First LLMD visit

My first appointment went well I think. He wants me to clean up my body before starting any antibiotics, so has me on a strong probiotic, a liver cleanse and a grain free diet. Avoid sugar and dairy too. He's worried about herxing because I have that MTHR gene, so wants me to detox as much as possible first.

He did some more blood tests including CD-57 which he said is a strong indicator for lyme, but he does think I have it based on current tests and symptoms. He said my symptoms sound like I also have Bartonella. He ran more extensive thyroid tests because he wants to optomize thyroid for treatment.

I go back in a few weeks to determine treatment plan. He said not everyone needs antibiotics, but he said I'm likely to need a combination of holistic and antibiotics.

Does this sound reasonable?

Sounds like you had a great appointment, Kat1000.


Yes, it's a great idea to prepare your body before treatment...get the support going..and detoxing...

Well sounds like you've got a good one. If he's not already in our directory of doctors, we may want to add him.

Kat, I love recommending Stephen Buhner's book, Healing Lyme, Second Edition. But, there is an even better book, Unlocking Lyme, by Dr. Williams Rawls.

It is the best and easiest lyme book I have read. He is a doctor (Ob/GYn) that got lyme (he had to quit his practice because of lyme) and his truths about the disease and all about all the different the treatments.

Why listen to me, when you can hear what a real doctor has to say about all the different approaches to curing lyme? I'm a nobody.... special to my husband, but still a nobody that has suffered with lyme disease.

Huddie - Remember to take the MTHFR test results to Dr. J. So you don't pay for another test.

Very good game plan. Detoxing, probiotics and paleo diet will start to make you feel better just by itself. This alone can reduce inflammation and also strengthen immune health.

Setting up this foundation is a great approach. You don't want your immune system to take a back seat or be over worked on other things and actually be in the fight against lyme with the antibiotics.

You are lucky that your LLMD knows this and has educated you on it from the get go, instead of having to learn this as you go by yourself.

I just typed a very long response and couldn't log in (thought I was logged in), so here's another version!

I'm happy to hear I'm on the right path. I was excited to see someone who listened, didn't call me a "puzzle" or shuffle me off to yet another doctor. He wasn't the most organized, imo, didn't take notes, but it sounds like he knows what he's doing. He's in the Chicago area.

Diet is no grain (doesn't like leptins), no dairy, no peanuts, minimal sugar. He gave me a probiotic, thyroid support and a powder that is a metabolic/liver cleanse which I'm to mix into a power smoothie of berries, greens mix and coconut oil/water. I have a list of do's and don'ts to eat.

He also gave me a few page summary about treating lyme, and it mentions detoxing, like with the epsom baths, meditation and yoga.

He said he believes in a team approach to treating, with the team being he and I. He said if I'm not on board and don't want to do something it won't work. He said after reading the book, getting my immune system stronger and receiving these latest test results, we will come up with a plan together. He mentioned IV antibiotics and I don't know anything about those. I think I may prefer oral.

I was pretty foggy yesterday and wish I would have taken notes. Today I'm very tired and struggling at work a bit. He said coffee was okay. yay!

I need to do some shopping so won't be fully on the diet until the weekend, but that's 3 1/2 weeks until next appointment so I think that's okay.

I'm feeling optomistic that I can now get better! He explained the Igenix result to me and the MHTHR that another doc had tested. He said something about it affecting B12 and folate I think, but basically it affects the way I absorb things. My thryoid is enlarged so he tested that along with that other blood test I mentioned, CD 57. I should have those results quickly and then he'll tweak thyroid med. He prefers naturethroid over armour and told me to stop armour completely and he'll increase naturethroid. He said armour has corn (another thing to avoid).

It really does sound wonderful! And, a doctor that sees that it's a team approach like that is hard to find! Congratulations! All great recommendations from him from what you've told us.

Please do email one of us Mods to let us know the LLMD's contact information so we can get him on our list as well - it will help many people. TIA.

Thank you so very much! We are always on the hunt for good LLMD's!!