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Just tested negative for coinfections

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Posted 8/19/2014 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
It's a no for Bartonella, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichia and Babesia.

I know it's good news...

After 5 months on antibiotics and supplements - and only feeling worse (at least 20 heightened symptoms), I thought maybe a coinfection was to blame, especially for the pain and burning sensation throughout. Will carry on.

Post Edited (RTF) : 8/19/2014 12:40:35 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/19/2014 7:44 PM (GMT 0)
Don't forget that the testing for co-infections is as bad if not worse than for Lyme disease. I hope that your tests were correct, but take a look at the symptom lists in the "New to Lyme?" thread to see if you have the symptoms of one of the co-infections too. What about mold exposure or thyroid or adrenal issues? Have you had a bunch of testing for those things as well?

Something is stopping you from healing.
Posted 8/19/2014 10:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Traveler -
After reading through the coinfection symptom list per your suggestion, now I'm not so sure those are my symptoms (thank you).
Just came from my DR and she agreed that the tests are not always accurate. She is not a LLMD, but a very knowledgeable GP that at least got me started in the right direction by reading the Igenix tests and diagnosing me with lyme...even though they of course said negative. Today she switched me from Ceftin to Doxy... and also put me on Lyrica... for the Fibromyalgia-like symptoms.
Posted 8/19/2014 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
I'm glad to hear you don't have the additional infections to battle. I hope your change of meds will help you move ahead more. I wish you the best!
Posted 8/20/2014 10:06 AM (GMT 0)
RTF—
I tested CDC positive for Borellia, tested positive (but not CDC positive) for Bartonella but LLMD says we'll have to retest in a couple weeks after I've been taking A-Bart to provoke the infection and make it more detectable—enough for insurance to cover treatment. I also tested negative for Babesia but most of my loudest symptoms are from Babs. LLMD says we can't treat everything at once anyway and we'll test later down the road. Starting abx for Borellia soon (been on herbs so far).

Something else that might be impeding your treatment could be methylization issues. Have you been tested for DNA mutations that affect the methylization process? Check out www.MTHFR.net for more info—I found out I have two mutations—and both were keeping me from detoxing well. Taking a few more supplements for support now and doing better.

-p
Posted 8/20/2014 3:34 PM (GMT 0)
thanks all. Good suggestion Pirouette.
I realize I need to get to a specialist, just glad I was able to get this kick started with insurance coverage. Anyone else have the burning/tingling sensation throughout? Is that just the Lyme? I have that often, along with the join and muscle pain. I have had the swollen glands and sore throat; it has taken a break for the moment. Does it sound like a coinfection?
Posted 8/20/2014 3:59 PM (GMT 0)
RTF, that sounds just like bartenolla. Everyone is correct the tests aren't accurate. You can spin your wheels looking into everything under the sun (MTHFR)but getting rid of the bart is the only way to get well.along with the other infections!but bart is the biggie.
=]chloe
Posted 8/20/2014 4:17 PM (GMT 0)
It depends chloe—I think I have read the same "biggie" claim for babesia and some cases of borellia, too. It all depends on your own personal level of the infection. And, as I mention, if you do have trouble detoxing (MTHFR issues) you will never get well and your treatments, regardless of what they are and how you're treating, will not be enough. You need to be able to remove the toxins from the body once the treatments kill off the infection.

RTF—
Another thought is that you are also likely battling viruses (what tipped me off is the swollen glands and sore throat). Before I started lyme/bart and babs treatment, I started with huge doses of anti-virals for a couple of months. I tested high for reactivated EBV, HSV-1 and HHV-6 and CMV. So, without addressing the high viral load my immune system wasn't going to be able to help fight the infection very well. A good LLMD will likely test you for viral loads at the onset as well, but might be prepared to bring it up as well.

Hope this helps -

-p
Posted 8/20/2014 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Pirouette - yes very helpful
Posted 8/21/2014 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
EBV (Epstein Barr Virus) is very, very common to find among "healthy" adults, and it's even more prevalent with those that are dealing with these infections - and a reactivation of the virus can be enough to slow or stop healing. As Pirouette said, there are also other viruses that we deal with, but EBV is the most common. Anti-virals can be taken, or L-Lysine. I accidentally reactivated my EBV one time and I took 3,000 mgs of L-Lysine for 3 months and then tapered off and got my EBV back into remission.

The sore throat and swollen gland can just be from the body trying to do what it's supposed to do too though - cleansing the blood. The Lymph glands filter out dead bacteria (& other things) and sometimes when there is a lot of it, it "clogs" up the lymph glands. We usually notice the ones nearest our throat first, but they are rarely the only ones affected.

Lymph massages are a good way to get things moving again - you can find many tutorials on You Tube to do this yourself, or you can find a licensed Lymph massage therapist to do it for you. Remember, gentle pressure though!!! And expect to herx - you will be releasing the dead bacteria into your blood stream (to be moved on to other organ to process them out of the body) and this is what drives our symptoms. So detox, detox, detox!!!
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