Archive for the ‘Treatment’ Category

Disseminated Bartonella Visualized by PET/CT & MRI

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/9/1/25

Diagnostics 2019, 9(1), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics9010025

Disseminated Bartonella henselae Infection Visualized by [18F]FDG-PET/CT and MRI

Marie Norredam 1,* , Andreas Knudsen 2, Carsten Thomsen 3and Lothar Wiese 2

Published: 1 March 2019
Abstract
We describe the clinical course of a 24-year old male with Crohn’s disease in immunosuppressive therapy admitted with a 6-week history of fever, weight loss, night sweat, and general malaise. The patient received extensive workup for a fever of unknown origin and received empiric antibiotics. Workup with Fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([18F]FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET/CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with intravenous contrast showed multifocal ostitis of the columna and os sacrum, as well as abscesses in m. iliopsoas and m. iliacus and affection of the retroperitoneum, liver, and spleen. Initially, malignancy was suspected, but a subsequent liver biopsy showed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation and a later polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed Bartonella henselae. The patient had relevant exposure from housecats. He was treated with Doxycycline and Rifampicin for 12 weeks resulting in complete recovery. This case is, to our knowledge, a rare example of disseminated infection with Bartonella henselae visualized on both [18F]FDG-PET/CT and MRI. View Full-Text
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**Comment**
The Cat’s beginning to get out of the bag regarding Bartonella.  Prepare yourself to see a whole lot more of this. I’m thankful that the authors stated that this case was to their knowledge a rare example; however, Bartonella has flown under the radar for so long chances are quite high there is much more of this going on. Similarly to Lyme and other coinfections, testing that relies on serology is abysmal and many remain undiagnosed.
We’ve always been told that folks that contract Bartonella need a history of cat exposure or other animals and have suppressed immune systems.  Please know, many completely healthy individuals with NO cat exposure can have disseminated Bartonella.  For examples of this:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/03/02/skin-inflammation-nodules-letting-the-cat-out-of-the-bag/  After the study I list 6 cases.
Dr. Ericson’s work has shown Bartonella virtually everywhere in the human body:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/27/advanced-imaging-found-bartonella-around-pic-line/  Slides in link
In my experience Bartonella is as bad if not worse than Lyme which gets all the press. Authorities do not even consider it with Lyme patients but nearly everyone I work with has it along with Lyme and often Babesia as well as Mycoplasma and various viruses.  Until the polymicrobial aspect is acknowledged and treated, we are doomed as patients.
Yes, Martha, Lone Star ticks are in Wisconsin as well:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/02/10/lone-star-ticks-in-wisconsin/

 

Category:

Bartonella, research, Testing, Treatment

Systemic Sarcoidosis Associated with Exposure to Bb in 21 Year Old Man

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6346892/

. 2018; 5(10): 000942.
Published online 2018 Oct 24. doi: 10.12890/2018_000942
PMCID: PMC6346892
PMID: 30755978

Systemic Sarcoidosis Associated with Exposure to Borrelia burgdorferi in a 21-Year-Old Man

Lars van Dee,corresponding author1 Mylene Stehouwer,2 and Thomas van Bemmel2
Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 21-year-old male forestry worker with a history of recent retrobulbar headaches and a droopy left eyelid was seen at the emergency department because of progressive bilateral swelling and redness of his legs. Previous analysis of his headaches by a neurologist showed no abnormalities and the complaints were interpreted as non-specific, cluster-like headaches.

Over the previous 3 weeks, the patient had experienced progressive swelling, redness and skin peeling of both legs. In addition, his symptoms included a stinging pain behind his sternum, fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, thirst and nycturia, although the headaches had stopped. Due to his profession, he frequently encountered tick bites. He used no medication, had stopped smoking 2 years earlier and reported no alcohol or drug use.

Examination was unremarkable except for bilateral pitting oedema of the lower legs and diffuse, confluent, flat, red and scaling lesions. The patient further presented with a frequent dry cough.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

The combination of symptoms and bilateral hilar adenopathy on chest X-ray (Fig. 1) were indicative of sarcoidosis. Additional laboratory tests, imaging studies and an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with lymph node biopsies were performed (Table 1). Most notably, the laboratory results showed an elevated level of creatinine and ionized calcium, in keeping with the systemic effects of sarcoidosis. Other haematological, endocrine, auto-immune and infectious causes (tuberculosis, HIV, lues) were excluded (data not shown). A definite diagnosis of systemic sarcoidosis with involvement of the lungs, skin and kidneys was made when non-caseating granulomas were described in the lymph node and skin biopsies. While waiting for the results, the patient received hyperhydration therapy and infusion with bisphosphonates for his hypercalcaemia, with minimal effect. However, after he started high-dose prednisolone, the hypercalcaemia as well as renal function normalised within only 2 days, further supporting the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.

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The patient’s previously unexplained neurological complaints in combination with his job as a forestry worker in an area with a high tick density led to the decision to further pursue diagnostics for Lyme disease. A lumbar puncture was performed 2 days after hospitalization. We found a solitary, immunoblot-confirmed Borrelia burgdorferi IgG response in the serum, and a positive IgG cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/serum ratio. Together with signs of inflammation in the CSF, these results are indicative of recent exposure to or infection with B. burgdorferi and local antibody production in the CSF.
The patient was treated with intravenous ceftriaxone for 2 weeks followed by 30 days doxycycline per os in addition to the immunosuppressive therapy for sarcoidosis, with the aim of preventing a flare up of a possible dormant/lingering B. burgdorferi infection. The patient recovered quickly within a few days of starting a high-dose prednisolone regime, and was discharged free of symptoms and in good health.

DISCUSSION

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown aetiology, most commonly affecting young adults who generally present with bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, pulmonary infiltrations, and skin or eye lesions[]. It has been hypothesised before that an infection with B. burgdorferi, the causal agent of Lyme disease, could act as a trigger for sarcoidosis[]. A Japanese study showed an association with sarcoidosis and B. burgdorferi infection in a region where Lyme borreliosis is endemic[]. In 2000, Danish physicians described the case of a man with neuroborreliosis who developed Löfgren’s syndrome and reacted well to treatment with doxycycline[]. In patients with cutaneous sarcoidosis, Borrelia-like organisms have been detected in skin tissue by focus-floating microscopy[].

This case is a rare presentation of sarcoidosis in a healthy young man with neuroborreliosis as a putative trigger. Unfortunately, the presence of B. burgdorferi DNA could not be confirmed by PCR, as the sensitivity of these tests is notoriously low (around 40%). In retrospect, the cluster-like headaches reported by the patient a few months before his visit to the emergency department could be explained by a recent episode of neuroborreliosis. This unusual case suggests we should maintain a high index of suspicion for underlying infectious processes like neuroborreliosis in patients with new-onset sarcoidosis before starting immunosuppressive regimens.

REFERENCES

1. Iannuzzi MC, Rybicki BA, Teirstein AS. Sarcoidosis. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:2153–2165. [PubMed]
2. Jacob F. Could Borrelia burgdorferi be a causal agent of sarcoidosis? Med Hypotheses. 1989;30:241–243. [PubMed]
3. Ishihara M, Ohno S, Ono H, et al. Seroprevalence of anti-Borrelia antibodies among patients with confirmed sarcoidosis in a region of Japan where Lyme borreliosis is endemic. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 1998;236:280–284. [PubMed]
4. Derler AM, Eisendle K, Baltaci M, et al. High prevalence of ‘Borrelia-like’ organisms in skin biopsies of sarcoidosis patients from Western Austria. J Cutan Pathol. 2009;36:1262–1268. [PubMed]
5. Klint H, Siboni AH. Borreliosis associated with Lofgren’s syndrome. Ugeskr Laeger. 2000;162:4154–4155. [PubMed]
**Comment**
I omitted tables 1 & 2 (diagnostic findings) which may be viewed in the link at the top of the page.
To understand sarcoidosis, please see:  https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/what-is-sarcoidosis/  Excerpt:
Sarcoidosis (pronounced SAR-COY-DOE-SIS) is an inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of granulomas—tiny clumps of inflammatory cells—in one or more organs of the body. When the immune system goes into overdrive and too many of these clumps form, they can interfere with an organ’s structure and function. When left unchecked, chronic inflammation can lead to fibrosis, which is the permanent scarring of organ tissue.This disorder affects the lungs in approximately 90% of cases, but it can affect almost any organ in the body. Despite increasing advances in research, sarcoidosis remains difficult to diagnose with limited treatment options and no known cure.
When patients are first diagnosed, they often present with a classic set of signs described as Lofgren’s Syndrome:
  • Fever
  • Enlarged lymph nodes
  • Swollen and painful joints, arthritis
  • Erythema nodosum, raised, red, and tender bumps to form on the skin, usually on the front of the legs. Nearby joints are often swollen and painful.

Common Signs:

Because sarcoidosis so often affects the lungs, other common symptoms of sarcoidosis include shortness of breath, wheezing, and chronic cough. Some patients will also experience chest pain and others will have no signs at all, even when inflammation is present.

Other Symptoms:

Because sarcoidosis can affect any organ in the body, a wide variety of symptoms can be seen, including:

  • Fatigue
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Night sweats
  • Overall feeling of sickness
  • Irregular heart beat
  • Swollen legs
  • Headaches
  • Visual problems
  • Weakness or numbness of an arm, leg, or part of the face
  • Discoloration of the nose, cheeks, lips, and ears
  • Scaly-appearing skin rash
  • Joint pain
  • Muscle swelling and soreness
  • Arthritis
  • Burning, itching, tearing, or pain in the eyes
  • Red eyes
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Blurred vision

Note that this is not an all-encompassing list. There are many more signs and symptoms that can be seen in patients depending on the organs involved.

Please remember that just because the authors state this is a rare case, nobody’s keeping score.  Since testing misses so many cases, people are not getting diagnosed.  Again, authors would be much more accurate by stating that this is the first recorded case.  There may be many, many more, that didn’t make it into the literature.  This is true for every aspect of Lyme/MSIDS.

 

 

 

Category:

Lyme, research, Treatment

Top 7 Overlooked Factors For Treating Lyme Disease

 Approx. 5 Min.

Top 7 Overlooked Factors For Treating Lyme Disease

After two decades of published research and investigating numerous clinical cases on Lyme disease, Envita Medical Center brings powerful perspective. These seven commonly overlooked factors for treating Lyme disease may be the key to stopping unneeded suffering for Lyme disease patients and lead to restored heath for patients dealing with this painful and confusing affliction. Lyme disease is one of the most complex and advanced bacterial infections in the world. Borrelia burgdorferi, the scientific name for Lyme, is not only resistant to most antibiotics, traditional treatment, and often natural treatment, it also evades detection from the body’s immune system making it very difficult to treat clinically and even diagnose.

However, as difficult as it is to treating Lyme disease a whole new set of issues arise when this disease becomes “chronic” and develops into Chronic Lyme disease. The Borrelia infection releases endotoxins and neurotoxins into the body which destroy muscle and nerve fibers which cause painful inflammation and chronic pain. The toxins given off by the Borrelia also damage the neurological and endocrine systems resulting in a multitude psychiatric imbalances and mood changes. Most patients fail treatment because one or more key factors are not being addressed and will often lead to relapse after seeing short-term symptom reduction.

Listed below are the top seven critical yet often overlooked factors that need to be addressed to properly treat Lyme disease and help patients finally reach optimal health.

  1. Getting a Complete and Accurate Diagnosis
  2. Multi-Drug Resistance
  3. Crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier with Treatment
  4. Stripping Biofilm
  5. Flushing Endotoxins and Biotoxins from the body
  6. Pain Medication Complications
  7. Reestablishing the Immune System

These 7 essentials are designed to point out some of the flaws of treatment and diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease but do not represent a comprehensive treatment plan. Much more goes into putting together a targeted and personalized treatment plan for patients than s mentioned here. Chronic Lyme disease is a complicated and resilient infection that requires highly skilled and experienced clinicians with a personalized approach specific to the patient.

Many Lyme disease treatments fail because numerous factors are overlooked, misdiagnosed, under-considered, or mistreated. Over a decade of working in this field, Envita Medical Clinic has discovered these seven critical treatment factors and many more that have saved and improved the lives of our patients.

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For more:  https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2016/02/13/lyme-disease-treatment/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/02/02/hopkins-study-shows-severe-symptoms-in-some-after-lyme-treatment/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/06/new-scan-technique-reveals-brain-inflammation-associated-with-post-treatment-lyme-disease-syndrome/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/25/medical-stalemate-what-causes-continuing-symptoms-after-lyme-treatment/

https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/02/22/why-mainstream-lyme-msids-research-remains-in-the-dark-ages/  In this link I highlight Dr. Burrascano’s enlightening video on Lyme treatment nuances based on decades of clinical experience.

 

 

 

 

 

Category:

Activism, Detoxing, Lyme, Treatment

20% off Hyperbaric Treatment Packages – Fox Valley Wellness Center

HBOT – 20% Savings For the Month of March

March is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Awareness month. Fox Valley Wellness Center Midwest Hyperbarics is currently offering 20% off all HBOT treatment packages.
The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) conducts an awareness campaign each year in March to educate about the prevalence of brain injury and the needs of people with brain injuries and their families.

Each year an estimated 2.4 million children and adults in the United States sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and another 795,000 individuals sustain an acquired brain injury (ABI) from non-traumatic causes. TBI’s can affect the functionality of the brain and can have a significant impact on individuals and their families.

How does hyperbaric oxygen help with a traumatic brain injury (TBI)?

In TBI patients, some of the injured brain tissues may be “dormant” and non-functioning. HBOT can stimulate these “dormant” tissues and return them to more normal function.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, used in conjunction with other therapies, ensures the best recovery possible for traumatic brain injury.
Fox Valley Wellness Center Midwest Hyperbarics is offering a 20% discount for all HBOT treatment packages for the month of March.
Learn More About HBOT Benefits

 

Category:

Activism, Treatment

Peptide Therapy With Dr. Kent Holtorf, MD

 Approx. 1 hour 18 Min.

Peptide Therapy With Dr. Kent Holtorf, MD

In this episode, you will learn about the use of peptide therapy in Lyme disease and related complex, chronic illnesses.

About My Guest: My guest for this episode is Dr. Kent Holtorf. Kent Holtorf, MD is the medical director of the Holtorf Medical Group. He is founder and director of the non-profit National Academy of Hypothyroidism (NAH), which is dedicated to dissemination of new information to doctors and patients on the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism. He has personally trained numerous physicians across the country in the use of bioidentical hormones, hypothyroidism, complex endocrine dysfunction, and innovative treatments of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and chronic infectious diseases, including Lyme disease. He is a fellowship lecturer for the American Board of Anti-aging Medicine, the Endocrinology Expert for AOL Health, and is a guest editor and peer-reviewer for a number of medical journals. Dr. Holtorf has published a number of peer-reviewed endocrine reviews, including on the safety and efficacy of bioidentical hormones, inaccuracies of standard thyroid testing, testosterone replacement for men and women, the diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone deficiency, and on the diagnosis and treatment of adrenal dysfunction in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. He has helped to demonstrate that much of the long-held dogma in endocrinology is inaccurate. He is a contributing author to Denis Wilson’s Evidenced-Based Approach to Restoring Thyroid Health. He has been a featured guest on CNBC, ABC News, CNN, EXTRA TV, Discovery Health, The Learning Channel, The Today Show, Dr. Dean Edell, Glenn Beck, Nancy Grace, Sean Hannity, and more and quoted in numerous print media including the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, US New and World Report, San Francisco Chronicle, WebMD, Elle, Better Homes and Garden, US Weekly, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, and Self magazine among many others.

Key Takeaways: 

  • What are peptides?
  • How are peptides created? 
  • What conditions might peptides be helpful for? 
  • What are the key contributors to aging? 
  • How are thymosins used to modulate the immune system? 
  • How is Th1/Th2 dominance measured? 
  • What is the role of LL37 in treating chronic infections?
  • What is the connection between hypercoagulation and mast cell activation?
  • How might BPC-157 be helpful in chronic illness?
  • What is the role of Epithalon in anti-aging and regenerative strategies?
  • How might peptides be helpful in conditions such as autism, Parkinson’s, and ALS?
  • How well-tolerated are peptides by sensitive patient populations?

Connect With My Guest: http://holtorfmed.com

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For more:  https://examine.com/supplements/bpc-157/  (Go here for entire article)

Summary of BPC-157

Primary Information, Benefits, Effects, and Important Facts

BPC-157 is a peptide chain consisting of 15 amino acids. It is considered synthetic because this particular sequence does not exist in nature. It is derived from a protective protein found in the stomach.

Researchers have conducted numerous rodent studies on BPC-157 that show it has protective effects extending beyond the stomach and intestinal tract. BPC-157 has been shown to benefit ulcers in the stomach, intestinal damage such as fistulas and inflammatory disorders, bone and joint healing and growth rates, and organ damage. It also has some influences on the brain. Researchers have observed marked protective effects when BPC-157 is administered to rats alongside a research toxin or damaging surgical procedure.

More research is needed to clarify whether BPC-157 has multiple mechanisms of action, but current research suggests BPC-157 influences several growth factors usually involved in angiogenesis (the production of blood vessels) and other factors involved in regeneration following damage.

BPC-157 shows promise, but human studies are needed to demonstrate that these benefits extend beyond research animals.

The majority of studies on BPC-157 are done on rats given injections of the supplement. While BPC-157 is a stable peptide, peptides are a group of compounds that are normally poorly absorbed after oral supplementation, so researchers use injections in rodent studies instead. Furthermore, there is no human evidence for BPC-157 and the majority of the research has been conducted by a single research group. Due to its synthetic nature, there may be legal issues associated with the sale of this supplement in certain regions and it may be banned by some sport organizations.

4.3. Neuroprotection

BPC-157 appears to have protective effects on brain tissue when administered to rats (either in drinking water or injections) alongside the toxin cuprizone by reducing the amount of damaged cells in numerous brain regions, including the hippocampus.[15] Cuprizone[15] is a toxin used to mimic the damages seen in multiple sclerosis[16] and potentially schizophrenia.[17]

5.1. Collagen and Joints

Researchers have observed benefits when putting BPC-157 on a sponge during surgery, where it appeared to improve the rate of collagen reformation, initially outperforming platelet-growth factor after four days but eventually being equipotent after eight days[4]. Benefits have been seen in rats given intraperitoneal injections after an Achilles heel injury, where the rate of injury healing was visually confirmed with smaller cut size and depth.[22]

6.2. Intestines

Most BPC-157 studies on intestinal damage use rats that undergo surgical-induced damage for experimental purposes. BPC-157 appears to have very potent protective effects in rats by mitigating damage to the tissue and structural abnormalities caused by the damage.

It is possible, based on limited evidence, that BPC-157 may be orally active in the alimentary canal (the pathway between the mouth and anus).

7.1. Parkinson’s

One study in rats using the toxin MPTP (which induces damage similar to what is seen in Parkinson’s Disease in rodents), administration of BPC-157 intraperitoneally appeared to mitigate some of the damage caused by MPTP.[36]

7.2. Multiple Sclerosis

In rodents given cuprizone (to induce damage similar to what is seen in multiple sclerosis[16]) those given BPC-157 alongside the cuprizone (0.16 ng/mL or 0.16 μg/mL in drinking water over four days or 10 ng/kg or 10 μg/kg intragastrically on the final day) seemed to exhibit significantly less brain damage and clinical abnormalities from the cuprizone than did control rats not given BPC-157.[15]

Source:

“BPC-157,” Examine.com, published on 14 April 2017, last updated on 14 June 2018,https://examine.com/supplements/BPC-157/

 

 

Category:

Lyme, Supplements, Treatment