Hi kelleann!
It's more than possible! I had Lyme untreated for 40 years, along with Bartonella, Babesia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Brucella was suspected as were all the other tick-borne infections due to the number and severity of my symptoms, according to my LLMD who was very highly respected while he was alive - Dr. Edwin Masters.
Not only did I heal, but I healed well and quickly. But I had a lot of 'bumps in the road', including being an abx failure. I healed with herbs only. If you are interested you can read my basic story here:
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=2977364 While you will have a lot on your plate as you heal, you most definitely can heal. You're life can get better!! Treatment for long standing chronic Lyme must be very personalized for what your body needs.
I used to think I was the only one that felt that the things that I'm about
to post below were only my own thinkings, but not long ago, Dr. Horowitz said the same basic things:
With the experience that I had personally, and what I've watched others go through, here is what I believe needs to happen for many of us to heal:
a)Detoxing - gene mutations, mold exposure and multiple tick-borne infections can all prevent us from detoxing well, but we must be able to get those toxins out of our bodies. I have not had any of the gene mutation testing done, although I do seem to have the same kind of issues as those that do - so I figured it was best for me to assume that I did and work to get my body to detox much better. It took a lot of diet changes as things with my body changed, I used a foot soak daily, dry skin brushing, making sure my bowels moved at least once a day (sorry if it's TMI!) pushing myself to drink at least 64 ounces of lemon water each and every day, liver/gall bladder flushes (all natural), oil pulling, taking activated charcoal and keeping the amount of stress in my life at a bare minimum. You can find some really good detoxing suggestions in the "New to Lyme?" thread that sits at the top of the forum:
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=1606610 b)Supporting the body functions/systems. We have to have the body working at it's peak performance to heal from something as devastating as these infections. Supporting any gland, organ, body system that is struggling will allow the body to switch it's 'concentration' from just trying to function over to healing.
c) Raise the immune function. Many legitimate Lyme researchers now believe that it's the lowered immune function that determines who gets chronic Lyme and who heals right away. We already know that Lyme lowers the immune function and when a person has Bartonella and/or Babesia, the immune function is further compromised, so to heal we must raise our immune function.
d) Lastly, oddly enough, are anti-infective treatments. Many of us have experienced treatment failures, so we can see that the treatments aren't the only thing we need to have - there has to be more to the equation, but anti-infective treatments are very important!! Lyme bacteria are one of the most complicated bacteria! Although it takes only hours or days for most bacteria to replicate, Lyme bacteria only replicates in the body every few weeks.
Hang in there!! We have some awesome and mighty Lyme warriors here to help you get through this!!