Recent Lyme Disease Research News And Breakthroughs: Part 2

I first began blogging about notable Lyme research news and breakthroughs in November 2012, primarily for myself. And there has been some good news in the world of Lyme research. Good meaning research that reveals the truth about Lyme through the medium of science, which will hopefully lead to higher standards of care for patients, including better testing and treatment options.

Since first posting Part 1 in 2012, more revealing discoveries concerning Borrelia bacteria, Lyme disease, and other tick-borne infections have been published. All genuine research is undoubtedly valuable, but I've chosen five studies I personally think hold significance in the world of Lyme and tick-borne diseases. I'm sure there are more out there, but these are the ones I'm focusing on in this post. They're listed in the most recent order.

Please go here if you'd like to read Recent Lyme Disease Research News and Breakthroughs: Part 1. 

- Michelle


1.) Dr. Eva Sapi, Ph.D., professor and department head of Biology and Environmental Science at the University of New Haven in Connecticut, and her research team suggests the reason the Borrelia spirochetes that cause Lyme disease are often resistant to treatment is because they form a biofilm in the body that allows it to "hideout" from antibiotics.

Their new study, published February 9, 2016, in the European Journal of Microbiology and Immunology, is the first to demonstrate the presence of Borrelia biofilm in human infected skin tissues, confirming these structures can exist in the human body. 

That biofilm - which has a very protective layer you might call "slime" - actually makes the bacteria up to 1,000 times more resistant to antibiotics than other bacteria.

"These findings could change the way we think about Lyme disease," Sapi, who has chronic Lyme disease herself, said, "especially in patients where it seems to be a persistent disease, despite long-term antibiotic treatment. This recent finding could help to better understand how Borrelia can survive treatment and elucidation of the biofilm components and will provide novel therapeutic targets for chronic Lyme disease, with the hope of eradicating Borrelia in these patients."

UNH Research Confirms Lyme Disease Bacteria Biofilm in Human Body (University of New Haven Press Release, February 23, 2016)

Evidence of In Vivo Existence of Borrelia Biofilm in Borrelial Lymphocytomas (Akademiai: European Journal of Microbiology and Immunology, February 9, 2016)

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2.) Researchers at U.C. San Francisco and Johns Hopkins may have found a new way to diagnose Lyme disease based on a distinctive gene "signature" they discovered in white blood cells of patients infected with tick-borne bacteria. 

Dr. Charles Chiu, MD, Ph.D., an associate professor of laboratory medicine at UCSF, and lead investigator for the study, and Dr. John Aucott, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and senior investigator on the study, published these findings February 12, 2016, in mBio, a journal published by the American Society of Microbiology. 

In the study, researchers examined 29 patients before and after receiving a 3-week course of antibiotic treatment and then again 6 months later. Compared to patients with other active bacterial or viral infections, the Lyme disease patients had distinctive gene signatures that persisted for at least 3 weeks - even after taking antibiotics. Some differences in the transcriptome lingered for 6 months. 

"To our knowledge, this study is the first to document changes in gene expression occurring even after a bacterial infection has been treated with appropriate antibiotics," said Dr. Aucott.

Gene Signature Could Lead to a New Way of Diagnosing Lyme (University of California News, February 17, 2016)

Gene Discovery Could Point to New Lyme Disease Test (U.S. News and World Report Health, February 12, 2016)

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3.) Researchers from Rutgers University Public Health Research Institute at New Jersey Medical School are developing a vastly improved test for Lyme disease and associated pathogens Anaplasma and Babesia.

Dr. Nikhat Parveen, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics, and Dr. Salvatore A.E. Marras, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the same department, have been working on the new assay since 2006. Today, the test is significantly closer to widespread availability. It could still take a year or more before the assay is licensed and receives FDA approval.

What makes the test so important for Lyme sufferers or those suspected of having Lyme disease is its accuracy. Their assay is based on molecular beacons, which Marras compares to "little lanterns," that will light up when they encounter specific pathogens associated with Lyme, allowing this new blood test to reveal the presence of the bacteria themselves rather than just antibodies to them. Also, the test's ability to find and distinguish Anaplasma and Babesia makes it potentially valuable to blood banks, which at present have no way to test for these pathogens.

Lyme Aid (Rutgers Magazine, Rutgers University, New Jersey, Winter 2016 Issue)

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4.) Researchers at the University of California, Davis, led by Dr. Nicole Baumgarth, DVM, Ph.D., a professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine and an authority on the immune response to infectious diseases at UC Davis Center for Comparative Medicine, published findings from their mouse-based study July 2, 2015, in PLOS Pathogens, which demonstrated that an animal infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, the corkscrew-shaped bacteria that cause Lyme disease, launches only a short-lived immune response. That protective immunity against repeat infections quickly wanes. 

Bacteria initially triggered a robust immune response in the infected animal. Still, findings from this study indicate the bacteria soon cause structural abnormalities in "germinal centers" — sites in lymph nodes and other lymph tissues that are key to producing a long-term protective immune response. 

This discovery may explain why some human patients remain vulnerable to repeat infections by the same strain of bacteria.

Suppression of Long-Lived Humoral Immunity Following Borrelia burgdorferi Infection (PLOS Pathogens, July 2, 2015)

Lyme Disease Subverts Immune System, Prevents Future Protection (University of California Davis Press Release, July 2, 2015)

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5.) Dr. Kerry Clark, Ph.D., associate professor of public health at the University of North Florida, and his colleagues made a huge discovery and published their findings on May 13, 2014. Instead, I should say they made scientific confirmation of what many of us with Lyme already know. Lyme disease exists in people in southern states. 

Dr. Clark's research findings establish much-needed scientific credence. He has studied Lyme and other tick-borne diseases in the southeastern United States for the past twenty years. His findings are very significant because medical doctors and the CDC have said for years that Lyme is rare or nonexistent in the south.

Geographical and Genospecies Distribution of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato DNA Detected in Humans in the USA (PubMed, May 2014)

UNF Professor Confirms Lyme Disease in Humans from Southern States (University of North Florida Press Release, May 13, 2014)

Lyme Disease Confirmed in Humans From Southern States (Science Daily, May 2014)

Update On My Lyme Journey

It has been quite a while since I posted an update on my health and where I am in this Lyme journey. So I'll get straight to it.

I still have an active Lyme infection, even after three years of various kinds of treatment.

Long-term Lyme infection = chronic Lyme disease.

This was confirmed by a Ph.D. immune researcher (Dr. N) whom my doctor consulted with after I started breaking out with multiple large ring rashes on my back, chest, and abdomen during the past several months. Turns out, this is a sign of active Lyme. He said this happens when the body doesn't know what to do with the infection anymore, so it comes out through the skin (an organ itself).

He also told us some things we didn't know about how the Lyme infection has affected my immune system and how this happens when the Borrelia bacteria are in the body long term and isn't sufficiently treated or diagnosed correctly, to begin with, allowing greater dissemination. I think this is a common picture for many of us with chronic Lyme.

Dr. N says a long-term infection with the Lyme bacteria (Borrelias) confuses the immune system to such a degree; it causes it to "lose its intelligence." I'd never heard it put that way before, but I can see this is true.

Specifically, he told us the Lyme infection has caused my immune system to become stuck in a dominant Th2 (T-helper) cycle, an auto-immune cycle. He believes I've been stuck in this a very long time—years. This means my Th1 side is suppressed, and none of this is good because it creates a tremendous imbalance in how the immune system responds to pathogens, toxins, and allergens. One side of the immune system overacts, while the other underacts. If this goes on over time without correction, the immune system can literally burn itself out.

Interjection: I'm pretty sure God has been preserving me.

Interestingly, this explained some other issues I've had for years, like how I easily get and cannot get over certain infections, including some dormant infections that are chronically reactivated, particularly Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV). They can get layered in with the Lyme and other tick-borne co-infections. I've had respiratory infections I've never been able to recover from either fully, and now I know why—MTHFR mutations and this severe immune dysfunction, which is actually rooted in the Lyme infection itself.

T helper (Th) cells are immune cells. These cells are neutral until a pathogen (bacteria, virus, parasite, fungus), toxin, or allergen comes along, and they convert into either Th1 or Th2 cells, depending upon the threat.

Th1 cells fight viruses, cancer, yeast, and intracellular bacteria (bacteria inside cells that replicate like Lyme/Borrelias).

Th2 cells fight extracellular bacteria (bacteria that do not invade cells or replicate), parasites, toxins, and allergens.

Dr. Paul Cheney, M.D., explains immune dysfunction syndromes quite well. He says when a person is Th2 activated, they no longer have the defense mechanisms to keep dormant all the things caught in their past. They cannot suppress or control them anymore. Strep, EBV, CMV, etc., reactivate. Candida can also begin to appear. Go here to read more. If that link is broken, try here instead.

While I have had a few improvements, I am still unwell. But, as brutal as this all is, and as sick as I still am, I can't tell you how validating it feels to finally find a doctor who understands what long-term Lyme infections do to the immune and nervous systems—to my immune and nervous systems. 

Finally, somebody who has a deeper understanding of what's really been happening in my body! I'm so grateful to Dr. N. for the revelation he gave my doctor and me and for the time and expertise he graciously shared.

I am grateful to my doctor, too; I feel blessed to have her. She has walked with me through this for the past seven years that I've been seeing her. We've had many ups and downs, and over this last year, we both knew something else needed to be done. As she put it, while there have been some preserving benefits in my treatments, I'm still not getting well, which is a big problem. The fact that I was misdiagnosed for so long—16 years—has only complicated matters. For the record, she is the one who discovered I really have Lyme disease, which was a process in itself, but that's another story for another day. 

Clearly, a new protocol is in order, and I have started a new comprehensive treatment based on Dr. N's recommendations. It's totally herbal (with ongoing homeopathic and nutritional support), and while I've used some herbal therapies in the past, this is a protocol I've never done before. I have been on it for about a month now, and the most significant difference I can tell is that it's clearing up my Lyme rash. Nothing else helped before this.

Dr. N. laid out a very realistic picture of what he believes this treatment must entail. He said it must be comprehensive and not just focused on "killing" the Lyme bacteria, which is really difficult to do once Borrelia spirochetes invade the cells and replicate. It must also address inflammation, damage, and dysfunction in the entire nervous system and other affected organs and systems. And he said gaining back control of my immune system as soon as possible is highly crucial.

We already knew some of these things and have been working to accomplish them. However, Dr. N's insight into how the Lyme infection has affected my immune system changed how we look at the overall picture and proceed with a different treatment. It's like he's given us a huge, missing piece to this crazy, complicated puzzle; an essential element.

Our primary treatment keys:

1.) Treat the long-term Lyme infection as outright as possible using Berberine as a primary herbal antibiotic. Then switch to another herbal combo after 2 months. Back this up with homeopathic remedies.

2.) Reduce overall inflammation in the body, especially in my immune and nervous systems, including my brain. Dr. N says absolutely no one can fully heal or be well with high levels of inflammation in the body. We must also help repair and support the entire nervous system. This is a longer process.

3.) Correct immune dysfunction by helping restore intelligence back to the immune system. This will help with chronic viral infections as well as the Lyme infection.

According to Dr. N, we must do numbers one, two, and three simultaneously to be successful. And so we are. 

4.) Once my immune and nervous systems are stronger, we will start working to correct other dysfunctions in the body like adrenals, thyroid, liver, etc.

Also, maintaining the ability to detoxify is always near the top of the list. If one cannot detox, then one cannot heal. This is something we've been working on for a while and continue doing.

I'd be lying if I didn't say I felt somewhat disheartened by this, and that this has been going on for so long just adds to it; nineteen years total, to be exact. However, I knew deep down that the Lyme infection is still an issue for me because I know my body. If nothing else, this certainly speaks to the complexity and chronicity of Lyme disease. And it speaks of how stealth the Borrelia bacteria are, like it literally hijacks the immune system.

I know this has been rather long, and honestly, I wrestled with writing it because it takes a lot of energy to put it all together. Still, I needed to write an update, if only to document it all for myself. I will try to post periodic updates as I work through this new protocol.

Please pray for my endurance as it would be much appreciated.

I can't even begin to tell you the different treatments I've tried over the years (I know those of you who are also struggling with Lyme totally understand) and how I've worked my butt off to be well. So I really hope and pray this will be a key or at least a big step forward. Some days, it's just plain hard, but I'm still holding to my faith.

The Lord's brought me this far, and I know He will see me through.

With love,

Michelle

DesBio Lym Drops (Updated August 2014)

DesBio's homeopathic Lym drops (yes without the "e") have become such a helpful support in my overall Lyme treatment. It's not a cure all but I find it gives me some much needed relief; in particular it helps me when I'm having Lyme related headaches, eye sensitivity, and fevers. Not so much for fatigue.

Again this is not a stand alone treatment for chronic Lyme but rather a supportive therapy. Taking several drops three times a day yields the best results. But of course, each day is different and the benefits can last longer than others. So I take more drops at certain times than others. Some days, Lym is like a little miracle for me.

The point of all this being it helps to bring about some relief. And when you're suffering with a Lyme headache, ear pressure/fullness, sensitivity to light, fever or aching muscles and joints; any relief is welcome.

The deeper I go into treating my long term Lyme infection, the more I find I need this Lym homeopathic support. I honestly cannot be without these drops some days. When I don't take it, I suffer more; especially with headaches and light sensitivity. So I take it daily. Its as simple as that.

This is also great to have on hand for tick bites as you can apply drops directly to the site.

DesBio, short for Deseret Biologicals, makes many homeopathic, nutritional and botanical medicines. On a side note, they also make what are called Series Therapy kits for many different kinds of bacteria, viruses, etc. And they make one for Borrelia burgdorferi as well (which also includes Babesia). I treated with two of the different Borrelia Series Therapies (Basic and 1M) for over a year and it helped with certain things more than others. The biggest difference it made for me was in totally stopping a Lyme-related arrhythmia I had for two years prior to that time. My doctor and I didn't know Borrelia was at the root of the arrhythmia until it totally subsided after I started these potent homeopathic series therapies. That alone was huge!

I personally respond very well to homeopathic medicine. Certainly different things work for different people and I believe everyone has to do whatever works best for them. So anytime I find something that helps me in a significant way, I like to share it. And in sharing my own experience, I always hope it might be of help to someone else. If you've used Lym or any other DesBio products for Lyme disease, I'd love to hear if and how it's helped.

FYI: there are a few places online you can find this but otherwise; DesBio products are usually sold through healthcare professionals.

In love and hope,

~Michelle


*UPDATE - August 2014*

Desbio has recently changed LYM to Lyme Plus. The major difference is the adding of Babesia microti and Ehrlichia (thus the "Plus"), which makes this more comprehensive but is still different from the Series Therapies. I think it's a great formula to add as an aid to any Lyme disease treatment because many of us have Babesia and/or Ehrlichia infections as well. But remember; different things work for different people.

Hard Science On Lyme: Trials and Tribulations of Getting Borrelia Biofilms Accepted for Publication

Dr. Alan MacDonald, MD, shares an insightful, albeit frustrating article today on the blog, Hard Science On Lyme at LymeDisease.org. It goes along with my previous post of Dr. MacDonald's video interview on the biology of Lyme disease in which he discusses many things Lyme, including the role biofilms play in chronic Borrelia infections.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, as we in the Lyme community well know, Dr. MacDonald and Dr. Eva Sapi are audaciously leading the way in establishing the solid science of Lyme borreliosis. Eventually, the powers that be will have to acknowledge the truth of what they are scientifically proving.

I can't think of a more fitting quote right now than this one by Author Schopenhauer: "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. And third, it is accepted as being self-evident."

Thanks to LymeDisease.org for posting this article and always advocating for the truth of Lyme disease. The intro and link to the blog are below. ~ Michelle

In this guest blog, pathologist Alan MacDonald describes the struggle to publish the discovery of Borrelia biofilms and what the existence of these biofilms means for chronicity and treatment. Click here to read the full article.

iSpot Lyme: New Generation of Testing From NeuroScience, Inc.

NeuroScience, Inc recently anounced the release of a new, and suppossedly more sensitive, Lyme test called iSpot Lyme (TM).

NeuroScience states that iSpot Lyme has a sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 94% for the detection of Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb); making it an excellent complement to the current two-tiered antibody method of testing.

"The iSpot Lyme detects a cellular immune response against Lyme antigens, which appears earlier in the disease process (2 weeks) than the antibody response detected by the traditional Western Blot test (4-6 weeks). More importantly, iSpot Lyme can even detect antigen-specfic T cell response in seronegative patients" (iSpot Lyme: A New Approach to Lyme Disease Testing - The NEI Connection).

If this pans out, perhaps it will be the start of a new direction in better testing methods that will be more accurate and more widely available (being the standard and not the exception). And maybe it will lead to effectively testing for other strains of Borellia as well. That is much needed also. 

I've had good experiences in the past with other types of testing through NeuroScience (Pharmasan Labs). I think they hold a high standard in neurotransmitter testing. Perhaps they'll become a new high standard in accurate Lyme testing too. Let's hope so.

To read more about this new testing method check out iSpot Lyme: A New Approach to Lyme Disease Testing on The NEI Connection blog.

For more detailed information read the White Paper and download the PDF iSpot Lyme (TM): A New Generation of Lyme Disease Testing

When peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a B. burgdorferi-infected patient are exposed to B. burgdorferi protein antigens (A) B. burgdorferi-specific T cells are activated and secrete small proteins called cytokines (B) T cells that are not specific for B. burgdorferi do not become activated. iSpot Lyme (TM) measures the cytokine IFN-gamma secreted by the patient's T cells. Cytokine proteins (IFN-gamma) are captured near the cells that secreted them and are then detected using a color reagent (C).

Oral Spirochetosis, Lyme, and Other Chronic Diseases

I believe the book, The Stealth Killer: Is Oral Spirochetosis the Missing Link in the Dental and Heart Disease Labyrinth? is very relevant and important not only for those of us with Lyme but for everyone. It's definitely informative and seriously worth the read, in my opinion. Dr. William Nordquist, DMD, connects a big dot between spirochetes and many chronic diseases, including periodontal, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases.

Many of my major health problems began after having oral surgery in 1994. I did have optic neuritis before 1992, but the etiology could never be fully explained. The reason for the surgery was to remove an abscessed portion of bone from my maxilla (which, interestingly, was on the same side as the neuritis). Actually, there was more bone abscessed than the surgeon could initially tell from my x-rays. Of course, he later discovered this fact during the actual surgery. Afterward, I felt very ill. In fact, my recovery did not go well at all.

I tried returning to work two weeks later but took a medical leave of absence for over two months because I was just too exhausted, sick, and debilitated. I couldn't physically function.

After several rounds of labs, it appeared I had developed mono (Epstein-Barr) following the surgery, which was true. This was thought to be the sole reason for my feeling so badly and that I would recover in time. Little did I know; it was only the beginning.

I've never felt the same since.

And I've had so many questions.

Nineteen years later, I still have many questions. Yet I began digging even deeper after discovering chronic Lyme was at the root of my illness a few years ago (of course, we all know the complicating problem with undiagnosed or misdiagnosed Lyme disease is that it becomes chronic or persistent Lyme with multiple co-infections. And that's not even taking into account the weakening or damaging of cells, organs, and systems that occurs through the many taxing months and years of untreated chronic infections and inflammation).

Were oral spirochetes responsible for the abscess in my jaw?

Was Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), the Lyme bacteria, already present in my system before the surgery? Or other vector-borne bacteria or viruses, for that matter?

Did the invasiveness of that initial surgery (I had two other subsequent surgeries a few years later due to complications, but that's for another time) suppress my immune function, which in turn allowed the release of spirochetes more systemically?

I have my own thoughts about all of this. I've found some solid answers along the way, but I also have my arrived-at-answers too. You know, piecing together certain parts of this health puzzle yourself and arriving at the most apparent answer. Sound familiar?

And then there are those questions that still remain. And perhaps they always will. I'm not sure I'll ever find complete answers for them. Sound familiar too?

According to Dr. Dietrich KlingharM.D.M.D., Ph.D., one of the many presentations of Borrelia, as well as Babesia and Bartonella (two other tick-borne bacteria), can be "non-healing infections of the jaw bone, devitalized teeth, and dental pain."

The more I've researched, the more I've discovered that Borrelia (Lyme) spirochetes, among many things, like bone. A lot. Particularly bones of the jaw and hip. They seem to have an affinity for it. I've heard through the grapevine, if you will, some stories of others with Lyme disease who also had bone infections (osteomyelitis) of the jaw and/or hip. I directly heard a woman tell the story of her mother, who had spirochetes eat through the head of her femur to such a degree; she had to have a hip replacement. And then, the spirochetes began eating through the plastic part of the implant. Crazy!

This is what led me to find Dr. Nordquist's book, The Stealth Killer. Of course, it is written from a dental viewpoint, but that's precisely the point. He discusses, among many things, how all spirochetes, including oral spirochetes and Borrelia, the causative agent of Lyme, share similar, if not identical, survival strategies. Very interesting, don't you think?

When I first started reading it, my mouth dropped open. No pun intended. It spoke to me on so many levels because of the previous dental and jaw bone infections I'd had, as well as a heart arrhythmia I developed several years later. The arrhythmia continually grew worse over the course of two years, and we had no idea what was causing it.

In the meantime, Lyme came into the picture. Long story, but the arrhythmia totally subsided once I started on a Lyme treatment (specifically beginning with Borrelia Remedy Series Therapies from Desbio). It took about three months for my rhythm to completely correct itself, but it did indeed. That's when my doctor and I both knew the Borrelia bacteria had gotten into my heart tissue and was the source of this mysterious arrhythmia.

Dr. Nordquist has also co-written another relevant book that I've yet to read but plan to, The Silent Saboteurs: Unmasking Our Own Oral Spirochetes as the Key to Saving Trillions in Health Care Costs.

On a side note, Dr. David Jernigan, DC, wrote an interesting article entitled, Are You Harboring Bacteria in Your Teeth? that bears witness to this discussion. Beyond daily brushing and flossing, he recommends using a Waterpik Waterflosser Ultra with purified water and a cap full of Thieves Mouthwash, the highly anti-bacterial/anti-viral/anti-fungal essential oil blend, to eliminate any bacteria in the mouth, including Borrelia. This I have tried and like.

Dr. Douglas Martin, DDS, recommends brushing with baking soda and using a Waterpik with Dakin's solution (1 part Clorox to 20 parts water) to eradicate spirochetes, an oral care regimen advocated by Dr. Jurgen Slots, Ph.D., head of the Periodontics program at the University of Southern California. Click here to read more. While I often use baking soda to brush, I've never tried Dakin's solution. Anybody?

I share all this because I absolutely believe that spirochetes have played a role in my health problems from the beginning. And this isn't only a Lyme disease issue. I know many who've had similar experiences. I wonder how many people with Alzheimer's or arteriosclerosis or congestive heart failure, MS, or gingivitis actually have a problem with spirochetes of some kind?

Believe me, I clearly know and understand there are usually many factors that play a role in developing chronic illness. But I also believe there are key triggers involved in the process, including spirochetes. Knowing they can evade detection by the immune system and still cause major havoc in the body unbeknownst to the average person, including many doctors, is what makes me want to share this even more. I'd say stealth is a spot-on description.

I sincerely hope and pray the dental and medical fields will awaken more to this truth. And perhaps in doing so, more lives can be spared the tremendous suffering, debilitation, and loss that comes with pathogenic spirochetal infections like Borrelia, including oral spirochetes.

I'm certainly not advocating living in fear. That is no way to live. I won't. One has to choose to live in hope because there is always hope for something better despite all the difficulty, suffering, and uncertainty. And there are those wonderful doctors, researchers, scientists, and advocates who are diligently working for this very thing - something better. You and I are working for something better too; a better life for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for the next generation.

I have to keep hoping and believing. Let's hope and believe together.

Michelle

P.S. If any of you have had similar experiences that you want to share, I'd love to hear about them.

Hot Tea, Hot Compresses And Hot Ligaments: My Winter Health Update

Right now, I'm spending time focusing on what my body is most in need of. I'm more concentrated on what I can do at home to help aid this healing process. It is truly a full-time job. And while I've been doing many of these for several years, focusing on them more makes me realize just how helpful they really are. Call it intentional focusing.

Here's what I find the most beneficial and even necessary in many regards:

• Warm castor oil compresses on my liver (and sometimes spleen)
• Epsom Salt and aromatherapy baths
• Dry skin brushing
• Stretching 
• Standing; bearing weight
• Bouncing on my physio or Swiss ball to help with lymph movement
• Deep breathing exercises 
• Eating whole, healthy organic foods (always)
• Healthy alkaline smoothies and juices
• Resting as often as needed throughout the day (there's usually no other choice)
• Drinking hot teas (Green, Lemon, Ginger, Pu erh, Tulsi, Gotu Kola, etc.)
• Drinking a lot of pure water
• Spending time outside in the sunshine and fresh air
• Listening to soothing music
• Praying and meditating on God's Word 

Naturopathic and Homeopathic Medicine, Chiropractic, Massage Therapy, and other bodywork (Craniosacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, and Reflexology) are vital aspects of my health regimen. Yet, I believe what I do at home daily is equally as important. I know it is.

DOCTORS UPDATE:

I did come home with some new information from my last doctor's appointment over a week ago.

After a solid year of treatment, Lyme is still in my body. And it's still in my nervous system. We all know when Lyme is in the body chronically; it goes everywhere - organs, tissues, cells. It respects no boundary. As a friend of mine says, "It's a wicked stealth bacteria." You know I've been breaking since last September from my Lyme treatment for those who have regularly followed my blog. Specifically, the part of treatment targeted the strains of Borrelia as well as some co-infections. However, when Dr. P muscle tests me about going back on that part of the treatment protocol, my body emphatically says no. My biggest question regarding this is why? If the Lyme is still in my body, why doesn't it want more of the Lyme treatment?

She believes this indicates that part of the treatment has done its job of pulling out Lyme particles from deep within my cells, tissues, and organs and brought them to the forefront. And now we must support my immune system to do its job of cleaning it up if you will.

Enter new immune support, MycoSurge (a liquid blend of 12 immune modulating mushrooms). I've only been on it a week so far, but I'm really excited about seeing how it will help my immune function. We'll see how it goes.

On another note, Dr. P is still concerned about my liver. This is based on labs, muscle testing, and my symptoms. She believes the Lyme has damaged the nerves that feed my liver. I feel viruses are also playing a role in assaulting my liver cells, namely Epstein-Barr and CMV. She believes having a healthy, optimal functioning liver means better health overall. And I agree. This is a major focus for us. We're also using MycoSurge as new liver support as well.

Still seeing my chiropractor, too. We had to stop the visceral adjustments; they were way too much for me. My liver couldn't keep up with a load of toxins being dumped after each adjustment. So Dr. R tried a new, less invasive technique right before Christmas - The Logan Technique. I had never heard of it. Basically, he holds light pressure for several minutes on the Sacrotuberous ligament, located at the back of the pelvis on each side. Literally, they run right up against each buttock. These ligaments anchor the sacrum to the bones of the pelvis. As I understand it, this technique is said to realign the pelvis and reduce tension on the spine. This relaxes muscles of the low back and pelvis and balances the spine itself, which would affect the peripheral nervous system and influence the organs those nerves feed. Let me say this: something shocking and pleasantly unexpected happened after the first time.

I had a contracture in my right knee for several years that took me a long, painful time to work through physical therapy. It's 85-90 percent better. No one would probably notice it at first, but I cannot straighten my right leg completely. To put it another way, my right leg is a little shorter than my left.

After Dr. R did this Logan Technique, I came home and laid down to rest and noticed my right knee felt really weird. I mean, something felt very odd. And then it hit me; the back of my right knee was touching the bed. That hasn't happened in years. My leg was completely straight! In all honesty, it felt too long. Like out of proportion long. Normal is weird when you've not had it in a very long time.

Unfortunately, it didn't stay that way. After a day and a half, it went back to the way it was. But how amazing that I could straighten my leg completely after all these years, if only for a couple of days!!! And after only one treatment! Very profound. My right hamstring has been aching off/on a great deal since. I view this as positive. Like we are awakening things or restimulating them. Stay tuned for more on this. If that happened after only one treatment, what might happen after several more?

I haven't been back to my chiropractor yet, but I'm anxious to tell him what took place and excited to see what will happen after another treatment. I hope and pray my leg will straighten permanently. This is one of the most exciting things that's happened to me physically in a while.

As far as how I'm feeling goes...

1. I don't feel quite as inflamed since being on the Lyme protocol. Despite eating a healthy, whole organic diet for many years, despite being on antivirals and every known supplement to man, inflammation was still such a significant issue for me until I started treating Lyme. Truly, Lyme is an inflammatory disease. 
2. I'm not running fevers as frequently. 
3. Fatigue is always present on some level, but I must say, overall, it is more moderate in intensity as compared to the many years of severe and debilitating fatigue I've endured. That is definitely a blessing beyond words!! I still have days to contend with the more profound, debilitating fatigue, but it's not a daily occurrence now. I often wonder how I ever survived when it was? I can actually take a shower and not be totally wiped out. I can make my own smoothies and juice. Small steps.
4. I do believe Cataplex B (Standard Process) is helping my energy too. And I can tell it is helping better support my nervous system as I've had a decrease in burning, numbness, and tingling since being on it. Good stuff.
5. My liver is still problematic. Spleen is somewhat better, but one often affects the other because it and the liver share common blood vessels. My liver seems to be functioning better at times, and others, I can tell it's very sluggish and congested. Sometimes, it just aches, as does my spleen. However, the warm castor oil compresses help very much. In fact, the constant puffiness over the front of my liver has gone down since doing the compresses. And my body had actually formed visible blood vessels there, the big puffy kind, which Dr. P was really concerned about. GONE. The only thing I've done differently is the castor oil compresses. She told me to continue doing them indefinitely.
6. I still have days I don't feel well at all. I still get wiped out at times. But I'm so thankful I'm not running fevers as often and that I have some better energy. Hallelujah! Or, as Tyler Perry says, "Hallelujer!"

Any positive, lasting change is very encouraging after so many years of ups and downs, trial and error, crashed expectations, disappointments, misdiagnosis, etc., etc., etc.

I We could write a novel, huh?

Lyme disease is taxing in every way and requires perseverance, resources, and a consistent support system. In my opinion, it also requires supernatural help from the Lord.

I will overcome this with continued perseverance and especially God's help.

Michelle Holderman
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