Feeling Better

Well getting a little rest goes a long way. No kids to get dressed, fed, organized and to school on time really helps too. The logistics of getting the kids out the door (all four of them) and to school on time, makes this Lyme neurotoxin induced hurting brain of mine struggle big time. So a good nights sleep has really helped. Went to bed early and woke up 2 hours later than normal and I even woke up with a good dream that made me feel so happy when I woke up. I did a little research yesterday and found that Lyme symptoms flare every 3-5 weeks which made me feel a little more assured that what I have been going through this past week was actually a Lyme flare and not an ongoing symptom. The fact that I am feeling a lot better today seems to indicate that as well. I learned that when we are stressed (which I have been really stressed about some stuff at my kids school) that our cortisol goes up and when this happens it shuts the immune system down which causes even stronger Lyme symptoms as it begins to invade our body even more. Even though I knew this information in bits and pieces, I had never connected the dots as to why Lyme gets worse in times of stress. In light of this knowledge, I am ordering more Ashwaganda from the US and shipping it here. Ashwaganda reduces cortisol levels by 30%. I used it a month or so ago for the first time and it really did help to reduce stress. When cortisol levels go down, our adrenaline, fight or flight hormone and norepinephrine levels equalize. I had my neurotransmitters tested while I was going through this intense period of stress and when I received my neurotransmitter testing results back they indicated that my norepinephrine levels had tanked which was causing me to feel very anxious. The stress was putting my neurotransmitters in the gutter so Ashwaganda helped to shut down the stress response and turn down the cortisol that was doing this. Anyways, I know that is a lot of information, but reading it and knowing it now is a source of great encouragement to me.

Still not doing well

So my period ended yesterday. Today I had nervousness and a feeling of fear when I woke up. I was getting my four kids ready for school and they were all playing with Nerf guns and being quite loud. I found it so hard to concentrate. Even just their normal talking caused me to not be able to concentrate. I have been misplaced my keys several times this past week, overslept the alarm and yesterday I put my foot in my outh and mistook a little boy for a little girl. I probobly put my foot in my mouth because I was feeling all this underlying internal stress, anxiety and depression and wasn't able to think straight during the conversation. Right now I wonder when these feelings will end. They interrupt the rhythm of my life so much. It makes me not want to take any Lyme treatments, not that I would stop but that is how I feel. I wonder if this is a four week symptom flare that Dr. b speaks of in his treatment guidelines or if it is just something else that is related to my period but not to the Lyme. I have no idea. Fact is, I never had this before having Lyme. It still leaves me wondering, and hoping that it is a Lyme flare but worrying that it isn't a flare but just a symptom that will be ongoing the whole treatment. I don't feel like I could handle life if I had to feel like this everyday for the next 2+ years while treating this disease. Well, I actually could handle it if I didn't have to live a normal life and if I had someone taking care of me instead of me taking care of four children. So I guess it boils down to hoping this is the four week Lyme flare and worrying that it isn't the flare but an ongoing symptom because this is actually my fifth week of treatment. Side Note: I have had diarrhea all week long in addition to the worry/depression.

Depressed

Well this post is hard to write because I like to write more encouraging posts and don't like to focus on the negative. However this is the journey I am on and right now I am experiencing depression. I have had it on and off the past week and it is SO hard. So many things are hurting my feelings right now. A kid kicked my son in the face unprovoked. A friend who had been inviting my daughter over for playdates stopped after I accidentally forgot about one playdates. I also haven't arranged playdates because I never know how I am going to feel with this Lyme stuff but that may come off as disinterest. Today I just had a hard time picking myself up to do or accomplish anything. I just kept thinking negative things about myself all day and about my life. I am hoping this is some sort of passing herx and that tomorrow I will wake up and it will all be gone. It hurts so much to feel depressed inside. I really, really hate it. So that is what I am going through now. I should also say that I am on day 3 of my monthly cycle as well and I am sure that and the Lyme herbs have ALOT to do with how I am feeling.

Week 3 - Lyme Buhner Protocol

Okay.  So I seem to be doing okay.  For the past three days I was feeling like it was hard to concentrate and that I kept worrying about every little thing.  I took a couple activated charcoal tablets and it seemed to clear my brain so maybe it was the lyme toxins that were causing it.  Backtracking, I began to increase my dose to 3 caps of each herb, 3x a day.  Next week if all is well, it will be 4 caps 3x a day and then finally 4caps 4x a day and then I will need to remain at this dose for 60 days and possibly longer.  I will be staying on the protocol for 12 months or more (at least that is what I plan to do).  It is recommended for 8-12 months or until symptoms clear.

Week 2 of Buhner Protocol Update

Well, I am halfway through my second week of the Buhner Lyme Protocol. Last week I experienced a lot of fatigue so this week I added in a little more of the Siberian Eleuthero which he recommends for energy and I haven't had much fatigue at all like last week. I upped my dose this week and the day after I began getting a strong headache with pressure behind the eyes. It continued on for a 2nd day and was accompanied by word retrieval issues as well. The next day these symptoms went away so I am assuming this was a small Herxiemer reaction to my increasing the dosage. On the upside, my feet seem to be getting less and less tender, meaning that when I walk they don't hurt as bad and when I wake up in the morning, they aren't as incredibly sore as they have been. I attribute this to the Japanese Knotweed which is supposed to dramatically reduce the inflammation that Lyme Disease and it's co-infections produce.

Core Vitamin Protocol (and specific symptoms they alleviated)

1) B-Complex - Numbness, Tingling, Adrenal Glands 2) Zinc Piconolate (90mg) - Paranoia, Fear 3) Magnesium (not oxide) - Sciatic Nerve Pain, Mood Swings, Twitches, Energy, Confusion 4) Carlson ACES+Zinc - Energy (Coq10 could synergistically help with energy in conjunction with ACES) 5) NuMedica Mineralplex - Energy 6) Gingko Biloba - Memory 7) 5-HTP - Depression 8) Tyrosine - Anxiety (Tyrosine and 5HTP have to be in balance with each other and my doctor oversees this) 9) Vitamin C - Inflammation, Adrenals When I write that these supplements have helped me I cannot overemphasize just HOW much they truly, truly have helped me. I would be jacked up on a million meds and not able to parent if I did not take these things. They have given me my life back, not 100%, but I am a million times better than I was. I am just now fighting the actual bugs that took me down and depleted my body of the vital nutrients that I so desperately needed to be physically and mentally healthy.

Update: 1 week after adding Buhner Herbs

So, I added in Stephan Buhner's Lyme Protocol last Sunday.  It has Japanese Knotweed, Andrographis, and Cats Claw as well as Dandelion (for liver detox) and Smilax (to ease herxeimer reactions).  The first night after I took it I had insomnia which I attribute to the Japanese Knotweed because 1) I have taken Japanese Knotweed by itself before (from another brand) and had this reaction and 2) because I have been taking all the other herbs previous to adding Japanese Knotweed and never had this reaction.  I was tossing and turning and just couldn't get comfortable.  Prior to going to bed, I felt like I had restless leg syndrome but all through out by body where it just felt weird all over and like you wanted to move your body to get rid of the feeling but just couldn't. 

I have continued taking all the herbs this week and I am happy to say I only had insomnia that first night!  I still have a light restless leg syndrome type feeling at times but not as strong.  I have to say the biggest symptom or reaction I am having right now from the herbs is FATIGUE!  The first half of the week after taking the herbs, I found myself going to bed earlier and earlier with a strong feeling of tiredness before I drug myself to bed.  I didn't think this was a bad thing - I thought it was great considering I usually end up staying up too late on most nights.  The past few days however, I have been really, really tired in the afternoon and today I just conked out for a few hours on a Saturday when I would have rather been doing a fun activity with the family.  I am feeling tired alot.  I just signed my kids up for after school activities so I hope that I am not super tired all time because it seems to hit in the afternoon the worst.

Today I am supposed to up the dosage.  The way it works is there is essentially 4 dosage levels and you ramp up each week assuming that you are feeling okay.  I'm not sure if I am ready to ramp up or not considering the fatigue levels. 

Pretty Sure it was a Herx

Well, I wrote that I added in Artemesinin on Friday of last week but I actually didn't add it in until Saturday.  I was intending to add it in but never got around to it on Friday so Saturday it was.  So today is Saturday so I have completed 8 days of Artemesinin and tomorrow I am going to add in Green Dragon Botanicals LB Core Protocol which are capsules which contain Japanese Knotweed, Adrographis, Cats Claw as well as Smilax and Dandelion.  These herbs are in accordance with the writing and resarch of Stephan Buhner and his Lyme Protocol.  I am already taking some Andrographis and Cat's Claw in my Lyme Support drops as well as Smilax drops as well.  The last time I took Japanese Knotweed I had insomnia from it big time.  But I have read that it may have been that particular brand of Japanese Knotweed which causes it so I am going to give it a go once again.

So my post title "Pretty Sure it was a Herx" is in reference to the massive nervous feelings and anxiety I had a few days back.  Tuesday to be specific.  Interestingly enough, this was 72 hours after I added in the Artemesinin and in reading Stephan Buhner's book on herbs, he mentions that Artemesinin may have anti-spirochetal properties in addition to it's anti-babesia properties.  This could explain why my symptoms reached fever pitch at the 72 hour mark which would be the type that the Lyme bacteria would be lysed as they don't get killed until 72 hours into treatment.  I had muscle aches, brain fog, word retrieval issues, nervousness that all came around that time - oh and a terrible, terrible, terrible headache.  But the worst for me is the nervousness.  It feels like you are preparing to speak in front of 1000 people but you are not at all.  In fact there is no reason on earth why you would feel nervous, and your day has been great, and then all of a sudden you feel it.  Oh, do I hate, HATE that feeling.  Anyways, haven't had anxiety since Tuesday so I am pretty sure that was a Herx reaction.  So thankful I don't have that feeling. Phew!

Lastly, I am excited to start Buhner's herbs.  I am starting at the lowest dose and I will ramp up slowly.  I am hoping I don't have insomnia all night from the Japanese Knotweed.  Not that that would be bad because it would be probobly killing the spirochetes but I am still hoping I don't have that reaction.  Ciao for now :-)!

Day 6 of Artemesinin

So, I am on Day 6 of Art(emsinin). I actually skipped yesterday and I will tell you why. I skipped because I had a really busy day yesterday and a feeling of nervousness all day long. By the time I got home it was late so I decided to take the herbs in the morning. The result of not taking any herbs yesterday is that I didn't have any feelings of nervousness today. I just took all the herbs a couple of hours ago and have a really strong headache right now. Right after taking the herbs I was really nauseous so I layed down a while until that passed. Kids just watched tv while I did so. I had the headache before I took the herbs though but it is worse now. Just took two ibuprofen so we will see if that helps.

Artemesinn Update

So,I added Artemesinin a few days ago. Yesterday and today my muscles felt all sore, as if I had run a few miles and was recovering from it. Specifically my quads and my back muscles have been sore. Then around 4pm I began to have anxiety. Just a feeling of nervousness that comes out of no where and relates to nothing that I am thinking. Today, I didn't have any anxiety (or nervous energy as I should call it) all day and then come 3:30, I felt it once again in my stomach. I can't even express with words how much I hate the feeling. If I could never have that feeling again I would be such a happy woman. I should add the past 2 days, I have taken all my herbs at the same time which has been bout 5pm. I took all 3 HH2mcapsukes, all 3 artemesinin, and all my drops at the same time. Once I add in the Buhner herbal capsules I will need to move to taking the capsules 3-4x a day because there are so many that there is no way I could take them all at once. Ideally, I don't want to take them all at once like I have been doing but my days have been so busy that i haven't been home to take them in divided doses. At this moment, which is about an hour after I took all the herbs, I have a big headache that hurts behind the eyes as well as the left side of my head. So symptoms after adding in the artemesinin have been 1) Nervousness/Anxiety 2) Large Muscle Fatigue and 3) major headache. I guess this might confirm the presence of Babesia as my testing indicated I had.