Life After Lyme Disease

The Marshall Protocol was first developed by the biomedical researcher Trevor Marshall, Ph.D. It can be used treat chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions such as Lyme disease. This has been described as a ‘curative’ treatment that aims to tackle the root cause of the infection, rather than just cover up the symptoms.

Benicar is used in the Marshall Protocol Treatment Plan

Challenges Facing Sufferers

The problem with Lyme disease is that it can go undetected for a long period of time. This is because many of the symptoms are generalised and difficult to diagnose. This allows the Lyme bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) to spread throughout the body causing widespread infection. This bacteria has also been shown to ‘disguise’ itself and can hide in the body and evade drugs used to eradicated this form of infection. This means that chronic Lyme disease can be very resistant to standard treatments. This includes short term antibiotics which are commonly prescribed for Lyme disease and many sufferers experience months and even years of pain and discomfort whilst they try to overcome the condition

A New Approach to Treating Chronic Lyme Disease

The Marshall Protocol has been developed to tackle chronic, wide spread infections such as Lyme disease. Patients are given a type of medication known as olmesartan (also called Benicar), which boosts the immune system and increases the production of anti-microbial peptides. These peptides have been shown to be crucial in eradicating widespread pathogens and can tackle multi-infections at the same time. This is highly beneficial for Lyme disease sufferers as a large percentage have co-infections that can impede the healing process. Simultaneously to this treatment patients are also prescribed low-dose, pulsed antibiotics. This method of taking antibiotics is known to be much more effective at treating bacteria that can hide from standard treatments. These antibiotics work to weaken the bacteria by preventing them from producing the proteins they need to survive and also reproduce.

Once the bacteria start to die they release toxins into the bloodstream and this can result in a change in immunopathology, which is known as the ‘Herx’ reaction. This creates a number of symptoms in the body including a temporary hormonal imbalance and the stimulation of inflammatory cytokines. This means that the patient will see an escalation in the severity of symptoms for a few weeks or months, before their immune system can return to a more natural balance. Many patients find this increase in symptoms alarming, but the Herx reaction is very common and treatments can be adjusted to balance immunopathology. In severe cases of chronic Lyme disease it can take several years to complete the Marshall Protocol treatment. However patients will begin to see health improving gradually as the infection starts to lessen its hold on the body. In most cases a state of total remission can be achieved.

Blood sample ready for testing

Can the Marshall Protocol Work For You?

One of the easiest ways to find out if the Marshall Protocol could be used to treat your condition is to get a blood test. This will identify whether you to have an elevated level of D metabolites, which is an indicator of chronic infection. A therapeutic probe should also be carried out which will monitor the patients during the stages of treatment to see whether any changes in immunopathology result from taking the Marshall Protocol medicines.

Lyme disease is a complex bacterial infection which can spread throughout the body causing a number of different symptoms. It is transmitted by the bite of blacklegged ticks and is prevalent throughout Europe and parts of America.  The Borrelia bacteria which cause the  infection can trigger inflammation in many different parts of the body including vital systems, organs and tissues.  This is one of the reasons why Lyme disease can be such a debilitating condition with wide ranging symptoms.

Black legged tick

Dealing with widespread infection can be difficult and this is why Lyme disease can be a complex condition to manage.  At the heart of any Lyme disease treatment is the necessity to eradicate the Borrelia bacteria which is causing the infection and inflammation.  The recommended treatment is currently a three to four week course of an oral antibiotic such as doxycycline or amoxicillin (a penicillin based treatment).  Studies have shown that a minimum 10 day regime of one of these antibiotics was enough in most cases to successfully clear up the main infection.  However this is only effective on cases of initial Lyme disease infection.  Once the bacteria has had a chance to spread throughout the system it can be much more difficult to deliver the antibiotics to the infection sites.  Intravenous ceftriaxone may be prescribed if there are any signs of infection or inflammation in major systems such as the central nervous system or brain. 

Treating Inflammation

Even during the successful treatment of Lyme disease inflammation can persist for weeks and in some cases can get much worse before it gets better.  This is why it is important not just to treat the main cause of the infection but also the side effects.  Inflammation resulting from Lyme disease can be painful and can also cause debilitating problems such as Lyme arthritis.  This is when the bacteria invades the joints causing severe inflammation and swelling, particularly in the knees.  There are a number of ways in which you can manage the symptoms of inflammation in cases of Lyme disease.  Many patients suffering from Lyme disease inflammation can respond well to holistic treatments and a change in diet.

Diet

A low-carb, low sugar diet has been shown to be effective at reducing internal inflammation in a wide range of conditions.  This is because the high levels of sugar and starch found in most modern diets can actually promote inflammation as they encourage the growth of bacteria and yeast.  These microbes cause inflammation because they excrete acids and toxins when they feed on complex sugars.  By cutting down on sugar and starch in your diet you can help to ‘starve’ these microbes and reduce the amount of toxins they produce, therefore reducing swelling.

Dietary Supplements

There are several supplements available which have been shown to be effective at reducing inflammation.  These include:

• Methylsulfonylmenthane (MSM) – this supplement needs to be taken in quite high dosages to be effective, but it is one of the safer dietary supplements.  It is well known for reducing inflammation and can be used to treat Lyme disease symptoms.
  

  Cats Claw

• Green Tea – you can take green tea in supplement form or drink it as a herbal tea.  It has been used for hundreds of years to treat internal infections successfully and recent studies have shown it can inhibit the growth of bacteria and yeast in the body, reducing inflammation.
• Salmon Oil – salmon oil is very high in Omega-3 fatty acids.  In particular it contains the fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have been found to reduce inflammation.
• Cats Claw – this supplement has been shown to significantly inhibit bacteria growth and reduce inflammation.
• Vitamin C - this is a common supplement and recent studies have revealed the powerful effects this can have in supporting healing systems in overcoming system wide infections.

Supplements can be used to support healing and promote normal function in the body. Researchers have been extensively testing key supplements such as vitamin C and D in recent years to try and understand in what ways these natural healthcare options can affect our bodies and how they can be used to boost healing. The results of these findings have played an important part of formulating new treatment plans for chronic and difficult to manage conditions such as Lyme disease and other persistent bacterial infections.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has been shown to help support natural health in the body and dosages of around 1000mg/day can help to ward off bacterial infections such as the common cold. Extensive research has been carried out on this supplement to identify the exact healing affects it can have on the body and scientists have discovered some very interesting results. For example a recent clinical trial showed that when a dosage of 120,000mg/day was delivered intravenously it accelerated the healing of burned skin dramatically.

Vitamin C Tablets

In terms of treating conditions such as Lyme disease results from several key trials have indicated that combining vitamin C with antibiotics can show some considerable benefits. Antibiotics are recommended for Lyme disease sufferers to help eradicate the infection of the persistent bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) which causes the condition. In one set of controlled trials carried out on dairy cows results showed that vitamin C had synergistic effects when combined with antibiotic treatments. These trials were carried out on cows with infected udders and one group was treated just with antibiotics, the other group with a combined treatment of antibiotics and an equivalent dosage of 10,000mg/day of vitamin C (injected). Results showed that the second group with the additional vitamin C treatment recovered much more quickly from the infection, in as much as half the time as those cows receiving just the antibiotic treatment.

Vitamin D

There have been a number of other trials that have revealed that supplements can have synergistic effects when combined with antibiotics.
Vitamin D for example has been shown to be an important vitamin in the body for regulating the immune system result. A lack of vitamin D can result in slow immune responses and difficulty recovering from persistent infections even when receiving antibiotic treatments. One time dosages of 5,000 IU of vitamin D have been shown to be effective at treating the onset of serious bacterial infections such as Lyme disease. Experts recommend that patients receiving high levels of vitamin D are tested regularly to ensure levels remain safe.

Managing Lyme Disease with Supplements and Antibiotics

Results from studies around the world have shown that physicians managing Lyme disease and other persistent bacterial infections can maximize healing and recovery by combining supplements with antibiotics. A number of supplements have been found to be effective at supporting healing during treatment for Lyme disease including olive leaf extract, cats claw and niacin, which can reduce inflammation and has been shown to support healing in the brain. Vitamin C is also a key supplement for treating infections and can be taken in oral supplements of between 2,000 and 10,000mg/day.

For serious Lyme disease infections physicians can use injections to deliver much high level doses of vitamin C, niacin and vitamin D directly to infected sites. These supplements when combined with antibiotics have been shown to accelerate healing and help patients to recover from persistent bacterial infections.

References: ‘Antibiotics and Vitamins Work Together‘  – Orthomolecular Medicine News Service(www.orthomolecular.org)

Erythema migrans rash

It is widely recognized that there are three stages of Lyme disease, and a good basic understanding of the symptoms that present in these stages can help you to identity the presence of this condition so that you can seek treatment as soon as possible.   If you have been exposed to ticks by traveling in high risk areas such as woodland edges and grasslands then you should monitor your health for a few weeks following this exposure and note down any symptoms you may experience for your physician.

Early Stages

There are two main stages after the initial Lyme disease infection, and these are known as ‘early localized’ and ‘early disseminated’.  These first two stages present different symptoms such as:

• Early localized – one of the key characteristics of Lyme disease is the skin rash known as Erythema migrans (EM). This occurs in two thirds of patients between 3 to 30 days after the initial infection and manifests as a red mark on the skin (at the site of the tick bite).  This mark gradually expands in a circular fashion, rather like a bull’s eye and can be hot and sore to touch and multiple lesions can form in other areas of the body. Typically EM rashes fade after around four weeks, but this does not mean the infection is gone, but instead that it has moved onto the next stage.
• Early disseminated – once the Lyme bacteria begins to spread through the body (via blood and lymph systems) then other symptoms can begin to manifest. This typically includes a flu-like state, with symptoms such as fatigue, chills, fever, stiff joints, and a general feeling of being unwell, which can last for weeks.  The generic symptoms can be difficult to diagnose when they manifest without the characteristics EM rash, and many patients are incorrectly diagnosed.  At this stage some patients may experiences fibromyalgia, which cause symptoms such as muscle pain and joint stiffness and this can develop into Lyme arthritis if left untreated.  Neurologic abnormalities have been known to develop in around 10-15% of patients during the early disseminated stage of Lyme disease and this can result in conditions such as cranial neuritis (typically Bell’s palsy), and an inflammation of the brain known as meningoencephalitis (which resembles meningitis).

Late Stage

The late stage of Lyme disease occurs when the infection is left to spread throughout the system unchecked.  This stage can begin months or years after the initial infection and one of the most common symptoms is Lyme arthritis, which develops in around 60% of patients.  Lyme arthritis can be a painful and debilitating condition, and although it can be cleared up with antibiotics, long term exposure can lead to permanent damage to the lining of joints, and in particular the knees.  Chronic fatigue can also characterize the late stages of Lyme disease infections, and further neurologic abnormalities can develop including a variety of brain problems which can seriously affect mood, memory and sleep.

Treating Lyme Disease

Oral antibiotics such as doxycycline, amoxicillin and cefuroxime axetil can be effective at treating Lyme disease in the early stages, but once the condition has progressed then intensive intravenous antibiotic treatment may be required to target the widespread bacteria.  Most patients respond well to antibiotic treatment, although some may find that symptoms can persist for months or even years before they are fully recovered.

Olive Branch with leaves and ripe fruit

Phytochemicals are found abundantly in nature and can be extracted from the roots, leaves, fruits, seeds and stems of plants, and have many applications when it comes to medicines and treatments. Oleuropein is a natural substance found in the olive leaf, which has been used as a herbal remedy for many years to treat a number of conditions including bacterial and fungal infections, fevers, fatigue and allergies. The benefits of phytochemicals such as oleuropein have been the subject of intense scientific research in recent times, as many people believe these powerful natural substances may hold the key to fighting many of the diseases that persist in modern society despite the advances of medicine.

Insect-Borne Diseases

The first recorded use of olive leaf extract to fight insect-borne diseases occurred around 150 years ago, and was mentioned in account which detailed cures for tropical fevers and one of the biggest threats to human health, malaria, which is transmitted by the bite of mosquitoes. The Pharmaceutical Journal listed a recipe by a Daniel Hanbury, which showed a simple healing concoction against tropical fevers, which was found to have much success when treating colonial Britons who contracted symptoms of malaria whilst out in the more exotic parts of the Empire. The recipe is a straightforward tincture of olive leaf, creating by simply boiling the leaves in water and then administrating the liquid orally until the symptoms of fever ease, and Hanbury believed that it was the bitter part of the leaves in particular that the key healing ingredient. Scientist are now discovering that Hanbury was right in his analysis of the healing power of the olive leaf, and this bitter ingredient thought to be so important is now known as oleuropein, which is a key chemical compound that has been shown to have a number of effects on the body such as increasing blood flow in restricted arteries, relieving intestinal muscle spasms and also easing heart palpitations and arrhythmias.

Antibacterial Powers of Olive Leaf Extract

One of the main reasons why researchers are interested in olive leaf extract when it comes to insect-borne diseases it the powerful anti-bacterial effect of an ingredient found in oleuropein, which is called elenolic acid. This acid has been shown in clinical testing to inhibit not just a number of different types of viral and bacterial growth, but also the growth of parasitic protozoans, and is thought to work by dissolving the protective outer lining of the harmful microbes, effectively preventing them from multiplying and spreading.

Close up of olive leaves

Elenolic acid also works effectively without exhibiting any harmful effects on host cell mechanisms, and this means that oleuropein could potentially be a very safe, non-toxic substance which could be used to treat a whole host of infectious diseases including Lyme disease, which is a rapidly spreading condition that is caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. Lyme disease is transmitted by the bites of ticks, and can be difficult to diagnose since there are no reliable tests for this disease in the early stages. Lyme disease can be treated successfully by antibiotics, but these strong drugs can be unsuitable for some patients, especially those with existing conditions, and have been known to cause a number of unpleasant side effects such as digestive upsets and a weakened immune system. Researchers are keen to develop the research on olive leaf extract further, as this could prove to be an important weapon in the future treatment and prevention of insect-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and other infectious conditions.

It has been about tree weeks since I had started my antibiotic treatment with Doxycycline 100MG twice a day for 30 days and I don’t think it’s working. During these three weeks I do not feel much better. The nausea is a little better but the joints in my fingers are now swollen and painful, almost feels like arthritis. This is making it difficult to work on my computer which is my main source of income.

I will be going back to the Doctor soon and will see what he says.