Lyme Journal... Shooting From the Hip
What an unbelievable journey into feeling lousy and forsaken, in some strange ways. Suddenly. "Shh. I complained to myself, wasn't my endocervical cancer ten years ago enough medical drama?" What is the purpose of this event in my life? Not only does my Government want me to die undiagnosed, (the tests are unreliable) untreated, (hard to find a Lyme Literate Doc, or to afford one) attack the doctors that are having success and believe in and treat 'chronic Lyme', and even remove Lyme as the cause of death on the certificate, I have an 'infectious disease", and am unwanted in many circles. With the cough that comes up mainly when I'm tired, stressed, try to talk or try to lay down to sleep, suddenly, I am leery of passing it to someone else. Like my new little grandson.
(The cough could be caused by Borrelia, Candida, Mycoplasma, Roundworms, or ? Just a little much to deal with. I have to find the humor. I've had to learn a lot with this disease. ) Along with humor, I have to accept with chronic pain and fatigue, my tether is shorter, and I have less patience.
** (Cough: parasite cleanse and vitamin d, c and Coq10. CoQ 10 gives energy to the cell and helps get rid of that coongestion on and in your lungs. Hot herbal tea. Hydrate. Exercise to move blood flow and oxygenate.)
I had to hand this new grandbaby back to his parents when the asthmatic-like cough felt like it was coming up, and wear a scarf around my mouth. I think my cough began with a toxic exposure, but got really awful with clear really thick congestion.
Tears, sexual activity, kissing, (body fluids) sharing drinking glasses or utensils, mother's milk and crossing the placenta. These are all areas thought to pass this Borreliosis infection.
**I want to know how long Borrelia can survive when exposed to oxygen, outside the blood and body fluids?
**Most people are in the dark when it comes to how Borrelia can be transmitted. Infectious or contagious? Transferable by fluids can mean kissing, sexual contact, coughing, saliva and blood, breast milk or unpasteurized milk from an infected animal, placental blood. Whole families have Lyme without each member being bitten by a tick.
If your doctor tells you that since you didn't have a bullseye rash you don't have Lyme, know that only roughly 50% of people with Lyme get that Erythema Migrans rash. Find a more knowledgeable doctor.
Another large TRUTH: The US doesn't screen its blood supply for Lyme (Borrelia Burgdorferi).
In 1983? when I gave birth to my 6th child, my youngest son, (the father of the new little lad they call their 'little BLT', short for his long name), the placenta had come half way off when my water broke. I got to the hospital Feb. 14th at 12:00 AM, and my son was taken C-section at 12:31 AM. The blood loss almost killed me. Were the truth to be told, the disturbing revelations in my marriage directly before this birth, made me lose some of my will to live. My blood pressure looked non-existent, the Doc doing the surgery cut mistakenly into my bladder, but somehow after blood and 2 units of Pack Cells, Mom survived. My little son was laying in a pool of blood, limp, when they rescued him. Though their APGAR scores foretold of possible trouble, that same son is happily married, and is now a new practicing Attorney.
Who knows what conglomeration was in those 2 units of 'pack cells'?
About 6-7 years after this birth and blood transfusion, being single, I had a Western Blot done for HIV. There were bands in my blood, but they were 'atypical' of HIV. No one ever told me what they were indicative of. Lyme can be carried for years.
(No matter what testing circus your doctor may want to put you in, ONE band is indicative of Lyme.) See Dr.'s Study pasted at the end of this post, below.
The corkscrew Spirochetes nestle down in cyst form, deep in connective tissue. Upon a stressful event-surgery, a trauma, an emotional loss or grief, or some affront to the person, Borrelia can use this opportune time when the immune system is compromised, to unleash with a vengeance, and tear through any tissue faster than blood.
(Or, Borrelia and friends can be shared by that infective nymph- stage tick, 10-14 days later on average, 40-50% of people will get a bullseye rash, and then a menu of symptoms will ensue. 70% of people get a severe arthritis that migrates to all or most joints if left 'untreated'. Muscles can waste
But throwing (treating) Doxycycline at Borrelia is just threatening it, and it covers itself with a hard cyst-like covering or throws down particles with the DNA to produce new spirochetes, or it hides in red or white blood cells, tissues and bone marrow. A reduction of symptoms doesn't mean it's eradicated. (A recent Hansa Center article stated a study showed a 100% infection with the spiral Lyme organism, seen in the blood no matter what treatment-HBOT, antibiotics, herbal, Rife, etc. July/2015.)
Testing: The Physician writing on the Western Blot (end of post) gives important information about this test, when to send the blood in, why the choice of labs is important, that anti-biotics killing some of the Borrelia will help the immune system create antibodies and show a positive, that repeat tests should clear the antibiotics out of the blood first..
This sounds like a contradiction. Antibiotics may help convert the test to
**A better test may simply be a culture of your blood as reported by a nurse I talked to, today. After various tests and doctors and years of suffering, she sent blood to a Pennsylvania Lab from which they grew Borrelia.)
www.advanced-lab.com/spirochete.php
855-238-4949
I had two stress-filled events the last part of March. Overnight, it seemed like my muscles were suddenly deteriorating after use, not healing (especially my biceps, calf and main upper leg muscles), the connective tissue behind my knees became stiff and rigid and my knees swelled so that it was painful and impossible to fully bend them, the connective tissue in my neck would pop and my neck was really stiff. Even the inside connective bands that hold the legs in line were stiff and hurting.
Overnight, I went from having no pain as a woman who was almost 60, and could move like a 20-30 year old, to someone who was partially disabled, like an arthritic 80-year old. Both hips and arm sockets felt like I had grown a full set of arthritic spurs. Quite a thorough feast for the Bb's.
I could have also gotten this Lyme infection when I lay out in the sun in my backyard on a blanket in the grass in March sometime. Or, it could be a reinfection because of the symptoms before...the Bullseye rash. My life has always seems more complicated than it needs to be. March is when Portland, Oregon was getting the usual peek of sun, and then overcast weather and rain. Sun-starved, I lay out one day, and became tired, and allowed myself to drift off, as the weather turned a bit windy. I brought both ends of the blanket over me at that point for warmth, and took a Sunday nap. Ticks can be the size of a poppy seed. I feel like I have paid for finally relaxing.
With my severe overnight arthritis coming two weeks before...the bullseye rash, I either had a toxic exposure, or a reinfection, or both I believe. Later I learned the ratio of Borrelia to my own body was extremely high which indicates a long-term infection. With a toxic exposure and symptoms and then a bullseye, it makes me wonder how I could be so blessed? My karma has been historically clumsy and ill-timed.
**Note: A next door neighbor who grew up in New Jersey said when he was a kid they would put down a blanket in the woods, and the ticks would attach themselves to the blanket. They like the warmth of the body. Had I known.... However, because of the high ratio of Lyme to my body parts, I probably was infected years before through a blood transfusion and had both a toxic exposure and emotional upheavels right before I was re-infected after laying out in the Spring on that blanket. A man I met that is a Tracker w/ his two dogs has been reinfected at least a dozen times. The Tetracycline given to him finally by the VA has helped, but not cured his infection, because of his symptoms of arthritis and memory problems. Sometimes coming out of the woods or wet areas he and his dogs would have 50-100 ticks on them.
I don't have any pets, but since I've moved in, some of my inconsiderate neighbors have allowed their animals to use my backyard as a toilet. Maybe they let the animal out at night, and it finds its way over, I don't know. But between the fleas and cats at large and amount of dogs here, it's a breeding ground for trouble. It's not just deer that carry ticks. Birds, dogs, etc. are carriers, and then there is the new evidence that fleas, gnats, mosquitos, horseflies, etc. are also carriers.
It's also a bad idea to walk or sit under trees, or sit in close proximity to dry oak leaves, etc. Walking through brush or grass can bring contact with ticks, etc. Pants need to be tucked into socks. Wide-brimmed hats.
Taking a good multi-vitamin and a B complex is a good idea, and using lavender oil, etc. before going outside.
Now, Borrelia is not the only one that comes 'to the party'. There are what are called "co-factors" or co-infections, like other bacteria and parasites that add to the misery of the infected person, and making it hard to diagnose. And, yes, people can be infected multiple times.
THIS is one of the reasons a Dark Field Microscope is needed in EVERY case of Lyme: To hopefully verify Borrelia, and to identify the co-factors. A drop of blood on a glass slide, so the truth is seen. But, it is not always found. How else would a Medical Doctor know how or what...to treat? While it is true the symptoms may indicate Babesiosi or Erlichia, etc., I am one to want to know the beast I am fighting. Now I hear that the Borrelia may not be seen in a drop of blood, and that there are multiple strains of the types of Borrelia. (100 different Genomes) So, that is why my Doc suggested not to spend $750-850 on tests, but on the treatment, and to rebuild my immune system. I still think infected people should have affordable, reliable tests to specifically treat all that's there. Blind treatment is not good practice. It's not just about 'building the immune system and detoxing', it's about killing the specific pathogens that are making you sick. Changing the environment to alkaline with diet and juicing, killing the parasites, etc. is important, but knowing what you are infected with is pretty basic, as bacteria, virus and parasites respond differently to various treatments. The Lyme spirochete is a stealth warrior, for instance, and has to be treated with a pulse-type schedule. On. Off for 24-36 hrs, then on, even doing parasite cleanses before, during and after a full moon.
AFTER treatment, do NOT think because symptoms have retreated, that your Lymes and co-factors are erradicated. That is a cheap lie or denial, and a danger to you and your loved ones. Why would anyone want to pass this miserable disease onto loved ones, like a sexual partner, or a friend, grandchild, etc., or have it return with a vengeance? Perhaps like HIV, if one gets the 'numbers' down, and the bugs aren't 'active', the chance for transmission is less, but I am more demanding when it comes to being responsible, because I don't want to pass this on. With a previous cough that comes up, like asthma, and then a sudden cough w/ my Lyme, I just work at covering my mouth, and hope to build my immune to the point that coughing is no longer part of my life. Moving away from the cigarette smoke in this small community will help. Flying in an airplane w/ everyone's aftershave, perfume, cigs, etc. is a challenge for me, as I've recently flown out-of-state for treatment. I had my mouth covered the whole flight. I wonder how many have gotten infected by things other than a tick bite.
Dr. Lee Cowden, a Cardiologist, has developed a 190-day Protocol, for instance, with Microbials vs Antibiotics that can ruin the Immune System and can cause C-Diff, etc. After 3 courses of treatment, he smashed the red blood cells under the microscope, and found Borrelia hiding inside them. He then lengthened his treatment, and retested. Still he could only ensure about a 90% kill, which means they can regroup and resurface, like their cousin, Syphilis. This is science- NOT getting relief and having some ignorant Medical Doctor assure you that you're well. Some doctors are now saying perhaps 93% of our population has Lyme, and it has just not emerged yet. A family can have it, and it can look different, as Lyme attacks the weakest areas of the body.
From my few facts above, I think you can imagine why this disease is isolating and lousy.
Within 12 hours, Borrelia is said to be in the frontal lobe of the brain. It's waste and life cycle create neurotoxins, causing brain fog, anxiety and depression. Mine gives me a sleeping-like sickness. An hour after breakfast, I want to lay down. I feel like a zombie. I can sleep till 1 or 2 pm in the afternoon instead of getting up in the morning, and have now set an alarm. I never want to move when I wake, as it hurts almost everywhere. If I don't move, or get my exercise in like a walk, I will feel more stiff and painful. However, if I do too much, I pay for it for 1-3 days. One of the early symptoms I had was using muscles, and feeling sore for days, like the torn muscle fibers were not healing.
For a long time I didn't have any appetite. I lost at least ten pounds. (See update. 25 lbs.) I will list my symptoms, so you can see how 30+ symptoms might feel like to deal with, with this Lyme. Besides looking disabled for some, and exhausted in the face and eyes, or having neural Lyme and having them rip through nerves and give the person a Bell's-like Palsy or seizures, it's hard to empathize when someone looks somewhat normal.
Ignorant doctors who don't know what to do, how to diagnose or treat, often throw abuse onto the Lyme-infected person by saying it is mainly psychological, they must want attention, or they should see a Mental Health Professional. These Medical Personnel need to be written up with their Licensing Boards. I ran into one who is not practicing any more after twenty years, which is a gift for those he would harm. I was discussing my research on Lyme since I'd become infected with it, and suddenly he got up saying he had lots to do, and that I'd find my problems were mainly "psychological". Poor guy. I was giving him a summary of Dr. Cowden's findings, and he didn't want to hear the last sentence. He said he wrote books now for preventative health. With his AMA/Western Medicine outlook, he should just stop writing, and explore some alternative research instead of disseminating more bogus information.
Warning: (A slight diversion:) During our conversation in a Happy Valley New Seasons eating area, I brought up my problem with Michelle Obama's 'plan' for kids' health, as the GMO foods, especially High Fructose Corn Syrup with its Glyphosate/Roundup cause cancer and obesity. What good food choices are there any more? The former Doc pointed to New Seasons. I told him not everyone can afford these prices, and you still have to be diligent to find the #9 in front of fruit, like grapes from Mexico, as it's not all 'Organic'. Our school lunches are not offering organics. What do the Obama kids eat?
........... Back to Lyme Disease, or Borreliosis....
A normal experience is going to 6-30 doctors, spending out-of-pocket or more/less till Mr. Piggy Bank is empty, (or facing bankruptcy from traveling to doctors and expensive medications and supplements and tests) until perhaps a Naturopathic Doc is consulted, co-infections found, supplements, detoxers, enzymes to destroy the microfilms housing lots of Lyme and friends and anti-parasitics are given. (See the Documentary a young husband filmed, below. They were from Canada, spent over $300,00 and suffered for years). Many don't have this energy or money or family support, and just give up. Some suicide. The young woman in the documentary shown below, suffered terribly, passing out 6-7 times a night w/ the pain level, seizuring, etc. Not until the newly- consulted U.S. Naturopath put her blood under a microscope and discovered the Malaria-like Protozoa co-infection, did she get anti-parasitics and began to get better.
Whether it's Teasel Root Tincture, Olive Leaf, Pao D'Arco, Neem, Serrapeptase to dissolve Biofilms, Zeolite for heavy metal removal, Timed multiple Antibiotics for 6 weeks that take into account the reproductive cycles of Borrelia and coaxing it into the vulnerable soft body form (because w/ threat, Borrelia hides in Red or White Blood Cells, or forms a rough fibrin coating our Immune System won't recognize or an L-form cyst that keeps safe), 190-day Cowden Protocol, or Macrophages/Homeopathics acting as 'Assassins' from Hansa Center's Dr. David Jernigan, Dr. Dietrich Klinghart's wisdom, Diet and exercise to strengthen, or a $20 bottle of MMS (Sodium Chlorite (I always want to say Sodium Chloride. Must be the residual brain fog. lol)) etc. there are many success stories out there. I've been researching a bit. Below is the success story of Karen Allen of 'Indiana Jones' fame. She had a headache for two years and multiple symptoms before zapping for 4 hours, and losing all her symptoms within 48 hrs. The headache was gone in the morning. Her story in video interview is below. She hasn't been sick in ten years.
Despite the disinformation from the CDC like the number of people infected per year (about 300,000 estimated) , or total infected, (Germany had 1 million new cases in 2012) or people that die of Lyme, and their strange little IDSA....lying conflict-of-interest-laden panel and many clueless "Lyme Literate" docs, there is hope with applied knowledge.
Some don't get the bullseye rash. Those w/ the target-like phenomena say it feels hot, but doesn't hurt. I had one appear on my left leg AFTER the arthritis hit. It was April 15th, and the Mt. Hood ER Doc gave me 1 week of Keflex for "Cellulitis". He based this diagnosis on the fact that the center silver dollar size rash was hot, and my arthritis appeared first. Well, people can be reinfected or bitten more than once, and who knows how my individual response played out, and why.
"What do you want me to do?", he asked. "Rule out Lyme Disease", I said. That's for your Primary Care Doctor. We have no way to test it here. I felt like he was a waste of my time. Maybe he was angry because I told the intake gal that I would be asked....before any procedure was done or 'scrip' written, because it's my body. Doctors kill a lot of people. They are not Gods in my eyes.
I had no Primary Care Doctor.
Lyme transmission is not just from ticks any more. Asians w/Lyme come to the US having being bitten by fleas and gnats. Spiders, horse flies, mosquitos, etc. are possible transmitters and Lyme is in every country and state. Many Doctors and lay people think Lyme is just on the 'East Coast'.
Everyone has different symptoms of Lyme, with some more usual ones like fatigue, muscle and joint aches, a stiff neck or stiff ligaments on each side of the knees w/ fluid that gathers behind them. Symptoms often rotate or migrate, and can change overnight. The spirochete feeds and moves on. It's said they like the oxygen-scarce connective tissue. Starting each morning deep breathing, and exercise is important.
My Symptoms So Far...
*Bullseye Rash on left leg. Grew to be about 6-7". 3 weeks after...
*Hard arthritis in hip, knee and arm joints.
*Lack of healing in Muscles.
*Atrophy and stiffening of muscles. Causes other muscles to be pulled out of place.
*Myalgia. It travels.
*Stiffening of connective tissue behind knees.
*Fluid behind knees. Sometimes in right foot. (Do bicycle exercises on your back, before getting up in the morning. Slowly...respecting your damaged muscles and connective tissue...)
*Stiffening of neck/Meningitis.
*Headache
*Body Aches
*Fever
*Night Sweats.
*They're in my heart. Causes racing heart and odd rhythms.
*Strange loss of sight temporarily in my left eye.
They're in my eyes. Especially the left. (Led to floaters and then a serious Retinal Tear. See Update)
*Loss of Appetite. No interest in liquids. Easy to shut down.
*Between loss of appetite, sleeping for hours and missing mealtimes, fatigue and chronic pain I lost 10 lbs. Update: 25 lbs.
*Lethargy. Don't feel like doing much. Making meals is a hardship.
*Fatigue. Want to sleep all the time. Feels like some sleeping sickness.
*Swelling and dislocation of Jaw.
*All dental work feels like it's leaking.
*Can't eat solid food for 2+ weeks. Can hardly talk.
*Throat on fire for 2-3 weeks.
*Lymph nodes in neck on fire for 2-3 weeks.
*Sore shoulder, back and neck muscles. They atrophy and lack range of motion. Have to support my right arm to turn on shower.
*Instant cough. Cough till vomiting sometimes. Thick clear mucous-like a biofilm.
*Strange nerve sensations in face.
*Strange nerve sensations like crawling and numbness on head.
*Hair hurts. Can't brush it, and can't reach with right hand to brush.
*Extended, angry veins on sides of forehead.
*Brain Fog, like I'm observing my life vs. living it. I'm slow and feel like I'm fading.
*A bit depressed. Especially when I feel isolated or contemplate the damage. I figure I'll be around as long as I'm supposed to. The unknown causes anxiety. Chronic pain causes depression and sleep problems.
Who wouldn't feel depressed when we're sick, tired and in pain, and can't find trained doctors who know what tests to use, how or when to test, nor how to treat this Borrelia infection w/ it's 60+ co-infections. The ignorant 'Doctors' want to divert their lack of knowledge by saying it's psychological.
*Disabled-vulnerable to walk down stairs, down a street or to cross the street. Couldn't walk faster if a car veered towards me. Very scary to get into the bathtub. Can't imagine what a fall would do with these stiff joints.
*Can hardly bend over to pick up anything, put on shoes and socks, etc. Takes a long time. Can't kneel down, get up from the floor easily, couldn't make my bed for months or look on any bottom rack of the refrigerator. No bent over and forward motions. *Disabled range of motion. Very stiff.
I have to lift my legs into my car and to get into the shower.
*Emotionally vulnerable. Cry more easily, b/c of chronic pain.
Relief: Soak in a hot bath of Epsom Salts. Throw Alfalfa tabs in the tub. Take Alfalfa or make Alfalfa tea. It is very alkalinizing. It helps arthritis. Buy a meal out if you have to. Stay away from GMO's and more poisons. ie: Panera has good soups. Fruit at Farmer's Markets. Juice! Cucumbers are very alkalinizing. Drink Protein Smoothies and take supplements. Salads. Take a Probiotic or eat fermented foods. Research and listen. Rest. Listen to good music. Walk like your life depended on it, slow or slower. Get sun. Massage is wonderful. Watch movies to get your mind off this Lyme visitor. Read some new books. Have coffee w/ friends. Sometimes a bit of organic coffee will keep you going past the Sleeping Sickness stage. Limit coffee and caffeine. Try and hydrate. Herbal tea-Sun tea or iced-Non-caffeinated is good. Juice. Water. Remember. Despite the disease inviting you to sleep your life away, slowly get up, get a hot shower and greet the day.
Plates of fruit and snacks. Cheese, nuts, veggies, etc. Hummus, boiled eggs/deviled eggs, Roasted chicken, salads, etc. Look in cookbooks or online to see what appeals to you. I was grateful for meal shakes and Non-GMO soy protein shakes from Shaklee. Juice gives almost instant nutrition with little energy needed, so the immune can work elsewhere.
Probiotics are critical! Balancing gut flora creates an immune system that operates at optimal levels. I like Shaklee's Optiflora. Fermented foods.
CoQ10 helps heart health and creates energy at the cellular level.
Vitamin C. I like Shaklee's 500 mg. Sustained Release.
Anti-inflammation/anti-cancer Tea:
Boil 1-1.5 c. of water and simmer 5-7 min. after adding 1/4 tsp. Turmeric, and 1/4 tsp. Ginger or freshly grated Ginger root. (Sometimes I use both forms). Strain into your coffee cup and add a dollop or so of coconut milk.
Ahhhh. Good for you.
Another good idea: Make sun tea w/ non-caffeinated herbals.
One of my favorite juices:
Juice either by hand or in a juicer:
2 grapefruits and 2 limes. (Peeled if thrown into the elec. juicer)
Meanwhile, bring to a boil and then simmer 1 c. water, 3T. raw sugar (can add honey or Stevia as last step to mixing juice and this mixture. I like the clear taste of the raw sugar.) Grate 2-3 Tbsp. fresh ginger and simmer with water and sugar. Cool this in freezer or fridge, strain and add to grapefruit/lime juice. Heidi from 101cookbooks.com shared this recipe.
I like to freeze little Brandy snifters in the freezer and enjoy this juice.
Don't feel bad if the fog and depression make you not want to do anything. The infection makes you more emotionally vulnerable. Be your own best nurse.
My best....Peace. Pamela
Short informational video w/ Dr. Burrascano.
Dr. Lee Cowden, Cardiologist. Educational Presentation. Amazing information....
Dr. Sponaugle's Success:
(He is phenomenal. He developed a protocol for detoxing people from alcohol and pain meds in a painless way, and teaches the connection between relapse and the health of the gut, and how to heal it.)
Karen Allen had several symptoms, including a 'headache' for two years. One 4-hour session with an Ultra Zapper, and she woke up the next day with no headache. 48 hrs. later her joint pain was gone. She still zaps if she's around sick people, etc. She has had no problems for 10 years, nor been sick.
Here is one man's experience (link below)with curing himself twice, of Lyme, using Antibiotics taken at certain times, for certain symptoms, and treating three different forms or stages of Borrelia. He has a lot of helpful information.
http://www.lymeneteurope.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4891
**Read this Doctor's Research and Experience below to understand the Western Blot, when it has to be given, how important the lab chosen is, when to draw blood, and why ONE BAND is indicative of Lyme.
Explaining Borreliosis (Lyme) Western Blot Tests
The Western blot is a type of test that is conducted for detection of
borreliosis (Lyme), but is also used to test for infections other than
borreliosis. Borreliosis is a more accurate name than Lyme disease for this
infection. Several different Borrelia may cause a similar clinical pattern
in this disease. Old Lyme is a town in Connecticut, not a disease.
Borreliosis is the name that should be used.
There is no universal agreement on what defines a positive Western blot.
Good laboratories use different criteria to interpret borreliosis blots.
At the 1999 international borreliosis and tick-borne infection conference,
Sam Donta, M.D. lectured. Dr. Donta is a full professor of Infectious
Disease at Boston University School of Medicine. He said that if a patient
has just one borreliosis-associated antibody on their Western blot, you may
assume they have borreliosis. Richard Horowitz, M.D. said the same thing in
his lecture, at that same conference.
Research I presented in 1998 involving over 400 borreliosis patients, showed an 87% response rate to antibiotics. This was if they had one
borreliosis-associated antibody on their blot. So if there is enough
suspicion that Lyme borreliosis is the cause of a patient's symptoms, so
much so that a Western blot is ordered, then if only one
borreliosis-associated antibody is found, it is significant!
Medical literature is replete with statements about false positive test
results for Lyme borreliosis. Since 1988, I have diagnosed and treated well
over 600 borreliosis patients. Only 2 of those patients with a positive
borreliosis test did not respond to antibiotics. This is a 99% success rate!
So in the trenches of day-to-day medical practice, false positive
borreliosis tests are not an issue. In retrospect, those 2 patients that did
not respond to antibiotics may have also had babesiosis.
In my practice, many borreliosis patients also have babesiosis, another
tick-borne infection that causes the same symptoms as Lyme borreliosis.
Babesiosis is caused by a protozoa, which is a different germ type than a
bacteria, virus, fungus or yeast.
The placebo effect would not explain a 99% response rate. Those borreliosis
associated antibodies should not be there, in patients with symptoms. A
placebo is like a sugar pill, that has no effect. A placebo effect occurs
because patients believe in the pill they are taking, even though it is a
sugar pill. The human mind causes the response. Placebo effects should more
likely be about Z0-30%, not a 99% response rate.
False negative test results are the real problem in diagnosing borreliosis.
Research has shown that you have to do the right test (the Western blot),
done at the right laboratory (one that specializes in testing borreliosis),
and done the correct way (shipped express delivery early in the week).
The right test to screen for borreliosis is the Western blot. Research I
presented in Bologna, Italy in 1994 at the international borreliosis
conference showed this. Other screening tests, such as the IFA, EIA, ELISA,
and PCR DNA probe were often negative when the Western Blot was positive!
Other doctors like myself who diagnose and treat a lot of borreliosis
patients, go straight to the Western blot as their screening test.
Medical articles abound stating that it is best to do a screening test, such
as an ELISA, and if it is positive, then confirm it with a Western blot. But
the ELISA is often negative when the Western blot is positive so, the right
test is the Western blot. It lets you see exactly which antibodies are
present.
The "right laboratory" means one that specializes in borreliosis testing. In
the past, I have done head to head comparisons with 3 different regular
labs. Western blots were drawn and sent on the same day to 2 different labs.
The labs that specialize in borreliosis testing typically found
borrelia-associated antibodies, that the regular laboratories missed. If
these specialty labs find a borrelia antibody, I trust it to be significant,
because patients respond to antibiotics. You get what you pay for, so use a
lab that specializes in borreliosis.
The right way to process the Western blot specimen means for the blood to be drawn and express-mailed early in the week. Research shows the borrelia
antibodies have the potential to clump together, resulting in false negative
test results. So far, unclumping has not been practical for laboratories to
do. The fresher the specimen, the more accurate the test results. Patients
at our office are scheduled Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday if testing is to
be done. This way, express shipping will assure that the specimen does not
spend the weekend sitting at the post office. This is the right way to test
and ship borreliosis specimens.
Western blots look for antibodies. These antibodies are made by your immune system. In this case, the antibodies are made to fight against different parts of the Lyme bacteria, which is called Borrelia burgdorferi, and other Borrelia species. In other words, your immune system does not make one big antibody against the whole bacteria.
So, when you see a number on a borreliosis Western blot, it corresponds to a
specific part of the bacteria. Compare it to the old story of different
blind people touching an elephant. Based on the part of the elephant each
one touched, each person had their own perception. Likewise, the antibodies
attach to different and specific parts of Borrelia burgdorferi.
Numbers on Western blots correspond to weights. Kilodaltons (kDa) are the
units used for these microscopic weights. Think of it like pounds or ounces.
An 18 kDa antibody weighs 18 kilodaltons.
To do a Western blot, thin gel strips are impregnated with the various parts
of Borrelia burgdorferi. Each of the numbers, 18 through 93, on the test
result form, is a part of the bacteria.
Blood is made up of red blood cells and serum; Spinning blood in a
centrifuge separates serum from red blood cells and other things, like white
blood cells and platelets.
Serum contains antibodies made by the immune system. Electricity is used to
push the serum through the thin gel strips for the Western blot. If there
are any antibodies against parts of Borrelia burgdorferi present in your
serum, and these parts are impregnated on the strip, the antibody will
complex (bind) to that part.
When antibodies form a complex, it is called an antigen-antibody complex.
Anything foreign in the body is an antigen, such as a ragweed pollen
particle, germ, cancer, and even a splinter. In the case of borreliosis, the
various parts of Borrelia burgdorferi are all antigens. Though each antigen
is different, they all come from the same bacteria.
So all the numbers that are positive on the test report are due to
antigen-antibody complexes. If enough of the complexes are formed,
eventually it may be seen with the naked eye as a dark band. -
Band intensity reflects how dark or wide it is. Controversy exists about
band intensity. Many would say the " +/-" equivocal bands are not
significant. The problem I have with that, is that there are "-" negative
bands. The lab has no trouble calling some bands negative. So they must be
seeing something when they put "+/-" at some bands. The only thing that
makes sense, is that there is a little bit of that antibody present in your
serum.
If the "+/-" equivocal is reported on the borrelia associated bands, it is
usually significant, in my clinical experience. This is a strong clue that I
am on the right track. Instead of ignoring these, they should be a red flag
to keep pursuing a laboratory diagnosis.
Giving patients 4 weeks of antibiotics (usually tetracycline, 500 mg, 3
times a day), will convert a negative or equivocal Western blot to positive
in about 36% of cases. As mentioned, if these positive blots are found by
specialty labs, over 99% of those patients will respond to antibiotics.
Sometimes multiple antibiotics have to be tried before the patient feels
better.
Antibiotics may actually help with the laboratory diagnosis. But patients
need to be off antibiotics about 10 to 14 days before the Western blot is
repeated.
This sounds like a contradiction. Antibiotics may help convert the test to
positive, but patients need to be off antibiotics when the specimen is
drawn. It is well documented in medical literature that the presence of
antibiotics may cause false negative borreliosis testing. Therefore, your
system should be free of all antibiotics for an accurate blot result.
When the Lyme borrelia are alive, they are geniuses at avoiding the immune
system. They may do things like go inside your white blood cells, and come
out enclosed by the cell membrane of your own white blood cells! This may
partly explain why antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi are often not
found when patients are tested.
What may happen when patients are given 4 weeks of tetracycline (or other
antibiotics) is that some of the bacteria die. When Borrelia burgdorferi
dies, it is less efficient at avoiding the immune system. That's when
antibodies may be formed against Borrelia burgdorferi, converting the
negative or equivocal Western blot to positive, in about 36% of cases.
If a borreliosis Western blot is going to be positive, it is usually the
first one that is positive. The second blot is the next most likely to be
positive, and so on, until the fifth blot. After that, the curve levels off
for conversion to positive. This is based on research I presented in
Bologna, Italy in 1994. Some patients had b6rreha-associated antibodies
finally show on their tenth Western blot!
Two Western blots from a reliable lab usually gives the answer. If a third
test is needed, a Lyme Urine Antigen Test (LUAT) is done instead of a third
Western blot. Positive LUATs correspond very highly to patients getting
better with antibiotics. False positive LUATs have not been a problem in my
practice.
The LUAT finds the actual antigen (Borrelia burgdorferi itself), so arguably
it should be the test of choice, but the Western blot is rn6re widely
accepted, even though it looks for the antibodies against Borrelia
burgdorferi. The presence of antibodies are indirect evidence of an
infection, not direct evidence like shown in the LUAT.
On the Western blot test result form, please note what is "considered
positive" and "considered equivocal." Equivocal is another way of saying
suspicious or almost positive.
Below this are the ASTPHLD/CDC recommendations. The CDC stands for the Center for Disease Control. I have been in attendance at the international Borreliosis conferences when the CDC said their recommendations are for disease surveillance, not day-to-day clinical medical practice. I am not in the business of disease surveillance. My job is to try to help sick people.
The CDC recommendations do not include the 31 and 34 Kda bands of the blot test. These two bands correspond to outer surface proteins A and B
respectively (ospA and ospB). In the world of borreliosis, these are two of
the classic hallmark Lyme antibodies. But the CDC does not even have them in their recommendations. You may see why I and other borreliosis clinicians do not agree with using the CDC criteria in everyday medical practice.
Other bacteria besides Borrelia burgdorferi may produce the 45, 58, 66, and
73 kDa bands. These bands may be produced by Borrelia burgdorferi, but are not nearly as specifically associated with Lyme borreliosis as the starred
bands. These starred bands are classic hallmark borrelia-associated
antigen-antibody complexes.
An example of the CDC's criteria of a blot test, is if a patient has the
band pattern of 41, 45, 58, 66, and 93, the CDC would call it positive. But
if a patient has a 23-25, 31, 34, and 39 band pattern, they would call it
negative. This is despite the fact that this second pattern of
antigen-antibody complex bands is much more specifically associated with
Borrelia burgdorferi than the first pattern.
As you can see, borreliosis is very controversial. It would be alarming if I
was the only clinician who thought that the CDC recommendations should not be used for day-to day medical practice. Many borrelia clinicians do not use the CDC criteria. This is obvious by the fact that the IgX laboratory uses
different criteria for positive.
Again, in my opinion and others', even one borrelia-associated antibody is
significant, if symptoms exist. The classic triad of symptoms for
borreliosis is fatigue (tiredness, exhaustion), musculoskeletal pain
(joints, muscles, back, neck, headache), and cognitive problems (memory
loss, trouble concentrating, difficulty remembering what you read,
depression, disorientation, getting lost). But there are about 100 symptoms
on the borreliosis questionnaire I use. Borreliosis may mimic or imitate
virtually any disease.
Patients often tell me that other physicians they have seen use the CDC
recommendations. This is unfortunate, in my opinion, since these physicians
are not in the business of disease surveillance, like the CDC is. But I am
biased. After seeing patients with borreliosis since 1988, attending many
conferences, talking with experts, and doing research on borreliosis
testing, there is absolutely no question in my mind that physicians need to
not blindly accept any recommendations. One of my hopes is that doctors will someday realize that this controversy is a signal for them to search for the truth. Why is there such conflict in this very "political" disease if there
is not substance for disagreement?
Both IgG and IgM Western blots should be done for borreliosis. With most
infections, your immune system first forms IgM antibodies, then in about 2
to 4 weeks, you see IgG antibodies. In some infections, IgG antibodies may
be detectable for years.
Because Borrelia burgdorferi is a chronic persistent infection that may last
for decades, you would think patients with chronic symptoms would have
positive IgG Western blots. But actually, more IgM blots are positive in
chronic borreliosis than IgG.
Every time Borrelia burgdorferi reproduces itself, it may stimulate the
immune system to form new IgM antibodies. Some patients have both IgG and IgM blots positive. But if either the IgG or IgM blot is positive, overall
it is a positive result. Response to antibiotics is the same if either is
positive, or both.
Some antibodies against the borrelia are given more significance if they are
IgG versus IgM, or vice versa. Since this is a chronic persistent infection,
this does not make a lot of sense to me. A newly formed Borrelia burgdorferi
should have the same antigen parts as the previous bacteria that produced
it. But anyway, from my clinical experience, these borrelia associated bands
usually predict a clinical change in symptoms with antibiotics, regardless
of whether they are IgG or IgM.
In regard to the outer surface proteins, think of it like the skin of a
human. On the outer surface of the Lyme bacteria are various proteins. As
they have been discovered, they have been assigned letters, such as outer
surface proteins A, B, and C.
The following is a brief explanation of the test results. Again, each band
is an antigen complexed (bound together) with an antibody made by the immune system, specifically for that antigen (part) of Borrelia burgdorferi.
18: An outer surface protein.
22: Possibly a variant of outer surface protein C.
23-25: Outer surface protein C (osp C).
28: An outer surface protein.
30: Possibly a variant of outer surface protein A.
31: Outer surface protein A (osp A).
34: Outer surface protein B (osp B).
37: Unknown, but it is in the medical literature that it is a
borrelia-associated antibody. Other labs consider it significant.
39: Unknown what this antigen is, but based on research at the National
Institute of Health (NIH), other Borrelia (such as Borrelia recurrentis that
causes relapsing fever), do not even have the genetics to code for the 39
kDa antigen, much less produce it. It is the most specific antibody for
borreliosis of all.
41: Flagella or tail. This is how Borrelia burgdorferi moves around, by
moving the flagella. Many bacteria have flagella. This is the most common
borreliosis antibody.
45: Heat shock protein. This helps the bacteria survive fever. The only
bacteria in the world that does not have heat shock proteins is Treponema
pallidum, the cause of syphilis.
58: Heat shock protein.
66: Heat shock protein. This is the second most common borrelia antibody.
73: Heat shock protein.
83: This is the DNA or genetic material of Borrelia burgdorferi. It is the
same thing as the 93, based upon the medical literature. But laboratories
vary in assigning significance to the 83 versus the 93.
93: The DNA or genetic material of Borrelia burgdorferi.
In my clinical experience, if a patient has symptoms suspicious for
borreliosis, and has one or more of the following bands, there is a very
high probability the patient has borreliosis. These bands are 18, 22, 23-25,
28, 30, 31, 34, 37, 39, 41, 83, and 93. This is true regardless of whether
it is IgG or I~. But again, there is no universal agreement on the
significance of these bands.
Betina Wilska, M.D. from Germany is one of the world's experts on outer
surface protein A (31 kDa). At the international borreliosis conference in
Vancouver, British Columbia, I asked her personally about the 30 kDa band.
She told me it was the same as the 31 kDa band (osp A). When you have the
opportunity to talk to borreliosis experts, this helps in assigning
significance to findings, on an imperfect test.
As a medical doctor, I am stating all of this with no axe to grind, no
professorship to protect, and no preset opinions. Patients, personal
research, and conferences have helped me interpret the borreliosis medical
literature in regard to testing. Nobody would like to have available a
bullet-proof, 100% reliable Lyme borreliosis test more than I would. But we
must use what is currently available. I always welcome second opinions.
***WATCH WHENEVER YOU CAN. VISUALIZE YOUR BORRELIA BEING SWALLOWED BY YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM!
TAKING ENZYMES LIKE SERRAPEPTASE CAN ELIMINATE THE FIBRIN AND BIO-MASS BREEDING GROUNDS (BIO-FILMS) IN THE BLOOD THAT PROTECT BORRELIA, MAKING THEM VULNERABLE TO BE GOBBLED UP.
And, 'change it up' w/ this stealthy Bb. Let off your regimen just before the full moon, coaxing this Spirochete to come out and reproduce. Then hit them w/ your choice of weapon, or protocol. THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO KILL OFF PARASITES, ALSO, as they reproduce in the full moon. People who have parasites in the brain and seizure, will have increased activity during a full moon cycle. Think 2 days before, the day of the full moon and 2 days after.
Keywords: Lyme, Lyme Disease, Borrelia, Borreliosis, Bb, Dr. Lee Cowden, Dr. Richard Horowitz, Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Burrascano, Lyme Treatment, arthritis, bullseye rash, etc.
Questions? Contact us at leangreencafe@yahoo.com
What an unbelievable journey into feeling lousy and forsaken, in some strange ways. Suddenly. "Shh. I complained to myself, wasn't my endocervical cancer ten years ago enough medical drama?" What is the purpose of this event in my life? Not only does my Government want me to die undiagnosed, (the tests are unreliable) untreated, (hard to find a Lyme Literate Doc, or to afford one) attack the doctors that are having success and believe in and treat 'chronic Lyme', and even remove Lyme as the cause of death on the certificate, I have an 'infectious disease", and am unwanted in many circles. With the cough that comes up mainly when I'm tired, stressed, try to talk or try to lay down to sleep, suddenly, I am leery of passing it to someone else. Like my new little grandson.(The cough could be caused by Borrelia, Candida, Mycoplasma, Roundworms, or ? Just a little much to deal with. I have to find the humor. I've had to learn a lot with this disease. ) Along with humor, I have to accept with chronic pain and fatigue, my tether is shorter, and I have less patience.
** (Cough: parasite cleanse and vitamin d, c and Coq10. CoQ 10 gives energy to the cell and helps get rid of that coongestion on and in your lungs. Hot herbal tea. Hydrate. Exercise to move blood flow and oxygenate.)
I had to hand this new grandbaby back to his parents when the asthmatic-like cough felt like it was coming up, and wear a scarf around my mouth. I think my cough began with a toxic exposure, but got really awful with clear really thick congestion.
Tears, sexual activity, kissing, (body fluids) sharing drinking glasses or utensils, mother's milk and crossing the placenta. These are all areas thought to pass this Borreliosis infection.
**I want to know how long Borrelia can survive when exposed to oxygen, outside the blood and body fluids?
**Most people are in the dark when it comes to how Borrelia can be transmitted. Infectious or contagious? Transferable by fluids can mean kissing, sexual contact, coughing, saliva and blood, breast milk or unpasteurized milk from an infected animal, placental blood. Whole families have Lyme without each member being bitten by a tick.
If your doctor tells you that since you didn't have a bullseye rash you don't have Lyme, know that only roughly 50% of people with Lyme get that Erythema Migrans rash. Find a more knowledgeable doctor.
Another large TRUTH: The US doesn't screen its blood supply for Lyme (Borrelia Burgdorferi).
In 1983? when I gave birth to my 6th child, my youngest son, (the father of the new little lad they call their 'little BLT', short for his long name), the placenta had come half way off when my water broke. I got to the hospital Feb. 14th at 12:00 AM, and my son was taken C-section at 12:31 AM. The blood loss almost killed me. Were the truth to be told, the disturbing revelations in my marriage directly before this birth, made me lose some of my will to live. My blood pressure looked non-existent, the Doc doing the surgery cut mistakenly into my bladder, but somehow after blood and 2 units of Pack Cells, Mom survived. My little son was laying in a pool of blood, limp, when they rescued him. Though their APGAR scores foretold of possible trouble, that same son is happily married, and is now a new practicing Attorney.
Who knows what conglomeration was in those 2 units of 'pack cells'?
About 6-7 years after this birth and blood transfusion, being single, I had a Western Blot done for HIV. There were bands in my blood, but they were 'atypical' of HIV. No one ever told me what they were indicative of. Lyme can be carried for years.
(No matter what testing circus your doctor may want to put you in, ONE band is indicative of Lyme.) See Dr.'s Study pasted at the end of this post, below.
The corkscrew Spirochetes nestle down in cyst form, deep in connective tissue. Upon a stressful event-surgery, a trauma, an emotional loss or grief, or some affront to the person, Borrelia can use this opportune time when the immune system is compromised, to unleash with a vengeance, and tear through any tissue faster than blood.
(Or, Borrelia and friends can be shared by that infective nymph- stage tick, 10-14 days later on average, 40-50% of people will get a bullseye rash, and then a menu of symptoms will ensue. 70% of people get a severe arthritis that migrates to all or most joints if left 'untreated'. Muscles can waste
But throwing (treating) Doxycycline at Borrelia is just threatening it, and it covers itself with a hard cyst-like covering or throws down particles with the DNA to produce new spirochetes, or it hides in red or white blood cells, tissues and bone marrow. A reduction of symptoms doesn't mean it's eradicated. (A recent Hansa Center article stated a study showed a 100% infection with the spiral Lyme organism, seen in the blood no matter what treatment-HBOT, antibiotics, herbal, Rife, etc. July/2015.)
Testing: The Physician writing on the Western Blot (end of post) gives important information about this test, when to send the blood in, why the choice of labs is important, that anti-biotics killing some of the Borrelia will help the immune system create antibodies and show a positive, that repeat tests should clear the antibiotics out of the blood first..
Antibiotics may actually help with the laboratory diagnosis. But patients need to be off antibiotics about 10 to 14 days before the Western blot is repeated.
This sounds like a contradiction. Antibiotics may help convert the test to
positive, but patients need to be off antibiotics when the specimen is
drawn. It is well documented in medical literature that the presence of
antibiotics may cause false negative borreliosis testing. Therefore, your
system should be free of all antibiotics for an accurate blot result.
**A better test may simply be a culture of your blood as reported by a nurse I talked to, today. After various tests and doctors and years of suffering, she sent blood to a Pennsylvania Lab from which they grew Borrelia.)
www.advanced-lab.com/spirochete.php
855-238-4949
I had two stress-filled events the last part of March. Overnight, it seemed like my muscles were suddenly deteriorating after use, not healing (especially my biceps, calf and main upper leg muscles), the connective tissue behind my knees became stiff and rigid and my knees swelled so that it was painful and impossible to fully bend them, the connective tissue in my neck would pop and my neck was really stiff. Even the inside connective bands that hold the legs in line were stiff and hurting.
Overnight, I went from having no pain as a woman who was almost 60, and could move like a 20-30 year old, to someone who was partially disabled, like an arthritic 80-year old. Both hips and arm sockets felt like I had grown a full set of arthritic spurs. Quite a thorough feast for the Bb's.
I could have also gotten this Lyme infection when I lay out in the sun in my backyard on a blanket in the grass in March sometime. Or, it could be a reinfection because of the symptoms before...the Bullseye rash. My life has always seems more complicated than it needs to be. March is when Portland, Oregon was getting the usual peek of sun, and then overcast weather and rain. Sun-starved, I lay out one day, and became tired, and allowed myself to drift off, as the weather turned a bit windy. I brought both ends of the blanket over me at that point for warmth, and took a Sunday nap. Ticks can be the size of a poppy seed. I feel like I have paid for finally relaxing.
With my severe overnight arthritis coming two weeks before...the bullseye rash, I either had a toxic exposure, or a reinfection, or both I believe. Later I learned the ratio of Borrelia to my own body was extremely high which indicates a long-term infection. With a toxic exposure and symptoms and then a bullseye, it makes me wonder how I could be so blessed? My karma has been historically clumsy and ill-timed.
**Note: A next door neighbor who grew up in New Jersey said when he was a kid they would put down a blanket in the woods, and the ticks would attach themselves to the blanket. They like the warmth of the body. Had I known.... However, because of the high ratio of Lyme to my body parts, I probably was infected years before through a blood transfusion and had both a toxic exposure and emotional upheavels right before I was re-infected after laying out in the Spring on that blanket. A man I met that is a Tracker w/ his two dogs has been reinfected at least a dozen times. The Tetracycline given to him finally by the VA has helped, but not cured his infection, because of his symptoms of arthritis and memory problems. Sometimes coming out of the woods or wet areas he and his dogs would have 50-100 ticks on them.
I don't have any pets, but since I've moved in, some of my inconsiderate neighbors have allowed their animals to use my backyard as a toilet. Maybe they let the animal out at night, and it finds its way over, I don't know. But between the fleas and cats at large and amount of dogs here, it's a breeding ground for trouble. It's not just deer that carry ticks. Birds, dogs, etc. are carriers, and then there is the new evidence that fleas, gnats, mosquitos, horseflies, etc. are also carriers.
It's also a bad idea to walk or sit under trees, or sit in close proximity to dry oak leaves, etc. Walking through brush or grass can bring contact with ticks, etc. Pants need to be tucked into socks. Wide-brimmed hats.
Taking a good multi-vitamin and a B complex is a good idea, and using lavender oil, etc. before going outside.
Now, Borrelia is not the only one that comes 'to the party'. There are what are called "co-factors" or co-infections, like other bacteria and parasites that add to the misery of the infected person, and making it hard to diagnose. And, yes, people can be infected multiple times.
THIS is one of the reasons a Dark Field Microscope is needed in EVERY case of Lyme: To hopefully verify Borrelia, and to identify the co-factors. A drop of blood on a glass slide, so the truth is seen. But, it is not always found. How else would a Medical Doctor know how or what...to treat? While it is true the symptoms may indicate Babesiosi or Erlichia, etc., I am one to want to know the beast I am fighting. Now I hear that the Borrelia may not be seen in a drop of blood, and that there are multiple strains of the types of Borrelia. (100 different Genomes) So, that is why my Doc suggested not to spend $750-850 on tests, but on the treatment, and to rebuild my immune system. I still think infected people should have affordable, reliable tests to specifically treat all that's there. Blind treatment is not good practice. It's not just about 'building the immune system and detoxing', it's about killing the specific pathogens that are making you sick. Changing the environment to alkaline with diet and juicing, killing the parasites, etc. is important, but knowing what you are infected with is pretty basic, as bacteria, virus and parasites respond differently to various treatments. The Lyme spirochete is a stealth warrior, for instance, and has to be treated with a pulse-type schedule. On. Off for 24-36 hrs, then on, even doing parasite cleanses before, during and after a full moon.
AFTER treatment, do NOT think because symptoms have retreated, that your Lymes and co-factors are erradicated. That is a cheap lie or denial, and a danger to you and your loved ones. Why would anyone want to pass this miserable disease onto loved ones, like a sexual partner, or a friend, grandchild, etc., or have it return with a vengeance? Perhaps like HIV, if one gets the 'numbers' down, and the bugs aren't 'active', the chance for transmission is less, but I am more demanding when it comes to being responsible, because I don't want to pass this on. With a previous cough that comes up, like asthma, and then a sudden cough w/ my Lyme, I just work at covering my mouth, and hope to build my immune to the point that coughing is no longer part of my life. Moving away from the cigarette smoke in this small community will help. Flying in an airplane w/ everyone's aftershave, perfume, cigs, etc. is a challenge for me, as I've recently flown out-of-state for treatment. I had my mouth covered the whole flight. I wonder how many have gotten infected by things other than a tick bite.
Dr. Lee Cowden, a Cardiologist, has developed a 190-day Protocol, for instance, with Microbials vs Antibiotics that can ruin the Immune System and can cause C-Diff, etc. After 3 courses of treatment, he smashed the red blood cells under the microscope, and found Borrelia hiding inside them. He then lengthened his treatment, and retested. Still he could only ensure about a 90% kill, which means they can regroup and resurface, like their cousin, Syphilis. This is science- NOT getting relief and having some ignorant Medical Doctor assure you that you're well. Some doctors are now saying perhaps 93% of our population has Lyme, and it has just not emerged yet. A family can have it, and it can look different, as Lyme attacks the weakest areas of the body.
From my few facts above, I think you can imagine why this disease is isolating and lousy.
Within 12 hours, Borrelia is said to be in the frontal lobe of the brain. It's waste and life cycle create neurotoxins, causing brain fog, anxiety and depression. Mine gives me a sleeping-like sickness. An hour after breakfast, I want to lay down. I feel like a zombie. I can sleep till 1 or 2 pm in the afternoon instead of getting up in the morning, and have now set an alarm. I never want to move when I wake, as it hurts almost everywhere. If I don't move, or get my exercise in like a walk, I will feel more stiff and painful. However, if I do too much, I pay for it for 1-3 days. One of the early symptoms I had was using muscles, and feeling sore for days, like the torn muscle fibers were not healing.
For a long time I didn't have any appetite. I lost at least ten pounds. (See update. 25 lbs.) I will list my symptoms, so you can see how 30+ symptoms might feel like to deal with, with this Lyme. Besides looking disabled for some, and exhausted in the face and eyes, or having neural Lyme and having them rip through nerves and give the person a Bell's-like Palsy or seizures, it's hard to empathize when someone looks somewhat normal.
Ignorant doctors who don't know what to do, how to diagnose or treat, often throw abuse onto the Lyme-infected person by saying it is mainly psychological, they must want attention, or they should see a Mental Health Professional. These Medical Personnel need to be written up with their Licensing Boards. I ran into one who is not practicing any more after twenty years, which is a gift for those he would harm. I was discussing my research on Lyme since I'd become infected with it, and suddenly he got up saying he had lots to do, and that I'd find my problems were mainly "psychological". Poor guy. I was giving him a summary of Dr. Cowden's findings, and he didn't want to hear the last sentence. He said he wrote books now for preventative health. With his AMA/Western Medicine outlook, he should just stop writing, and explore some alternative research instead of disseminating more bogus information.
Warning: (A slight diversion:) During our conversation in a Happy Valley New Seasons eating area, I brought up my problem with Michelle Obama's 'plan' for kids' health, as the GMO foods, especially High Fructose Corn Syrup with its Glyphosate/Roundup cause cancer and obesity. What good food choices are there any more? The former Doc pointed to New Seasons. I told him not everyone can afford these prices, and you still have to be diligent to find the #9 in front of fruit, like grapes from Mexico, as it's not all 'Organic'. Our school lunches are not offering organics. What do the Obama kids eat?
........... Back to Lyme Disease, or Borreliosis....
A normal experience is going to 6-30 doctors, spending out-of-pocket or more/less till Mr. Piggy Bank is empty, (or facing bankruptcy from traveling to doctors and expensive medications and supplements and tests) until perhaps a Naturopathic Doc is consulted, co-infections found, supplements, detoxers, enzymes to destroy the microfilms housing lots of Lyme and friends and anti-parasitics are given. (See the Documentary a young husband filmed, below. They were from Canada, spent over $300,00 and suffered for years). Many don't have this energy or money or family support, and just give up. Some suicide. The young woman in the documentary shown below, suffered terribly, passing out 6-7 times a night w/ the pain level, seizuring, etc. Not until the newly- consulted U.S. Naturopath put her blood under a microscope and discovered the Malaria-like Protozoa co-infection, did she get anti-parasitics and began to get better.
Whether it's Teasel Root Tincture, Olive Leaf, Pao D'Arco, Neem, Serrapeptase to dissolve Biofilms, Zeolite for heavy metal removal, Timed multiple Antibiotics for 6 weeks that take into account the reproductive cycles of Borrelia and coaxing it into the vulnerable soft body form (because w/ threat, Borrelia hides in Red or White Blood Cells, or forms a rough fibrin coating our Immune System won't recognize or an L-form cyst that keeps safe), 190-day Cowden Protocol, or Macrophages/Homeopathics acting as 'Assassins' from Hansa Center's Dr. David Jernigan, Dr. Dietrich Klinghart's wisdom, Diet and exercise to strengthen, or a $20 bottle of MMS (Sodium Chlorite (I always want to say Sodium Chloride. Must be the residual brain fog. lol)) etc. there are many success stories out there. I've been researching a bit. Below is the success story of Karen Allen of 'Indiana Jones' fame. She had a headache for two years and multiple symptoms before zapping for 4 hours, and losing all her symptoms within 48 hrs. The headache was gone in the morning. Her story in video interview is below. She hasn't been sick in ten years.
Despite the disinformation from the CDC like the number of people infected per year (about 300,000 estimated) , or total infected, (Germany had 1 million new cases in 2012) or people that die of Lyme, and their strange little IDSA....lying conflict-of-interest-laden panel and many clueless "Lyme Literate" docs, there is hope with applied knowledge.
Some don't get the bullseye rash. Those w/ the target-like phenomena say it feels hot, but doesn't hurt. I had one appear on my left leg AFTER the arthritis hit. It was April 15th, and the Mt. Hood ER Doc gave me 1 week of Keflex for "Cellulitis". He based this diagnosis on the fact that the center silver dollar size rash was hot, and my arthritis appeared first. Well, people can be reinfected or bitten more than once, and who knows how my individual response played out, and why.
"What do you want me to do?", he asked. "Rule out Lyme Disease", I said. That's for your Primary Care Doctor. We have no way to test it here. I felt like he was a waste of my time. Maybe he was angry because I told the intake gal that I would be asked....before any procedure was done or 'scrip' written, because it's my body. Doctors kill a lot of people. They are not Gods in my eyes.
I had no Primary Care Doctor.
Lyme transmission is not just from ticks any more. Asians w/Lyme come to the US having being bitten by fleas and gnats. Spiders, horse flies, mosquitos, etc. are possible transmitters and Lyme is in every country and state. Many Doctors and lay people think Lyme is just on the 'East Coast'.
Everyone has different symptoms of Lyme, with some more usual ones like fatigue, muscle and joint aches, a stiff neck or stiff ligaments on each side of the knees w/ fluid that gathers behind them. Symptoms often rotate or migrate, and can change overnight. The spirochete feeds and moves on. It's said they like the oxygen-scarce connective tissue. Starting each morning deep breathing, and exercise is important.
 |
| Bullseye rash on left leg in Mirror Photo. |
*Bullseye Rash on left leg. Grew to be about 6-7". 3 weeks after...
*Hard arthritis in hip, knee and arm joints.
*Lack of healing in Muscles.
*Atrophy and stiffening of muscles. Causes other muscles to be pulled out of place.
*Myalgia. It travels.
*Stiffening of connective tissue behind knees.
*Fluid behind knees. Sometimes in right foot. (Do bicycle exercises on your back, before getting up in the morning. Slowly...respecting your damaged muscles and connective tissue...)
*Stiffening of neck/Meningitis.
*Headache
*Body Aches
*Fever
*Night Sweats.
*They're in my heart. Causes racing heart and odd rhythms.
*Strange loss of sight temporarily in my left eye.
They're in my eyes. Especially the left. (Led to floaters and then a serious Retinal Tear. See Update)
*Loss of Appetite. No interest in liquids. Easy to shut down.
*Between loss of appetite, sleeping for hours and missing mealtimes, fatigue and chronic pain I lost 10 lbs. Update: 25 lbs.
*Lethargy. Don't feel like doing much. Making meals is a hardship.
*Fatigue. Want to sleep all the time. Feels like some sleeping sickness.
*Swelling and dislocation of Jaw.
*All dental work feels like it's leaking.
*Can't eat solid food for 2+ weeks. Can hardly talk.
*Throat on fire for 2-3 weeks.
*Lymph nodes in neck on fire for 2-3 weeks.
*Sore shoulder, back and neck muscles. They atrophy and lack range of motion. Have to support my right arm to turn on shower.
*Instant cough. Cough till vomiting sometimes. Thick clear mucous-like a biofilm.
*Strange nerve sensations in face.
*Strange nerve sensations like crawling and numbness on head.
*Hair hurts. Can't brush it, and can't reach with right hand to brush.
*Extended, angry veins on sides of forehead.
*Brain Fog, like I'm observing my life vs. living it. I'm slow and feel like I'm fading.
*A bit depressed. Especially when I feel isolated or contemplate the damage. I figure I'll be around as long as I'm supposed to. The unknown causes anxiety. Chronic pain causes depression and sleep problems.
Who wouldn't feel depressed when we're sick, tired and in pain, and can't find trained doctors who know what tests to use, how or when to test, nor how to treat this Borrelia infection w/ it's 60+ co-infections. The ignorant 'Doctors' want to divert their lack of knowledge by saying it's psychological.
*Disabled-vulnerable to walk down stairs, down a street or to cross the street. Couldn't walk faster if a car veered towards me. Very scary to get into the bathtub. Can't imagine what a fall would do with these stiff joints.
*Can hardly bend over to pick up anything, put on shoes and socks, etc. Takes a long time. Can't kneel down, get up from the floor easily, couldn't make my bed for months or look on any bottom rack of the refrigerator. No bent over and forward motions. *Disabled range of motion. Very stiff.
I have to lift my legs into my car and to get into the shower.
*Emotionally vulnerable. Cry more easily, b/c of chronic pain.
Relief: Soak in a hot bath of Epsom Salts. Throw Alfalfa tabs in the tub. Take Alfalfa or make Alfalfa tea. It is very alkalinizing. It helps arthritis. Buy a meal out if you have to. Stay away from GMO's and more poisons. ie: Panera has good soups. Fruit at Farmer's Markets. Juice! Cucumbers are very alkalinizing. Drink Protein Smoothies and take supplements. Salads. Take a Probiotic or eat fermented foods. Research and listen. Rest. Listen to good music. Walk like your life depended on it, slow or slower. Get sun. Massage is wonderful. Watch movies to get your mind off this Lyme visitor. Read some new books. Have coffee w/ friends. Sometimes a bit of organic coffee will keep you going past the Sleeping Sickness stage. Limit coffee and caffeine. Try and hydrate. Herbal tea-Sun tea or iced-Non-caffeinated is good. Juice. Water. Remember. Despite the disease inviting you to sleep your life away, slowly get up, get a hot shower and greet the day.
Plates of fruit and snacks. Cheese, nuts, veggies, etc. Hummus, boiled eggs/deviled eggs, Roasted chicken, salads, etc. Look in cookbooks or online to see what appeals to you. I was grateful for meal shakes and Non-GMO soy protein shakes from Shaklee. Juice gives almost instant nutrition with little energy needed, so the immune can work elsewhere.
Probiotics are critical! Balancing gut flora creates an immune system that operates at optimal levels. I like Shaklee's Optiflora. Fermented foods.
CoQ10 helps heart health and creates energy at the cellular level.
Vitamin C. I like Shaklee's 500 mg. Sustained Release.
Anti-inflammation/anti-cancer Tea:
Boil 1-1.5 c. of water and simmer 5-7 min. after adding 1/4 tsp. Turmeric, and 1/4 tsp. Ginger or freshly grated Ginger root. (Sometimes I use both forms). Strain into your coffee cup and add a dollop or so of coconut milk.
Ahhhh. Good for you.
Another good idea: Make sun tea w/ non-caffeinated herbals.
One of my favorite juices:
Juice either by hand or in a juicer:
2 grapefruits and 2 limes. (Peeled if thrown into the elec. juicer)
Meanwhile, bring to a boil and then simmer 1 c. water, 3T. raw sugar (can add honey or Stevia as last step to mixing juice and this mixture. I like the clear taste of the raw sugar.) Grate 2-3 Tbsp. fresh ginger and simmer with water and sugar. Cool this in freezer or fridge, strain and add to grapefruit/lime juice. Heidi from 101cookbooks.com shared this recipe.
I like to freeze little Brandy snifters in the freezer and enjoy this juice.
Don't feel bad if the fog and depression make you not want to do anything. The infection makes you more emotionally vulnerable. Be your own best nurse.
My best....Peace. Pamela
Short informational video w/ Dr. Burrascano.
Dr. Lee Cowden, Cardiologist. Educational Presentation. Amazing information....
Dr. Sponaugle's Success:
(He is phenomenal. He developed a protocol for detoxing people from alcohol and pain meds in a painless way, and teaches the connection between relapse and the health of the gut, and how to heal it.)
Karen Allen had several symptoms, including a 'headache' for two years. One 4-hour session with an Ultra Zapper, and she woke up the next day with no headache. 48 hrs. later her joint pain was gone. She still zaps if she's around sick people, etc. She has had no problems for 10 years, nor been sick.
Here is one man's experience (link below)with curing himself twice, of Lyme, using Antibiotics taken at certain times, for certain symptoms, and treating three different forms or stages of Borrelia. He has a lot of helpful information.
http://www.lymeneteurope.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4891
**Read this Doctor's Research and Experience below to understand the Western Blot, when it has to be given, how important the lab chosen is, when to draw blood, and why ONE BAND is indicative of Lyme.
Explaining Borreliosis (Lyme) Western Blot Tests
The Western blot is a type of test that is conducted for detection of
borreliosis (Lyme), but is also used to test for infections other than
borreliosis. Borreliosis is a more accurate name than Lyme disease for this
infection. Several different Borrelia may cause a similar clinical pattern
in this disease. Old Lyme is a town in Connecticut, not a disease.
Borreliosis is the name that should be used.
There is no universal agreement on what defines a positive Western blot.
Good laboratories use different criteria to interpret borreliosis blots.
At the 1999 international borreliosis and tick-borne infection conference,
Sam Donta, M.D. lectured. Dr. Donta is a full professor of Infectious
Disease at Boston University School of Medicine. He said that if a patient
has just one borreliosis-associated antibody on their Western blot, you may
assume they have borreliosis. Richard Horowitz, M.D. said the same thing in
his lecture, at that same conference.
Research I presented in 1998 involving over 400 borreliosis patients, showed an 87% response rate to antibiotics. This was if they had one
borreliosis-associated antibody on their blot. So if there is enough
suspicion that Lyme borreliosis is the cause of a patient's symptoms, so
much so that a Western blot is ordered, then if only one
borreliosis-associated antibody is found, it is significant!
Medical literature is replete with statements about false positive test
results for Lyme borreliosis. Since 1988, I have diagnosed and treated well
over 600 borreliosis patients. Only 2 of those patients with a positive
borreliosis test did not respond to antibiotics. This is a 99% success rate!
So in the trenches of day-to-day medical practice, false positive
borreliosis tests are not an issue. In retrospect, those 2 patients that did
not respond to antibiotics may have also had babesiosis.
In my practice, many borreliosis patients also have babesiosis, another
tick-borne infection that causes the same symptoms as Lyme borreliosis.
Babesiosis is caused by a protozoa, which is a different germ type than a
bacteria, virus, fungus or yeast.
The placebo effect would not explain a 99% response rate. Those borreliosis
associated antibodies should not be there, in patients with symptoms. A
placebo is like a sugar pill, that has no effect. A placebo effect occurs
because patients believe in the pill they are taking, even though it is a
sugar pill. The human mind causes the response. Placebo effects should more
likely be about Z0-30%, not a 99% response rate.
False negative test results are the real problem in diagnosing borreliosis.
Research has shown that you have to do the right test (the Western blot),
done at the right laboratory (one that specializes in testing borreliosis),
and done the correct way (shipped express delivery early in the week).
The right test to screen for borreliosis is the Western blot. Research I
presented in Bologna, Italy in 1994 at the international borreliosis
conference showed this. Other screening tests, such as the IFA, EIA, ELISA,
and PCR DNA probe were often negative when the Western Blot was positive!
Other doctors like myself who diagnose and treat a lot of borreliosis
patients, go straight to the Western blot as their screening test.
Medical articles abound stating that it is best to do a screening test, such
as an ELISA, and if it is positive, then confirm it with a Western blot. But
the ELISA is often negative when the Western blot is positive so, the right
test is the Western blot. It lets you see exactly which antibodies are
present.
The "right laboratory" means one that specializes in borreliosis testing. In
the past, I have done head to head comparisons with 3 different regular
labs. Western blots were drawn and sent on the same day to 2 different labs.
The labs that specialize in borreliosis testing typically found
borrelia-associated antibodies, that the regular laboratories missed. If
these specialty labs find a borrelia antibody, I trust it to be significant,
because patients respond to antibiotics. You get what you pay for, so use a
lab that specializes in borreliosis.
The right way to process the Western blot specimen means for the blood to be drawn and express-mailed early in the week. Research shows the borrelia
antibodies have the potential to clump together, resulting in false negative
test results. So far, unclumping has not been practical for laboratories to
do. The fresher the specimen, the more accurate the test results. Patients
at our office are scheduled Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday if testing is to
be done. This way, express shipping will assure that the specimen does not
spend the weekend sitting at the post office. This is the right way to test
and ship borreliosis specimens.
Western blots look for antibodies. These antibodies are made by your immune system. In this case, the antibodies are made to fight against different parts of the Lyme bacteria, which is called Borrelia burgdorferi, and other Borrelia species. In other words, your immune system does not make one big antibody against the whole bacteria.
So, when you see a number on a borreliosis Western blot, it corresponds to a
specific part of the bacteria. Compare it to the old story of different
blind people touching an elephant. Based on the part of the elephant each
one touched, each person had their own perception. Likewise, the antibodies
attach to different and specific parts of Borrelia burgdorferi.
Numbers on Western blots correspond to weights. Kilodaltons (kDa) are the
units used for these microscopic weights. Think of it like pounds or ounces.
An 18 kDa antibody weighs 18 kilodaltons.
To do a Western blot, thin gel strips are impregnated with the various parts
of Borrelia burgdorferi. Each of the numbers, 18 through 93, on the test
result form, is a part of the bacteria.
Blood is made up of red blood cells and serum; Spinning blood in a
centrifuge separates serum from red blood cells and other things, like white
blood cells and platelets.
Serum contains antibodies made by the immune system. Electricity is used to
push the serum through the thin gel strips for the Western blot. If there
are any antibodies against parts of Borrelia burgdorferi present in your
serum, and these parts are impregnated on the strip, the antibody will
complex (bind) to that part.
When antibodies form a complex, it is called an antigen-antibody complex.
Anything foreign in the body is an antigen, such as a ragweed pollen
particle, germ, cancer, and even a splinter. In the case of borreliosis, the
various parts of Borrelia burgdorferi are all antigens. Though each antigen
is different, they all come from the same bacteria.
So all the numbers that are positive on the test report are due to
antigen-antibody complexes. If enough of the complexes are formed,
eventually it may be seen with the naked eye as a dark band. -
Band intensity reflects how dark or wide it is. Controversy exists about
band intensity. Many would say the " +/-" equivocal bands are not
significant. The problem I have with that, is that there are "-" negative
bands. The lab has no trouble calling some bands negative. So they must be
seeing something when they put "+/-" at some bands. The only thing that
makes sense, is that there is a little bit of that antibody present in your
serum.
If the "+/-" equivocal is reported on the borrelia associated bands, it is
usually significant, in my clinical experience. This is a strong clue that I
am on the right track. Instead of ignoring these, they should be a red flag
to keep pursuing a laboratory diagnosis.
Giving patients 4 weeks of antibiotics (usually tetracycline, 500 mg, 3
times a day), will convert a negative or equivocal Western blot to positive
in about 36% of cases. As mentioned, if these positive blots are found by
specialty labs, over 99% of those patients will respond to antibiotics.
Sometimes multiple antibiotics have to be tried before the patient feels
better.
Antibiotics may actually help with the laboratory diagnosis. But patients
need to be off antibiotics about 10 to 14 days before the Western blot is
repeated.
This sounds like a contradiction. Antibiotics may help convert the test to
positive, but patients need to be off antibiotics when the specimen is
drawn. It is well documented in medical literature that the presence of
antibiotics may cause false negative borreliosis testing. Therefore, your
system should be free of all antibiotics for an accurate blot result.
When the Lyme borrelia are alive, they are geniuses at avoiding the immune
system. They may do things like go inside your white blood cells, and come
out enclosed by the cell membrane of your own white blood cells! This may
partly explain why antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi are often not
found when patients are tested.
What may happen when patients are given 4 weeks of tetracycline (or other
antibiotics) is that some of the bacteria die. When Borrelia burgdorferi
dies, it is less efficient at avoiding the immune system. That's when
antibodies may be formed against Borrelia burgdorferi, converting the
negative or equivocal Western blot to positive, in about 36% of cases.
If a borreliosis Western blot is going to be positive, it is usually the
first one that is positive. The second blot is the next most likely to be
positive, and so on, until the fifth blot. After that, the curve levels off
for conversion to positive. This is based on research I presented in
Bologna, Italy in 1994. Some patients had b6rreha-associated antibodies
finally show on their tenth Western blot!
Two Western blots from a reliable lab usually gives the answer. If a third
test is needed, a Lyme Urine Antigen Test (LUAT) is done instead of a third
Western blot. Positive LUATs correspond very highly to patients getting
better with antibiotics. False positive LUATs have not been a problem in my
practice.
The LUAT finds the actual antigen (Borrelia burgdorferi itself), so arguably
it should be the test of choice, but the Western blot is rn6re widely
accepted, even though it looks for the antibodies against Borrelia
burgdorferi. The presence of antibodies are indirect evidence of an
infection, not direct evidence like shown in the LUAT.
On the Western blot test result form, please note what is "considered
positive" and "considered equivocal." Equivocal is another way of saying
suspicious or almost positive.
Below this are the ASTPHLD/CDC recommendations. The CDC stands for the Center for Disease Control. I have been in attendance at the international Borreliosis conferences when the CDC said their recommendations are for disease surveillance, not day-to-day clinical medical practice. I am not in the business of disease surveillance. My job is to try to help sick people.
The CDC recommendations do not include the 31 and 34 Kda bands of the blot test. These two bands correspond to outer surface proteins A and B
respectively (ospA and ospB). In the world of borreliosis, these are two of
the classic hallmark Lyme antibodies. But the CDC does not even have them in their recommendations. You may see why I and other borreliosis clinicians do not agree with using the CDC criteria in everyday medical practice.
Other bacteria besides Borrelia burgdorferi may produce the 45, 58, 66, and
73 kDa bands. These bands may be produced by Borrelia burgdorferi, but are not nearly as specifically associated with Lyme borreliosis as the starred
bands. These starred bands are classic hallmark borrelia-associated
antigen-antibody complexes.
An example of the CDC's criteria of a blot test, is if a patient has the
band pattern of 41, 45, 58, 66, and 93, the CDC would call it positive. But
if a patient has a 23-25, 31, 34, and 39 band pattern, they would call it
negative. This is despite the fact that this second pattern of
antigen-antibody complex bands is much more specifically associated with
Borrelia burgdorferi than the first pattern.
As you can see, borreliosis is very controversial. It would be alarming if I
was the only clinician who thought that the CDC recommendations should not be used for day-to day medical practice. Many borrelia clinicians do not use the CDC criteria. This is obvious by the fact that the IgX laboratory uses
different criteria for positive.
Again, in my opinion and others', even one borrelia-associated antibody is
significant, if symptoms exist. The classic triad of symptoms for
borreliosis is fatigue (tiredness, exhaustion), musculoskeletal pain
(joints, muscles, back, neck, headache), and cognitive problems (memory
loss, trouble concentrating, difficulty remembering what you read,
depression, disorientation, getting lost). But there are about 100 symptoms
on the borreliosis questionnaire I use. Borreliosis may mimic or imitate
virtually any disease.
Patients often tell me that other physicians they have seen use the CDC
recommendations. This is unfortunate, in my opinion, since these physicians
are not in the business of disease surveillance, like the CDC is. But I am
biased. After seeing patients with borreliosis since 1988, attending many
conferences, talking with experts, and doing research on borreliosis
testing, there is absolutely no question in my mind that physicians need to
not blindly accept any recommendations. One of my hopes is that doctors will someday realize that this controversy is a signal for them to search for the truth. Why is there such conflict in this very "political" disease if there
is not substance for disagreement?
Both IgG and IgM Western blots should be done for borreliosis. With most
infections, your immune system first forms IgM antibodies, then in about 2
to 4 weeks, you see IgG antibodies. In some infections, IgG antibodies may
be detectable for years.
Because Borrelia burgdorferi is a chronic persistent infection that may last
for decades, you would think patients with chronic symptoms would have
positive IgG Western blots. But actually, more IgM blots are positive in
chronic borreliosis than IgG.
Every time Borrelia burgdorferi reproduces itself, it may stimulate the
immune system to form new IgM antibodies. Some patients have both IgG and IgM blots positive. But if either the IgG or IgM blot is positive, overall
it is a positive result. Response to antibiotics is the same if either is
positive, or both.
Some antibodies against the borrelia are given more significance if they are
IgG versus IgM, or vice versa. Since this is a chronic persistent infection,
this does not make a lot of sense to me. A newly formed Borrelia burgdorferi
should have the same antigen parts as the previous bacteria that produced
it. But anyway, from my clinical experience, these borrelia associated bands
usually predict a clinical change in symptoms with antibiotics, regardless
of whether they are IgG or IgM.
In regard to the outer surface proteins, think of it like the skin of a
human. On the outer surface of the Lyme bacteria are various proteins. As
they have been discovered, they have been assigned letters, such as outer
surface proteins A, B, and C.
The following is a brief explanation of the test results. Again, each band
is an antigen complexed (bound together) with an antibody made by the immune system, specifically for that antigen (part) of Borrelia burgdorferi.
18: An outer surface protein.
22: Possibly a variant of outer surface protein C.
23-25: Outer surface protein C (osp C).
28: An outer surface protein.
30: Possibly a variant of outer surface protein A.
31: Outer surface protein A (osp A).
34: Outer surface protein B (osp B).
37: Unknown, but it is in the medical literature that it is a
borrelia-associated antibody. Other labs consider it significant.
39: Unknown what this antigen is, but based on research at the National
Institute of Health (NIH), other Borrelia (such as Borrelia recurrentis that
causes relapsing fever), do not even have the genetics to code for the 39
kDa antigen, much less produce it. It is the most specific antibody for
borreliosis of all.
41: Flagella or tail. This is how Borrelia burgdorferi moves around, by
moving the flagella. Many bacteria have flagella. This is the most common
borreliosis antibody.
45: Heat shock protein. This helps the bacteria survive fever. The only
bacteria in the world that does not have heat shock proteins is Treponema
pallidum, the cause of syphilis.
58: Heat shock protein.
66: Heat shock protein. This is the second most common borrelia antibody.
73: Heat shock protein.
83: This is the DNA or genetic material of Borrelia burgdorferi. It is the
same thing as the 93, based upon the medical literature. But laboratories
vary in assigning significance to the 83 versus the 93.
93: The DNA or genetic material of Borrelia burgdorferi.
In my clinical experience, if a patient has symptoms suspicious for
borreliosis, and has one or more of the following bands, there is a very
high probability the patient has borreliosis. These bands are 18, 22, 23-25,
28, 30, 31, 34, 37, 39, 41, 83, and 93. This is true regardless of whether
it is IgG or I~. But again, there is no universal agreement on the
significance of these bands.
Betina Wilska, M.D. from Germany is one of the world's experts on outer
surface protein A (31 kDa). At the international borreliosis conference in
Vancouver, British Columbia, I asked her personally about the 30 kDa band.
She told me it was the same as the 31 kDa band (osp A). When you have the
opportunity to talk to borreliosis experts, this helps in assigning
significance to findings, on an imperfect test.
As a medical doctor, I am stating all of this with no axe to grind, no
professorship to protect, and no preset opinions. Patients, personal
research, and conferences have helped me interpret the borreliosis medical
literature in regard to testing. Nobody would like to have available a
bullet-proof, 100% reliable Lyme borreliosis test more than I would. But we
must use what is currently available. I always welcome second opinions.
TAKING ENZYMES LIKE SERRAPEPTASE CAN ELIMINATE THE FIBRIN AND BIO-MASS BREEDING GROUNDS (BIO-FILMS) IN THE BLOOD THAT PROTECT BORRELIA, MAKING THEM VULNERABLE TO BE GOBBLED UP.
And, 'change it up' w/ this stealthy Bb. Let off your regimen just before the full moon, coaxing this Spirochete to come out and reproduce. Then hit them w/ your choice of weapon, or protocol. THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO KILL OFF PARASITES, ALSO, as they reproduce in the full moon. People who have parasites in the brain and seizure, will have increased activity during a full moon cycle. Think 2 days before, the day of the full moon and 2 days after.
Keywords: Lyme, Lyme Disease, Borrelia, Borreliosis, Bb, Dr. Lee Cowden, Dr. Richard Horowitz, Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Burrascano, Lyme Treatment, arthritis, bullseye rash, etc.
Questions? Contact us at leangreencafe@yahoo.com
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