I was told chronic lyme isn't curable...that we have to slam it into remission..is this true???

My LLMD says that with effective and thorough treatment it can be beaten. Inadequate treatment leads to relapses.

I'm going with that!

You get it to a level where your immune system can keep it under control. Just like internal Candadia- we all have it, some worse than others.

Thats why gut health is so important. The immune system starts in your gut. Leaky gut = always ill.

What I have found comfort in is that many moderators on here say they have seen many MANY members come and go on this forum, primarily because they GET BETTER. At my lyme support group the moderator said the same thing: she assured all of us that most of us wouldn't be attending the meetings even 6 months from now because the standard antibiotics are going to heal us. A few of the veteran members were nodding and agreeing that they've seen so many people join their group, get better, and leave the group.

For me, even if it becomes dormant instead of cured that's OK, as long as I can function like a normal alert alive person again. There are many things that do this in the body, as was mentioned above, such as candida. But BB is NOT dormant in everyone, at least not that I'm aware.

Keep posting your questions and try to find comfort in this very knowledgeable group. They've helped so many of us immeasurably. Your friend is just one person with their own opinion and experiences. There are thousands on here to support you as you go on this adventure.

My best,
Maui

Thank you Maui...that does help me a little. It's just that being told that when it goes into remission... that it can be reactivated again and again from traumas or stress was quite disheartening to hear as well.

Isn't that what happens with EBV? It's a virus, but after you get better, you still have the antibodies in your blood. Could it be the same with Lyme - even though it's bacterial?

Actually, EBV is s very good example for this!!

Around 99.7% of Americans have the EBV virus in them right now. Some end up with Mono as kids, some don't. Some that develop Mono end up hospitalized because they are so ill with it- some have what feels like a mild case of the flu for a while.

In some - like lucky me! - it can be reactivated, while others never seem to have any issues with it.

Then there are those lucky ones that although they have been exposed, they have never been sick at all from it.

Lyme is much the same way. The bacterial load can be lowered enough and the immune system can be built up to keep it all under control so that the person never has any more trouble with it - as long as they take precautions to not get reinfected.

Others must always be vigilant to keep their immune systems strong and then they will not have to deal with it any more - as long as they take precautions to not get reinfected.

For some, for unknown reasons at this point in time - they keep struggling with everything - and not from non-compliance either. But for the majority of even chronic Lyme patients, once we heal - if we keep ourselves healthy, keep stress low, and stay vigilant at protecting ourselves from being reinfected, we can go about our lives like we did before.

So while it depends on how you define the word "cure", the reality is that this infection can be beat, and you can get your life back!!

"It's just that being told that when it goes into remission... that it can be reactivated again and again from traumas or stress was quite disheartening to hear as well."

Yes, it happened to me... twice... I was treated twice and it was reactivated twice due to steroids shots for a car accident (don't ever take those) and then due to my son getting ill from it after being treated (so his got re-activated, too). So, I have 2 classic examples of it in my own family.

But I do not get scared, I get smart. There are ways to make it better. I use propolis which helps a lot with pain--it is a natural antibiotic and a natural anti-inflammatory and like Trav, many people use herbs. It did not get out of control for me this time. Also, detox using cilantro, oregano. Garlic is also a natural antibiotic and I use it a lot. I am almost symptom free doing it this way. I also introduced Echinacea and I plan to add other herbals. Instead of a useless tea, I have Echinacea tea instead. Many here are doing well with herbals. I plan to do the same for my son after a few months of abx when he is feeling better. So, it's not the end of the world if you relapse. The bugs are smart and you just have to get smarter than them.

It is true, if not caught on time, you can't get rid of all of it to completely eradicate it. Some people try by being on abx for 7 years. I do not want to live that kind of life. Abx are dangerous long term and may cause new problems that could have be avoided. Abx are not the only way to go. You just can't wait for it to get out of control again next time. But for many next time is not going to come. I dealt with a very bad situation with my son getting very ill with seizures due to this and that's what eventually brought me down. But I was ready this time. I stopped it prior to having to get on abx for the third time. We get smarter than the bugs if we learn a lot about them.

You are in the right place, read on here as much as you can. I learned more from here than from any doctor I've met. Detoxing is very important. Sometimes it is not the bugs that are alive that make us sick as much as the dead bugs that are intoxicating our whole body. Sadly, some LLMDs won't even insist on detoxing, so you will have to learn from somewhere else. Getting the toxins out is as important as killing the bugs or actually I dare to say it is even more important, or it is likely you won't feel better.

At this juncture, the question is unanswerable. You can thank the CDC and IDSA for that.

There are no commonly available tests to directly ascertain whether Borrelia is present; all tests right now can only disclose whether the immune system is responding to it... not too bloody useful when you consider that one of Borrelia's chief strengths is in immune system evasion!!

So whether or not it's present or not can only be determined by symptoms and careful ruleout of mimicking ailments. Presence of symptoms yes, absence of symptoms maybe no. Maybe. Your friend has a point when saying relapse MIGHT occur if the host becomes weakened or immune challenged.

Basically, we get treated and recover some or most or all of our previous functional health, with the understanding that the recovery might not be permanent and relapse could occur. For the rest of our lives we have to pay attention to our health, do all we can to remain healthy, and remain vigilant for the return of symptoms. In the process, we improve our health and longevity against all threats, not just Lyme. That's the lesson this illness teaches us.

I thought I was cured...

Like it was all a bad dream, a distant memory...

After a couple of months off antimicrobials and poor lifestyle choices it came back.

I don't know if you can "cure" Lyme Disease, but I will never make the mistake of thinking I am again. Better to practice great health, keep immunity up and inflammation down.

It doesn't mean you need to be on antimicrobials forever, nor does it mean you can't live a healthy life where you are not thinking about your illness everyday.

"The more chronic the condition the less successful it is, and you'll need to treat over a longer period of time."

Well, I'm one that blows that theory out the window. I was infected and untreated for literally 40 years - had abx therapy and was an abx therapy and 2 years later - now 42 years with these infections and healed in 12 months from Lyme and Bart and 12 months for Babesia - somewhere along the lines I healed from RMSF, Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichia and other chronic Tick-borne infections as well.

When you get the body supported properly and find the right treatments that work with your body, your healing will come. Don't worry about the word "cure", what we want is our lives back and that's possible!!!

But learn from my mistake - be sure that you do all you can to protect yourself from a reinfection!!!! Never think "It's okay" to go without protection. I got the tick that reinfected me while out getting groceries!

Ha ha ha!!! I'm happy that you are seeing the benefits and improvements with your kids with it!!