|
Post by dcmetro on Sept 22, 2006 22:20:10 GMT -5
Hello to everyone in cyberspace who is suffering from Lyme or other bizarre illnesses, I am a 28 year old woman living in the dc metro area who had been mildly ill for 6 years and severely ill for two years. I recently received a Lyme diagnosis from an integrative doctor in DC after a multitude of top doctors in the Washington region couldn't pinpoint what was wrong with me. I suffer from polyneuropathy (tingling, prickling, numbness,), joint pain, tendonitis, chest pain, cognitive problems, and night sweats, etc. Although I suspected Lyme, I kept believing in the negative test results I would receive. I now have a positive test result from Igenex. I am sure many of you can relate to my experience. I have many questions and thoughts about Lyme disease. Namely, is this curable? Do I have a chance? Is it possible that I have some gov. engineered form of the bacteria since I have the nerve damage? I am extremely angry and once I get it together, I would love to contribute some way or another to the Lyme community. Lyme has made me a grad school drop-out, barely holding on to my job in government contracts. I am so very angry, because I feel that something is amiss with this disease. I am usually straight-laced, but in this instance, I feel something is very wrong. www.myspace.com/iamcrystal77
|
|
|
Post by betsy on Sept 22, 2006 23:33:31 GMT -5
Welcome- Good, we'll saddle that anger and put it to use. Hi- I'm Betsy and usually go to the Morgellons posting site below rather than Lyme. However, lately, I have had a lot more Lyme-like symptoms and so have started to check the Lyme site posts. (Actually, I may have had Lyme for several years prior to the Morgellon infestation but I worked around it. I am not positive if the Morgellons carried the Lyme, too or if I actually had it previously. Some of my Lyme symptoms are fatigue,brainfog, dizzy/woozy, balance, stiff neck, sore and stiff back, lower abdominal discomfort, etc.
Kerry is the expert on Lyme. Maybe she will see your post and respond. Do you know how to send a PM (personal message)? If so, GlennB on the Morgellon site below has read a book on some activity with the military and an accidental release of Lyme some time back. He could probably fill you in as to the title of the book. I'll try to send him a PM and ask him to check your post and respond with the title.
I know what you mean about negative tests until you hit the right lab. I had been told several times that my Lyme test came back negative until I crossed paths with someone who specializes and referred me to IgeneX. Actually I had no idea I had Lyme but started checking Lyme as it was coupled with Morgellons. I saw the specialist once but still couldn't believe I had Lyme. It took me six months more to start antibiotics. I only took them for 3 months (monitored by a general practitioner who is not able to provide a lot of Lyme expertise--he thought 3 months would do the trick). I have now been off them for one month. The Lyme and Morgellon symptoms seem to be resurfacing. In order to get continuous care and monitoring, I may have to make the commitment to travel by plane to the person who has more expertise. It's tricky getting help with Lyme. It also gets pretty expensive since the doctors are fairly scarce.
Back to your original comments- I don't know enough about Lyme to understand if there is some foul play involved. However, in terms of Morgellons, I favor the genetic engineering theory. I think we not only have an unidentified pathogen or pathogens, but it was put together or modified in a lab. Whether it was accidentally released or deliberately released for industry and accidentally got vectored into our bodies I do not know. It is too weird to be a normal pathogen. If it were normal, someone in the whole country would know something about it.
It is difficult to find Lyme Literate doctors for chronic Lyme. It is impossible to find medical help for Morgellons as medically it does not exist. The two diseases are linked together in many of the sufferers. What is the connection?
Once again-welcome. Betsy PS- What was your field of study for the masters prior to the chronic Lyme problems? .
|
|
smkie
Full Member
Posts: 118
|
Post by smkie on Sept 24, 2006 19:52:40 GMT -5
i have a question..how much cats claw is the right amout? i was lucky enough to have a health food store donate me a box to see if it helps..i was horrified at the price! IT is the toa free that i read was recommended. I have been taking it for a week now but even with the salt and c am not seeing any real dent in my illness. They are 20 mgs 3 times a day recommended..can i take more? I haven't found a doc worth his salt..sigh..yet so i am clueless about most of this.
|
|
|
Post by betsy on Oct 2, 2006 21:28:33 GMT -5
Smkie- I don't know about dosage of cat's claw for Lyme. Evidentally Lyme people are not posting too much on this site. Sure wish I could help you. Maybe Speculatin could help you if you send her a PM. Do you know how to send a PM? Betsy
|
|
|
Post by Patti on Oct 5, 2006 13:47:10 GMT -5
Smkie, I think that whatever dose you settle upon, it needs to be started out very low and increased gradually in order to minimize the herxing (die-off of toxins) affect. Many people get symptoms like insomnia, nervousness, and heart palpitations if they increase their dose too quickly. You also must be sure to drink plenty of water with this.
I have heard that the average dose of the tincture for Lyme is 5 drops 3 times a day, on up to 15 drops per day. As for the tablets, I think that after one week on your current dose, you might want to try increasing it to 40mg, 3 times a day now and see what happens. If you notice any side effects, maybe just increase one of your daily doses until you can get the protocol adjusted to your system.
One of our members, JWF, should see this before too long and I'm sure he will be able to help you more. Good luck, I sure hope you start to see some positive results soon.
|
|
|
Post by jwf on Oct 5, 2006 14:57:27 GMT -5
Hi Smkie,
Our rule of thumb for taking herbs that cause a herx is: Take the most that you can tolerate; this will bring the fastest healing. Of course it's good to pay attention to detoxing, so garlic, grape seed extract, NAC, triphala, and a few other supplements we've mentioned should be considered.
This approach follows Dr. Jemsek's technique for adjusting antibiotic type and amount for Lyme patients. If you're not herxing then you can't count on any progress.
With Cat's Claw I went from 4 to 50 drops/ day (Samento), and when the herxing stopped I just started taking the RainTree Cat's Claw capsules for maintenance (3-4/ day).
Be sure to check the General Health board for many of the posts on these ideas. The search function on this site works very well and is a power- ful tool to get some good ideas for healing.
Blue Skies..............John
|
|
smkie
Full Member
Posts: 118
|
Post by smkie on Oct 9, 2006 11:13:02 GMT -5
Thank you all for the information. I decided that things were worse then i had origanally thought and sought out a lyme doc thanks to the credit card. If the pain in my legs back and head have anything to do with this i think i hope that the kitchen sink i threw at it is working. If it is i have lymebusters to thank for saving my life. I am taking the anitbiotics the doc perscribed as well as the cats claw and salt and c. I want my life back. THe good news is all my lesions have healed up but one and it is on it's way. That has to be a good sign that this is working.
|
|