Lyme Disease – Hidden Epidemic Part 6
In this article:
Is Hannah healed and what is Lyme recovery like?
What highlights do you as a patient and as a provider need to know?
How many Lyme patients does Dr. Lisa have now… and next year? Follow Excell for Life on Facebook or Instagram @drlisa_m
Can you Excell for life, and keep learning and growing? (as Dr. Lisa will be next month while shadowing Dr. Jemsek for 3 days)
What are Dr. Lisa’s parents (age 86 & 85, married over 65 years) keys to a happy and successful life?
“The most important thing we do as physicians is enter into the suffering of our patients.” Dr. Kent Brantly, Christian missionary who contracted and survived the Ebola infectious disease
I’m writing on my deck, watching children play in our treehouse near a line of trees. I want us all to be outside enjoying God’s beauty, AND aware of tick-borne dangers to prevent illness. That is what God wants for our medical profession, to bring His awesome knowledge, healing and prevention! 2 Tim 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Last year on Memorial Day 2014, I did not know that I had any patients with Lyme disease, and I knew almost nothing about Lyme disease… Memorial Day 2015, I know what seems like light years more about Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis complex or Lyme BC) and its co-infections. I am starting to treat and heal some simpler cases, and have over 70 patients with Lyme BC. Also, after attending the ILADS 4 day intensive Lyme conference last October, I realized some of my family must also have Lyme disease… They do have Lyme disease and are being treated by Dr. Lentz and Dr. Jemsek. A couple of their stories are “hidden” in the Patient Profiles.
My prayer: Thank you and we praise you Lord for your awesome love and healing! (John 3:16, Isaiah 53:5) You hear and answer our prayers (Jeremiah 33:3). Your awesome Bible and Word give us over 8000 promises. We all want to know and claim and live them to achieve all in life you have planned for us. We ask you to bring the hidden epidemic of Lyme disease out into the full light of medicine and the world, and bring total healing and prevention. You created the world (Genesis 1), so you can end Lyme disease and co-infections (as you enabled us to wipe out polio)! We thank you for your Spirit (Romans 8:26), wisdom (James 1:5), knowledge and revelation (Ephesians 1:9-11). In Jesus all-powerful name.
My Journal Entry February 2015
Hannah, Christina, and her siblings are all seeing more progress! They all have much fewer symptoms, and are progressing in their antibiotic protocols to heal all the 3 forms of Lyme and their co-infections. Hannah and Christina are being treated by Dr. Jemsek clinic. I am treating the siblings, and am very thankful to Jemsek clinic for answering all of my treatment related questions… Dad David is now concerned about possible Lyme symptoms (some occasional lack of attention and disinterest in work and fatigue), and gets an IgeneX Lyme test.
The complete list of antibiotics and herbal treatments are below:
Hannah antibiotics/herbals – Zithromax, Amoxicillin, Flagyl, Mepron, Daraprim, Artimisin, Cefdinir, Minocycline, Lactoferrin & Xylitol, CoArtem, Rifampin, Clindamycin, Cipro, Diflucan
Christina antibiotics/herbals – Zithromax, Amoxicillin, Flagyl, Mepron, Daraprim, Artimisinin, Ceftin, Rifebutin, Minocycline, Cipro, Lactoferrin & Xylitol
Isaac antibiotics/herbals – Zithromax, Amoxicillin, Clindamycin, Daraprim, Flagyl, Rifampim
Victoria antibiotics/herbals – Zithromax, Amoxicillin, Clindamycin, Daraprim, Flagyl, Rifampim
Answers to the Questions from Blog #1:
How high is the risk of contracting Lyme disease here in Indianapolis and all the US?
→ There is a very high risk of contracting Lyme disease & co-infections from ticks here in Indiana, all over the US, and all over the world. So be prepared to prevent tick and bug bites anywhere (see article #2 and 3).
Why don’t most doctors and providers ever know or think about Lyme disease…?
→ Most physicians and providers and US Infectious Disease specialists do not know much about Lyme disease because of the poor quality testing, the controversy between IDSA (feel Lyme is not a significant problem and controls education in our medical schools) and ILADS (feels Lyme is epidemic and usually needs prolonged aggressive treatment and diagnosis), and the complexity of treatment. So you MUST see a Lyme literate provider for any Lyme or tick related questions, such as one of us here at Excell for Life Family Care & pediatrics.
Why do almost all traditional lab testing companies fail to detect Lyme disease (therefore you must get your testing from a Lyme testing lab)?
→ The best testing for Lyme disease is from a specialty lab like IgeneX, and do NOT waste your time or money on a Lyme test from a traditional lab company because it will lead you astray! Even then a person with a mostly negative test could still need treatment, and a person with a positive test may not need treatment (per CDC and ILADS statements).
How can you protect yourself and your family and what do you do if you or anyone you know get a tick bite?
→ You can protect yourself and family (see article #2 and 3), and read what to do if you have a tick bite in article #5.
Is it possible that you and/or someone you know could be suffering from increasing problems due to the Lyme disease acquired recently or years ago?
→ You or a loved one MAY have Lyme disease and co-infections if you have one or two unusual problems or sicknesses that traditional medicine cannot explain or solve or just doesn’t make sense to you. You owe it to yourself to research and have an evaluation from a knowledgeable Lyme literate doctor or provider. Here in the Indianapolis area see any one of our providers at Excell for Life Family Care & Pediatrics. We will evaluate you for ALL possibilities (not just Lyme), because almost everyone has basic healthy life measures that need improvement and often vitamin and hormone deficiencies. For other areas of the country research the ILADS website for providers near you.
Lyme disease and co-infections are potentially disabling, deadly, and extremely complex. Many people have the infection for years, but finally their immune system is overcome and the disease progresses. Each person’s body and complexity of infection is unique, which requires a tailored informed knowledgeable and often prolonged approach to treatment. Then once treatment is begun, your body’s response to treatment must be monitored. Further treatment is adjusted and individualized based upon what symptoms are better and what still needs healing.
My Journal Entry May, 2015
All praises to God for Hannah’s remarkable healing!All her symptoms are gone, except for some occasional fatigue (her energy overall feels about 80%, when it was only 20-30%). Hannah is now taking college AP classes and more than caught up in her schoolwork. Jemsek clinic hopes she is on her last antibiotic cycle set, which is now 2 weeks on antibiotics and 3 weeks off, and then will go to 1 week on and 4 weeks off. As long as she doesn’t have a return to symptoms in a 2-3 month period, they will stop treatment! There is no guarantee that Hannah will never have a recurrence, but it is not expected. Not everyone with Hannah’s many symptoms get as quick or total recovery, and some require IV antibiotics. The sooner the diagnosis and treatment is started once a person develops symptoms, the better the chance of recovery. Hannah’s previous diagnoses:tremors, joint pains, rash, muscle cramps, vision changes, stiffness, recurrent abdominal pain, fever, dyspnea, tachycardia, fluctuating severe fatigue, syncope, bladder pain, leg swelling, food sensitivity; vitamin deficiency
Mid May 2015, again many praises for most all her symptoms are gone! Christina is enjoying her family time SO much more with energy. She hopes to be on her last cycle of medicines, with increasing weeks off the medicine. Christina’s previous diagnoses: dizziness, feeling aloof and detached, nausea, general weakness and fatigue, headaches, insomnia, sensory overload, irregular periods, air hunger, noise sensitivity, night sweats, vision changes…
Mid May 2015, Isaac has had no symptoms for 2 months and is totally caught up in school. I have him on 2 cycles of 1 week of antibiotics and 4 weeks off and then will stop his treatment! Isaac’s previous diagnoses: neck pain, headaches, fatigue, worsening school performance and attention problems…
Mid May 2015, Victoria has had no bed wetting or symptoms for 2 months, so I have her on 2 cycles of 1 week of antibiotics and 4 weeks off and then will stop her treatment! Victoria’s previous diagnoses: recent tick bite, continued bed wetting, and joint pains…
Dad, David: some occasional lack of attention and disinterest in work and fatigue, a fair amount of positives on his IgeneX western blot, and I am now starting pulse cycle treatment.
Tips for ALL of Us!
Thoughtfully consider your own health goals and life plans, and re-evaluate yearly.
Work daily on the basic healthy life measures: eat a brain-healthy and life-giving diet (eat a rainbow daily, as organic and gluten and dairy free as you can), drink half your weight in ounces of filtered water daily, exercise at least 20-30 minutes daily (sweating cardio and some weight training), sleep at least 7-8 hours a night, take quality basic daily supplements (at least vitamin D, omega fish oil, probiotics, multivitamin), pursue God and new learning daily, and detox daily (1-2 soft bulky stools/day, water, and work to avoid toxins)… Eat well, sleep well, move well, poop well!
Listen to and pay attention to your body daily. Remember that you know your body the best, so you must go to a doctor or provider who will listen to YOU.
Prevent tick bites in you and your family at home and on vacations (spray your clothes, tuck in shirts and pants, spray other exposed parts, complete body and hair tick check when back inside and soapy shower, see article #2 and 3).
Know what to do if you get a tick bite (pull directly off with tweezers, save and send in for testing, see a Lyme literate provider, and read my article #5!).
Do you have one or two unusual problems or sicknesses that traditional medicine cannot explain or solve or just doesn’t make sense to you or that continue to cycle (worse and then better and then worse)? Then you owe it to yourself to research and have an evaluation from a knowledgeable Lyme literate doctor or provider. Here in the Indianapolis area- see any one of our providers at Excell for Life Family Care & Pediatrics. For other areas of the country research the ILADS website for providers near you. We will evaluate for ALL possibilities and not just Lyme, because most everyone has basic healthy life measures that need improvement and often vitamin and hormone deficiencies. Also, read and inform yourself about Lyme and the IDSA and ILADS positions. Get an IgeneX lyme test (NOT a lyme test from any regular lab). Consider a 2 month trial of Lyme BC treatment to see & test your response.
Keep learning and growing the rest of your life, and always use your common sense!
Lyme recovery is usually a marathon, with many ups and down twisty curves to achieve your healing, and praises to God for His awesome power!
For Caring Health Care Providers
“A life and journey in the profession of medicine is a gift from God. Humility, abiding respect for his fellow man, and a lifetime dedicated to learning medicine are the measure for the physician of his gift requited… Physicians in training will take countless exams to measure their worth. But your worth as a physician only truly begins when you first engage in patient care. If you the physician fail to listen to the patient, who is the only reason you exist as a physician or profession, you will learn nothing as you “practice” medicine.” Dr. Joseph Jemsek
Read and do the healthy life measures and hints above for yourself foremost each day… Take care of yourself and be a model to your patients.
Prioritize God, your spouse, yourself, and your children.
Keep learning and growing and listening, and ALWAYS use your common sense!
Work up each patient with a yearly prevention physical, acute traditional medicine evaluation, and holistic functional medicine (looking for root causes such as GI health, vitamin deficiencies, hormone problems, and pre-diabetes).
Teach your patients and staff tick bite prevention, especially in the spring. Practice prevention yourself!
Know what to do in the event of a tick bite (see my article #5).
Learn and be informed about ILADS and IDSA position, and read my articles and one of the books about Lyme Disease.
Understand the common symptoms of acute or chronic Lyme disease (acute= fluctuating but persistent fatigue, fevers, headaches, attention problems or brain fog, joint pains; chronic = fluctuating but persistent fatigue, brain fog or attention problems, headaches, joint pains, insomnia, vision problems, tinnitus, constipation, food sensitivity, and really anything)
Pay close attention to your patients who have one or two unusual problems or sicknesses that you and specialists cannot explain or are not getting better or are worsening or continuing to cycle. Evaluate them and any other of your existing patients for the need of an IgeneX western blot test and Lyme disease investigation.
Know IgeneX specialty lab western blot Lyme test (for borrelia IgM and IgG) to order for your patients, which is currently $210 for all patients, except those with Medicare and Medicaid usually have it covered. DO NOT order a Lyme or western blot test from a traditional lab company. It will only delay and confuse and likely inhibit your patient’s investigation and healing. Contact at: www.igenex.com or call 1.800.832.3200.
Teach your patients and staff that a mostly negative Lyme test from IgeneX does not mean that a patient does not have Lyme disease which needs treatment. Conversely, a very positive IgeneX Lyme test does not necessarily mean that the patient needs Lyme treatment… Lyme disease that needs treatment is a clinical diagnosis made by a Lyme literate physician or provider.
Be aware of providers who you can refer patients to for Lyme disease evaluation and treatment (an ILADS literate and/or an IDSA literate provider as your patients want and need). Lyme disease and co-infection treatment is very complex and prolonged. If you want to start treating Lyme patients in an ILADS manner, you must go to an ILADS conference, keep reading books and articles, and work closely with an experienced Lyme treating provider. You can bring powerful life-giving healing.
Now that you are a Lyme aware holistic provider, great job! Keep learning and growing! Review all your patients to get to the root cause of problems, prevent illness, and help them reach their health and life goals and Excell for life!
Patient Profiles & Updates:
Martha (my patient for 26 years who had many increasing problems) – she continues to be on the pulse therapy with Herx and improvements (just starting the rollercoaster marathon that will take her to significant healing), and I just started her 37 year old daughter Lindsay on treatment (progressive Lyme related problems and about to be fired from her job because she can barely do her job anymore). Lindsay kept saying, “Thank you for your great gift of treating me and my Mom. We are so thankful.” I am humbled by our awesome, teaching, loving Lord, who enables and empowers us all in our weakness!
The Warners (Mom and 3 children who all got Lyme on a trip to Michigan 2012, the youngest child in utero) – They are struggling to pay for all their Lyme treatment, but are thankful and trusting in God. My prayers always, and prayers for insurance to cover Lyme treatment and many to donate to ILADS or local Lyme foundations. I always look for ways to help with costs (like using www.goodrx.com or www.medisave.ca to look for least costly prescriptions).
Elizabeth post-delivery & newborn Lilly – Elizabeth was on 6 months of Amoxicillin and Zithromax during her pregnancy, and had elimination of joint pains, shortness of breath, dizziness, and restless legs, and much improvement in energy. She still has brain fog and vision problems, but will wait to advance treatment until she is done nursing. We are awaiting baby Lilly’s IgeneX done at birth.
Susan age 46:Longtime patient of mine with persistent unexplained problems of joint pains, brain fog, daily significant fatigue, migraines, ADD, dizziness, elevated blood pressure, and tinnitus. When I asked her 2 months ago about any tick exposure, she related many tick bites as a child and consistent exposure into adulthood and wanted to start treatment even before the IgeneX was back. Since Lyme is a clinical diagnosis which I could make with this history, we drew IgeneX and started pulse treatment. I just saw Susan back 1 month after starting treatment and she is significantly better, with her joint pains gone, brain fog decreased, energy better, and Herx of increasing migraines and some occasional diarrhea. NOTE, Susan’s IgeneX had very few positive bands (only IND and a 1+ on IgM, and an IND on IgG) and so is an example of a false negative.
Debbie age 60, and son David age 28: Debbie came to me in 2015 after going to a local experienced functional medicine physician for nine years of treatment and several years of IV chelation which all failed to improve any problems. She sadly has been disabled form her job as a CEO of a company for several years, with increasing memory loss, brain fog, migraines, tinnitus, fatigue, GI symptoms, ADD, depression, nonspecific changes in her MRI (neurologist wonders if type of MS, though Lyme can mimic this also), and insomnia. When I asked at her 1st visit with me, Debbie related much tick exposure and past bites. Her IgeneX does happen to be very positive (even if it wouldn’t have been, she fit a clinical diagnosis of Lyme BC). I have started treatment (some improvement with some Herx), and because of her severe problems, I am having her see Dr. Jemsek clinic (with their many years and many provider experience). Son David had in utero exposure and his own exposure. He has symptoms of Lyme BC (ADD, more than expected food sensitivities, fatigue, insomnia) and some positives on IgeneX. I have just started his treatment.
Nick age 17: He has been a functional medicine patient of Excell because of increasing ADD, fatigue, joint pain, headaches, insomnia, and being unable to attend school due to these significant problems. At the ILADS conference in October 2014, I felt Nick likely had Lyme BC. I discussed this with him and his parents. They reluctantly got his IgeneX testing done as a last resort, because he had very little even potential tick exposure. They are all now so thankful they did get the IgeneX, because it showed many positives (IgeneX and CDC) and they have something real to treat. Nick is going to Dr. Lentz (with her years of Lyme experience also), and very gradually making progress. He has many Herx, so they are working very slowly.
Madeline age 17: Maddie had many tick bites Spring Break 2012 while in Texas in 8th grade. She didn’t have any rash or redness or problems immediately after the bites. About a year later, she began having progressive symptoms and went to multiple doctors and specialists with no answers. One year ago she started seeing one of my partners at Excell, and our holistic functional medicine has helped her make some progress. Myself with all of our providers have monthly and even daily meetings and consults with each other about many topics and to keep learning, so of course they all now know much about Lyme BC. Maddie had an IgeneX test which showed just IND on one antibody marker, but 5 positives on the other. She is now starting treatment for her extreme fatigue, ADD and brain fog and memory loss (went from being a straight A student to barely able to get Cs), hot flashes, migraines, joint aches, insomnia, light sensitivity, tinnitus, and mood changes (anxiety and anger). I have told her that I want her also to see Dr. Jemsek clinic or Dr. Lentz with their longer experience in treating Lyme BC.
Suzanne, age 70: She has been my patient for 5 years and has many significant near disabling problems, some that are not understood by traditional medicine. This April 2015, I found Suzanne had significant tick exposure. We decided to treat daily with 2 antibiotics (and nightly Orthobiotic) and get an IgeneX lyme test. Suzanne had no improvement in a full 2 months of treatment, and her IgeneX had only a few positives. We have stopped treatment, and of course will continue our in depth traditional and functional medicine and prayers!
Mandy age 40: She had some tick exposure in the past and now has Type 1 autoimmune diabetes with unusual multiple problems of increasing fatigue, autoimmune Hashimotos thyroiditis, apathy (not wanting to be around family or friend as much), light sensitivity, palpitations, hormones problems, and vision changes, recurrent yeast and food sensitivities. Mandy’s IgeneX has quite a few positives. With her significant yeast problems and diabetes, she did not want to start antibiotics at first. Mandy has now finished the Cowden’s herbal protocol. She continues to read and learn and is considering pulse treatment. Mandy also is concerned about her 2 school-age children who have some attention issues, food sensitivities, urinary problems, rashes, and headaches. She cannot afford to get them all tested right now…
Anne age 35 & daughter Amanda age 7: Anne has increasing GI sensitivities & anxiety chronic fatigue syndrome, eye twitching, and insomnia with a significantly positive IgeneX this spring 2015. Amanda has increasing chronic headaches & fatigue, recurrent rashes, and also a very positive IgeneX. They have close family members in the medical field and decided to go to an infectious disease doctor here for IDSA approach to treatment. Over time I will watch how they do, and always prayers for them and all my so special wonderful patients!
Rebecca, age 27: New patient to me early this year with multiple unusual unexplained problems that fit with Lyme BC (no known tick bit but lives in the country) – extreme fatigue (barely able to care for her 2 young children), shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dizziness, joint pains, insomnia, dry eyes, and anxiety. Rebecca was unable to afford an IgeneX, so we decided to start daily Doxycycline and Amoxicillin in December 2014 (and of course do labs for any hidden root causes, and just found some usual vitamin deficiencies). At her visit 5 weeks later she had NO effects at all (no improvement and no Herx), and we both discussed needing to give it the 2 month complete trial. Thankfully, at Rebecca’s visit at 8 weeks, she felt and looked SO much better. Her fatigue was much better and she had no shortness of breath. I changed her into pulse therapy with progressive cycles, and as of her visit the end of May, 2015 the majority of her symptoms are much improved or gone. She is able to afford an IgeneX now, so we will see what that shows (she especially wants to know for her children). We will continue treatment and cycles until her symptoms are essentially gone and not recurring.
William & wife Ginny, age 76 & 75: Again, long time patients of mine with a few unusual chronic and new problems: Tom with significant unexplained fatigue and shortness of breath (I worked him up for all cardiac and other pathology), dizziness, memory loss, insomnia, headaches, and more; Ginny with an autoimmune disease, restless legs, chronic pain and leg weakness. They both had tick bites in the past (Ginny years ago, and William about 5 years ago) and overall tick exposure by liking to be outdoors. I first tested William’s IgeneX and with his history and a few positives bands, decided to start careful pulse treatment with him (Ceftin and Minocycline 3 days/week along with Orthobiotic 1-2 nightly). I saw them both 4 weeks later to go over Ginny’s IgeneX, which is even more positive than William’s. Ginny is starting on the same treatment, and William is already significantly better, with all praises to God! His fatigue and shortness of breath are significantly better, and he is having some Herx of headaches and joint pain.
Lyme Tip: Always remember that Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis made by a Lyme literate doctor or provider, and there is no test that can with certainty prove or disprove Lyme disease.
Action Tip: Always remember to prevent tick bites at home and on trips & vacations – plan ahead! Donate to ILADS to aid treatment and research of Lyme disease at www.ILADS.org. Keep sharing all these articles to your family, friend, and contacts!
Keys to a Happy & Productive Life
by Don & Ginny Wolf (Dr. Lisa’s parents, age 86 & 85, married over 65 years, and Don the 2013 Indiana Sachem Award winner):
Treat others as you would like to be treated.
Be happy and have an optimistic attitude.
Think for yourself. Don’t be a follower.
“Hoe to the end of the row.” Finish the job.
… Dr. Lisa’s addition which is inherent in all the above – Love God 1st with all your heart and mind and soul.
Psalm 91:2-3,10-12,16 “My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust! For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper… No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways…With a long life I will satisfy Him and let Him behold my salvation.”
