Healing Chronic Lyme Disease – A Case History

August 17, 2023

https://medium.com/@daveswallace/healing-chronic-lyme-disease

Healing Chronic Lyme Disease

Mar 10

(Note this article is intended as a case summary, a guide for those newly diagnosed, or family and friends who care enough to help them find a path back to health.)

I acquired Lyme disease in the summer of 2000 while working as a camp counselor in Western Oregon. I removed the tick from my hamstring and later mistook the bullseye for a spider bite, common in my rural upbringing. My only other serious indication of an issue was an infection in my epididymis several weeks later, which was taken care of with a few days of antibiotics. Yet I was never the same afterward. I fatigued easily, fell asleep while reading, had bizarre allergies, and often had body pain. At 18, I just thought I was getting old.

I limped along as best I could. My college and career life was a disappointment compared to my high school promise. Following a long-term relationship with a violent woman, my health collapsed. After two years of testing, I was finally diagnosed in 2012. Initial antibiotic treatments did very little, and even specialist interventions fell short.

I went to work investigating, seeking knowledge and advice while scouring journals for research studies. I then began listening to my body and making life changes. It took four years of work. I have now been symptom-free since 2016, without relapse. Due to my research experience and struggles, I acquired an MS in Organizational Psychology in 2018 and will receive my MA in Clinical Psychology in April 2023. Seven years later, I feel confident in the outcome and the stability of my recovery.

Note that while there may be a significant crossover between our cases, every Lyme infection is unique to the bio/psycho/social context of the individual. I now have an MS in Psychology but I am not a Lyme specialist or doctor. I offer this summary of the experiences and research that led to my recovery in hopes that it may lead to the recovery of others too, whether Lyme disease or other autoimmune conditions.

As concisely as I can, here is what I learned.  (See link for article)

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**Comment**

One of the most thorough articles I’ve read to date with many suggestions that will help many patients.  Again, he is correct in stating that “every Lyme infection is unique,” so always keep an open mind and realize that what helps one patient may not help you.

While his initial antibiotic treatment “did very little,” they sent me to bed where I remained in a fetal position for 3 days straight due to severe a herxheimer reaction; however, I was fortunate to have bypassed mainstream medicine entirely and go to an experienced LLMD who put me on 3-4 things simultaneously.  I do believe this is a key in the puzzle of why some improve on antibiotics and some don’t.  They must be the “right” antibiotics, at the “right” dosage, for the “right” amount of time and this of course also varies for each individual.

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Lyme, Treatment

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