Supplement suggestions. MTHFR A1298C, multi vitamin, yeast and lyme in general

I have a few questions regarding these things. I have two copies of the A1298C mutation. I saw a doctor, not LLMD who told me to take deplin for this. When posting in another forum asking if people have seen improvements with deplin, lots of people said it had fillers and was not a good supplement for the mutation. I know nothing about this so wondered if anyone here can guide me on this?

Also, i know people say to avoid folic acid when you have the mutation. I cannot find any multivitamin that does not contain folic acid in it. Could someone possibly give me a suggestion for a multivitamin that does not contain folic acid?

Also, do people believe in general diet, vitamins and supplements are key in getting better? I was on the waiting list for a very good LLMD for months, only to have him cancel all new patient appointments due to his own health issues. I was devastated. I didn't want to keep waiting months for another LLMD so i decided to see another doctor who is not an LLMD but has lyme himself and so i figured he would know lots about it. He prescribed 3 abx, didn't mention anything about supplements other than vitamin d and the deplin for the mutation. When i asked about diet he said to eat whatever i want and if we noticed diet later on impacting my healing then we could consider it. What are peoples thoughts on this?

Lastly, if i do have a yeast problem which i think i may i am assuming diet is vital in healing? Also, how do i know what is due to yeast and what is due to lyme? I have so many different symptoms it is hard to tell, although i did test positive for lyme through igenex so i guess i know i have that. I see an actual LLMD in 2 weeks time, so hopefully he can help me. I don't think i am going to go back to the other doctor.

Hi tol89

EXCELLENT that you have positive IGeneX test... it's taken many of us many many years to even get to a diagnosis. You're WAY ahead of the game.

Regarding folic acid... in most cases, the folic acid in the multivitamins won't hurt you... you just won't benefit from them because your body (w/ your mutations) likely can't process "regular" folic acid forms. But also, I'm not sure the multivitamins are going to do much for you. They are just too broad and too processed. We have a fantastic poster here, Georgia Hunter, who has done a lot of research on minerals and nutrients and what we're missing from foods, etc. He might be a good resource to engage regarding supplementation.

You absolutely need to find an LLMD. Your MD failed to properly administer the abx... can you share what they were? This is important to help guide you through the treatment until you can get to an excellent LLMD.

I recommend waiting to start the abx until you get the y/f overgrowth a little more under control. But when you're ready to start the abx, there is a specific protocol.

- First, no one should take any abx w/out a high quality, multi-strained LIVE probiotic. With your y/f overgrowth issues, you should take at least 200 billion daily, maybe more. I take 400 on my abx days.
- Second, with your current y/f issues, you should also be on antifungals. More about that below.
- Third, I would not pile on 3 abx all at once. You would be better off starting with the spirochete killer (there are several, this is why it's better to know which ones you're taking) and allow your body to get accustomed for a couple of weeks so that you are able to understand any reactions and know exactly what they're from before starting a new med.
- Fourth, you absolutely must detox out of your body what you are killing w/ the antifungals and abx. For most of us, our bodies need help and there are several great protocols people here are following. The "New to Lyme?" thread has good suggestions and others can provide excellent recommendations.

And, all due respect, your MD is WRONG about "eat whatever". Historically, they didn't teach even basic nutrition in med school (although they might now). 70% of your immune system lies within your gut. Your gut needs support with the right diet and nutrients and avoiding some basic stuff that is harmful to digestion, immune function and healing... and certainly in support of y/f overgrowth treatment.

For lymees, anyone on abx treatment, and anyone battling y/f overgrowth needs a NO SUGAR, NO SIMPLE CARBS (nothing "white" like rice, bread, pasta), NO PROCESSED FOODS, avoid all dairy and grains (gluten) for now since most of it is processed and dairy is very tough to digest. Your diet will be lots of healthy protein and dark colored veggies for awhile. And if possible, try to stick with organic foods since your body is struggling to digest and process the foods and also detox all the stuff going on. You don't also need to pile chemicals and pesticides.

Your last question is a very good one and a complicated one--which sx are from lyme and which are from y/f overgrowth: this is tough to know. But if you hold off the lyme tx and focus on the y/f tx, you should be able to knock out your y/f tx in a couple wks and then you'll have a much clearer picture.

Hope this helps--please let us know if you have other q's!

-p

From what I UNDERSTAND about taking oral antibiotics, that IF your G.I. tract isn't optimally functioning then you lose absorption of the majority of the oral abx.

I had mal-absorption due to all the foods that I was eating that I didn't know for years I was intolerant to. So, before treatment, I had to get my G.I. back to somewhat normally functioning so I could absorb vital nutrients and herbal antibiotics.

My sister, diagnosed w/Lyme back in '08', was on doxy her 1st several months but ended up getting a pic line due to the oral abx not surviving her G.I.

Food intolerance/allergies are just another of many of symptoms that this dang illness causes!

What happens if you take diflucan and don't have a yeast issue? Can it cause problems? He had me on minocycline x2 daily at 100mg, clindamycin x2 daily at 300mg, and azithromycin one a day, don't remember the dose, but i never made it to that. I was on the third day taking mino and clind when i stopped due to the issues of head pressure i discussed in a previous thread. Since then i have been too scared to go back incase the same thing happens again

If you take Diflucan and don't have a yeast issue, not much happens unless you're on it for a month or so and by then you may have to support you liver with a little detoxing.

Again, it is rare that you take that many abx and not have a yeast/fungal issue, if you are not specifically trying to prevent it. The head pressure is a common sx of y/f so there's your strategy…

If you have a health food store near you, look for Garden of Life "100 Billion" probiotic for women. THese are capsules and you can start with a double dose for a few days to get caught up. If you don't feel much change, take a little more (according to my gastroenterologist who is lyme literate, you can't take too much probiotic). But when you're ready to start the abx, you should increase it to 400 billion for a little while, just to ensure you're replacing what you're killing and your body can adjust. I like taking the GoL "emergency" powder that you can add to water, tea.

And until your appt, implementing the probiotic, the anti fungal will be helpful. Diet is key as well… and I bet you will be feeling better by your appt. time. If not, there may be other reasons (I had trouble w/ Bartonella infection in my gut), others have issues with mold sensitivities and/or parasites. But you'll know if it's not y/f if you don't have any improvement with anti fungal + probiotic + diet. Knowing what is or is not working will really help your LLMD start trouble-shooting other possibilities.

You are doing really well trying to learn and understand this situation—it will really help you come to your LLMD appt prepared and you can have questions all ready to go and you'll be more able to understand his responses and recommendations for treatment. So you're way ahead of the game on that, too.

Here is more info on how y/f overgrowth can cause leaky gut and what you can do for it:

yeast/fungal overgrowth
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3287783&p=2
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3413180
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3446175

leaky gut
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3294327

Let us know if you have more q's!

-p