Archive for the ‘Lyme’ Category

RIP Dr. Jones – Hero & Rock Star For Lyme/MSIDS Patients

ILADS is saddened to report the passing of pediatric Lyme specialist and long-time ILADS member, Dr. Charles Ray Jones. Dr. Jones was a legend in the Lyme community for his dedication to treating children with Lyme and tick-borne diseases. He endured harassment from the medical establishment and cared for chronically ill children at a time when many physicians were not willing to acknowledge the true cause of their pain and suffering. His willingness to listen to patients and support families through the healing process made him a legend and a hero to the Lyme community.

In 2014, Dr. Jones was honored with the ILADEF Pioneer in Lyme award for recognition of his work with pediatric Lyme patients.  He shared his knowledge at countless ILADS conferences and trained scores of physicians through the ILADEF Physician Training Program. We are grateful for all he did for his patients and the ILADS community.

If you are interested in supporting ILADS and the ILADEF Physician Training Program, please consider a donation to the ILADEF Charles Ray Jones, MD memorial fund. 
Dr. Charles Ray Jones – 2014 Pioneer in Lyme Award Recipient.  Go here to see video

For more on Dr. Jones:

From left, Sherry Sievewright, Wisconsin Lyme Network, Dr. Charles Ray Jones, Alicia Cashman, Madison Lyme Support Group

Category:

Activism, Lyme

Tick Check!

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Tick Check!

The #TickCheckChallenge is an interactive challenge created to help educate and protect kids (and adults!) from Lyme Disease and other debilitating tick-borne diseases. Only 1 in 10 kids performs a tick check after spending time outside. We want that to change.

Made especially for kids, our tick check song and video walks kids step-by-step through a proper tick check and does it in a way that is FUN and ENGAGING. When kids come in from the outdoors, they sing this CATCHY song (trust us, it’s going to stick in your head!) and check their bodies for ticks.

They’ll have so much fun with it – they might not realize it’s actually an educational tool.

We’re inviting you – no matter your age! – to get in front of the camera and record yourself performing your own interpretation of a proper tick check. Participating in the #TickCheckChallenge brings not only light-hearted fun but also an important opportunity to spread tick prevention awareness. Teaching kids to protect themselves – in a way that is FUN & ENGAGING – is POWERFUL and can PROTECT and SAVE lives.

Show us how you CHECK FOR TICKS! ⭐ TAKE THE #TICKCHECKCHALLENGE: bit.ly/3gC4n3n ⭐

CREDITS: Written and performed by Louis and Dan and the Invisible Band Produced by Invisible International and PA Lyme Resource Network Music Video directed by Louis Epstein Shot and edited by Chris Flicek Starring Julia Strand as “The Tick”

Visit https://palyme.org/tick-check-challen… to learn more about tick and Lyme disease awareness – and take the #tickcheckchallenge​!

For more:

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Prevention, Ticks

How to Treat Persister Lyme & Bartonella

https://www.treatlyme.net/guide/treat-persister-lyme-works

How to Treat Persister Lyme & Bartonella

By Dr. Marty Ross

Persister Lyme in a Lyme disease treatment image from Marty Ross MD

I provide a large part of the information in this article in A Lyme Disease Antibiotic Guide and in Kills Bartonella: A Brief Guide. I am including this information as a stand-alone article on persisters for those looking for information just on this topic and additional persister treatment options from those I lay out in the Lyme and Bartonella articles.

Marty Ross MD

About Persister Lyme & Bartonella

There are many reasons Lyme and Bartonella are hard to treat. One reason is persister Lyme and Bartonella germs ignore standard antibiotics. Based on numerous laboratory experiments since 2015, the Lyme germ is shown to have a growth state and a hibernating – non-growing state. These hibernators are called persisters. They do not respond to regular prescription antibiotics – although they do seem to respond to many herbal antibiotics that we use.

More recently – experiments starting in late 2019 from Ying Zhang, MD and his colleagues, show that Bartonella also has persister forms.  (See link for article)

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SUMMARY of treatments Dr. Ross uses for Lyme and/or Bartonella persisters:

  • Disulfiram
  • Methylene Blue
  • Cefuroxime plus Clarithromycin plus Nitazonxanide
  • Oregano, Cinnamon, and Clove oils
  • Japanese knotweed
  • Cat’s claw
  • Azlocillin

I highly recommend reading Ross’ entire article as there are many nuances within it including Dr. Burrascano‘s use of cycling.  He and numerous patients achieved remission using this approach and current research appears to support the practice.  Not only is cycling effective, it gives the body, particularly the gut, a much needed break from harsh antibiotics.

For more:

Category:

Bartonella, Lyme, research, Treatment

Gundersen Still Giving Wrong Advice About Tick Bites

Please see my comment after the article.

https://www.gundersenhealth.org/health-wellness/be-well/how-to-remove-an-embedded-tick/

Removing ticks: The right way and the wrong way

Tick season is here! While most tick bites are harmless, some ticks can carry diseases, such as Lyme disease. Knowing what steps to take following a tick bite can reduce your risk of infection.

Remove the embedded tick as soon as possible. The longer a tick is attached, the higher the risk of transmitting tick-borne illnesses.

Follow these steps:

  • Gently pull the tick out with tweezers by grasping its head as close to the skin as possible.
  • If the head remains, try to remove with a sterile needle.
  • Wash the bite site with soap and water. Rubbing alcohol may be used to disinfect the area.
  • Apply an ice pack to reduce pain.

Avoid the following:

  • Do not grab the tick at the rear of the body
  • Do not twist or jerk tick while pulling it out
  • Do not use alternative methods to remove it; such as fingernail polish, alcohol, petroleum products, or a hot match.

Identify the tick. Take note of the size and color of the tick, whether it was attached to the skin (ticks must bite you to spread their germs), if it was engorged (full of blood) and about how long it was attached. A healthcare provider may ask you these questions if you begin to experience symptoms.

Watch for symptoms. If signs of infection, rash or flu-like symptoms occur within 30 days of the tick bite, seek medical attention.

Remember, a tick that is crawling on you but has not attached to your skin cannot infect you. However, if you find one tick, there could be more. Check your body carefully and use these tips to prevent future bites. Prevention is the best medicine.

If you have questions regarding tick bites or bug bites, contact our 24/7 Nurse Advisor Line at (608) 775-4454.

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**Comment**

Taking the “wait and see” approach has doomed thousands to a life-time of misery.  Wisconsin has a high rate of infected ticks, which simply means you have a higher likelihood of becoming infected. Any risk involved with taking a few weeks of antibiotics is well worth it.  This 5 year old article states:

On average, about 22 percent of deer tick nymphs in Wisconsin have been found to be infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. The infection rate for adults is about twice as high, around 40-45 percent. In some locations, though, researchers have found infection rates as high as 75 percent of the tick population.

I assure you, it’s only getting worse.

ILADS recommends at least 20 days of doxycycline for an acute tick-bite. It’s important to remember that this mono therapy will not cover many of the confections so it’s important to track symptoms and keep in close contact with your doctor – preferably an ILADS-trained doctor who understand the nuances of treatment.  And coinfections are just as bad if not worse than Lyme disease.  Some of these infections can be transmitted within minutes and have a high mortality rate, so each and every tick bite needs to be taken as seriously as a heart attack.

This article is much more thorough.  Please file it away for future reference if you get a tick bite.

Also, go here for prevention methods.

Category:

Lyme, Prevention, Testing, Ticks, Transmission

Heart Failure, Infection, & A Medical Brick Wall

https://zerospin.substack.com/p/heart-failure-infection-and-a-medical

Heart Failure, Infection, & a Medical Brick Wall

What I Did to Save My Father’s Life–The First Time.

My father developed end-stage heart failure in his early 60’s, despite decades of top cardiology care. They said heart transplant was his only hope—They were wrong. Treating an overlooked infection permanently fixed his heart, averting the need for heart transplant. He passed away on 5/9/2021, 1 year ago today, at almost 90, may he rest in peace. This work is dedicated to my Dad. May it save someone you love.

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Heart failure is the heart’s inability to ably pump blood. When the heart muscle chronically weakens, it’s called cardiomyopathy. Myocarditis describes acute inflammation of the heart—Sometimes also causing heart failure.

A major cause of disability and death, the many causes of cardiomyopathy include coronary artery disease, hypertension, and diabetes. But up to 50% of cases (75% when it’s in kids!) are “idiopathic,” of unknown origin. I dislike that word. It makes me feel like the medical profession is trying to compensate for its ignorance by using a lofty Latin-derived term to …

(See link for article)

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**Comment**

You can read the rest of the article by starting a free 7-day trial with ZeroSpin.

The infection Dr. Phillips’ dad had was a tick-borne illness and is a perfect example of why treating the infection(s) is so important.  As it stands, the ‘powers that be’ want us all to fall for the belief that those of us chronically/persistently infected are just dealing with some simple immune issues that need ironing out.

Well, that’s true in a sense because infections cause immune issues.

To sum it up best I will repeat what Dr. Hoffman (RIP) one of the most experienced WI LLMD’s told me on the issue:

If you treat the infection(s), most if not all symptoms just disappear.

This has certainly been the case for myself, my husband, and thousands of others, but this simple, logical fact is completely ignored by mainstream medicine and current scientific inquiry.  It’s sad that we are still dealing with an issue Polly Murray writes about in the 70’s in “The Widening Circle,” a story about a woman’s observation of severe illness in her entire family and the Connecticut area in which they lived.

For more on tick-borne illness causing heart issues:

Category:

Activism, Heart Issues, Lyme