Hi Dirtfarmerswife-
Glad you posted - good questions.
First, you DID catch this early so just know that.
However, effective treatment varies for every one of us. The tx guidelines GUIDE but it usually takes a much more customized approach to reach full healing.
Also, your MD is simply parroting what he's been brainwashed to repeat with all the abx fear-mingering. The real danger is not treating effectively. Now, for some people, abx are not going to work. For MOST of us, they help but at the right doses, at the right duration and with the right supporting protocol ---and therein lies the key to your healing.
First and foremost, you need to work with a Lyme specialist. Diagnosis and treatment of Tick-born infections are far too complicated for general MDs to understand, that's why we have specialists. And unfortunately Infectious Diseases docs are brainwashed with a narrow view of Lyme. Specialists are required.
The minimum duration of tx w/ doxy is 6 wks at 400mg per day. You could just not have treated long enough or intensively enough.
Also, most ticks carry far more pathogens than Lyme and these could be the cause of your sx (many Lyme and coninfection sx overlap) also probably need to be treated.
Another possibility is that yeast/fungal overgrowth is common with many people - even without taking abx which kill the good bacteria that help keep y/f in check. See the last post in the "New to Lyme?" thread at the top of the page for more info about
y/f overgrowth and tx.
So - recommended next steps:
1. Find a Lyme specialist
2. Explore the possibility of additional coinfections - complete this questionnaire and share results with your LLMD.
Jernigan's symptom list:
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3673749&g=3673789#m36737893. Try to get an extension of abx until you can find a specialist.
4. If I were you I would also explore supporting herbal antimicrobials for Lyme and other tick infections as well as a broader supportive protocol - even if you continue with abx. Most of us are using a hybrid protocol (abx and herbs) effectively.
5. Also, verify that your GI health is optimal - 70% of our immune system is our GI and no tx will work if there are issues with digestion and absorbing nutrients, meds, supplements, etc. Gut health is critical - or you waste a lot of precious time and money.
*******
In response to the statements shared about
the safety of abx:
This is a complex issue. Most abx fear-mongering is due to miseducation about
resistance issues that have been co-opted by the Lyme cartel that is responsible for the Lyme epidemic we now are faced with.
There is an authentic concern regarding resistance. But the primary causes of resistance issues is NOT 6+ wks of Lyme tx. To suggest that is fear-mongering. Abx resistance is much much much bigger issue.
Some of the real causes include rogue MDs prescribing abx for everything under the sun - even viral infections. But that is becoming less and less of an issue. Long-term abx are commonly prescribed for multiple "nuisance" infections like bladder infections. Most dermatologists prescribe years of THE EXACT abx (doxy) at THE EXACT dose for acne as is prescribed for Lyme---yet at anything beyond 4weeks for Lyme is "dangerous". It's laughable. And yes, yrs of abx tx for acne is very common - I can tell you first hand and I barely had any acne. I hope this, too, is changing but I doubt it. Don't fall for this red herring - focus on the tx needed, which probably isn't just abx.
Actually, the primary problem with abx resistance is that 80% of the antibiotics used in this country are given to farm animals used in the production of animal food products (meats and dairy). This is necessary because of the horribly unhealthy conditions of most mass-scale animal farming. 80%. Since .gov is controlled by corporate America, the blame is misdirected from the real culprit of abx resistance toward abx for Lyme... give me a break. This is ridiculous b.s.
However, with Lyme becoming an epidemic, and my belief is that most people have already contracted it, eventually, abx tx will need to evolve to keep in front of this kind of pathogen (until a superior tx is developed). However, most issues with ineffective abx use have to do with a lack of a comprehensive protocol, more than a resistance issue.
Regarding animal products, anyone who has consumed these products in the past 30 yrs has been exposed to enough abx to disrupt natural gut flora. It's important to choose certified organic animal products, which lessen this risk.
However, even certified organic eggs are often given a shot of abx. There are loopholes in the regulations. The only way you can really control this is to grow your own food and food sources for that food...
Probiotics do not replace the millions of gut flora disrupted by abx but they do help some people. It's important to have a clean, sugar-free diet and some people also need to include antifungals in their protocol. Others (like me) also need to help remove toxins and increase bowel movement, which also helps prevent overgrowth and imbalance.
In summary, one weapon we currently have against chronic Lyme is abx, which work for some people if used correctly as PART OF a comprehensive protocol. But fear-mongering regarding abx will do more harm by preventing people from getting urgent tx that us usually effective. For most people, abx resistance is not a reason to avoid using abx APPROPRIATELY to address Lyme. Admittedly most MDs don't really understand what this involves, which is why info sharing on forums like this is important. It takes awhile to build the right protocol. But we can help.
Jinna -
I know you intend to be generous and helpful with your information. But it would be better to either tailor it to the average American experience here in the US (since that is our primary membership). And please temper the abx fear-mongering.
Please remember that your personal experiences, while they can be helpful, probably shouldn't be used as a baseline for claiming abx are "dangerous". That isn't helpful and can be confusing. People come here for information and guidance. There are several ways to approach Lyme tx and I know you know that tx I usually requires a customized approach and if that includes abx for some, it's more helpful to guide that - not spread disinformation that confuses an already-overwhelming situation. It's important to provide balanced support.
-p
Post Edited (Pirouette) : 9/23/2017 1:28:22 PM (GMT-6)