Newbie looking for advice

Hello everyone,

I’m new here.

I was diagnosed with Lyme in March after a visit to my doctor because of a swollen knee. As soon as he saw it he said it was possibly Lyme, and had me tested.

My Western Blot result is:

IGM present- 41,39, 23 kDa
IGG present- 93, 66, 41, 39, 28, 18 kDa

He has me on 2 months of doxy, and I’m a month into that. I’ve had no reaction to the doxy, certainly no herx.

This has been a total surprise. I have no idea when I got infected, it could have been recently or years ago. I moved to MA ( Boston suburbs) from the UK about 4 years ago knowing about the tick problem around here, and have always tried to be super careful in my backyard, and I don’t remember getting bitten here or in the UK. The only time I know I was bitten by a tick was when I was on vacation in South Africa about 10 years ago, the tick was only on me for an hour or two, and I never thought any more of it, although I now realise that I may have had lyme since then?

I know that 2 months of doxy isn’t going to change my lyme status, and I'm unsure what I should do next.

Other than my knee (which is now 100% better. It had pretty much cleared up by itself before I even started the doxy), I’ve got no lyme related symptoms that I can put my finger on. I’ve had migraines and Raynaud’s most of my life- (both in a mild form and I do not take any medication). I’m 53 now, so do not think that either can be lyme related.

I’ve read everything I can find online about lyme (mainly this forum, especially the New to Lyme section). I’ve always followed a pescatarian/mainly vegetarian diet, always tried to keep fit, and since my diagnosis I’m taking coQ10, and a probiotic. I’ve started dry brushing, & epsom salt/hydrogen peroxide baths most evenings (with no herx reaction). I did think of taking GSE drops as a cyst buster, but then I read an old thread here about how it reduces the effectiveness of the doxy.

Now I’ve had a symptom does it follow that other symptoms are going to start soon, or could I have had a mild flare up that my immune system has fought off without the doxy? It seems from what I’ve read that there are a few people who have lyme but not in a severe form, or they are completely asymptomatic for years. Or have I just been lucky so far, and this is going to spiral?

I’ve thought about self treating using the core Buhner protocol to try to stop it developing. Or should I wait to see if there are other symptoms, and then start Buhner? Or pick a couple of key protective herbs rather than the whole protocol, given the mildness of my symptoms so far (and if so which are the best herbs)?

Or do I go and see a LLMD?-and if I do that, how does that work with my regular MD? By going to a LLMD am I going to cut myself off from my doc and from my insurance?

I know already that nothing is for certain with lyme, but I would really appreciate some advice.

Thanks

Hi, welcome!

So your swollen knee was your only symptom and it's gone now?

You are positive - that even looks like CDC positive?


I think either don't treat it at all...since you don't have symptoms...or treat herbally.

Tough call, though.

I think a LLMD would say not to treat - they go by symptoms...for length of time, for antibiotic choices...not sure how they'd gauge your improvement...since you don't have symptoms.
IDK - maybe a LLMD would do a trial of a coinfection protocol and would monitor to see if it brings out symptoms.

WalkingbyFaith said...
Raynaud's can be caused by bartonella.

Migraines are common with bartonella, and headached in general can come with any of the infections.

/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/17401716/

True - those could be symptoms along with the knee.

Maybe take Japanese knotweed too.


Always start very slow and only one herbal at a time to see how you react to it. That way if you were allergic or had any issues you can isolate which herb it is.

If you use herbal tinctures you are able to start with a few drops a day then build up from there to 3 X a day.

Stephen Buhner's book" Healing Lyme" 2nd edition,is excellent and you can get it on amazon for around 20 dollars I believe. He has suggestions for dosing but again not everyone needs full doses and one should always start slow.


Take care

Always check for side effects and contradictions to all herbals.

Be careful with Astragalus. Buhner does not recommend it for chronic lyme due to chance of causing a massive herx. Just go real slow with it.

Agree with goshawk... Jap Knoweed, as well as Cat's Claw, is common in all of Buhner's core protocols.

Buhner states that taking Astragalus with chronic lyme can set off an autoimmune reaction.



"For some people it can make symptoms worse, I talk about this more in depth in the second edition of Healing Lyme where I do note that for some people it really does make the condition worse, for some it helps. It is safe to use indefinitely."