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What has helped your Lyme?
I'm wondering if others have had relief from Lyme and what helped?
I last posted in May 2010 after being diagnosed with Lyme. I went on Doxy for 8 months and finally stopped in December just before Christmas. I don't like to take medication but it helped the symptoms to the point that I was having small improvements over time. In June I started using the Wii for some light exercise and to get the blood flowing in the muscles and joints. It was painful at first and I was out of breath but I started feeling better from moving. I eventually moved up to using a treadmill a few times a week with the Wii, then up to a slow jog.
In September I was able to stop my pain medications and just take supplements for immune support with the doxy. In December I added a sauna to my regiment and I have found that my body temp regulates better on the days that I sit in the sauna. I live in Wa where we have cold and rainy days that tend to make my pain worse. I quit the doxy two weeks after getting the sauna as I was feeling much better and I wanted to try Cat's claw/Samento in place of the doxy that was killing my gut. It's been a month since I went off the doxy and I feel great. I have also added a juicer to my daily schedule to help with the depletion of vitamins that the meds have on the body. I've had no migraines in two months, my energy level is great. Yesterday I did an hour of work out, hour in the sauna, grocery shopping, dishes, load of laundry and a few other small tasks. I don't have the brain fog, fatigue, stuttering or forgetful thoughts that used to plague me. I still have some pain but I can live with it compared to how I used to feel.
My supplements are Rhodiola, Florastor, Milk Thistle, L-Glutamine and Cat's Claw. I just had my CD-57 test run for the second time on Monday so that will tell how I'm doing. My last number was 32 in October.
Looking forward to what others are using in recovery.
I last posted in May 2010 after being diagnosed with Lyme. I went on Doxy for 8 months and finally stopped in December just before Christmas. I don't like to take medication but it helped the symptoms to the point that I was having small improvements over time. In June I started using the Wii for some light exercise and to get the blood flowing in the muscles and joints. It was painful at first and I was out of breath but I started feeling better from moving. I eventually moved up to using a treadmill a few times a week with the Wii, then up to a slow jog.
In September I was able to stop my pain medications and just take supplements for immune support with the doxy. In December I added a sauna to my regiment and I have found that my body temp regulates better on the days that I sit in the sauna. I live in Wa where we have cold and rainy days that tend to make my pain worse. I quit the doxy two weeks after getting the sauna as I was feeling much better and I wanted to try Cat's claw/Samento in place of the doxy that was killing my gut. It's been a month since I went off the doxy and I feel great. I have also added a juicer to my daily schedule to help with the depletion of vitamins that the meds have on the body. I've had no migraines in two months, my energy level is great. Yesterday I did an hour of work out, hour in the sauna, grocery shopping, dishes, load of laundry and a few other small tasks. I don't have the brain fog, fatigue, stuttering or forgetful thoughts that used to plague me. I still have some pain but I can live with it compared to how I used to feel.
My supplements are Rhodiola, Florastor, Milk Thistle, L-Glutamine and Cat's Claw. I just had my CD-57 test run for the second time on Monday so that will tell how I'm doing. My last number was 32 in October.
Looking forward to what others are using in recovery.
I've been treating with combination oral antibiotics under the care of an LLADS LLMD for over two years. I also hate being on the abx, but the few attempts I've made to stop resulted in fast relapses. I still Herx and/or flare, and I'm still symptomatic. But I've made huge strides in my recovery. I'm not sure when exactly I contract Lyme and co-infections, but by 2008 my illness made it almost impossible for me to work at all. Now I work in a demanding field (which I love), and am proud to say that I got the job in a highly competitive market despite my condition.
As much as I wish I could stop taking them, I do think antibiotic treatment was necessary for my recovery. Factive, bactrim, and rifampin are among those that have been the most effective for me (my LLMD thinks that Bart is my main issue). In terms of supplements, I've never found them to be very helpful to how I feel, but I do regularly take D, B-multi, and B12.
I've also found samento to be helpful, especially during times when I needed to break from abx. I sometimes take milk thistle as a supp or other times drink a tea made with it. I love herbal teas, especially "detox" ones. I drink lots and lots of water. I also drink coffee, which many think is a no-no with Lyme, but I find it highly therapeutic; it really loosens my joints and stiffness in the morning.
I've tried to maintain an exercise schedule throughout treatment, even when I felt awful. I prefer cardio, the sweating seems to help. I'm stiff and achy most of the time, but after I'm warmed up on the elliptical and in full swing, I can actually move with ease for awhile and it makes me feel great. I do sometimes suffer negative post-exercise symptoms, such as fatigue, but I really feel that the exercise helps as I believe the infections are toxic (not to mention all the meds) and exercise keeps things moving through the body so that they can exit!
I've not followed the strict Lyme diet adopted by many patients, I eat a fairly normal and varied diet. I was much better about avoiding processed foods and eating fresh in 2009 than I was in 2010, so I'm trying to get back to that, as I think that's better for anyone, not just those with Lyme.
I think battling depression is also a part of handling Lyme disease. For me, the fact that this disease is not recognized leaves me feeling invalidated, to the extent that I'll often question if I'm really sick or not. It's easy to feel crazy or like this is somehow my fault, or to just be frustrated that I can't do more. As I note above I am well enough to work full time, but that often means that I have no energy left for anything else. I'm usually in bed before 8 otherwise I will be too exhausted to get through the next day. I feel old beyond my years. So staying optimistic and positive can be a real challenge, and one that requires attention and dedication. For me, "venting" online has helped me to cope!
Glad to hear you are improving, I hope you keep going in the right direction!
As much as I wish I could stop taking them, I do think antibiotic treatment was necessary for my recovery. Factive, bactrim, and rifampin are among those that have been the most effective for me (my LLMD thinks that Bart is my main issue). In terms of supplements, I've never found them to be very helpful to how I feel, but I do regularly take D, B-multi, and B12.
I've also found samento to be helpful, especially during times when I needed to break from abx. I sometimes take milk thistle as a supp or other times drink a tea made with it. I love herbal teas, especially "detox" ones. I drink lots and lots of water. I also drink coffee, which many think is a no-no with Lyme, but I find it highly therapeutic; it really loosens my joints and stiffness in the morning.
I've tried to maintain an exercise schedule throughout treatment, even when I felt awful. I prefer cardio, the sweating seems to help. I'm stiff and achy most of the time, but after I'm warmed up on the elliptical and in full swing, I can actually move with ease for awhile and it makes me feel great. I do sometimes suffer negative post-exercise symptoms, such as fatigue, but I really feel that the exercise helps as I believe the infections are toxic (not to mention all the meds) and exercise keeps things moving through the body so that they can exit!
I've not followed the strict Lyme diet adopted by many patients, I eat a fairly normal and varied diet. I was much better about avoiding processed foods and eating fresh in 2009 than I was in 2010, so I'm trying to get back to that, as I think that's better for anyone, not just those with Lyme.
I think battling depression is also a part of handling Lyme disease. For me, the fact that this disease is not recognized leaves me feeling invalidated, to the extent that I'll often question if I'm really sick or not. It's easy to feel crazy or like this is somehow my fault, or to just be frustrated that I can't do more. As I note above I am well enough to work full time, but that often means that I have no energy left for anything else. I'm usually in bed before 8 otherwise I will be too exhausted to get through the next day. I feel old beyond my years. So staying optimistic and positive can be a real challenge, and one that requires attention and dedication. For me, "venting" online has helped me to cope!
Glad to hear you are improving, I hope you keep going in the right direction!
Glad to hear you are making progress! I hope it continues and your tests come back totally fabulous.
Keep us posted!
Keep us posted!
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