody said the symptoms all came back after they were off meds for a few weeks.
I thought my life was over, and suddenly my whole world revolved around Lyme. But I was determined that I wouldn't go down without a fight, and channeled my energy into finding a solution...there are lots here who helped me do that, and I owe you all a debt of gratitude for the life I got back. I spent every spare moment on the net (mostly here and medline) reading as much as I could, and spent a good deal of my own money on meds...we all know the insurance deal, and I had some damn good insurance (was working at the phone co at the time)...I don't have health insurance now...the whole experience soured me on the concept...
I got really aggressive with the meds within the first year I had it, and I think that is the key...covering all of your bases. It saddens me to see so many familiar names on here still...I still think about you guys from time to time. I'm not blaming you for not getting well (I'm sure your friends and family give you enough grief in that department...I know the ones who didn't give me grief just plain disappeared...most of them disappeared...you really learn who your friends are)...seems to me the biggest thing I've learned from you all is that this disease is hard to beat in general, and it gets harder as more time goes by. I've talked to hundreds of people that have Lyme, maybe even thousands, and the handful I've met who were able to stop meds permanently took handfuls of pills for months at a time within the first year after they got Lyme, though for many this didn't work either. I'm trying to be upbeat about it, but I think the most important message I can send out to the 'new' people here is that you don't have time to fool around, if you don't nip it in the bud, then well, you just might be here awhile.
Last June I moved from Florida to Missouri, and OMG do we have ticks here! I spent the whole summer camping down by the river (I've spent almost a year of my life so far living in a tent), and I pulled dozens of ticks off me every day last summer...it worries me because there is a different strain here than in Virginia where I got Lyme...but I've got an emergency supply of abx on standby But I won't stay out of the woods and live in fear...in fact, I just bought 7 acres of woods a stone's throw from the national forest...I plan on spending the summer building a log cabin out there, and when I move out there permanently getting some guineas and chickens for tick control
If anybody is coming to Missouri to visit a certain doc I know, look me up! I'm halfway between Springfield and St Louis, and I might just put you up for the nite (spend your $ on meds, not hotels)...though the accomodations will be very simple (everything I own aside from some simple furniture fits in 4 boxes and 3 suitcases).
Matt
Posts: 106 | From The Moon | Registered: Sep 2002
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Linda LD
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6663
posted
Way to go Matthew!
I hope that I can be like you!
Did you just use abx or use anything differnt like a rif? or suppliments?
I just wish I had the energy to build a cabin.
If you get to Knoxville let me know--I've got some land that needs cleared!
Stay strong, L
Posts: 1171 | From Knoxville, TN US | Registered: Dec 2004
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treepatrol
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 4117
posted
Great news from you Matt Iam really happy for ya. If your pulling ticks off you like you said I hope your treating prophalaticly. Well you know that. Another sucsess story is always welcome . Way To Go!!!
-------------------- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Remember Iam not a Doctor Just someone struggling like you with Tick Borne Diseases.
posted
Hey Matthew! I hope people will open this thread. I almost didn't since I didn't know what "almost 3" meant. [When in doubt, leave it out! just kidding!!]
But I saw your name and said, "HEY, it's matthew!!"
posted
I tried replying to the success stories thread but for some reason it didn't work...I was re-routed to the main page after hitting the reply button.
But I posted about my research and treatment as I was going thru it and collected all of the information I found and put it on the web...in October 2004 I shut my website down (over 15,000 hits on my Lyme page at the time, and it was averaging about 700 hits a month).
At that time Melissa Kaplan offered to host my information so that it would still be available...though she changed the format and edited some of the material so those that read it before October 2004 when it was hosted on my own site may not recognize it initially.
It hasn't been updated since about April or May 2003, but I believe the story and resources are still relevant to treatment today. It is currently hosted here:
That should give the new people here my story and background...I stopped updating my website when I stopped meds, and I have been off meds since the end of May 2003, and symptom free since late March 2003.
Tetracycline, Doxycycline, Zithromax, Flagyl, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and Dr Zhang's Babesia protocol were all included in my treatment plan, and I saw more than one LLMD...I wanted to make sure I covered all the bases, and treated for Ehrlichia and Babesia even though my tests were negative from Igenex...I was postive on 9 bands for Lyme from Igenex.
I also did the "megadose" herx test a few months later to make sure I got it all, and got no reaction.
Lymetoo, that is GREAT that you are off abx and rife is working for you...I was planning on building a 'Doug' model if the oral abx didn't work. I've talked to several who swear by those things...is theskyking still around?
I'm planning on having a pig roast in the fall when the cabin is done...I'll drop you a line and invite you when I have the specifics...
Matt
Posts: 106 | From The Moon | Registered: Sep 2002
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treepatrol
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 4117
-------------------- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Remember Iam not a Doctor Just someone struggling like you with Tick Borne Diseases.
treepatrol
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 4117
posted
quote:Originally posted by matthewgoss:
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
Matt how did you avoid -Macrocytic Anemia- while taking that drug? And how long were you on it?
-------------------- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Remember Iam not a Doctor Just someone struggling like you with Tick Borne Diseases.
quote:Originally posted by matthewgoss: Lymetoo, that is GREAT that you are off abx and rife is working for you...I was planning on building a 'Doug' model if the oral abx didn't work. I've talked to several who swear by those things...is theskyking still around?
I'm planning on having a pig roast in the fall when the cabin is done...I'll drop you a line and invite you when I have the specifics...
Matt
Cool! yes, skyking stops by now and then.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
I was only on Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for about 6 weeks while I was doing Dr Zhang's Babesia treatment...this drug is the missing link in curing Babesia...
89% of people who include it in treatment will get rid of Babesia while many who don't include it will relapse, which will waste time and complicate treating Lyme.
Since the majority (I think its somewhere around two thirds, but don't quote me) of ticks in tick studies test positive for Babesia, I think it is prudent to treat for it even if you test negative and don't have any symptoms. So many of the symptoms overlap with Lyme anyway...
And if you include doxycycline in your treatment plan somewhere you will eliminate Ehrlichia too...
This is what I mean when I say cover all your bases...you must also kill the Lyme in all its forms using drug combinations designed to do it.
I have no idea what the anemia you referred to is, so I can't comment on it...all I know is the drug worked for me, and I believe this is the drug you are supposed to drink a lot of fluids with so you don't mess up your kidneys.
Its been so long that I can't just rattle this stuff off the top of my head anymore, but its all in the chart of drugs on my web page.
Matt
Posts: 106 | From The Moon | Registered: Sep 2002
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But I won't stay out of the woods and live in fear...in fact, I just bought 7 acres of woods a stone's throw from the national forest...I plan on spending the summer building a log cabin out there, and when I move out there permanently getting some guineas and chickens for tick control 
![[woohoo]](graemlins/woohoo.gif)
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just kidding!!]
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