Archive for the ‘Lyme’ Category

Brain on Fire: Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Children

https://www.lymedisease.org/alain-mass-brain-on-fire/

Brain on fire: neuropsychiatric disorders in children

By Alain Mass, MD

2/13/24

Nearly one in six children between the ages of 2 and 6 years old (17.4%) has a diagnosed mental, behavioral or developmental disorder.

More than 17 million children in the United States have or have had a diagnosable mental illness.

Mental disorders are either primary or secondary. Primary mental illnesses are rather treatable than curable and the treatment is most of the time lifelong.  If you ignore that behind the well-made diagnosis, there may be a deeper reason for the symptoms, you accept the fate of what a primary mental health disorder is about.

The expression “brain on fire” means that the child has only a brain inflammation as opposed to having a true psychiatric disorder, where the psychiatric disorder is only a symptom and not the disease.

The causes of neuroinflammation are numerous and often combined with each other. Many extra-psychiatric conditions may cause psychiatric disorders. The most common ones are infections, auto-immune encephalitis, toxicity including but not limited to mold, heavy metals, or pesticides.  Metabolic or nutritional factors may also contribute to mental disorders.

Lyme disease and neuropsychiatric disorders in children

Children develop more central nervous system symptoms while adults develop more symptoms from the peripheral nervous system.

The most common manifestations of Lyme disease in children are emotional, cognitive and behavioral. The change of personality is definitely the number one symptom of Lyme disease in children.

Lyme disease may be responsible, according to Robert Bransfield, M.D, psychiatrist, for a wide spectrum of neuropsychiatric symptoms. These may include: developmental disorders, autism spectrum disorders, schizoaffective disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders (panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, OCD), intrusive thoughts, eating disorders, sleep disorders, addiction, cognitive impairment, brain fog, seizure disorders, suicide, violence, social withdrawal, depersonalization, dissociative episodes, and derealization. 20-25% of autistic children in the US have been shown to have Lyme disease.

Children may have difficulty with attention and concentration, speed and efficacy of processing information, learning and memory, auditory processing and language expression. Sleep disorder is common or return to bedwetting or loss of daytime bladder control.

Teenagers may have mood swings, depression, suicidal thoughts, personality changes, sleep problems, poor concentration, cognitive disorder, a loss of interest in school and school activities and interest in family values.

Most children who present with cognitive or psychiatric disorders do not remember a tick bite. They are already in the late phase of the disease. The initial phase may be missing.

The symptoms and severity of symptoms can vary from day to day. A child may feel well enough to go to school one day, but not the next. A psychiatric disorder may be the only symptom. Brian Fallon, M.D, Director of the Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center at Columbia University, writes, “Psychiatrists who work in endemic areas need to include Lyme disease in the differential diagnosis of any atypical psychiatric disorder.”

Basal ganglia autoimmune encephalitis (PANDAS/PANS)

Auto-immune encephalitis is characterized by an abrupt onset, often from one day to the next and by the correlation in time between the evidence of an infection and a sudden and acute new onset of a neuropsychiatric disorder.

PANDAS refers to encephalitis due to streptococcal infections, whereas PANS to other infections. The diagnostic criteria of PANDAS/ PANS are to have an abrupt, dramatic onset or recurrence of OCD, acute onset of anorexia and/or severe restrictive eating disorders with at least two of the following symptoms.

  • Anxiety, including new onset of separation anxiety, or hyper-alertness.
  • Behavioral regression (baby talk, tantrums),
  • Emotional lability including suicidal depression, hallucination,
  • Irritability, aggression, raging, severe oppositional behaviors.
  • Hypersensitivity to light, noise, or touch. The child may not tolerate his/her clothing
  • Tics, involuntary movements.
  • Handwriting change
  • Deterioration in school performance and cognitive changes, (difficulty focusing)
  • Sleep disturbances (difficulty falling asleep, night terrors, refusal to sleep alone)
  • Urinary frequency or urgency, new onset of bedwetting

Toxicity

Heavy metals (such as mercury and lead), mycotoxins released by mold, and other environmental toxicants are neurotoxic and may also be responsible for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Post COVID 

Anxiety and depression may be common six months after COVID-19 recovery.

Nutritional and metabolic factors

Glutamate, GABA, histamine, oxalate, copper, zinc, selenium, vitamin Bs in excessive or insufficient amounts, the inability to process folic acid as seen in those who have MTHFR mutations,  have also been associated with mental disorders.

Gut inflammation

The gut-brain axis (GBA) consists of bidirectional communication between the central and the enteric nervous system, linking emotional and cognitive centers of the brain with peripheral intestinal functions. Gut inflammation can cause cognitive and mental health disorders, too.

Conclusion

Wondering whether a mental disorder is either primary or secondary, even when the disorder is well categorized as well known mental disease is the only way to give a chance to convert a lifelong, treatable but not curable, mental illness into a curable disease, to relieve from the social and medical burden of a psychiatric illness.

Dr. Alain Mass is board-certified in family medicine, with a practice in Suffern, New York. He is a member of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), the International Society of Environmentally Acquired Illnesses (ISEAI), and the PANDAS Physician Network (PPN). His website is massfunctionalmd.com.

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Category:

Autism, Gut Health, Inflammation, Lyme, PANS, Psychological Aspects

Autophagy Treatment For Spike Protein Damage and Beyond (Lyme/MSIDS?)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666396124000074

Exploring autophagy in treating SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-related pathology

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.endmts.2024.100163Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open access
 

Abstract

Fasting, a practice with historical roots in various cultures, has recently garnered significant interest in the field of medicine. In this article, we delve into the mechanisms underlying fasting-induced autophagy and its therapeutic applications for spike protein associated pathology. We explore the therapeutic potential of fasting on spike protein-related pathology and the role of interventions to upregulate autophagy, including compounds like spermidine, resveratrol, rapamycin, and metformin.

In conclusion, fasting, coupled with an understanding of its nuances, holds promise as a therapeutic intervention for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein related diseases; with broad implications for human health. This review presents the therapeutic possibility of using autophagy to treat spike protein related diseases, and details the interventions to deploy this therapeutic modality.  (See link for article)

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**Comment**

Finally a treatment that is FREE and will actually save you money.  

I personally believe fasting helps everything – even if you are ‘healthy.’  It gives the body, a hard working machine, a well-deserved rest.  It isn’t fun, but with patience and practice, it can yield results nothing else can compare to.

I highly recommend reading: https://www.greenleafbookgroup.com/titles/starving-to-heal-in-siberia

In Starving to Heal in Siberia, Dr. Michelle Slater takes us on her journey from her bed, where she was sidelined much of the time, to Siberia, where she was cured of the debilitating effects of advanced Lyme disease. After a years-long struggle with extreme chronic fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, and other mysterious symptoms that ultimately prevented her from teaching and doing simple tasks like reading and driving, Michelle began considering assisted suicide. She had tried every known treatment, from aggressive allopathic methods to holistic remedies, without success. In a last-ditch effort to save her life, she found a radical alternative treatment offered by the world’s leading expert on dry fasting and traveled to Siberia to give it a chance.

http://  Approx. 32 Min

She recovered completely from Lyme disease, regaining her memory and returning to researching, writing, hiking, and running. Since 2017, she has not experienced a single symptom.

Here’s where you can find her: https://michelleslater.com/ https://www.instagram.com/michellesla… https://LifestyleLocker.com/Michelle_… 

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Category:

Activism, Lyme, research, Treatment

Sharp Rise in Lyme Cases Due to Change in How They Are Reported

https://www.lymedisease.org/sharp-rise-in-lyme-cases/

Sharp Rise in Lyme Cases Due to Change in How They Are Reported

Reported Lyme disease cases in the U.S. rose nearly 70% in 2022. The CDC says it’s not because of a large increase of new infections, but rather because of a change in reporting requirements.

According to the CDC, there were more than 62,000 reported cases in 2022. This was up from about 37,000 a year from 2017 through 2019.

Although the CDC estimates that about half a million people get Lyme disease in the US every year, “reported cases” are those which follow a strict case definition and specialized requirements.

In the past, in order for a Lyme case to be officially counted, local health departments needed to go through a complicated verification process for each case. In 2022, reporting requirements were eased in states the CDC considers “high incidence.” In those states, Lyme cases are now counted based solely on a positive Lyme test.

Read more here:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CNN

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**Comment**

Ha, ha, ha….this is a joke.

The chance of getting a positive test is akin to winning the lottery, so numbers in reality are exponentially higher yet.

For more:

It’s important to clearly understand that government sanctioned Lyme testing (like COVID testing) is utterly useless:

 

 

Category:

Activism, Lyme, Testing, Uncategorized

Core Principles for Healing Tick Borne Disease

http://projectlyme.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/10B-Approah-Handout.pdf  Click here for Dr. Hinchey’s printable sheet

Core Principles for Healing Tick Borne Disease

By Dr. Hinchey

I highly recommend you print out Dr. Hinchey’s sheet, study it, and take it along with you to your doctor appointment.  There are wonderful talking points and issues that every patient should consider.  Remember – you are a partner with your doctor in this journey and need to learn as much as you can.  As they say, “two heads are better than one.”

That said, I actually learned the most from listening to other patients and reading books and articles on my own.  There’s nothing like experience as a teacher.  Just remember that what works for one patient, may not work for another – so always keep an open mind and be willing to experiment.  As one person put it, “Lyme is a ‘do it yourself’ disease.”  Truer words were never spoken.

It’s also important to state here that sometimes you hit a roadblock with your practitioner.  Perhaps their mind is closed or you just feel they aren’t listening, etc.  After trying to work with them, you may need to consider moving on and changing doctors at some point; however, I must warn you that there are many, many bumps in this road as well as plateaus so be patient and reasonable.  Nothing about treating Lyme/MSIDS is quick or easy!

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Category:

Lyme, Treatment

Implicit Costs of Illness

https://projectlyme.org/implicit-costs-of-illness/

Implicit Costs of Illness

By Grace Burns

2/7/24

Grace is earning her Master’s degree in Sustainability Management at Columbia University, works at S&P Global, and is a member of Project Lyme’s Junior Board.

My Journey

When facing illness, the last thing on your mind is the price of delivery for an at-home Covid test or order of chicken noodle soup from a local restaurant. Or is it?

As medication, food, and personal wellness prices rise amongst a price gauged economy, the cost of being sick grows increasingly staggering. As a Chronic Lyme and POTS patient for eight years, financing sickness has become woven into the fabric of my short-term and long-term budgets.

I first became sick at 16 years old; the financial burden of my care fell on my parents. My public-school teacher Mom would take sick days to take me to countless doctor’s appointments, take credit cards out to pay for MRIs, and skimp on annual family vacations in lieu of schlepping me to specialists across the country.

Neither my doctors nor my family expected me to need treatment at age 24. The financial burden has now shifted to me, aptly parallel to my transition to adulthood.

When I suffer from cyclical declines in my health: bouts of fevers, chills, flu-like symptoms, neuropathy, migraines and cognitive fogging, I notice a sharp uptick in my daily and weekly expenses. But how much could some broth and Kleenex be, anyway?

Most recently, I suffered from an eight-day long bout of illness related to my chronic Lyme. Below is a breakdown of my expenses across the eight-day span only related to being sick.

The above breakdown denotes expenses made during this bout of sickness, but are generally reflective of the categorical spending areas that increase when I am sick.

By The Numbers

Healthcare in the United States costs $12,555 per person annually. Omitted from that figure are the many ancillary services not listed strictly within the healthcare space. My loss in cognitive and muscle function requires me to get food delivered to my apartment. If I have to leave I use a car service like Uber, as I am too sick to walk, regardless of the distance.

Many of these expenses aren’t within reach for the average person; the tradeoff for maintaining full-time employment while chronically ill is the alleviation of financial burden during these bouts.

However, for the 38 million Americans living below the poverty level, and many more in the middle class, ordering takeout even for a meal is not a reality they can afford. Being sick, and properly caring for your physical wellbeing has barriers to entry in the 21st century.

Without proper immediate and preventative care, many chronic symptoms exacerbate. They result in increased future costs in the form of medication, lost wages when symptoms intensify, and piling hospital bills. As a direct result of the inflationary period in 2022, 100 million Americans– at the time 38% of the population- chose to delay or skip medical treatment and cut essentials like utilities and food to pay their medical bills.

While not all individuals are impacted by Lyme and POTS, 133 million Americans suffer from a chronic illness. The Center for Disease Control cites 6 out of 10 adults in the United States are chronically ill, 4 out of 10 suffering from 2 or more long-term conditions. Health-care, as we address these staggering, and growing, statistics, should address the total cost of operation of care.

There have been countless legislative initiatives in this light. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, amongst others, served to expand health insurance coverage for individuals suffering from chronic disease, though its legislative progression is unclear at this juncture.

Most recently, the Chronic Disease Management Act of 2021 was introduced in the Senate, covering any preventative care service item used to treat a chronic condition, barring cost and efficacy stipulations. The bill never progressed.

There is also a profound opportunity cost of sickness. Along with every-day pain management and aforementioned incurred costs is the opportunity cost of a life without chronic illness.

Often, I have to log off right as the work day is over, or earlier, though I want to get a few extra hours in to prep for the week to come. I turned down demanding job offers with restrictive sick day policies or in-office mandates.

Despite achievement, I am financially bound by my illness, as are thousands of Americans suffering at the crux of an economic and burgeoning public health crisis.

Between the tests for Lyme disease and coinfections, doctor visits, and medications, the charges can add up for patients. Throughout the country, several organizations are working to make it easier to get a proper diagnosis and begin treatment. If you need financial assistance, click here to locate nonprofits that may be able to help you or your family with diagnostic testing and other Lyme-related expenses.

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**Comment**

A topic that doesn’t get discussed much but is very important.

Back when my husband and I were in the thick of treatment we spent about $15K per year, per person under the care of a Lyme literate doctor.  I’m certain this has increased exponentially.

Now, after we have reached “remission,” and are no longer in active treatment we spent $25K for the two of us in 2022.  This includes doctor visits, supplements, prescriptions, etc.  I can only imagine what this would cost if we were in active treatment.

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Category:

Lyme, research, Treatment