Yeah Tom, that counts. I sure hope you are a fighter. Don't give up no matter what. I'm here because I count on people here to share hope they have gained through improvements! One reason of many. :)
Does Lyme kill? Is there doubt that neuro Lyme, or even prolonged illness, CAUSES depression in many? Depression kills. Suicide is by definition, deadly. So, Lyme effects kill.
Lyme can affect the heart - pretty dangerous stuff.
Being bedridden is terrible for a person's over all condition regardless of the cause - even from broken bones. Bed sores can lead to infection which can lead to death.
Then there's blood clots and congestion and weakening muscles and bones due to no load. Those all can come from prolonged bed rest. So, add strokes, bronchitis and pneumonia, and falls and fractures to the list.
Lyme may not hit an on/off button directly, but it can lead right to deadly conditions.
There's no doubt that herbs can work - there's a big need for recording and sorting the info and figuring out what does what.
Each person is going to have to take the route that works for them. If something doesn't work then I agree - try something different. Because we have different combos of disease load and different genetic suceptibility and different environmental impact we are going to have different reactions. (Please take notes and share!)
The basic facts that Lyme can affect so many different systems and areas, plus that it uses inflamation as a tool to gain entry makes me think it goes to any area that already shows inflamation maybe preferentially to attacking a healthier spot.
If that's the case it might explain how a single knee gets arthritis! Did kid A fall on his right knee and kid B bang up his left knee? Inflamation. Door's open.
By the way, I am very pleased by the stuff I saw at the Columbia University web site. (I think Heather's Dad posted the link under psychiatric effects previously.)
The most striking parts for me were their Ilads flavor approach for a place with a very positive image and reputation, and the listing of several studies which show post treatment infectiousness.
Not only do the 4 reports sited show that 'standard' antibiotic treatment duration left live Bb able to infect ticks placed on the treated test subjects, they show that the treated subjects TESTED CLEAN yet were stll able to infect ticks!
That, combined with the Western Grey Squirrel test Traveler lead me to and the Embers monkey test show shorter term antibiotics "may" not be enough. What to do next is still pretty open.
That makes 1 dog test, 3 mice tests, 1 squirrel test, and 1 monkey test I know of now to show Bb persists post 'standard' antibiotics.
For me the testing clean but still being infectious is the most important part because my son tested clean 2x although he had 5 distinct, spreading bullseyes.
The bug can hide without provoking a natural immune response. (At least with help from prednisone?) But then, I'm preaching to the choir.
Awaiting a radiologist's report on my son's MRI. Pretty tired of waiting.