I am always trying to learn more about ways I can improve. I follow lots of Lyme Literate Medical and Naturopath Doctors (LLMD’s and LLND’s) and specialist around the world who understand the numerous conditions associated with Lyme+.

Dr. Talks is an online learning forum that brings dozens of doctors together to share their knowledge in 1 hour segments.

Below is information I gleaned from a discussion between two world renowned Lyme doctors, Eric Gordon and Richard Horowitz, on how the address patients who are so sensitive and reactive that treatment of any kind is nearly impossible.

Dr. Gordon’s early training included Ayurveda and Chinese medicine.

Eastern medicine looks at how the body should function and when something goes wrong, it focuses on restoring function.

Western medicine focuses on the problem, not ensuring proper body function.

So for something like Lyme, eastern medicine will figure out why the body is allowing the infection and western will kill the infection.

He also noted that eastern medicine doctors look at optimum function and western medicine doctors only address function when it’s become severe.

SIDENOTE: US laboratory reference ranges are based on 95% of the population – meaning you will only show out of range if you are in the 5% sickest range.

A recent study found that 14.5% of the world population has been exposed to tickborne disease. In our country, when someone has fatigue, migrating pain, and/or neuropsychiatric issues, Dr. Horowitz says you’re highly likely going to have the 3B’s (borellia – aka Lyme, bartonella, & babesia).

Dr. Horowitz noted that there are only 6 other disease cause migrating pain. 5 can be diagnosed with tearing. Lupus can be difficult to diagnose and is sometimes misdiagnosed. But if you have excluded the other conditions, you have Lyme.

With chronic illness, it’s not about what caused the illness, it’s about the way your body is responding.

Lyme affects every aspect of the immune system – for most people it’s very minor but if your system is already not working great, you can go downhill fast.

Below are a few steps these doctors use to to drive down chronic inflammation in the sensitive patient:

1. Calm mast cells: MCAS is a condition that causes mast cells to become hyperactive, reacting to every stimuli, including foods, smells, even the very supplements and medications the person is taking to battle their sickness. When mast cells get irritable all change is perceived as a problem signal.
   • When you have MCAS, lots of other issues can be triggered. So you can’t just fix IBS or UTI, you have to calm the mast cells or the problem will continue to recur.
   • If someone cannot take herbs, think MCAS. Herbal compounds are typically highly concentrated to stimulate the immune system by causing oxidative stress inside the cell, triggering the nucleus to send out anti inflammatory signals, but if your MCAS is hyper-reactive, you get increase inflammation. (If it happens quickly and lasting longer than 4-5 days, it’s not a herx).
   • Some tips to calm mast cells: luteolin, not quercetin as it affects too many other systems, Zyrtec or Allegra (may need to get it compounded without fillers and colorants), heal the gut (peptides like tb4 frag), if you have too many foods that trigger you take more things to reduce inflammation and only stop eating major foods.
2. Low dose dapsone: dapsone is an antibiotic that works by blocking folate metabolism in bacteria, which helps eliminate the persister cells. Double Dapsone is a protocol used by Dr. Horowitz but he uses a much smaller dosing for sensitive patients and finds that it can help reduce inflammation. That said, there can be concerns with it as well. Learn more HERE.
3. Unload toxins – detox support for hypersensitive patients can be extremely difficult and requires very low dosing to start (micro dose by sticking a toothpick into the powder you’re using). Some of the options these doctors like are:
   • pectasol
   • zeolite
   • methylene blue, (get from companies that have certified no lead)
   • sauna if you can tolerate heat is super helpful (crawl out of the sauna, don’t just get up and walk out – start by using it for only a couple of minutes and lie down immediately)
   • extremely important to reduce glusophates (organic food is not perfect but it’s better) fulvic & humid acid pull out the glysophates naturally but again, you have to start with very low doses
   • Clear liver detox pathways for both phases of liver function
   • hydration (dilution is the solution to pollution)
   • combo products are too much for super sensitive patients – use single content products only
   • low doses of NAC, ALA & Glutathione (master antioxidant)
4. Stimulating Nrf2 pathway can reduce inflammation – luteolin can help, resverstol (low dose Japanese knotwood 100mg), green tea is good but the caffeine can be troublesome for some.
5. Nlrp3 inflammasone – LDN and melatonin help this – ultra low dose for hypersensitives (.1 mg)

Brain Retraining

A lot of times our cells are so exhausted they just need a break.

Brain retaining can be extremely helpful but it’s important to find the right fit. DNRS, Gupta or Ben Aron’s program are a few of the popular ones. There is a vagus stimulator tool that can help.

SIDENOTE: I’ve tried 6 or 7 programs, none of them work for me because they trigger a migraine. This may be one of the “timing is everything” issues. Don’t give up just because it doesn’t work right now, keep trying.