Lyme and Carnivore - 30 days in

Thought I'd post a little update (for myself and others).

Info: Lyme 5.5 years, 44 yo, I am not doing perfect-perfect carnivore FYI - Rare bad girl cheats, but am seeing vast improvement. I do not adhere to a "only meat and water" dogma. I'm like, 99% there. I let myself off the hook when I fudge up.

Do note: I had stem cells for Lyme in Jan. 2019 and some of my improvement is due to that. Items with asterisks improved before carnivore. Before dietary changes, I was back to about 50-60% energy levels, although I still had most of the below symptoms. Was vegetarian for twenty-six years, started eating meat in 2017, but in low amounts. Went carnivore a little over a month ago. I am a work in progress.

These are my pre-carnivore Lyme Symptoms (the majority of these were constant issues):

1. Lightheaded/dizzy - Mostly gone. No more episodes of vertigo.
2. Barometric pressure headaches - Improved
3. Digestive issues (diarrhea, constipation, dull and sharp pain) - Sharp pains are gone, others remain
4. Occasional (horrible) sharp pain in colon area - Gone
5. Daily headaches - Gone
6. Migraines (1-2 per month) - Haven't had one in a month
7. Sinus pressure - Mostly gone, discovered after 20 years I still CANNOT eat dairy
8. Bleeding gums - Mostly gone, gums are improving and are looking (dare I say) healthy. Before, felt like my teeth were loose
9. Jaw pain (Mostly on left side) - Gone
10. Heart palpitations - Improved
11. Muscle twitching - Very infrequent
12. *Mild to severe anxiety - Gone
13. *Mild to severe panic attacks - Gone
14. Doom and gloom - Gone
15. Lyme Rage - Gone gone gone!
16. *Mild to severe fatigue - Mostly gone. I spent 95% of my day laying down.
17. Neck and scalp pain, tightness - Mostly gone
18. Sciatica pain (both sides) - Eh, comes and goes
19. *Tinea versicolor (back, torso) - Gone (that went with meds)
20. Abnormal periods - Recent Period was lighter, used to be 10 days long with 2-3 extremely heavy days
21. *Costochondritis - Gone
22. *Pressure in sternum - Gone
23. Gas, bloating - Mostly gone
24. Everything I eat seems to upset my stomach - Gone
25. Dry sinuses - Mostly gone
26. Blocked sinuses - Mostly gone, I can now breathe through both sides of my nostrils
27. *Sore throat left side (two weeks and counting) - Gone
28. Feeling as though food isn't going down fast enough, difficulty swallowing - Totally gone
29. Pressure in ears, a feeling of fluid - Mostly gone - dairy didn't help
30. Occasional pressure in head, a feeling of fluid - Gone
31. Depression - Gone
32. Eye floaters - Mostly gone
33. Occasional odd smell in sinuses (sour) - Gone!
34. Babesia - IDK
35. Bartonella - IDK
36. Epstein Barr - IDK
37. HHV6 - IDK
38. *Hashimoto's - Resolved with thyroid meds pre-carnivore
39. Gluten intolerance - Who cares?
40. Dairy Intolerance - Still very active with milk and cheese. Eggs OK.
41. Eczema - Had disappeared pre-Lyme and returned a bit in December 2018, has improved and isn't bad
42. Candida - IDK, feels mostly gone
43. SIBO - Feels like it's improved
44. Inflammation - Way down
45. Constant health anxiety - Gone
46. Low cortisol - IDK
47. Low pregnenolone - IDK
48. Joint pain - Less
49. *Tongue tingling (kind of numb) - Gone
50. Throat feels tight - Gone
51. Puffy white tongue - Gone
52. Stomach pain (center, below ribs) - Gone
53. Pain in kidneys - Gone
54. Cold feet - Active
55. Pain in shoulders and left arm, elbow - Active, but less
56. Eye fatigue - Comes and goes as opposed to constant
57. Ringing in ears constantly - Active, less noticeable
58. Sweaty palms - Comes and goes
59. Dry skin - Active
60. *Shortness of breath, air hunger - Gone
61. Body shaking/vibrating - Mostly gone, had a bunch of this in the first few weeks of diet change - felt like out of whack vagus nerve
62. Central serous retinopathy - Has not progressed
63. Seeing stars - Occasional
64. Bags under eyes - Getting better
65. Ridges on nails - Unchanged
66. Bacterial Vaginosis - Resolved and then appears to be making a come back. Not sure why. Perhaps experimental introduction to dairy set if off. I'm off milk again.
67. Poor circulation - Improving
68. Hot flashes - Gone
69. Insomnia - Gone
70. Brain fog - Some days I'm a genius, others I can't remember basic stuff. Definitely not as bad as it was. I'm having more "on" days where I can grasp new concepts and can remember my to do lists.
71. Body odor - Something ticked when I started lyme killing herbs and my body chemistry went whack. Gross, but improving.
72. *Shoulder acne - Don't ask me why I had acne only on my shoulders, but that's mostly gone
73. Bruise easily - Better

This list is intense. I can't believe I lived like that for so long. As I said, stems got me about 50% of my energy back, but I still had many of the above symptoms. I still need a nap in the afternoon, but it's optional and I can charge through without one. I'm definitely not out of the woods. I'm still tweaking my diet to maximum efficiency and I'll get there. I went from taking twenty-five various herbs and supplements a day to now only taking magnesium, potassium, sole water, and cod liver (as needed). I also seem to be healing faster.

TLDR - Eating meat has improved my life.

Post Edited (10LymeB) : 3/2/2019 6:16:04 PM (GMT-7)

That’s a very long list of symptoms- I thought mine was bad -

I’m wondering if the ridges on fingernails will ever go away.
Speaking of fingernails - did you lose your half moons?

I did - but they’ve come back on a few fingers.

You’ve had a lot of improvements .
Do you think the recent improvements might be from the stem cells as well - but the healing takes awhile? Has it been a year yet?

Stetsonva said...
10lymeb, may I ask which stem cell company and or location that you went to and what type of stem-cell and what quantity. Thank you

Here’s her thread discussing going to Infusio

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3966464

I was on this diet for a while. I didn't notice getting better or worse or anything really, though it did help my appetite decrease. Now if I do it my digestion hates me. Guess it's best to find your own diet. I do know the famous Lyme patient who cured herself with this diet though.

I'm pretty sure this is the article http://meatheals.com/2018/02/04/charlene-andersen/ though I thought there was another one...I'll look again

Well I’ve not heard of either of them.
But maybe it’s because I’m Canadian?

Are both in remission ?

Carnivore diet, through constant ketosis induction(esp. if you do not eat enough proteins) can be immunosuppressive. Do you have your ketones levels checked?

Ketosis, NLRP3, and Arthritis
https://crownmd.net/ketosis-nlrp3-and-arthritis/
– The NLRP3 inflammasome pathway is fundamental in the development of arthritis
– The ketone body, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome
– ketosis may be a powerful tool in the toolbox for reducing arthritic burden.
...
Ketones block the NLRP3 Pathway
The research supports that the dysregulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is a primary driver in the development of osteoarthritis, DDD, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout. It has also been demonstrated that there are therapeutic benefits from blocking this pathway. Pharmaceutical companies are working on NLRP3 blocking medications.

Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in human neutrophils by Helicobacter pylori infection
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1753425915619475

Development of tissue inflammation accompanied by NLRP3 inflammasome activation in rabbits infected with Treponema pallidum strain Nichols
https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-018-2993-0

The NLRP3 Inflammasome Detects Encephalomyocarditis Virus and Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Infection
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21289120

Zika virus infection induces host inflammatory responses by facilitating NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and interleukin-1β secretion
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-02645-3

NLRP3 Inflammasome and Host Protection against Bacterial Infection
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3792593/

The role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in regulation of antiviral responses to influenza A virus infection.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29097227

NLRP3 Is a Critical Regulator of Inflammation and Innate Immune Cell Response during Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infection.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29061706
We recently reported that an M. pneumoniae-derived ADP-ribosylating and vacuolating toxin called community-acquired respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS) toxin is capable of triggering NLRP3 (NLR-family, leucine-rich repeat protein 3) inflammasome activation and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion in macrophages. However, it is unclear whether the NLRP3 inflammasome is important for the immune response during M. pneumoniae acute infection. In the current study, we utilized in vitro and in vivo models of M. pneumoniae infection to characterize the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome during acute infection. M. pneumoniae-infected macrophages deficient for inflammasome components NLRP3, ASC (apoptosis speck-like protein containing a caspase activation and recruitment domain), or caspase-1 failed to process and secrete IL-1β. The MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway was found to be critical for proinflammatory gene expression in macrophages infected with M. pneumoniae C57BL/6 mice deficient for NLRP3 expression were unable to produce IL-1β in the airways during acute infection, and lack of this inflammatory response led to deficient immune cell activation and delayed bacterial clearance. These findings are the first to report the importance of the NLRP3 inflammasome in regulating the inflammatory response and influencing the progression of M. pneumoniae during acute infection.

Post Edited (Dmitry) : 3/6/2019 4:45:26 PM (GMT-7)

There is a Freestyle Ketone Meter which let one measure them. I know Lex Rooker ate a ton of meat/day like more than kilo and when checked was still in ketosis. You can google him for "Lex Rooker journal". Also you can experiment with a bit of white rice(not brown one as it contain some toxins like LPS) like 100..200 grams of cooked one will be enough to not drop into ketosis. Alternative to rice could be a dairy like milk or yogurt. If symptoms return it could be an NLRP3 inhibition(symptoms management - not actual healing), if not - toxins from food which you've eliminated with meat only diet were making you sick like oxalates etc. Good Luck.

See google: oxalates foods list.
Basically elimination diet like Carnivore one. Rice has zero oxalates while buckwheat and potatoes have some. Dairy has no oxalates.

meat and animal fats generally lead to inflammation(productive one?), sugar too(unproductive one?); veggies(SCFA, PUFA) palliate

Hey Dude,

Hi yes, I'm doing well. I had about two weeks of fatigue and generally feeling crappy, but I'm guessing it was something like the keto-flu. Feeling crappy on this diet is still better than a normal lyme day. What do they say? A bad day fishing is better than a good day working? A bad carnivore day is better than a good Lyme day. I still have some symptoms, but nothing really to stop me having what it starting to appear like a normal life. It's up and down. I have started supplementing Vitamin C - even though carnivores say you don't need it, I think people with Lyme do. That's helped. Otherwise, I supplement when I think I need something. LIke the other day I felt like I needed apple cider vinegar. I have also found that caviar (yes, caviar) gives you energy! I take it in the afternoons and so far no afternoon slumps. I buy the cheap stuff from Whole Foods. I'm not perfect, but I haven't felt this good in years. No kidding.

Hey, K --

Thanks for taking the time to share an update. I'm really delighted to hear that you're doing so well. Do whatever works, I say -- whether that's Carnivore, Ketogenic, Low-Carb, High-Carb, Fruitarian, or some other label. As long as you're feeling better and doing better, that's all that matters.

As I've often mentioned on this forum and in real life, one of the worst things I ever tried to do is "get healthy." All the intellectual interference and looking at foods as macro- and micro-nutrients is something I still regret and still battle. All the conflicting advice makes it worse, as you know. Obsessing about health is quite unhealthy. ha.

Not that my opinion matters, but I think you're wise to supplement. Getting it from food would likely be better, but that may not always be possible, depending on digestion, assimilation, and sensitivities/allergies. So, again, do whatever is safe and effective.

Speaking of digestion and your mentioning Apple Cider Vinegar, I recently bought a bottle of Bragg ACV to start making my own drink a couple of times a day. I bought one of their pre-made bottle of Limeade ACV and really liked it. But, at $2.99 per bottle (plus tax), it's a bit expensive to buy on a regular basis. I'm still unemployed.

I also bought some Mastic Gum, in hopes it might help my digestion and deal with any H. Pylori that might be lurking. The more I consider about the worsening of the streaks/ridges on my nails, the more it seems a sign of deficiency. A few years ago, I had a Heidelberg Gastric Analysis (swallowing a small capsule that measures stomach acid) and my stomach acid was low. Taking HCL w/Pepsin capsules also didn't cause my stomach to burn, so that was also an alleged indicator of low stomach acid. But, I didn't treat the issue very much or very long and have been just struggling along. Now, I'm trying again, with a more concerted effort.

Interesting to hear that caviar gives you energy. Again, whatever works and is safe. I've never had caviar, but I have seen/heard a few people on blogs and YouTube say very positive things about it.

Well, keep up the good work and I hope you continue to improve until your 110% better.

Sincerely,
Dude

I agree that it's confusing, what's healthy to eat or not, for one person or not the other. I'm leaning towards lower carbs and sugars now (like under 30 grams per day if i can help it), so I guess overall it's good I'm more mindful of how much of that I eat and how it affects my mood, energy and health. It's an art and a science, to know how much is the right amount. I'm more aware of avoiding processed foods.

A quick look at my diet is:
salad cabbage kits 1 or 2 days a week,

eggs, bacon, chicken, turkey and/or red meat as much as I can eat one or two days,

totally forget my diet one or two days, or fast intermittently, or binge on caffeine and supplements to attempt to be productive,

crash, sleep, repeat

and one day a week pretend I'm normal and eat/drink anything while I regret it and my body pays for it in aches, pains and symptoms.

I repeat this cycle, knowing that usually on the carnivore, keto, intermittent fast, caffeine buzz or cabbage kit days, I feel so much healthier, sometimes almost symptom free.