Progress

Progress - 323/365

I didn't want to say anything for fear of jinxing myself, but yes, I'm back on the yoga mat. Over the last 3 years I've been on and off the mat, not able to maintain a consistent practice because mobility was just too painful. Last year, I gave up asana (moving practice) to just practicing patience, mindfulness, pranayama (deep breathing) and letting go of my physical practice.

Last month, thanks to daily intravenous glutathione to help my lagging liver, I was able to maintain a 3 x/week 60 minute practice. My mobility is much improved. I'm still quite weak and my practice is about 10-15% of what it was pre-Lyme. But I enjoy the fluid, non-painful movement that treatment has enabled. I'm now at the point in my treatment where I'm ramping down on killing pathogens and ramping down the meds, while ramping up on repairing the digestive and immune system which have been badly damaged by both Lyme disease and the treatment protocol itself.

I never said long-term antibiotics was without risks. It's one of the controversial arguing points of treating chronic Lyme disease. Everyone has an opinion on it whether they believe that Borrelia burgdorferi is persistant and antibiotic resistant (and there are studies that prove that) or they don't.

For readers who don't understand, there are two main sides of the "Chronic Lyme disease" debate. The first is "Chronic Lyme disease doesn't exist. Two weeks of doxycycline kills it." The second side is "Chronic Lyme does exist and when Lyme isn't treated in the early stages of infection (tick bite), it can months and years of treatment for a patient to recover."

Even among those in the second camp there are varying opinions on the use of long term antibiotics. Some believe that they shouldn't be used and chronic Lyme can be cured holistically. When I reviewed all the treatment modalities out there, the most successful protocols that stood out to me are those that don't just use antibiotics, but every tool possible, including herbal antimicrobials, supplements, immune system support, alternative detoxification methods and even psychological support. And every patient is different. Treatment must be tailored to what the patient can tolerate. Some may never be able to tolerate a single dose of antibiotics. Others will be able to. Either way, it's not just about taking antibiotics then stopping when you think it's gone. It's about killing as much of the pathogen as possible then repairing the damage done by the disease and the treatment and rebuilding the immune system to the point that it keeps any spirochetes hanging around in check. It's about supporting the whole person. After all, this disease is truly about a suppressed immune system. Once you're immune system is damaged, you no longer have singular treatment options and you can't just treat the symptom.

My immune system is still in horrible shape. It was suppressed before I started Lyme disease treatment (per IGG test results) and I'm certain that long-term antibiotics probably suppressed it even more. But when you are so sick, you do whatever it takes. It's going to take a long time to repair the immune system and GI, which sucks. I'm still weak and tired. But I'm looking forward to this next phase. I still have a long road, but I'm grateful to even be on it. Next to my husband, the best thing that ever happened to me has been my Lyme disease medical team.