I am going through what I call "treatment fatigue." I have been on medications for 18 months and that is all I know but just like with any treatment their are peaks and Vally's. I would say before I got pregnant with Wade I was at the best possible spot of treatment. I actually felt normal for once after being sick for so long. Getting pregnant with Wade was a set back for sure. My body changed, my hormones changes and pregnancy is stressful overall. So with a compromised immune system messed up body then everything ramps up and the illness fights to again take over. Now I'm trying to climb out of this hole that I fell down and it's a very slow slippery climb.
It would be easy to get back on all the "good" meds that I was taking in March 2011 but having to switch up medication every three months makes that impossible. Dr. Bugs treats the three biggest symptoms that are affecting me at the moment. Each time I get better and overcome those symptoms, new ones emerge bringing new issues.
The four medications I have been on the last month were some of the worst I have ever been on. I felt like my stomach was going to burst and the pain behind my eyes and pounding in my head made me nauseous. Now this is actually a good thing surprisingly. This is a "die off" reaction of the bad bacteria. I Lyme terms it's called a "Herx." I could not take it. I quit all my meds last Wednesday. I decided to try a new treatment, a natural treatment and "pulse" protocol. Meaning I will do natural and then medication and then back to natural. Switching back and forth to kill off the bacteria as it comes out of hiding. Did I get my doctors permission? No. I do feel bad about this but I feel like a change is needed and I know my body pretty well. Heck, I am willing to try it until I actually see her again in July.
I am using something called the Salt/C Protocol. It is one of the top 5 treatments in Lyme and actually a natural healing process. Does is cure Lyme, no. It does kill off bacteria and using it with modern medicine AKA antibiotics it is quite effective.
Salt/C
For those who just want a quick overview of how the Salt/C protocol works, here is a summary from what I have learned in www.lymephotos.com and from the book The Top 10 Lyme Disease Treatments.OVERVIEW
Salt/C is as simple as it sounds, taking the right salt with a good quality vitamin C product. The basic protocol is as follows. People usually begin with 1g per day of salt and 1g per day of vitamin C, and then gradually ramp up (increase the dose) over a period of weeks or even months to around 8-12g per day of each taken throughout the day. The rule of thumb for maximum target dose for most people with Lyme is 1g for every 15 lbs (6.75 kilos) of bodyweight. The rule of thumb for how fast to ramp up is to GO SLOWLY. Unlike ‘quick fix’ treatments we have all been conditioned to expect in medicine, this is a gentle and gradual, but very powerful treatment. Regaining your health through Salt/C is no race; everyone improves at their own rate.
THE PRODUCTS NEEDED
The best salts for Salt/C are the Himalayan Sea Salts NOT TABLE SALT. Salt tablets have also been mentioned but do you want a salt tablet sitting in your stomach? I know I don't so I choose the crystalled salt made by The Real Food Trading Company.
The extra minerals in the Himalayan Sea Salts are needed to offset the high sodium levels.
There is no agreed-upon best vitamin C product. Some people do better with natural preparations of vitamin C, others do better when bioflavinoids are included (slower release, such as Ester-C). But most people are able to use a standard vitamin C product successfully. I am using the powdered product because like the salt I don't want a tablet sitting in my stomach.
I also added the two part Para-Rid/Para-Sweep. These make an unfriendly environment for Parasites. This was suggested on www.saltcproboards.com.
THE PROTOCAL
This is based on body mass, the rule of thumb given is 1g per 15 lbs of body weight. However this is an arbitrary rule based only on anecdotal evidence. For people who are or suspect they might be salt sensitive, a much lower target is suggested, possibly half the amount of salt, or 1g per 30 lbs of body weight. Most people will feel a little better the first few days, but then gradually feel worse. This is defined as a ‘die-off’ reaction from killing pathogenic bacteria and other bugs, or a ‘Herxheimer’ effect (‘herx’ for short). For some people the herx involves exacerbation of symptoms they have had before. For others it involves completely new symptoms, often neurological in nature. The herx symptoms also tend to ‘flare-up’ every 3-5 weeks during Salt/C. The people who have succeeded in full remission of Lyme Disease have remained on the full protocol for at least 9 months, and up to 2 years. Some have chosen to remain at full dose after reaching "symptom-free" from Lyme, others have reduced to just a low "maintenance dose" (average 3 grams/day) and remained symptom-free.
I have added my salt to my diet meaning my foods. Lunch and Dinner. I prefer not to drink my salt so I will be going about it that way. I am also not doing the full recommended amount of salt. A little salt goes a long way in the die off of parasites much like a salt lick keeps parasites from living in cows. I have added my V-C to my water and drink that twice a day.
THE WATER
Drink lots of pure water, luckily my work stocks pure filtered water. Drink whenever you feel thirsty. Salt/C is an unsafe therapy if a person does not or can not drink a lot of water to flush out the excess salt. I drink a ton of water Monday-Friday since I'm in the office. I will not be doing this on the weekends only because I will give my body a brake for those two days.
I'll keep you posted on progress and will eventually "pulse" back to antibiotics for a few weeks. Treating Lyme is a marathon not a sprint...
And I want to be in good health to keep up with this little man!
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