Tag: treatment

A Plausible Case

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As you may have read in the About Julie page of this blogsite, I treated for Chronic Lyme Disease early in the four years that I have been battling serious illness.  I had not recovered my health four months after a bout with viral hepatitis and our Family Practice Physician convinced me and Steve that latent Lyme disease was keeping me sick.  Then the story changed a few times . . .

Treatment for Lyme disease, Candida, mold exposure, mercury toxicity, gut parasites, and infected root-canaled teeth has still left me with the following symptoms four years later:

  • Hours of daily convulsive episodes, every single day
  • Headaches
  • Painful shoulders, forearms, hips, neck, jaw, and more
  • Ringing in my ears
  • Multiple severe chemical, mold, and sound/light sensitivities
  • Significant nutritional and hormonal deficiencies
  • Fatigue
  • Episodic cognitive and emotional setbacks
  • Periodic night terrors, nightmares, waking terrors
  • Weakness and deconditioning
  • Air hunger and chest compression symptoms
  • Neuropathies
  • Severely disrupted sleep/wake cycle
  • Food sensitivities despite a restricted diet
  • Gut dysbiosis
  • Inability to consistently perform activities of daily living or work
  • Social isolation
  • Intolerance to treatment

So in other words, my life is kinda hellish a lot of the time!  Today was no exception.  Then right in the middle of the trauma there were tender encounters with the sweetest man on the face of the earth:  my Stevers.  We talked in between seizure attack episodes, he provided care when I could not move, and we made the most of a low-key day.  It was the “same story, different day” around here.  And something else happened too:  I may have discovered another piece of this wretched illness mystery:  Latent Lyme Disease can affect the gut which in turn can contribute to neurological complications much like the ones that have eluded all of our attempts at recovery.

No, it’s not systemic Candida as I suspected when I wrote my last Treatment Update.  It’s called “Bell’s Palsy of the Gut,” a term coined by Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD) Virginia T. Sherr.  “Gastrointestinal Lyme disease may cause gut paralysis and a wide range of diverse GI symptoms with the underlying etiology likewise missed by physicians,” states Dr. Sherr in the April 2006 issue of Practical Gastroenterology (p. 74).  There are tests that can be performed to determine the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi along with other microbial pathogens  transferred in tick saliva after a bite.  In two weeks I will have a diagnostic procedure in which these tests could also be performed.  Whoa Lord.  Is that why I felt led to add an anti-microbial to my anemic treatment plan?

God is good.  All the time.  God is good.  Today I felt led to add back a probiotic that I actually was able to tolerate this time.  The new information about Lyme disease may explain the increasing gut inflammation this past year and my supremely negative response to a trial of a far-infrared light treatment to my abdomen.  Or to any abdominal exam.  Or to physical therapy to the hip flexors in the lower part of the abdominal wall.  Or to certain foods.  At any rate, a new door has opened and there are new possibilities for getting well.  Perhaps it is time to re-visit the diagnosis of Lyme disease.

Stay tuned.  This exquisitely wild roller coaster ride of recovery from serious illness is about to reach a new station.  In the meantime, please pass a spoon and 1/2 of a carton of Siggis plain, grass-fed, organic and Icelandic yogurt.  We’re going to get this thing right or keep screaming all the way to the bottom of the next hill until we do!  (I told you that I worked in an amusement park one summer didn’t I?  Yeah, Cedar Point is really cool!)

Cedar Point gatekeeper_wallpaper

 

A Nice Overview of a Nasty Toxin Called Mercury

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mercury, mercury toxicity, mercury poisoning, amalgam, dental amalgam, neurotoxin, neuro, seizures, convulsions, dentist, root canals, dangers of, extraction, mercury freeSince I’ve been affected by the neurotoxin called “mercury” and have invested considerable time and resources into this topic, it seems appropriate for me to provide some resources here.  I have blogged about my own health issues related to mercury poisoning.  My beloved husband saw my telling test results, witnessed the process of detoxification, and has championed the benefits in improved health that have followed.  Then I realized that there is some background information that I may not have shared with him or in Hope Beyond.  Steve still has questions.  Maybe you do too, Gentle Reader?

Let’s start with a basic video from a scientific perspective of a lab.  Looks like mercury is indeed toxic and gives off dangerous vapors:
 
Now apply the information to a tooth in a human body and the typical scenarios people experience when it is in their mouth.  Note that other studies show body burden increasing within hours not just 30 days:
 
Here’s more detail about dental amalgams, its effects, and how the rest of the world has addressed mercury toxicity; this one is older and a little quirky.  They call for more research (and that research is now available):
 
But how can mercury affect the body?  Here’s another genteel overview from a dentist with some studies cited and an explanation of the general mechanisms of action.  She is one of many, many who have published videos on this subject.  Note the opening remarks about the lungs (which is where most mercury enters the body via vapors):
 
The dentist noted above also has a video series that is well thought out, easy to understand, and contains nice graphics with no hype graphics.
What has been discussed in the videos above is inorganic mercury.  To round out this introduction I must add another form which is “organic” or methylmercury from fish.  Check out this case study from a city devastated in Japan by mercury from industrial waste.  If you watch my videos on YouTube you will see how I can relate to the wretched convulsions of Minamata Disese.  Skip to other videos in the series on Minamata Disease for additional history too:
 
In the future I will chronicle my own discovery of mercury poisoning, the best treatment for me, and how reducing toxicity affected my health.  Just recently I have found that detoxing from mercury is the largest part of my restoration to health.  For the treatment approach that I would recommend as a fellow sojourner (not as medical advice!), please see the Mercury Toxicity Overview  page of this website.
And please be encouraged, Gentle Reader.  We are going to get well!  JJ

Request for Personal Assistance

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Dear Gentle Readers:

I am most blessed to be in touch with you through this wonderful world of blogging.  Today I am asking for your help!

Last week I started some baby steps in a new treatment protocol (called a Pretox Treatment Protocol) for mercury toxicity.  The program is based upon the brilliant  work of Dr. Chris Shade and Quicksilver Scientific.  I am exceedingly grateful that my family doctor attended a conference where Dr. Chris Shade had presented on mercury toxicity.  Dr. Shade developed mercury speciation testing and specific treatment regimes to open elimination pathways in the body of inorganic- and methyl-mercury.  I completed several lab tests including their  Tri-Mercury test and their Blood Metals Test is now in process.  After suffering nearly 3 hellish years with daily seizure attacks and numerous failed approaches, we finally have hope for complete recovery.

The only problem is that I am having difficulty tolerating the Pretox Treatment Protocol!  No surprise there:  I react to everything these days.  So here is my request:

Would you kindly contact Quicksilver Scientific and ask for a special consultation for me with Dr. Chris Shade?  The company is exceedingly busy with expansion and Dr. Shade’s speaking schedule so a little extra noise might be helpful.  Here’s the link to their website and where you can leave a message with my name and email address ( be sure to convert to an email address the following with numbers instead of words and “yahoo.com”:  psalmthree4eightonezero@yahoodotcom):

http://www.quicksilverscientific.com/about/contact-us

I made this video for Dr. Shade to illustrate exactly what mercury poisoning has brought into our lives over here and my dilemma:

My husband Steve and I are hopeful that I am going to get well!  We are exceedingly grateful for prayers and support of everyone and look forward to the day when we can celebrate together all that the Lord has done in this season of our lives.  He is good.  All the time.  He is good!

Thank you for your consideration.

Take care,

Just Julie

Keeping the faith!

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When texting with a fellow sister in Christ today, I’m hoping that the Lord graciously encouraged her with these words.  If you are hurting in any way, I hope they encourage you too.  Jesus loves you!  JJ

We can do this my dear sister! Cling to that cross with your baby fingernails and hold on!

When facing death so many times when my breathing stopped I asked Him if this was the end?  How could I possibly go on?  I feared going to bed every night because the episodes were worse at night.  They hurt my frame.  They hurt Steve.  They hurt our marriage.  And one day the Lord spoke gently only the words that I would not die.  He made His presence known at my darkest points of personal hell.  Then things got worse.  And my measure of life became only the fact that my eyes were open!  With this I learned to live in the wonder of the moment and He sustained me with just enough grace to get to the next one . . .  Then after 3 years time, some answers and the beginning of restoration have come into view.  Whoa.

I am sad for your suffering!  I was hoping you had more relief by now.  I know God is showing up to do the things you cannot do alone in your weakened frame.  Reaching out to others when you have big needs?  And so much more.  Whoa.  Yeah God!

I pray He will speak to your heart today.  Like letting down our swords and shields and letting Him gird you gently with His truth.  And He “speaks” that truth of in so many ways doesn’t He? I know He loves you and cares for these needs, grieves for your suffering.

When someone asks me how I am doing I have often replied, “hanging tough.”  My brother Mike taught me a better answer, “keeping the faith.”  Yes indeed.    Love you, Julie

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Brief treatment update

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Here’s a brief update in my continuing adventure of recovery from Lyme, fibro, mold, and whatever:

Saw a new chiropractor for 7 visits and while the treatment got rid of my headaches and increased my overall ability to move, I had seizure attacks every visit!  I finally got word this past week that Dr. N did talk to my LLMD as I had requested.  Still  Dr. N referred me to another chiropractor for more “comprehensive” care.  That did not work out so well.  (See posting from Tuesday!)  I’ll probably go back to Dr. N after a few more magnesium treatments and after I’m able to drive 30 minutes to his office several times per week.

Began treatments of IV magnesium on Friday the 13th; spent the evening with seizure attacks/convulsions followed by 7 hours of tic/seizure attacks into the morning.  Yipes!  Had a better day by the time Sunday came, albeit weak from the previous 2 days.  (Only had one episode that night, on the way home from our Sunday church home group.)  Getting the IVs started has become an arduous, painful process with a minimum of 2 wretched sticks before the RNs find a suitable vein.  What follows on the day of treatment or the day after appears to be a herx reaction or healing crisis of sorts.  This treatment is scheduled to continue for a month; supplemental magnesium is a promising treatment for me despite the difficulties.  I’m praying that the Lord sustains me and that my tender vessels endure it!   Tomorrow I’m going to let them give me the PRN narcotic pain med. with the treatment.  I just need a break from these awful neck headaches that come from the wrenching head-n-neck motion during attacks.  Gratefully, there is improvement with one fewer attack per day, barely a few tics last night and significantly less chest compression pain!  Yes!

Rife or Beam Ray treatments are on hold.  My tolerance for this sound and light wavelength technology was decreasing so it’s on hold for now.

Waiting in the wings is a new round of low dose antibiotics after some lab testing pending soon to rule out a new UTI.  Got lots of itchy, burning, ringing, stinging, stabbing, aching symptoms all over right now possibly flared up by the stress of the IV treatments.  “Rest” is my focus at the moment in my weakened state.  I do make dinner most nights, however!

A neurology appointment is now scheduled for October 1st at the Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis.  IU is the go-to place for persons in the Fort Wayne area needing a special consultation.  So to Indy we will go at 5 in the morning.  Hey, if my beloved can take off at 6 in the morning for a kayak race, 5 should be a piece of cake, right?  Gooooo Steeeeeeve!  As for me, well I might still be up from the night before!

Steve and I are grateful for some help with a meal once per week from the lovely ladies at our church.  It seems like the night they bring dinner something bad happens later on, like an emergency room visit 2 1/2 weeks ago.  Their generosity is a real blessing and it sure breaks up the isolation for me when they stop by!

Well that’s the main stuff or at least the news for the masses.  If you wouldn’t mind praying for us that would be great.  My heart is tender for Steve right now because we had to cancel our trip to see his grandson for Jackson Rees’s first birthday and to see some dear friends in South Carolina.  I really need Steve in the evenings when the attacks and physical episodes of collapse are usually quite nasty.  This would be too much for a female friend to handle if a gal was staying with me at night and Steve went out of town by himself.

Steve has travelled alone 3 times since this process of illness began for me nearly 2 years ago.  We have cancelled a trip before but rarely decline local invitations.  Steve just goes to them without me and that is cool with me.  Travelling to Arkansas this past summer was very hard on me despite a couple of nice visits during the 5-day trip.  So to cancel the South Carolina/North Carolina trip is just what we have to do this time, although it’s a bummer.  JR is going to get a big box in the mail real soon!  Anyways, if you wouldn’t mind praying a prayer of sustaining grace (for me) and strength (for Steve) that would be super.  The Lord has helped us and even blessed us.  We are trusting Him and hopeful for all He has in store for us.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Take care all,

Just JulieProverbs 3.5-6