Posted 4/30/2015 11:10 AM (GMT 0)
I've read, and it makes sense to me, that in some cases, Lyme "relapses" can occur because the bacteria are never fully eradicated from the body. Supposedly (although contrary to CDC and its allies) research shows that the Lyme spirochete has at least three different forms--the standard spirochete, which is similar to syphilis, and two others: one encased in a "biofilm" membrane and one called a cyst, which is essentially akin to a seed--a dormant state that waits for a nurturing environment to "hatch." The second and third forms are supposedly hidden from the immune system and also difficult to treat with antibiotics. So a person may feel better and symptoms may disappear after the syphilis-like form of Lyme and even the biofilm form are eradicated, but there could still be some cyst forms floating around in the body waiting for the toxins to go away...if these cysts can live for years, then they'll simply wait for the antibiotic treatment to end, when the person thinks s/he is "cured," and then they can theoretically hatch and repopulate the body.
Another theory is that Lyme bacteria, due to their spirochete spiral forms, can literally drill into the bone and bone marrow, and cross the blood-brain barrier. Many antibiotics can't penetrate the body at these levels, and so depending how long the bacteria have had to invade the body, they may be deeply embedded and treatment may not be able to reach the deepest levels of infection.
It is thought that I've had Lyme for half my lifetime, at least since I was 18 years old (I'm now 36) because I was diagnosed and (under) treated at age 18. I've chosen to theorize that treatment may be a long, slow process for me and that I should not expect to ever be "cured" because of this long-term infection--I HOPE that's not the case, but I want to limit my expectations so that I'm not too disappointed. I think about it as being a bacterial infection that may operate like a herpes (chicken pox) virus: herpes viruses, once contracted, live in the base of the spine in a latent state and wait for the immune system to be compromised and then they opportunistically spring to life and cause shingles. If Lyme and/or bartonella, babesia, and any of their nasty little friends have made their way to the spinal fluid, then there's essentially no chance to eradicate them entirely. If treatment effectively puts the bacteria in check, drugs and herbs probably can't get into the spinal fluid because it's in a closed system that's difficult to access...so despite how effectively treatment works, I'll always be vigilant about signs of the Lyme collective re-emerging from hidden places. So a bad case of the flu, a poor diet, aging may always be especially dangerous to people who've had Lyme, in theory anyway. That's why a lot of people here will tell you that Lyme patients have, aside from the infections, among the healthiest lifestyles of anyone. Because we have to simply to maintain our health, not unlike people who have HIV.