Archive for the ‘Treatment’ Category

Seminar: Toxicity Risks of Methylene Blue You Can’t Afford to Ignore

I apologize for the tardiness of this notice.  You may view the seminar after the fact on the website: https://www.truthforhealth.org/category/news/media-and-podcasts/faith-over-fear/

I’ve posted on the positive attributes of methylene blue, but recently more naturalistic health professionals have spoken out on the other side of it – a side that is crucial to know in order to make a balanced decision of whether to use it or not.  Read about it for yourself and make your own decision.  Also, read the comments after the article as one in particular by Dr. Don Hall points out that there’s years of research on positive results with MB and that neurotoxins are commonly used for chronic migraines, back pain, neuropathy, arthritis, and excessive sweating.  Again – gather intel and make your own choice, knowing there’s disagreement in the medical community, which is nothing new in Lymeland.

**Personal example**

After being under the same LLMD (Lyme literate doctor) for years of treatment for Lyme, Bartonella, and Babesia my husband and I were still unwell.  I made an appointment for a phone consult with one of the most experienced LLMDs in Wisconsin to run our treatment by him to see if he felt we had any glaring holes we needed to cover.  After listening, he said, “Have you ever used Cipro?” 

I knew Ciprofloxacin is a second generation fluoroquinolone used to treat different types of bacterial infections. I also discovered that it is made with fluoride to deeply penetrate muscles, which is primarily why it is used for Bartonella, but it’s also used to treat bone, joint, and skin infections as well as sinusitis – all of which Lyme/MSIDS patients can have.  There are now four generations of quinolone drugs, the newest being trovafloxacin (since 1999  has been reserved for life or limb threatening infections due to associated acute liver failure) and each generation has different pharmacokinetic properties and are useful for different conditions. Because tissue and fluid concentrations often exceed the serum drug concentration, these antibiotics are particularly useful for certain infections,

I was hesitant due to reports of swelling or tearing of a tendon, especially in the Achilles’ tendon of the heel which can happen during treatment or several months after treatment, but may be more likely in children, older adults (us), people who use steroids (us), or have had an organ transplant, and although uncommon, there are reports of being ‘floxed‘ from fluoroquinolone toxicity.  

Wow.  What to do?

This experienced LLMD told me his theory: he believes Bartonella is what causes the tendon problems and that cipro is working within the tendons and muscles to finally reach a pathogen that is difficult to get to as it sequesters in these tissues.  He said in all his years treating patients and using cipro, he’d never had a person have a tendon issue, other than pain that Bartonella notoriously causes.

I read all about what to avoid while taking cipro, how to take it, and made a pact with my regular doctor to only take it for a short period of time (I believe we also pulsed it, but honestly can’t remember).  My regular doctor was as concerned as I about the side-effects and never used the drug for that very reason but at my request agreed to prescribe it.

It was one of the most effective drugs we ever used.  I’m thankful to report no negative side effects were observed and we got yet further down the road to healing.

Since that time, we’ve discovered that the clarithromycin/rifampin combo is what we successfully use for Bartonella relapses, so we’ve never had to take cipro again, but I am glad we gave it a shot.

My same doctor allowed me to try disulfiram for Lyme early on before much intel was gathered on it and I did have a bad reaction to disulfiram you may want to learn about:   https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/10/15/disulfiram-psychosis-update/  Since you don’t know you are in psychosis, I highly advise single patients to have someone checking on them daily!  You don’t know you are going mad as a hatter. 

I’ve never blamed doctors for a bad reaction.  We worked together and experimented with many things as this is a ‘do it yourself’ disease which requires an open mind.  In fact, I’d go as far to say that it’s these very experiments in the unknown that have benefitted us in the long-run.  

https://gingerbreggin.substack.com/p/join-peter-breggin-md-may-27th-for?

Join Peter Breggin MD–May 27th for “The Toxicity of Methylene Blue Seminar – Risks You Cannot Afford to Ignore!”

A “Faith over Fear Seminar” from Truth for Health Foundation, Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet, CEO and President of the Board

 
Dr. Peter and Ginger Breggin
May 25, 2025
 

Dr. Breggin will be the guest speaker at the upcoming Truth for Health Foundation’s weekly “Faith over Fear Tuesday” seminar. See the following announcement from the Truth for Health Foundation on how to join the meeting this Tuesday evening to hear Dr. Peter Breggin, MD and Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet, MD on this critical health topic!

Note: you must pre-register. Details below:

Faith Over Fear SEMINAR:
JOIN US! EVERY TUESDAY 8 PM ET

Faith Over Fear Seminars in May:

  • May 27 THE Toxicity of Methylene Blue – Risks You Cannot Afford to Ignore! Guest speaker: Dr. Peter Breggin, MD and Dr. Vliet So many people –both healthcare practitioners and those with no medical background whatsoever—have been lately promoting methylene blue as a remedy for practically every health problem under the sun, that I felt we had a duty to warn about serious toxicity risks to help people have balanced, truthful information with which to make informed decisions.

    We are honored to have Dr. Peter Breggin, a nationally known forensic psychiatrist who has spent his more than 50 year-career researching, teaching and testifying in more than 100 court cases about the toxicity of psychiatric medicines. Dr. Breggin and I did a seminar on this subject last year, and then just recently he published an in-depth Substack column with an extensive review of methylene blue and its potentially life-threatening toxicity. This common OTC manmade chemical is extensively promoted in the last few months.

    Dr. Vliet’s message: I have been concerned that few people selling and promoting the use of methylene blue ever address the brain toxicity and serious drug interactions with other prescription medicines or with common foods. In fact, many selling methylene blue claim it is “neuroprotective” and “enhances” cognitive function, even though the truth is far from that. You really need to attend live and listen to Dr. Breggin describe the history, neuropharmacology, risks and long term damage that can occur with methylene blue. Those who attend the live event will have an opportunity to ask questions with our speakers.

Faith over Fear Seminar Instructions

You must register in advance for our seminars by clicking on the zoom link below.
Register here and SAVE THE NEW LINK FOR 2025 through June 30 : It is the same each week Jan-June. 8:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)  7:00p.m Central Time (Wisconsin)
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/asMzHIEFTFKv38hKMta5UA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

If you miss the LIVE program, you always access the archive on our website here:  https://www.truthforhealth.org/category/news/media-and-podcasts/faith-over-fear/

For more:

  • https://gingerbreggin.substack.com/p/emergency-notification-methylene  methylene blue is a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI). As such, it is one of the most toxic agents ever used in medicine and psychiatry, and the mother of the most dangerous drugs used in psychiatry.

    Methylene blue is not a miraculous new discovery. It’s the opposite. Created in 1876 in a lab, it is the oldest manmade chemical to be used in medicine. But for well over a century, methylene blue has never been FDA-approved for psychiatric purposes. Later, its chemical structure was modified in labs to create many of the earliest, most neurotoxic psychiatric drugs.  (See link for the in-depth article by psychiatrist Peter Breggin who has decades of experience and who has written many scientific papers and books showing how human beings who take psychiatric drugs sometimes are initially stimulated when the drug over-activates the monoamine neurotransmitters, including epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine; but eventually, similar to the animals, the human drug recipients typically become more subdued, apathetic, or disengaged from their own feelings, those around them, and with life itself.  Breggin does not prescribe psychiatric drugs as a treatment as he feels they do more harm than good.  Instead he offers therapy, and education on more effective and healthier principles of living. He is the author of the only medical textbook on the subject, called “Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal: A Guide for Prescribers, Therapists, Patients and Their Families.”)

  •  

Category:

Activism, Supplements, Treatment

The Effects of Light on the Human Body

https://gregreese.substack.com/p/the-effects-of-light-on-the-human?

The Effects of Light on the Human Body

Screen time leads to blindness and mind control
 
Greg Reese
May 22, 2025
 
Article Excerpts:

The blue light emitted by LED is a frequency band of 400 to 500 nanometers. Exposure to this has been shown to suppress melatonin production, a hormone critical for sleep. Blue light exposure will shift brain activity away from relaxed theta-dominant states, and towards heightened alert beta states. And so exposure in the evening will further complicate sleep patterns, which will negatively effect health in many ways.

The red light emitted is a frequency band of 620 to 700 nanometers. And it has been shown to promote bone and tissue repair and regeneration. It reduces inflammation and body fat, and it alleviates chronic and acute pain. The main reason that red light improves overall health, is because it enhances mitochondrial function throughout the entire body system. This leads to increased ATP production, reduced oxidative stress, and modulated cytokine activity.  (See link for article and video)

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For more:

 

Category:

Activism, research, Treatment

Comprehensive Review: 13 Medical Applications of CDS

https://clo2xuewuliu.substack.com/p/a-comprehensive-review-13-medical?

A Comprehensive Review: 13 Medical Applications of Chlorine Dioxide (ClO₂) Therapy

Xuewu Liu
May 20, 2025

Over the past decade, I have developed and published 13 distinct chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) therapeutic protocols across a wide range of diseases. Each protocol is based on specific delivery routes, unique mechanisms of action, and clinical rationale. Below is a unified review of these therapies, with links to each article and an explanation of their underlying mechanisms based on three core principles:

  • Cellular Elimination (via oxidative necrosis)
  • Tissue Regeneration (via microbial control + inflammation resolution)
  • Immune Modulation (suppressing autoimmunity or stimulating anti-disease responses)

1. Treating Cancer with Chlorine Dioxide (Intra-Tumoral Injection)

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/16-treating-cancer-with-chlorine?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Rapid oxidative destruction of tumor cells
  • Collapse of tumor vasculature
  • Activation of systemic immune response against metastases
  • Promotion of local tissue regeneration

2. Treating Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/treating-arthritis-with-chlorine?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Local or intra-articular injection reduces cytokine-driven inflammation
  • Resets joint immune environment to suppress autoimmunity
  • Accelerates cartilage and synovial tissue recovery

3. Treating Hair Loss

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/treating-hair-loss-with-chlorine?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Clears microbial and oxidative damage on scalp
  • Activates dormant follicles via immune reset
  • Improves blood flow to hair roots through local vasodilation

4. Treating Alopecia Areata

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/6-treating-alopecia-areata-with-chlorine?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Targets autoimmune attack zones
  • Reduces scalp inflammation
  • Encourages regrowth by rebalancing local immunity

5. Treating Acne

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/7-treating-acne-with-chlorine-dioxide?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Destroys P. acnes bacteria
  • Opens clogged follicles and reduces oil overproduction
  • Suppresses secondary inflammation and redness

6. Treating Eczema

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/10-treating-eczema-with-chlorine-6e4?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Reduces microbial overgrowth and toxins
  • Rebuilds skin barrier through anti-inflammatory effect
  • Calms itch through local immune regulation

7. Treating Psoriasis

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/11-treating-psoriasis-with-chlorine?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Suppresses keratinocyte hyperproliferation
  • Reduces local autoimmunity
  • Supports lesion healing with antimicrobial action

8. Treating Vitiligo

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/12-treating-vitiligo-with-chlorine?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Oxidative modulation to remove inhibitory immune cells
  • Supports melanocyte niche recovery
  • May enhance pigmentation restart

9. Using ClO₂ for Skin Care (Beyond Cosmetics)

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/13-using-chlorine-dioxide-for-skin?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Deep cleansing of microbial and oxidative buildup
  • Improves dermal texture and cellular turnover
  • Long-term inflammation prevention

10. Treating Pharyngitis

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/treating-pharyngitis-with-chlorine?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Rapid microbial decontamination
  • Relieves throat inflammation
  • Speeds mucosal healing and prevents secondary infection

11. Treating Rhinitis

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/14-treating-rhinitis-with-chlorine?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Nasal spray or irrigation kills pathogens
  • Reduces allergic and non-allergic nasal swelling
  • Prevents sinus complications

12. Treating Dry Eye Syndrome

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/8-treating-dry-eye-syndrome-with?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Restores tear film via ocular surface decontamination
  • Calms inflammation in meibomian glands
  • Promotes epithelial regeneration

13. Using ClO₂ for Localized Fat Reduction

Link: https://open.substack.com/pub/clo2xuewuliu/p/17-using-chlorine-dioxide-for-localized?r=48chtc
Mechanism:

  • Oxidative destruction of subcutaneous adipocytes
  • Induces fibrosis-free tissue remodeling
  • Safe aesthetic alternative to liposuction

These applications show that chlorine dioxide is not a one-size-fits-all remedy. Its value lies in protocol design, precision dosing, and mechanism-specific logic.

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For more:

Category:

Activism, Treatment

How Are MS & Chronic Lyme Related?

Although this article is about MS, I wanted to post this information from Dr. Makis on fibromyalgia since both have many similar symptoms:  https://makismd.substack.com/p/ivermectin-and-fibromyalgia-testimonials?

In short, fibromyalgia patients are experiencing great relief, and even cure with ivermectin.  Many are stating their pain is entirely or nearly gone.  A few MS patients claim ivermectin cured their MS.

https://www.lymedisease.org/multiple-sclerosis-chronic-lyme/

How are multiple sclerosis and chronic Lyme related?

By Bill Rawls, MD

April 21, 2025

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease where the immune system attacks the protective covering (called myelin) around nerves in the brain and spinal cord.

Myelin acts like an insulator to keep nerves from touching each other and shorting out, much like the plastic coating on a copper wire.

This damage disrupts nerve signals, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness, numbness, vision problems, and coordination difficulties.

Undoubtedly, plenty of people who identify as having chronic Lyme disease struggle with these same symptoms. And demyelination of nerves has been documented for Lyme disease. Beyond that, many people with MS test positive for Borrelia, the Lyme bacteria. So what distinguishes MS from chronic Lyme?

The answer: arbitrary cut-offs.

So how do we differentiate?

There is no single test that is specific for MS. The diagnosis of MS is made using a combination of clinical evaluation, imaging, such as MRI, and laboratory tests of blood and spinal fluid.

If all of the findings are deemed significant enough by the clinician evaluating the patient, then the diagnosis of MS is made and the patient qualifies for treatment.

This means that a person could have all of the symptoms, and some or all of the findings, but not to the degree that would qualify for a diagnosis of MS.

That person might end up being diagnosed with some other neurological condition, fibromyalgia, or maybe wouldn’t get a diagnosis at all. Chronic Lyme disease is unlikely because it isn’t a diagnosis recognized by the conventional medical community.

No diagnosis, no treatment. But maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Getting to the root cause

There are numerous drugs for treatment of MS. They work by blocking inflammation or blocking the immune system’s assault on myelin. The benefits are marginal at best and they carry significant side effects.

What the drugs don’t do is address why the body is attacking myelin in the first place. Without getting to the root causes of the problem, patients typically don’t get well. They live in a compromised state of relying on medications to mask the symptoms of their illness.

When you start looking for underlying causes, you’ll find that MS is listed as multifactorial. In other words, it’s not one specific cause, but rather multiple variable causes. This is also true of other chronic illnesses, including chronic Lyme disease.

A review paper published in the 2023 edition of the journal, NeuroSci, cataloged some of the known risk factors for MS that may be causative. These risk factors can be grouped into five categories.

  • Diets rich in processed foods and saturated fat, but low in vegetables and fruit
  • Chronic mental stress with inadequate sleep
  • Smoking or chronic exposure to other toxic substances
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Certain myelin-scavenging microbes, including (but not limited to) Chlamydia pneumoniae, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Human Herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), Mycoplasma pneumoniae and other mycoplasma species, and Borrelia burgdorferi

While the review didn’t go as far as defining how these factors might come together to cause MS, it doesn’t take much imagination to figure out a possible scenario.

A plausible explanation for MS

Myelin is contained within specialized cells called oligodendrocytes, which wrap around the shaft of a nerve to insulate it. Each of these microbes are known to invade oligodendrocytes to scavenge myelin as a resource for replication. While this provides one possible link to MS, that’s not the end of the story.

Evidence shows that the microbes can go dormant inside an oligodendrocyte after they invade it. Intracellular dormancy is a common survival mechanism used by many host-dependent microbes. It has been documented for borrelia and all the Lyme coinfections. Dormancy allows microbes to survive when conditions aren’t favorable for growth — in other words, when the cells they’ve invaded are healthy.

When cells are weakened by chronic stress factors — poor diet, chronic exposure to toxic substances, unrelenting mental stress and poor sleep, being sedentary — dormant microbes are able to reactivate, consume the cell, and then emerge to infect adjacent cells.

The immune system reacts by attacking the oligodendrocytes where microbes are emerging, in the process compounding the damage.

This is also a plausible explanation for chronic Lyme disease. The question remains: Why do some people progress to more advanced symptoms that are ultimately defined as MS?

The answer may be genetics. A variety of genetic mutations are common among people diagnosed with MS. You can’t do anything about genetic mutations, of course, but you can do something about the root causes of the problem.

A natural solution for MS and chronic Lyme

One obvious part of the solution is minimizing stress factors that weaken cells. Not surprisingly, there are many documented cases of people who went into stable remission from MS after modifying their health habits.

Improved health habits alone, however, don’t completely address the microbe factor. Fortunately, there is one thing that does — and it’s not antibiotics or other drugs.

Certain medicinal herbs demonstrate antimicrobial and immunomodulating properties that offer the potential for an ideal solution to support recovery from MS. They are already used widely for chronic Lyme disease and supported by sound evidence.

Among numerous studies, a study from Johns Hopkins University showed that certain herbs — cryptolepis, Japanese knotweed, and Chinese skullcap — were more effective for killing Borrelia than antibiotics.

Unlike an antibiotic, however, which is a single chemical agent specific for only certain microbes, an herb contains hundreds of chemical substances that act as a chemical defense system against a wide range of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and yeasts.

Never just one

This is important because it’s never just one microbe possibility. People identifying as having chronic Lyme disease typically test positive for co-infections. Chronic Lyme co-infections associated with demyelination include Chlamydia pneumoniae, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Human Herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), Mycoplasma pneumoniae and other mycoplasma species.

But these are just the ones that have been identified so far — there are probably many others.

Combining multiple herbs extends the range of coverage. This is possible because the potential for toxicity of the most commonly used herbs in Lyme protocols is inherently low.

Medicinal herbs and mushrooms that are commonly included in chronic Lyme protocols that could also be beneficial for MS recovery include:

  • Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)
  • Cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa)
  • Chinese skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis).
  • Cryptolepis (Cryptolepis sanguinolenta)
  • Andrographis (Andrographis paniculata)
  • Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
  • Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis)
  • Berberine or berberine-containing herbs
  • Red sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza)
  • Rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa)

Very importantly, the complex chemistry of herbs and medicinal mushrooms also protects cells from a wide range of toxic threats, including free radicals, foreign toxic substances, and harmful radiation. This applies to all cells in the body, including cells that make up the nervous system.

Immunomodulators

The medicinal herbs and mushrooms listed are classified as immunomodulators, meaning they upregulate underactive parts of the immune system and downregulate overactive portions of the immune system. This is important for reducing inflammation and calming the autoimmune response.

A final advantage of antimicrobial herbs is specificity for pathogens. The antimicrobial properties of herbs and medicinal mushrooms are selective for pathogens, but do not disrupt normal flora in the gut and other areas of the body.

Low toxicity and low potential to disrupt the gut microbiome means that herbal therapy can be used for extended durations, months or even years, which is often what it takes for complete recovery.

What this all means is that therapy — with a targeted endpoint of wellness, not managed illness — can be started with or without having a formal diagnosis.

With over 30 years of medical experience, Dr. Bill Rawls specializes in the holistic treatment of chronic illnesses, particularly Lyme disease. His personal journey with Lyme disease inspired his mission to empower others with the knowledge and tools needed to regain their health naturally. Learn more about Dr. Rawls’ approach to treating chronic illness with herbal therapy at RawlsMD.com.

References

An X, Bao Q, Di S, et al. The interaction between the gut microbiota and herbal medicines. Biomed Pharmacother. 2019;118:109252.

Anderson C, Brissette CA. The Brilliance of Borrelia: Mechanisms of Host Immune Evasion by Lyme Disease-Causing Spirochetes. Pathogens. 2021;10(3):281.

Berer K, Mues M, Koutrolos M, et al. Commensal microbiota and myelin autoantigen cooperate to trigger autoimmune demyelination. Nature. 2011;479(7374):538-541.

Bjornevik K, Münz C, Cohen JI, Ascherio A. Epstein-Barr virus as a leading cause of multiple sclerosis: mechanisms and implications. Nat Rev Neurol. 2023;19(3):160-171.

Branton WG, Lu JQ, Surette MG, et al. Brain microbiota disruption within inflammatory demyelinating lesions in multiple sclerosis. Sci Rep. 2016;6:37344.

Eisenreich W, Rudel T, Heesemann J, Goebel W. Persistence of Intracellular Bacterial Pathogens-With a Focus on the Metabolic Perspective. Front Cell Infect Microbiol.

Feng J, Leone J, Schweig S, Zhang Y. Evaluation of Natural and Botanical Medicines for Activity Against Growing and Non-growing Forms of B. burgdorferi. Front Med (Lausanne). 2020;7:6.

Fritzsche M. Chronic Lyme borreliosis at the root of multiple sclerosis–is a cure with antibiotics attainable? Med Hypotheses. 2005;64(3):438-448.

Greening C, Grinter R, Chiri E. Uncovering the Metabolic Strategies of the Dormant Microbial Majority: towards Integrative Approaches. mSystems. 2019;4(3):e00107-19.

Ivanova MV, Kolkova NI, Morgunova EY, et al. Role of Chlamydia in multiple sclerosis. Bull Exp Biol Med. 2015;159(5):646-648.

Kriesel JD, et al. Spectrum of Microbial Sequences and a Bacterial Cell Wall Antigen in Primary Demyelination Brain Specimens Obtained from Living Patients. Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 4;9(1):1387.

Landry RL, Embers ME. The Probable Infectious Origin of Multiple Sclerosis. NeuroSci. 2023;4(3):211-234.

Libbey JE, Cusick MF, Fujinami RS. Role of pathogens in multiple sclerosis. Int Rev Immunol. 2014;33(4):266-283.

Livengood JA, Gilmore RD Jr. Invasion of human neuronal and glial cells by an infectious strain of Borrelia burgdorferi [published correction appears in Microbes Infect. 2015 Jun;17(6):e1]. Microbes Infect. 2006;8(14-15):2832-2840.

Pender M. The essential role of Epstein-Barr virus in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. Neuroscientist. 2011;17(4):351-367.

Rittershaus ES, Baek SH, Sassetti CM. The normalcy of dormancy: common themes in microbial quiescence. Cell Host Microbe. 2013;13(6):643-651.

Thakur A, Mikkelsen H, Jungersen G. Intracellular Pathogens: Host Immunity and Microbial Persistence Strategies. J Immunol Res. 2019;2019:1356540.

Toledo A, Benach JL. Hijacking and Use of Host Lipids by Intracellular Pathogens. Microbiol Spectr. 2015;3(6):10.1128/microbiolspec.VMBF-0001-2014.

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**Comment**

A few points:

  • The Johns Hopkins study was in vitro, or the lab, which may not transfer over to the human body.
  • Antibiotics of daptomycin, doxycycline, and cefuroxime were used as controls at a final concentration of 5 μg/ml.  I’m not sure how this translates to oral dosages given patients, but according to Burrascano, dosages matter greatly.  It could be that these dosages were not high enough.
  • Doxy is a great front-line drug due to its action against many coinfections, but it is not the best and only drug to treat Lyme disease.
    • Eva Sapi found that while the use of doxy reduced spirochetal structures ~90%, round body forms increased about twofold.What this means is these round forms will simply lie and wait until conditions are better to reemerge. She found that tinidazole was the only antibiotic that reduced viable organisms by ~90%.  Recent research showed piperacillin effectively cured mice of Lyme at a dose 100 times smaller than doxycycline with virtually no impact on resident gut microbes.
So, for anyone paying attention, doxy has its limitations and all experienced Lyme literate doctors use multiple antibiotics in a combination therapy.

This, right here, is why mainstream medicine and research are worthless because this complex illness is treated as a one pathogen, one drug illness when typically more than one pathogen involved, and to complicate it further, the pathogens have multiple forms (pleomorphism) and strains that need to be addressed.

  • Daptomycin is an antibiotic that has been utilized recently in combination therapies. In a study through Johns Hopkins, when combined with doxycycline and ceftriaxone, daptomycin effectively cleared Lyme disease infection in vitro as well as in mice. However, daptomycin is relatively expensive and only available intravenously.  Notice it’s effectiveness is due to being used in a combo therapy.  I would say this is true of ALL antibiotics and why single antibiotics were not successful in the Johns Hopkins study Rawls refers to.
  • While cefuroxime has been found to have a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) similar to doxycycline; out of three borrelia species tested, two were susceptible while the third (borrelia hermsii) was less susceptible. The three antibiotics with similar MBCs in vitro, i.e., cefuroxime, doxycycline, and amoxicillin, demonstrated comparable activities in preventing borreliosis in B. burgdorferi-challenged hamsters (50% curative doses = 28.6, 36.5 and 45.0 mg/kg, respectively). So cefuroxime is far from perfect either when used alone.  Source

Using single antibiotics is really doing an injustice to what is known about successful treatment for Lyme since tindy is the most effective drug overall and combination drug protocols are by far the most effective.

Please remember too that Dr. Rawls manufactures and sells herbs and is financially compensated.

Don’t misunderstand – I’m not opposed to herbs.  I’ve used many myself and know of patients who have done well on them.  I just don’t want you to believe they are perfect or the only answer, either.  It takes everything AND the kitchen sink for this crap so keep an open mind.  And herbs are not harmless – there are interactions with other drugs as well as toxicity.

Nothing is ever simple.

For more:

Category:

Herbs, Lyme, research, Treatment

Why Doctor Treated Patient for Lyme – Even When His Test Was Negative

https://danielcameronmd.com/treated-lyme-negative-test/

Why I Treated Him for Lyme—Even When His Test Was Negative

Posted By: Dr. Daniel Cameron
May 13, 2025

Patients Deserve an Explanation

One of the most common—and most important—questions I hear from patients is:
“If my Lyme test is negative, why are you still treating me?”

It’s a fair question. And if you’re asking it, you deserve a clear and compassionate answer. The truth is, when it comes to Lyme disease, test results don’t always tell the full story.

Let’s break down why.

Lyme Disease Testing Isn’t Always Reliable

The standard test used to diagnose Lyme disease is called the two-tier system. It includes an ELISA screening test followed by a Western blot if the first result is positive. But this system is far from perfect—especially when the infection is in its early or late stages.

Here’s what you should know:

  • Early in the infection, your body may not have produced enough antibodies yet to trigger a positive result
  • Some patients never produce detectable antibodies at all
  • Co-infections like Babesia or Bartonella are not picked up by this test
  • Many rashes don’t appear in the textbook “bulls-eye” pattern—or don’t appear at all
So yes—you can absolutely have Lyme disease, even if your test is negative. And unfortunately, this is more common than many realize.

In Medicine, We Don’t Wait for Disease to Get Worse

In most areas of healthcare, we don’t wait for a serious event before we start treatment.

  • We don’t wait for a stroke to treat high blood pressure
  • We don’t wait for vision loss to manage diabetes
  • We don’t wait for full organ failure to address chronic kidney disease

We act early—because we know that early treatment improves outcomes. So why does Lyme disease often get treated differently?

When it comes to Lyme, many patients are told to “wait and see”—even when the symptoms are clear and distressing.

Waiting Is Not a Neutral Decision

Here’s what I tell my patients:
Waiting is not harmless. It’s a medical decision with consequences.

Delaying treatment can allow symptoms to worsen. It can allow the infection to persist or spread. In some cases, patients who were told to wait eventually end up with a label: Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS)—a condition where symptoms linger long after the initial infection was treated, or in some cases, never properly treated at all.

What if we had treated earlier? Could we have prevented months—or even years—of suffering?

In many cases, the answer is yes.

Clinical Judgment Is Not Guesswork

When I decide to treat someone for Lyme disease despite a negative test, it’s not a random decision. It’s based on:

• The full pattern of your symptoms

• Your medical history

• Your response to prior treatments

• Known or likely tick exposure

• And experience with thousands of Lyme patients

This is called clinical judgment. It’s a core part of good medical practice. I don’t ignore science—I apply it in context. Because Lyme doesn’t always follow the rules, and neither should we when those rules are failing real people.

You Know When Something Feels Wrong

I’ve met patients who’ve been told their symptoms are “just stress” or “hormonal” or “all in their head.” But they know their bodies. They’ve tracked their fatigue, their joint pain, their cognitive changes. They’ve seen something shift—and they’re right to speak up about it.

Many of those patients improve once treatment begins, even if their test results never confirmed the diagnosis. That’s not luck. That’s Lyme disease showing up in real life—even when it doesn’t show up in the lab.

It’s Time to Rethink How We Treat Lyme

We’re in a new era of medicine. Patients are more informed, more proactive, and more in tune with their own health than ever before. But too often, our Lyme diagnostic standards are stuck in the past—waiting for certainty while people lose months or years of their lives to untreated illness.

We need to bring clinical judgment back into focus. We need to listen more, wait less, and treat Lyme disease with the urgency it deserves.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been told your test is negative, but you’re still struggling with symptoms—please know this:
You’re not imagining it. You’re not overreacting. And you’re not alone.

In my practice, I treat the whole patient—not just the lab result. Because when it comes to Lyme, early treatment can change everything.

Want to learn more? Follow my blog series for more insights on Lyme disease diagnosis and care—or reach out to my office if you’re looking for answers.
You deserve to be heard.

Related Articles:

Relying on a negative Lyme disease test can prove deadly

Don’t wait for a positive Lyme disease test

Can’t trust single dose of doxycycline to prevent Lyme disease

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**Comment**

A very needed article with crucial information for all to understand.

Testing for Lyme/MSIDS is abysmal.  Clinical judgement is required; however, doctors receive little training for tick-borne infections and whatever training they do receive is antiquated and biased.  The fact the needle hasn’t budged in 40 years is proof of this fact.

Dr. Cameron is an example of an independent doctor who could save your life.  He’s also a Lyme-literate doctor who has studied under ILADS and who has years of experience treating this.  Like many of his colleagues, he’s been attacked by the state medical board – which is common for these doctors because they do not partake in the globalist idea for ‘consensus-based’ medicine – which turns doctors into robots who blindly follow dictates from bureaucrats who are profiting from conflicts of interests including patents, drugs, and other metabolomics. 

Due to the horrific lack of education on all things Lyme/MSIDS, there is a parallel group to the tyrannical IDSA (Infectious Diseases Society of America) called ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) which holds their own medical conferences to educate doctors on what is happening in reality with Lyme/MSIDS and through independent, global research that the IDSA simply ignores or maligns. Their next conference, “The Complexity of Lyme: Diagnosing and Treating Tick-Borne and Related Diseases,” is June 7-8 in Philadelphia.

Our conference will include:

  • Introduction to diagnosing and treating vector-borne diseases
  • Case discussions with experts
  • Advanced topics in clinical treatments such as PANS/PANDAS, Mold toxicity, MCAS, supportive natural therapies and more.
  • Exhibitors showcasing medical services
  • CME credit available

The conference is open to healthcare professionals. Students enrolled in a medical degree program and PhD candidates conducting Lyme-related research are also eligible to attend and qualify for discounted rates. Email conference@ilads.org for more information.

Category:

Lyme, research, Testing, Treatment