Monday night at 11pm was dose one of a new medicine prescribed as an alternate treatment for Lyme Disease. As of nearly 5 weeks ago I have been antibiotic free, enabling me to start this new medicine Questran.
The theory behind this treatment option is this- antibiotics kill bacteria. Some physicians believe that the bacteria is DEAD in a matter of weeks and that continued treatment is unnecessary. This is what my nutritionist believes. (I'm not sure where I stand on this thought.) Dr. P believes that the bacteria is dead BUT the toxicity from the Lyme is still circulating in my body. And it's the toxins that cause the symptoms. He believes the toxins tend to remain in fatty deposits, and organs etc. (Brain, liver, bile, tissue, etc.) Apparently bile(fat) is dumped into the intestines and ultimately reabsorbed into the body by where it circulates through, and is dumped back into the intestines. This medicine binds to the bile, and ushers it out of the body before it can be reabsorbed. Hence, in the opinion of Dr. P... taking with it the toxins from the Lyme restoring my health.
WELL... I optimistically began taking this drug Monday night BELIEVING it would clear up all my symptoms and lead me in the way of restoration and HEALTH.
Little did I know... within 12 hours I would have more Lyme symptoms than I've had in almost 2 years of antibiotic treatment. Terrible headaches, fatigue, muscle twitches, muscle pain, muscle spasms, dizziness, numbness in my fingers, weak legs, and nausea. Add to all of this the fact that I have the kids all day everyday and work at Starbucks everynight till 10pm... and I have a recipe for disaster.
I feel the worst today. To give you an example, I'm not even looking at the computer because the letters either blur or bounce when I type. My neuro-muscular system is in disarray. BUT- the positive side is this...
When I really started feeling bad, Tuesday night to Wednesday morning... I looked up online some side effects to Questran only to find that Questran has minimal side effects and is rarely more than a minor inconvenience (you have to take it every 6 hours) EXCEPT if you have chronic Lyme Disease. In that case, one can expect a MAJOR uprise in symptoms- lasting anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. (Ok, here's the positive side I alluded to...) Maybe, just maybe, I feel this terrible because Dr. P is right and it is getting to the heart of the toxicity and ushering it out. Maybe, just maybe, in another week or so I will feel GREAT!! And be done with this Lyme stuff altogether. Just maybe.
I sure hope so because today...I FEEL LIKE CRAP. Can it get worse than this? It's been almost 3 days and I feel like I did when I was going from ER to ER... right before going to the Cleveland Clinic to hear them say they believed I was on the slippery slope of decline due to... well, I can't even bring myself to say the disease when I literally feel like I could indeed have it.
One more thing... despite my less than optimistic approach to todays blog... I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT I KNOW that GOD IS IN CONTROL ! I don't understand any of this, I don't know if what I am doing is the right thing to do, I don't if I will be "cured" of the Lyme and/or restored to health as I knew it prior to the Lyme occurring... BUT I know that God knows all of this and will direct my every step. I continue to remind myself, several times daily, that this is what I need to be focused upon.
The theory behind this treatment option is this- antibiotics kill bacteria. Some physicians believe that the bacteria is DEAD in a matter of weeks and that continued treatment is unnecessary. This is what my nutritionist believes. (I'm not sure where I stand on this thought.) Dr. P believes that the bacteria is dead BUT the toxicity from the Lyme is still circulating in my body. And it's the toxins that cause the symptoms. He believes the toxins tend to remain in fatty deposits, and organs etc. (Brain, liver, bile, tissue, etc.) Apparently bile(fat) is dumped into the intestines and ultimately reabsorbed into the body by where it circulates through, and is dumped back into the intestines. This medicine binds to the bile, and ushers it out of the body before it can be reabsorbed. Hence, in the opinion of Dr. P... taking with it the toxins from the Lyme restoring my health.
WELL... I optimistically began taking this drug Monday night BELIEVING it would clear up all my symptoms and lead me in the way of restoration and HEALTH.
Little did I know... within 12 hours I would have more Lyme symptoms than I've had in almost 2 years of antibiotic treatment. Terrible headaches, fatigue, muscle twitches, muscle pain, muscle spasms, dizziness, numbness in my fingers, weak legs, and nausea. Add to all of this the fact that I have the kids all day everyday and work at Starbucks everynight till 10pm... and I have a recipe for disaster.
I feel the worst today. To give you an example, I'm not even looking at the computer because the letters either blur or bounce when I type. My neuro-muscular system is in disarray. BUT- the positive side is this...
When I really started feeling bad, Tuesday night to Wednesday morning... I looked up online some side effects to Questran only to find that Questran has minimal side effects and is rarely more than a minor inconvenience (you have to take it every 6 hours) EXCEPT if you have chronic Lyme Disease. In that case, one can expect a MAJOR uprise in symptoms- lasting anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. (Ok, here's the positive side I alluded to...) Maybe, just maybe, I feel this terrible because Dr. P is right and it is getting to the heart of the toxicity and ushering it out. Maybe, just maybe, in another week or so I will feel GREAT!! And be done with this Lyme stuff altogether. Just maybe.
I sure hope so because today...I FEEL LIKE CRAP. Can it get worse than this? It's been almost 3 days and I feel like I did when I was going from ER to ER... right before going to the Cleveland Clinic to hear them say they believed I was on the slippery slope of decline due to... well, I can't even bring myself to say the disease when I literally feel like I could indeed have it.
One more thing... despite my less than optimistic approach to todays blog... I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT I KNOW that GOD IS IN CONTROL ! I don't understand any of this, I don't know if what I am doing is the right thing to do, I don't if I will be "cured" of the Lyme and/or restored to health as I knew it prior to the Lyme occurring... BUT I know that God knows all of this and will direct my every step. I continue to remind myself, several times daily, that this is what I need to be focused upon.
1 comment:
Hi, old friend,
I've been lurking on your blog for a while now, not commenting. But I read today's post and wanted you to know I'm praying for you. I do hope Dr. P is right and you knock out the Lyme disease.
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