Chroinc Lyme........A Tale of All or Nothing

Chronic Lyme Disease continues to frustrate both clinicians and patients.  Some patients are able to make a complete recovery on prolonged antibiotics while others are not.  The exact cause of this is not known but several LLMDS theorize that there is an immune complex that prevents patients from achieving full recovery.  This immune complex involves various way's in which the body is impaired in it's ability to function normally.  For example, mold sickness, heavy metal toxicity, adrenal insufficiency, thyroid dysfunction, co-infections, reactivated viruses, and hormonal imbalances to name a few.

I want to preface what I am about to say with acknowledgment and appreciation for all of the LLMD's out there that continue to fight for their patients health.  They unselfishly treat patients knowing that their protocols are controversial and could ultimately end up with license revocation and law suits. However, the paths we are starting to journey in an attempt to achieve recovery are no doubt a testament to the desperation of our situation.  At some point we have to take a step back and ask ourselves if we are truly seeing the forest for the trees. 

What do you think the probability is that you have a chronic persistent Lyme infection, along with co-infections, heavy metal toxicity, mold, and food intolerance?   I hear time and time again of patients trying to treat all of these things.  Meanwhile back on planet earth you have people that live on cigarettes, alcohol, fast food, and copious amounts of caffeine, and for all intensive purposes they are healthier than Chronic Lyme patients.  Something is not adding up.  Is it really this difficult to be healthy?

I'm sure there are people out there that have treated these things and gotten better but I'm also sure there are people who haven't.  Furthermore, Chronic Lyme patients are often on several medications and herbs at once so how can you tell what is really working? 

I'm not saying this immune complex is not significant and shouldn't be considered.  However, we must always remember that the science of treating Chronic Lyme is still being written.  Almost every treatment you are given is experimental in nature.  Before being convinced that you need to address all these problems its good to put your life health into context.  Were you healthy all our life and then one day became sick and never got better?  What do you think the probability is that you have a complex of issues to address as opposed to one thing?  On the other hand if you struggled with your health all your life and had a multitude of symptoms before you became ill with Lyme then it's not a far stretch to assume you may have more than a Lyme infection going on. 

Again, each patients case is different.  Just because a patient is not progressing with treatment does not mean that person has multiple issues that need to be addressed.  There are several scientific studies that show how fastidious Lyme bacteria is when presented with antibiotic challenge.  The significance of this is that antibiotic treatments may not be doing their job.  Additionally, we struggle just to diagnose Lyme never mind trying  to determine if it is cured or in remission.  Careful consideration is needed when dealing with a patient that is not progressing.  Before grasping at straws it's necessary to identify whether or not you have fully adjudicated the root cause of illness.

Oh, but there is an alternative here.  You can go see an IDSA affiliated doctor and be told you have absolutely nothing wrong with you!