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Cat Scratch Disease (Bartonella)

Hello from a newbie,
Does anyone know of a link between Bartonella with encephalitis and chronic fatigue syndrome? I have CFS and in 2005 suffered from a severe Bartonella infection with encephalitis. I don't know if this is linked as I have also contracted Hepatitis B and C, Epstein Barr twice (at 18 and at 42), dengue fever, tuberculosis, and chronic herpes (since 1981). I also suffer from chronic knee arthritis due to a bad fall in 1996 and have been treated for depression on and off since then.
Cheers,
Bratananda
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Avatar universal
My prayers are with each of you. My eldest angel had CFS/ME for years and almost died a number of times. Her blood tests showed traces of 4 different viruses but the doctor kept saying her bloods were perfect - all she looked for was iron levels and the basic markers...

As a trained nurse and qualified naturopath it was a long haul BUT she is fine now. She still has days where it raises its ugly head and she knows what to do to stop an attack. Doctors were absolutely useless - from Googling it in front of us as she was curled up in a ball too weak and in too much pain to even speak - to telling us if she didn't take antidepressants she would no longer be covered by medicare... She was told that as they could not prove she had anorexia or was using drugs, they couldn't give her any analgesia - we had to carry her out of that hospital with absolutely no pain relief. I sat with her all night as she shivered and wretched - she kept saying goodbye as she thought she was dying...
I hope you all have found answers, if not - there are ways to beat this - as I have thankfully gone on to see with many, many other cases. I think back to my nursing days where women were given radical hysterectomies to 'shut them up' and many went on to have shock treatment and drugged out of their eyeballs until suicide.
Please consider taking this into your own hands if you haven't already - I know people who have suffered for over a decade and refuse to listen - they have been so scared by their doctor that even a dietary change is out of the question.
Some of my favourite ideas are -
*Ginger - we have a soda stream and put ginger powder into it (cheap at the supermarket) - she sips it all day. I once worked with a colleague on a study in South America, which collated the use of ginger in everything from arthritis to gynaecological problems, digestive problems, etc... She takes about a teaspoon a day, over the whole day, or if having to go out, drinks half before bed and half before going out.
* Supplements - I can't stress how important this is. CFS/ME sufferers as a rule do not eat much and are often underweight. Even the best diet in the world can and is lacking. The best you can get - multi green, with all the green vegetables, plants and sea plants. Don't forget oils as well - my favourite is flax oil.
* Coffee enemas - if you have never done one, they are easy - just buy a small bottle and re-use - like a dye bottle or even one with saline in it for the purpose. Make sure to keep it clean. Coffee is good for you - but in this way only. Drinking it absolutely destroys so much inside your body...
* Diet - start the day with pure lemon juice in water - warm or cold. I use soda water. Make sure you drink as much as you can of this alkaline medicine throughout the day and night - even if you can only manage sips. Stop all pasteurised dairy. Stop all wheat/gluten foods. With the brain fog you will be experiencing, this is usually way too much information - get a family member or friend to work this out for you. Absolutely no sugars. By now you are probably feeling that you can't eat anything. Just try it - you wont look back! Breakfast goes like this - IF you are hungry, make some sprouted seed bread toast (available in health shops or even bread sections of supermarkets). If you are not majorly hungry, eat alkaline fruits - melons, pears, berries. Don't add anything, just alone. If you have a juicer, do up a drink with the above and add a little soy milk (GMO free, sugar free) and ground almonds or hazelnuts (throw peanuts out..) There is a great additive called guar gum - put a tiny bit in and it will thicken up like the best thickshake you have ever had! For lunch, either salad or green vegetables and orange vegetables steamed. Take in as much SEA salt as you can - not table salt.. For dinner, a repeat of what you have eaten today. For more info, get a book on pH diet - Dr Robert Young has a great one.

There is so much more you can do, but the bottom line is, now that my daughter's blood is alkaline she suffers no more illness. She takes no medication except green and berry supplements. Please try it - in fact, no illness can survive in an alkaline body - at all...
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Avatar universal
Bartonella is a very serious infection which damages the brain. You need treatment with antibiotics.
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I was recently diagnosed with Bartonella & Lyme. I've been sick for a real long time (25 yrs) one of the previous diagnosis I received was CFS which my lyme doctor says is a common misdiagnosis for Lyme & Bartonella.  There are days where I have difficulty waking up. My doctor also tested my cortosol (sp?) levels & they're completely reversed to what normal levels should be.  So yes, Bartonella can cause all kinds of problems & fatigue is certainly one of them.  
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Avatar universal
Bartonella is a common co-infection in lyme disease.  Have you been tested or treated for it?
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Kit is correct.  EBV is a strong indicator with CFS.  Many with CFS have had an incident with this virus being activated.  You have had multiple bacterial/viral infections which has likely worn down your immune system.

Please check out our Health Pages about treating mutiple infections and boosting your immune system.  Dr. Nicolson has discovered underlying mycoplasma infections in most of the patients with CFS, FMS and GWI.  There is some great information on what can be done to help you become better and the continued research in this area.

I hope you feel better soon.
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Avatar universal
Yes, I did hear about Bartonella and Ecephalitis.  I don't know if it is linked to ME/CFS  But, we dod need to be careful since our immune function has been compromised as our vet also reminded me of such fact..
Keep in mind, although Epstein Barr, herpes, etc.  are common even in healthy people..it plays havoc in us, with ME/CFS.

Hugs,'
Kit

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