For this post I'd like to share a recent email exchange. Mimi asked for a Lyme doctor referral years ago. I was delighted to get an message from her a few weeks ago, and to read she's now doing very well. She's taken a different route with her treatment than mine, so I thought this would be a good way to share some of her tips--straight from her own keyboard!
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| Beautiful vegetables! For both me and Mimi, diet has been a big part of our treatment plan. (Painting: 'Plate of Asparagus with Carnations and Grasshopper' by Giovanna Garzoni, 1600-1670) |
Hi Noelle,
Remember me? I feel like I've been meaning to email you for years to thank you and I am dreadfully sorry that it has taken me so long. You helped me so immensely during what was the worst time in my life and I just wanted you to know that I did and still do appreciate your support during my Lyme treatment.
I hope you are doing well and healthy.
Thank you,
Mimi
***
Hi Mimi!
Thank you for the thank-you! Yes, I remember you! It sounds from your email like you're doing a lot better. Don't think I deserve too much credit, just referred you to the right people, but I'm sooo happy if it helped.
I am doing much better, too.
Best,
Noelle
*****
Hi Noelle,
I'm definitely doing better than I was back then. I hope to never feel that terrible again, but I'm glad I went through it now. I ended up stopping antibiotic treatment at 16 months because, I couldn't digest food or absorb nutrients and I couldn't function in my daily life. The GAPS diet gave me back my life and helped heal my gut significantly. Somatic Experiencing therapy has also greatly decreased the emotional load on my system and improved my resiliency. Years ago, Dr. Nesreen Medina recommended me to an SE therapist who was also on of their Lyme patients and I still see her today.
I have never really stopped treating, I just switched to natural treatments (acupuncture, herbs, plant stem cells, essential oils) and found that I respond better when I'm not at war with my microbes. I was able to get pregnant again and found that I am one of those lucky people whose immune system actually does better while pregnant so I felt better than I had in years. Too bad I can't stay pregnant.
; )
My daughter is 1 1/2 now and healthy as a horse and so far my 6 year old son doesn't show any symptoms either.
I'm still symptomatic, but certainly functional. A few months ago I added Doterra essential oils into my protocol after watching a cool webinar where a woman healed herself from Lyme using only the antimicrobial oils. Cool stuff! I'm also working on re-programming myself and telling my 70 trillion cells that we don't have Lyme anymore. So the journey continues, but in the end it is all positive improvements so I keep working on it.
Thank you again and I wish you good health!!
Mimi
****
Hi Mimi:
This is all wonderful to read! I am wondering you would mind if I put your email on my blog? (It's a blog about recovering from Lyme.)
Recently I've received requests from Lyme patients for information about my medical plan (i.e. what works) and I have resolved to get more positive and practical info up on my blog. I had been neglecting it because I was feeling better and not thinking about Lyme so much!
I've ended up doing something similar to you (minus the pregnancy). I stopped antibiotics and switched to herbs and recently the anti-inflammatory diet. My quality of life is much better, I have less brain fog and more stamina on Samento/Banderol/Teasel. But I also think having done a few years of antibiotics helped. I don't think I'd be as strong as I am now if I had done the herbs alone. I'm curious about the GAPS diet and some of the other things you mentioned. I'll look them up!
Best,
Noelle
*****
Hi Noelle:
Of course you can include anything you would like to. I love spreading the word about treatment options. You can slice and dice whatever I wrote and in case you want to include some links....
Here is a link to the Woman's webinar who used the Doterra Oils and another link I found just browsing:
Here is an overview on the Somatic Experiencing therapy which helped me miles beyond what standard talk therapy was able to achieve. It has shown me that many of my symptoms are actually psychologicial and I have had sessions where I walked in feeling like I needed to crawl back in bed and walked out feeling energized with my symptoms alleviated (nausea, headaches, brain fog, pain http://www.traumahealing.com/somatic-experiencing/
The Gaps Diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) is all about healing and sealing the gut with bone broths and fermented foods and within 6 weeks on the Intro Diet, I gained a much-needed 6 pounds, could digest food again, tolerate dairy, absorb nutrients, my spring allergy headaches were almost nonexistent and I wasn't starving all the time anymore. Plus my anxiety was gone. I felt stronger and was able to get pregnant 3 months later. Since then I have done the GAPS Intro diet 3 times and my body goes into serious healing mode each time. I usually experience extreme fatigue and some die off in the first week and I sleep my best while on the Intro diet. It is an amazingly balancing diet. You will either gain or lose weight depending on what your body needs. I have proof of that because I gained when I was gaunt and then I did the Intro again after pregnancy and lost a few extra pounds I didn't need. I have never been able to stick to the full GAPS diet for the recommended 2 years for someone like me, but I still get great benefits from the Intro and have incorporated parts of it in my ongoing diet.
Links:
Author's site: http://www.gapsdiet.com/
Dr. Elizabeth Hesse Sheehan is my primary (currently on maternity leave) and although I have had infrequent visits, she is the one who recommended GAPS, Plant Stem Cells and Doterra Oils. http://www.experiencehealth.info/default.html
Cheers,
Mimi
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| Another painting by Giovanna Garzoni: Chinese Bowl with Figs, Cherries, and Bird |
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