Lyme disease is an antibiotic resistant “super bug” infection that has become a Worldwide epidemic. Here is everything I’ve learned so far while battling this horrible disease.

First and foremost, I am not a doctor. As a researcher and journalist, I have read several dozen medical related books, hundreds of medical research studies, and researched many health related topics. In addition, I’ve been advised by several Lyme literate doctors, and continue to receive treatment for Lyme disease personally.

I was misdiagnosed for decades until I was able to diagnose myself, and prove it by paying out of pocket for a Lyme disease blood test. I’ve since figured out I’ve been suffering from a chronic Lyme disease infection with co-infections for most of my life. This article is about how I am treating my Lyme disease and co-infections and is intended for anyone who has Lyme disease or who suspects they might have Lyme disease.

I have now actively been in treatment for Lyme disease and co-infections for over a year now without health insurance because I was denied treatment.

For me, hacking is about solving problems through critical thinking including creative and unconventional means. Little did I know the same principles and processes I learned from hacking computers, tinkering with electronics, and developing software would one day be applied to a disease in an attempt to cure myself, and others.

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is caused by a spirochete called Borrelia Burgdorferi, named after its discoverer William Burgdorfer, and a combination of co-infections including various viruses, Rickettsia, Babesia, Bartonella, among others. Borrelia Burgdorferi is technically a corkscrew-shaped bacterium. However, it is in a class of its own when compared to other bacteria. It is commonly mistaken that Lyme disease is a simple bacterial infection. However, it has characteristics that make it unusual. One of those characteristics is Borrelia’s ability to form what is called a biofilm. While biofilms are not unique to Lyme disease, the biofilms that Borrelia produces are particularly tricky given its shape and ability to burrow into organs, joints, nerves, and brain tissue.

Borrelia Burgdorferi can even form biofilms that hide it from the immune system and antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents. This is one of the mechanisms that enables Lyme disease to become chronic, and why treating with just antibiotics is not scientifically logical. These biofilms also become home to the other co-infections that often accompany the Lyme spirochete. To properly treat Lyme disease, you need to target the biofilms just as much as you need to target the spirochetes to achieve complete eradication of the infection.

Once I learned what a biofilm was, suddenly everything made sense with my own medical history. Every round of antibiotics I took would put the disease into remission, but also caused it to go into hiding only to later resurface any time my immune system weakened. This is why most people who get Lyme disease get better initially, but then relapse. Doctors never treat them for biofilms and only treat the active infection, and not the other forms of the spirochete or co-infections.

Another unusual characteristic of Borrelia is its ability to produce what are called persister cells. These cells are capable of causing a relapse of Lyme disease even if you eliminate an active infection. In other words, if you wipe out an infection, but a persister cell remains in an organ or in a biofilm and the environment becomes survivable for Borrelia Burgdorferi again, then presister cells can develop into a full relapse of the disease that may be antibiotic-resistant (see study above).

To put it simply, Lyme Disease evades the immune system like a virus, yet protects itself like a parasite despite the fact it is classified as a bacterium. The range of symptoms that are called “Lyme disease” are often the result of a spirochete infections including co-infections such as Rickettsia, Babesia, Bartonella, viruses, and can even lead to fungal infections such as Candida. Lyme disease can go into remission, become antibiotic-resistant, and hide itself behind biofilms from the immune system to become chronic.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Government, CDC, and pharmaceutical companies refuse to accept the science behind chronic Lyme disease because they don’t have any way to profit from it and the US government was responsible for the research that lead to its creation. They would rather let people like me become disabled and die without proper medical care, than admit the truth that this disease can’t always be cured by a round of antibiotics, and once it goes chronic, does not have a proven cure.

Lyme Disease Can Kill People

Lyme disease can cause “Lyme Caritis” which effects the heart, and can and does kill people. Much like HIV, Lyme disease compromises the immune system enables other infections to become lethal. So if the Lyme disease itself doesn’t kill you, it makes you so weak that something else that shouldn’t kill you can now become lethal such as the flu or another co-infection. Unfortunately, we do not know how many people have died due to Lyme disease because the US Government and CDC has not researched Lyme disease deaths, and barely even recognizes the possibility of death due to this disease. After speaking to many patients, doctors, reading several books written by Lyme literate doctors, and watching several documentaries on Lyme disease I believe there is ample evidence that Lyme disease absolutely can and does cause death.

Someone once said to me on a health forum, “Only rich people get Lyme disease.” The reason they said this is because poor people do not get diagnosed because they cannot afford to see Lyme literate doctors, and cannot afford treatment and eventually die from Lyme disease. Even I no longer have health insurance since they refused to both test me properly and recognize my diagnosis, but I am lucky enough to barely make enough money to continue treatment (although it has not been easy).

How Do You Get Lyme Disease?

Even this is controversial. The only officially recognized way to get Lyme disease is through a tick bite. However, the data behind how long the tick needs to bite you and at what stage of the tick’s development is controversial. Why I have no idea.

Recent studies suggest the tick can bite you at any stage of its development and transmit Borrelia and a cocktail of other co-infections almost immediately. Other studies suggest it takes hours, and has to be a certain sized tick at a certain stage of development. The truth is we don’t know, and this needs to be researched properly. I suspect any tick at any stage is capable of infecting someone with Lyme disease and various co-infections, and it might not require the tick to be attached for very long.

I’ve seen studies that also suggest Lyme disease can be spread by other bugs, including fleas, spiders, mosquitos, and other parasites. The theory is if someone who has Lyme disease gets bitten by anything that transmits blood or infected bodily fluids, that then bites someone else, then the second person can possibly get infected by the blood taken from the first host including any spirochetes. It is a real possibility, but unfortunately has not been properly studied either.

I’ve even interacted with a veterinarian online who was down in South America where upwards of 90% of the several hundred animals they tested were all positive for Lyme disease and other co-infections. This is now a global epidemic that is infecting not just humans but also our pets and probably our food supply. Lyme disease is now in every state in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, Russia, China, and Australia.

Most doctors don’t even acknowledge that Lyme disease and its co-infections can be sexually-transmitted. While the exact mechanism of how it is transmitted sexually still needs to be researched, it is unfortunately a possibility that hasn’t been fully ruled out yet as existing studies are contradictory. There are studies to suggest it is transmissible by both men and women, and there are also studies that suggest it can’t be sexually transmitted. It is also likely that a Mother can pass Lyme disease to a child despite recent attempts to mislead the medical community to believe otherwise. Unfortunately, many children have been born positive for Lyme disease which they got from their mothers.

I suspect my infection only became transmissible after it spread to my prostate. I’ve talked to many other people with Lyme disease who have also given it to their significant others. Meanwhile, I’ve also talked to many others who have had it for decades and never transmitted it to anyone else. How or why it is sexually transmissible for some people and not others we just don’t know.

One of my doctors in San Francisco believes it can be sexually transmitted, and also believes 30–40% of the Bay Area is infected (which is where I was born and raised). He further estimates 20% of the US population is currently dealing with a spirochete infection of some kind, and that the Bay Area in particular is a hot spot for the disease. Especially in the grasslands of Marin County where I grew up as a child when I first got sick.

Since the CDC diagnostic criteria for diagnosing and reporting Lyme disease make no sense and have nothing to do with actual science, we have no idea how many people actually have Lyme disease. Unfortunately tick borne diseases are not tested for before entering our hospitals blood supply and some people suspect they got Lyme disease after a blood transfusion. If my doctors hypothesis is even remotely accurate, then the odds of our blood supply being infected is extremely high.

This is why Lyme disease has become an epidemic with consequences we do not understand. Although we now understand how it evades the immune system and antibiotic treatments, we still do not even fully understand how it is transmitted between people. Nor do we have proper diagnostic criteria, and because of that we have no idea how many people actually have Lyme disease as many people are likely in the early stages or are often misdiagnosed with other conditions like: fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune disorders, IBS, SIBO, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, anxiety with depression, even just headaches, and arthritis. So if you’ve been diagnosed with any of the conditions I just mentioned it is always important to get tested for Lyme disease and make sure it is not a contributing factor.

Thanks to Kris Newby, author of “Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons”, we now know that Willy Burgdorfer did work on-behalf the US Government in a biological weapons research program. He confessed shortly before his death, and although we do not know how Lyme disease escaped the lab, we do now know it was based on his research. The running theories are Lyme disease and co-infections either escaped the lab by accident near Plum Island, were stolen by the Russians and then purposely released the disease in the US, or was released by the US Government on purpose.

A review of the book Bitten

I’ve spoken to several scientists, multiple MDs, and other researchers who share my opinion that what we call “Lyme disease” today might be one of the first GMO polymicrobial diseases of the 21st century that was specifically designed to be easily transmissible, difficult to detect, and even harder to treat.

This is not a normal infection.

How to Get Tested

If you suspect you have Lyme disease the Horowitz questionnaire is a good place to start. This test cannot diagnose you, but it can be a good way to communicate with your doctor and give them the full picture of your symptoms.

If you suspect you have Lyme disease your best bet is to get tested from a lab in Palo Alto called IGeneX. From my research they have the best process and criteria for diagnosing Lyme disease and co-infections that science currently has available. Even so, it is still possible to get inconclusive results.

You want to get tested from a lab that tests for bands 31 and 34 like IGeneX which are Lyme specific outersurface proteins that many labs do not test for. These may be your best indicators of a Lyme disease infection, especially if you are chronic and have a compromised immune system.

Getting tested through a regular MD using the CDC criteria will result in negative test results in the majority of cases where the person actually does have Lyme disease. So if you’re relying on Kaiser Permanente, or a similar doctor, or standard lab you will more than likely get inconclusive results without testing for bands 31 and 34 and be told you are negative even though you very likely may still have Lyme disease. To make matters worse, even if you do test positive without testing for bands 31 and 34, the doctors don’t understand how to read the results, and if they’re following CDC criteria will simply tell you that you are negative when you are actually positive and they merely misread the test. This happens far too often.

That’s why it is so important to use a reputable lab like IGeneX who will provide their own results based on their more precise criteria by testing for Lyme disease specific outer surface proteins. While their testing is not perfect by any means, it is far better than CDC criteria and other labs.

If you’re wondering why most labs and the CDC do not test for bands 31 and 34 the answer is corruption. Several members of the CDC were involved in a Lyme disease vaccine called LYMErix that ended up giving people Lyme disease and was pulled from the market. These same people were responsible for setting diagnostic criteria for the disease.

The vaccine used outer surface proteins including ospA (band 31) and ospB (band 34), so the CDC removed them from the diagnostic criteria so people who had the vaccine didn’t start testing positive for Lyme disease when tested. However, these Lyme specific proteins are often one of the only ways to test for Lyme disease in chronic patients who are immune compromised. By not testing for them test results are criminally less accurate.

That is why it is so important to get tested with a lab who tests for bands 31 and 34 to get a more conclusive diagnosis. I personally tested positive for band 31, among others. If I had taken a CDC criteria test they would have told me I was negative despite the fact I have all the symptoms of Lyme disease and I am now responding positively to treatment.

More info about testing from another Lyme literate doctor, and how to interpet tests.

You can learn more about this here, from a retired Mayo Clinic rhematologist.

How To Treat Lyme Disease

Most medical doctors will tell you that you can simply take a round of antibiotics and you will recover. In some cases this is might be true, but I suspect most people will not recover fully from a single round of antibiotics based on my research and the countless number of Lyme disease patients I’ve spoken to. Most people end up chronic or experience a relapse later. Very few people catch it early enough, and even the ones who do often just put it in remission and relapse years or even decades later. Many people who catch it immediately, and who take the standard course of antibiotics can and do end up chronically sick.

Now I am not saying someone shouldn’t try antibiotics, they absolutely can be effective and are an appropriate and reasonable first-line treatment method; especially doxycycline. However, anyone who gets Lyme disease also need to take a supplement or drug to break up biofilms to completely eradicate the infection. Sometimes this means taking multiple antibiotics or other antimicrobial agents with action against biofilms. Additional medications and antimicrobial treatment methods may be required to treat the Lyme disease spirochete as well as the antibiotic resistant co-infections.

Unfortunately, most initial infections do not present with a rash, as that is actually the result of an IgG antibody response. If an infection is recent, then the body will produce IgM antibodies, and not necessarily produce a rash. The people who do not present with a rash are actually the people who need the most care because that means their bodies are not producing antibodies to fight off the infection. The people who present with the rash are having an IgG response which actually indicates either a re-infection, or longer term infection that has relapsed. So if someone gets a Lyme disease rash they’re most likely already chronically sick, which is not what the CDC or most doctors will tell you, but it is actually how these antibodies work.

This is one of the many ways the diagnostic criteria the CDC uses is wrong, as it is based on presenting with a bullseye rash. Even though we know the rash is an IgG response which indicates a chronic infection.

In other words, the people who present with the rash already have Lyme disease, and were actually bitten a second time or just recently produced antibodies for an older infection and that is why they get a rash (it can take up to 4–6 weeks in some people). Meaning many first time bites wont present with a rash which makes diagnosing Lyme disease that much more difficult.

However, the duration someone needs to take antibiotics is controversial, as most doctors will only prescribe between 10–28 days of antibiotics. In reality, patients often need at least 6–8 weeks if not longer to wipe out an immediate infection. Meanwhile, the FDA continues to release new warnings about fluoroquinolone antibiotics with previously unknown side effects such as peripheral neuropathy(which is a cute name for nerve damage), tears or ruptures in the aorta blood vessel, as well as mental health issues and blood sugar reactions. In other words, antibiotics have worse side effects than what we were originally told, and longer durations of these drugs increase the side effect profile significantly making them not safe for longterm use.

If there is a delay in diagnosis, and treatment and the infection spreads to the brain, joints, and starts forming complex biofilms then all bets are off when it comes to using a single antibiotic as treatment. While antibiotics should still be used as a first line of defense, they probably will only put most people into remission unless they’re put an extended therapy of antibiotics in combo with other drugs to address biofilms and persister cells. Any doctor who only treats Lyme disease with short rounds of a single antibiotic does not understand how Lyme disease works. Meanwhile, doctors who use multiple antibiotics or antibiotics for a long period of time risk damaging their patients nerves, mental health, metabolic systems (blood sugar), and hearts. So even if the antibiotics work, the patient will suffer both last damage from the antibiotics as well as the damage caused by Lyme disease itself.

As stated earlier, anyone who has Lyme disease should probably be taking other antimicrobial medications and supplements that can break up or prevent the formation of new biofilms in addition to the antibiotics such as Biocidin (although not necessarily at the same time as antibiotics). As well as boost the patients immune systems with adaptogen herbs and mushrooms. Fighting Lyme disease and co-infections is not the same as fighting off other more common bacterial infections. It effects a whole range of systems in the body, and will evade and suppress the immune system enabling other bacterial infections, viral infections, fungal infections, and even parasites.

Due to Borrelia Burgdorferi’s ability to form biofilms and leave behind persister cells, as previously discussed, chronic Lyme disease needs to be treated like an antibiotic resistant infection. Especially if someone has already been treated with antibiotics and are still presenting with symptoms. A recent discovery found that Lyme disease also releases a persistent antigen that causes Lyme arthritis called peptidoglycan.

The other major concern is Borrelia burgdorferi is not the only infection, there are other co-infections that range from Bartonella, Babesia, Toxoplasmosis, viruses, and even fungal infections like Candida that can and will complicate treatment. All of which have different symptoms, different levels of contagion, and may require different treatments. Many of the people who are positive for the Burgdorferi spirochete are also more than likely to be suffering from multiple co-infections due the nature of Burgdorferi’s ability to weaken the immune system.

This is why a medication like Alinia (nitazoxanide) is so important for fighting Lyme disease and its co-infections. This drug has a completely different mechanism of action from antibiotics that disrupts microbes metabolisms which effectively kills them. While the drug has only been approved by the FDA for its antiprotozoal properties, it is a powerful broad spectrum antimicrobial (it even has anti-cancer properties, and anti-viral properties). That’s right, this single drug kills bacteria, parasites, viruses, and cancer and has a lower side effect profile than some antibiotics. However, it is not a cure for everyone, but it is absolutely a powerful antimicrobial that can and will reduce the number of co-infections.

It personally has been a game changer for my own personal Lyme disease infection. Previous to this drug I was suffering from the early indicators of sepsis, and since taking it most of my co-infections are in remission or gone. I’ve made more progress against my Lyme disease and co-infections with this drug with fewer side effects than traditional antibiotics with way less side effects. However, even at the time of publishing this I am still taking this medication as I relapse every time I try and get off it.

If you have Lyme disease, haven’t tried Nitazoxanide, and take anything from this article I’d go talk to your doctor about going on Nitazoxanide for several months or longer. It is extremely well tolerated if taken with food. It took me 6-months to work up to two 500mg pills per month. I started experiencing herxheimer reactions at just 1/4 a pill, and it took me a full 6 months to work my dose up to two 500mg pills per day (one in the morning, and one at night). How long I will be on it at this point I do not know. I am still on a full dose at the time of publishing this.

Once you put the Lyme disease into remission the immune system starts to reboot and starts attacking all the other infections which can make you sick again in totally new ways. Keep in mind you have to be exposed to these co-infections, they don’t just randomly show up. They can lay dormant because the immune system can’t fight them off while you have an active Lyme infection and often they hide with the biofilms Lyme forms. So if you start breaking up biofilms you may experience a relapse in symptoms and need antimicrobials to combat the polymicrobial co-infections.

Lyme disease can also impact the lymphatic system, which is essentially the bodies sewer system. By messing with the lymphatic system Lyme disease is able to prevent the body from detoxing properly, which often leads to a back up of heavy metals and other endotoxins (especially when killing the Lyme itself). Chronically swollen lymph nodes, especially in the neck, back of the head, and arm pits are a potential indicator you’re dealing with Lyme disease or one of its co-infections.

What the Herx? How To Detox

Herxheimer reactions suck. A herx reaction is what happens when you kill a micro-organism and it releases endotoxins into your body. It resembles sepsis, and can occur after treatment with most anti-microbials including antibiotics when treating Lyme disease and many of its co-infections.

The only way to fight a herx reaction is to boost the bodies ability to detox. This is not some woo-woo nonsense form of detoxing, this is detoxing literal endotoxins which we know get released by dead spirochetes.

Opening the detox pathways, protecting the liver, and neuro-protectants to protect the brain are critical to being able to get Lyme disease and the endotoxins it releases out of the body and protect bodily systems in the process of killing the infection. I had to spend years slowly fixing my digestive system so I could even retain nutrients and eliminate toxins properly because my normal detoxification systems were malfunctioning including my gastrointestinal system.

Detox solutions I’ve tried:

Disclaimer: Again, I’m not a doctor, don’t just take something randomly because some dude on the Internet told you to. Do your own research, talk to your doctors (even if they’re idiots), and find reputable suppliers for supplements and herbs and remedies.

Glutathione–—https://www.treatlyme.net/guide/glutathione-the-great-fixer https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26372395

Baking soda with lemon in purified water for detox and managing inflammation from herxheimer reactions—https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180425093745.htm

GI Detox Full Spectrum Binder—https://biocidin.com/collections/support-formulas/products/gi-detox

Harataki was a major help in helping fix my digestive issues and is a mild laxative and helps with detox—https://haritaki.org/2016/10/28/haritaki-benefits-lyme-disease/

Getting off tap water that contains fluoride. Avoid fluoride dental treatments. Fluoride is a neurotoxin and messes with Lyme disease.

Hot epsom salt baths with bentonite clay and a little baking soda to relax muscles and force the body to sweat. Alternatively, you can take a hydrogen perxodide bath as well — (https://askdrernst.com/5-reasons-you-should-take-a-hydrogen-peroxide-bath/).

Spirulina to detox and bind to toxins—https://draxe.com/spirulina-benefits/ Purest source you can buy: https://www.rawlivingspirulina.com/

Activated Charcoal.

NAC for detox, mood, and breaking up biofilms—https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/nac-top-25-science-based-health-benefits-n-acetyl-cysteine-nac/

Burbur and Pinella for brain fog and herxheimer reactions—https://www.nutramedix.com/burbur-pinella

Milk Thistle for liver.

Tudca for liver and lymph system—http://drjaydavidson.com/tudca-lyme-disease/

EDTA for detoxing heavy metals and breaking up biofilms—Andy Cutler protocol or suppositories.

CBD oil from cannabis as a neuro-protectant and anti-seizure properties (warning: CBD has antimicrobial properties and can kill Lyme, start low and work your dose up slowly). Also note, I prefer CBD from cannabis, not hemp. Hemp based CBD is inconsistent in quality in my opinion, if it is all you have access to do your research to buy from a reputable farm or manufacture. If you have access to cannabis derived CBD then use that instead. Ratios of THC:CBD are the most effective anyway for managing Lyme disease symptoms.

Digestive Health: Diet, and lifestyle changes.

Diet is by far the most important thing someone can do right now to treat Lyme disease, SIBO, and digestive issues. A sugar free organic high protein and fat, high vegetable fiber diet have been key to treating my Lyme disease.

Although Lyme can pivot to feed itself of ketones if necessary, it is much harder for Lyme to function without sugar and carbohydrates. Eliminating sugar, dairy gluten, and complex carbohydrates, all processed foods, and moving to an all organic antibiotic and hormone free diet was absolutely critical to improving my health. I have since been able to reintroduce some fruit sugars and carbohydrates, but initially during the process of figuring out my diagnosis and treatments I had to get off them entirely.

After another round of antibiotics destroyed my gut flora yet again 5-years ago so I went on a specific carb diet with some recipes from the GAPS diet, and also removed foods that feed Candida. I even removed fruit and simple sugars for the first few years, and only reintroduced them after my gut flora was rebuilt using organic homemade bone broths, medicinal mushrooms like Reishi, Lions Maine, Cordyceps, probiotics, and eventually prebiotic foods like sauerkraut. I should also note that the Alinia / Nitazoxanide was critical to wiping out my remaining SIBO (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) to be able to reintroduce many foods again and help my GI heal.

Rebuilding the intestinal lining, and shedding the mucus lining was the hardest part of doing this as you get much worse for the first few months before you recover. Emptying of your digestive system and what I used to consider IBS attacks happened almost every other day for the first few months until my system purged whatever was causing my SIBO. Although I consider myself to be SIBO free at this point, and no longer have IBS (which is a nonsense diagnosis in the first place), I still have to be careful with my diet even though I’ve been able to reintroduce a bunch of foods I could not eat before.

Harataki was a major help in helping fix my digestive issues as well and is a mild laxative and helps with detoxing and breaking up digestive biofilms.

Boost Your Immune System

Before killing Lyme you need to make sure your immune system is even capable of putting up a fight. Many co-infections and secondary infections such as Candida, sinus infections, ear infections, viral infections, etc. are actually the result of a weakened immune system. Remember that much like HIV, Lyme disease suppresses the immune system. Boosting the immune system with herbs and mushrooms enables the body to actually be able to fight the Lyme disease and co-infections.

Warning: Every solution mentioned here either caused me to have a herxheimer reaction or immune system activation which often resulted in fevers and an intial worsening of symptoms the first time I took them. If any of these items give you symptoms cease taking them, wait for the fever or herxheimer reaction to pass, then try again at a lower dose and work your way up slowly to higher doses (could take weeks or even months). Eventually you will be able to tolerate these herbs and supplements. Use the detox methods above to treat herx reactions.

My favorite solution for boosting the immune system is medicinal mushrooms like Reishi, Cordyceps (also great for energy), Chaga, and other mushroom based immune blends. Mushrooms are by far one of the most powerful substances I’ve ever taken to improve my health, and also help with energy, metabolism, and repopulating good gut flora. I get most of my mushroom supplements from https://hostdefense.com, but also buy and eat organic mushrooms as a regular part of my diet now.

My other favorite solution is olive leaf which is a powerful anti-microbial that kills Lyme disease, some co-infections, and even has anti-fungal properties. https://www.treatlyme.net/guide/olive-leaf-extract

My favorite olive leaf blend is Olivirex, which is combined with a number of antimicrobials and detox herbs. It is powerful and can herx you.

Another immune booster I’m experimenting with is Transfer Factor to rebuild my immune system. It is unlike any other immune booster I’ve taken, and simply seems to be making me stronger. Although I am lactose intolerant I have not had a reaction to this supplement even though it is derived from milk. Although be careful and start with a low dose and work your way up slowly. I foolishly worked my dose up too quickly and it actually boosted my immune system so much I got a herxheimer reaction from my own immune system (that hasn’t happened before).

Cistus tea is also a powerful immune booster that breaks up biofilms, kills bacteria, and viruses. I try and drink multiple cups every night before bed.

Melatonin and valerian root for sleep. Good sleep is critical to recovery. I use a liposomal melatonin to make sure it detoxes my brain.

High doses of buffered Vitamin C also helps as an anti-inflamatory and can be used to induce bowel movements. I prefer buffered vitamin C as it doesn’t mess up the digestive system as much, can be taken in higher doses, and stays in your system longer. Mix it with magnesium in high doses and a little baking soda with organic lemon to stimulate a detox reaction and relieve constipation.

Astragalus can also be used to boost the immune system, however it can be counter-indicative for people who are chronic. I personally do not tolerate it well, but my fiancé and even my dog do great with it. If you’re chronic you might want to avoid this one, but if you have a recent infection then this supplement may be critical to getting better.

The Buhner Protocol has other herbs to help boost your immune system. Rawls and Cowden also have herbal solutions. I personally pick and select different herbs from different protocols for different purposes and don’t use “programs” but for many people programs can be useful if you’re not into herbalism like I am.

Lyme Disease Is Not A Mental Illness

While Lyme disease does cause horrible psychological symptoms including anxiety, depression, paranoia, and mood swings it is NOT a mental illness. These symptoms are a result of inflammation in the brain due to the infection and immune response. Treat the infection and the inflammation and these symptoms of disease will go away.

If someone is taking antidepressants, mood stabilizers, benzodiazepines, or antipsychotics to treat Lyme disease they are masking symptoms and possibly preventing themselves from getting better by weakening their immune system further. It is absolutely critical that Lyme disease patients are aware of their mental symptoms so they can gauge progress. Taking psychiatric medications masks symptoms, cause side effects, and can complicate healing. In fact, recent studies have shown antidepressants have the potential to make some bacterial infections resistant to antibiotics. While research has not been conducted on Lyme disease and antidepressants, the results of the study above are enough to put the possibility on the table, and thus it is logical and reasonable to avoid antidepressants if you have Lyme disease.

The best things for managing mental health while battling my own Lyme disease have been meditation, yoga, and CBD from cannabis.

I now treat bad mental health days with CBD:THC, typically in a 3:1, 2:1, or 1:1 ratio depending on the severity of my symptoms. The reason I use CBD is because it helps manage the inflammation in the brain. Bad mental health days when dealing with Lyme disease have everything to do with brain inflammation and very little to do with neurotransmission (which is what antidepressants work on). Men tend to need more THC than women for some reason, and everyone is different. Most women I’ve talked to are in the 16–20 CBD to : 1 THC range. Personally, I’m more in the 1:1 range which is common among men as my THC tolerance is high and when matched with CBD barely causes psychoactivity when microdosing. Again, the key is low doses daily and consistently. The intention is not to get high, but keep the endocannabinoid system in balance to relieve pain, inflammation, stress, anxiety, and depression while providing the neuro-protective effects of the CBD.

CBD functions as a mood stabilizer, and doesn’t get you high. Although it is a anti-microbial so it can kill Lyme and cause herxheimer reactions in high or concentrated doses. THC helps with pain, and boosts mood, and does get you high. It also activates CBD, and when used together CBD caps the high you experience from THC so you get the medical benefits of both without as many negative side effects. If you’ve ever gotten too high from THC, you can take CBD to help mitigate the effects of too much THC and “bring down” the high experienced from THC.

CBD can also be taken without THC, and helps a lot with managing pain and is the best neuroprotective I’ve found without crazy side effects. It helps manage inflammation in the brain.

I also meditate daily, or as close to daily as possible, and practice yoga several times per week. Both the meditation and yoga have helped me heal and find space, peace and perspective on my healing journey. I personally prefer Kundalini yoga, Hatha, and yin.

I am strongly of the opinion that people who have Lyme disease should NOT take psychiatrist drugs of any kind, and should instead target their infection and inflammation to treat their psychological symptoms. My psychological symptoms have vanished since treating for Lyme disease and I’ve met many other Lyme patients who have experienced the same.

How To Target Lyme and Co-Infections with Anti-Microbials Instead of Antibiotics

Once you’re digesting food properly, eliminating toxins properly, detoxing regularly, and your immune system is boosted then you can slowly start addressing your chronic Lyme infection.

It is important to do things in this order, and not jump straight to killing Lyme disease.

Given all the horrible things I’ve been through with antibiotics and post antibiotic syndrome I am trying to not use the CDC approach which I’ve tried and has failed multiple times.

This is why I’m using the drug Alinia / Nitazoxanide, a powerful anti-parasitic with anti-microbial properties as I mentioned earlier. It not only kills parasites but also kills Giardia lamblia, and a variety of other parasites. One of my doctors essentially calls it a bunker buster for Lyme and it’s co-infections as it wipes out a range of parasitic organisms and protozoa. More info about using Alinia / Nitazoxanide to treat Lyme disease.

As mentioned before, to properly treat chronic Lyme disease you need to understand how biofilms work.

While Alinia has amazing action against biofilms, the strongest biofilm disrupter I’ve found is Biocidin LSF. It is a combo of herbs and antimicrobials that break up biofilms including fungal biofilms (sadly Alinia doesn’t do much to fungus). It also has potent killing action against Lyme disease and most of its co-infections. It is one of the strongest broad spectrum solutions I’ve tried. While you can buy these products yourself, it is best to working with a naturopath or doctor for dosing. This stuff is strong, and you may not be able to tolerate even a single dose. To start, you potentially need to do a single pump in water, then drink the water slowly over time (hours) with food until you can tolerate a full pump under your tongue. Since this is a liposomal formula it enters the blood stream quickly.

The company who makes Biocidin also makes a throat spray (which is what I used to work my dose up slowly), as well as regular tincture, dental products, and complimentary solutions like Olivirex which is also a potent anti-microbial with action against fungal infections, SIBO, viruses, etc. If any of these supplements herx you they also make the best GI detox binder blend I’ve used.

Meanwhile, I am taking Buhner protocol herbs to both support my immune system and treat my Lyme disease in addition to the other immune boosters I mentioned.

Cats Claw Uncaria tomentosa, as well as Japanese knotweed help a lot. There’s plenty of other antimicrobial herbs to explore as well like Sida Acuta, Andrographis, Teasel root, and others. See Buhner’s website for more herbs and details.

Every night before bed I also put essential oils on my lymph nodes under my neck. I use organic pure frankincense essential oil for inflamation, oregeno oil with a high concentration of carvacrol for Lyme and biofilms, and clove bud oil. Study on using essential oils for Lyme disease. Be careful with essential oils though and make sure to dilute them or you can cause skin irratation and reactions. I have had to back off some essential oils, and find theres a lot of variation in strength between even the same brands and manufactures.

Here is a list of alternative treatments that have worked for some people with Lyme disease.

To summarize, the best methods for killing Lyme disease are antimicrobials not just antibiotics, including medications like Nitazoxanide, and herbs like Teasel root.

Meanwhile, taking a chelating agent such as EDTA can help break up biofilms and heavy metals. The hardest part about this phase is making sure all your other systems such as digestion and detox systems are functioning properly, and sustaining treatment long enough to be effective, often months or longer.

I will tackle a few other more controversial treatment methods and concepts below.

Experimental Treatments: Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy

https://www.resonantlight.com Perl M+ Plasma PEMF Therapy Device

If you follow me on social media, and see me mentioning I am getting experimental treatments, I’m referring to a Plasma based PEMF machine like the one pictured above. I also now have a ProGen3 frequency generator at home that I use with electrodes and other contact devices for daily treatments.

The idea behind these devices dates back to Royal Rife, who invented the first Rife Machine back in the 1930’s. The theory behind them is simple, and Tesla-like. If you apply the correct frequency to something you can shatter it, and destroy it. This is the same idea behind how an opera singer can shatter a glass by signing at a certain pitch.

As crazy as this might sound, these devices actually work. They’ve been studied, and you can see them in action for yourself shattering cancer cells, and destroying other pathogens in this TedTalk:

I have been receiving treatments with one of these devices on a weekly basis since August and it has reversed many of my neurological symptoms. Unfortunately, these devices cost about $6,000 currently, and I simply cannot afford to buy a plasma unit for home use. If you want to help me get one you’re welcome to contribute (but that isn’t why I am writing this, I will figure out how to get the money one way or another).

Plasma PEMF and PEMF therapy is real, and totally redefines what we thought was possible when it comes to treating various health conditions including cancer, Lyme disease, and other chronic infections. By using frequency, plasma, and energy to target pathogens and enhance the immune system these devices can assist in both killing pathogens and healing. I would argue PEMF therapy is actually what restored my cognitive functioning the most.

While I do not know if these devices can cure me completely, they absolutely help manage my symptoms and that is worth it to me. I was incredibly skeptical at first, but after doing extensive research, and getting access to try one I am glad I did. This technology has changed my life.

This is by far the greatest hack for Lyme disease I have discovered so far, and it does not use drugs, or herbs. These machines should probably be in every doctors office and hospital around the country. Since these devices can potentially treat people of horrible antibiotic resistant infections the odds of seeing this technology becoming accepted by the traditional medical system is sadly unlikely and will be met with much skepticism despite the evidence that these devices can work. I still use one of these devices multiple times per week, they’re amazing for managing inflammation and detoxing in addition to their antimicrobial properties.

Treatments I Want to Try Next

I do not know if Alinia or PEMF therapy will cure me. While both are helping me get back on my feet, there just isn’t enough research on either to know if they are maintenance treatments or potential cures. I am thankful for feeling better, but I am still seeking a cure that does not require ongoing treatments.

I should note that since discontinuing Alinia after nearly a year of use I am doing much better, but have had some symptoms return after discontinuing its use which I have since discovered was due to fungal infections from living in a water damaged building with mold. I may have to go back on it again as needed. I’m currently exploring other antimicrobial herbs such as Biocidin for its antifungal properties. While I still believe Alinia is a valuable tool in the fight against Lyme disease and co-infections, I remain skeptical of it being a cure as there are many co-infections and other variables that may complicate treatment such as mold exposure. Your results may vary depending on which co-infections you are dealing with.

Monolaurin

Monolaurin is found in coconut oil, and has shown to have potent antimicrobial effects on bacteria, viruses, and fungus. Compared to other treatments this seems like a mild alternative to antibiotics, and has efficacy against a range of co-infections including viruses like Epstein-Barr Virus. I found out about it from this article of a woman who has Lyme disease and found success with it after extreme side effects from antibiotics. It seems like it may require longterm use, it hasn’t been studied well in humans, but there is a lot of anecdotal evidence from people with Lyme disease, fungal infections, and viral infections who claim to have success with it when antibiotics and other treatments fail.

Personally, I found it to be a fairly weak antimicrobial. I had to ween onto it, it can herx you, but it just wasn’t very strong at getting through biofilms.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber

I finally got to try a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and absolutely recommend it as a treatment option. It broke up biofilms, got to nerve pain in my face (and cleared out whatever was causing the pain for good), and was strong enough to clear out my GI. Unlike other treatments the herxheimer die off reaction did not cause an inflammation response. I can only assume the oxygen chamber also opened my detox pathways so my body was able to handle the die off much better.

I unfortunately don’t have the money to continue to pursue this line of treatment, but it works. After reading a case study, and talking to others who have used them, it seems promising.

These chambers can cause unusual temporary side effects where the pressure from the chamber can temporarily change the shape of your eye and impair your vision. So I want to be as close to remission as possible before exploring this option so I require less time and treatments in the chamber to reduce the risk of damaging my eyes, even if it is temporary. Opening your eyes in the chamber can also lead to cataracts.

The science behind oxygen chambers is that oxygen kills most bacteria and parasites. However, it is difficult to get high concentrations of oxygen into the blood stream, tissues, and organs which is why pressurized oxygen chambers can help. The pressurization with oxygen also helps break up biofilms.

Disulfiram

It has recently been discovered that the drug Disulfiram (Antabuse) potentially has action against Lyme disease and a variety of other antibiotic resistant infections. This drug even has potential to wipe out persister cells. While its side effect profile and cost are low, it is not without side effects. This drug was originally used to help people stop drinking alcohol, and seems to put significant burden on the liver and can rarely cause complications with the liver. You also will not be able to consume alcohol while on this medication, although people with Lyme disease shouldn’t be drinking anyway. This drug could also potentially contribute to psychiatric conditions.

My Lyme doctors do not recommend this drug and I am planning on waiting to see what happens. I’ve read far too many reports of people experiencing neuropathy after taking this medication, possibly even permanently. I am planning to talk to a few doctors about it before seeing if it makes sense for me to try. From what I found, a daily 500mg dose for 4-6 months seems to put many people into remission for at least 2-years if not permanently.

Supposedly Big Pharma is working on reformulating the drug to be extended release which should reduce its side effect profile while still maintaining its about to kill pathogens. I don’t know when this will be available of if it will work, but I’m waiting to see what happens. I really don’t want to risk anything that could cause psychological harm and damage my nervous system.

This drug is potentially effective against some of the more common co-infections associated with Lyme disease as well but more research is needed.

Furthermore, we don’t actually know how this drug kills Lyme disease, we simply know that it does and is potentially even more effective than Doxycycline and antibiotics.

Ozone

Much like oxygen chamber treatments, ozone can kill infections and works on similar scientific principles. However, the application is more localized. I’ve found people who inject ozone directly into their veins but I’m just not comfortable doing that to myself personally. There’s a significant risk of blood clots if administered improrpely.

I am actually the most interested in getting ozone treatments specifically for treating my TMJ, teeth and jaw issues. I suspect I have some kind of jaw infection, which does seem to be improving with my other treatments, but direct localized ozone treatments should help wipe out any lingering hard to reach infections for good.

I really want to try 10-pass ozone because it should help with any remain Lyme disease and co-infections as well as fungal infections. Sadly, this is also out of my price range to try right now. If you have the money, this is one of the things most of the Lyme patients that I’ve talked to used to finally get into remission.

Stem cells

Stem cells are actually how Kelly Osbourne was cured from Lyme disease. She received stem cell treatments in Germany, which I’m told is one of the leading research countries in the World for Lyme disease treatments.

The doctors who cured Kelly Osbourne now also have an office in Beverly Hills. They were also briefly mentioned on the show Afflicted on Netflix. I’ve talked to them personally, and unfortunately I just cannot afford their $25,000 price tag. I consider this a last ditch attempt to cure myself and will likely need to do a GoFundMe to explore this option.

My hope is I will be able to cure myself using the other methods above, and later get stem cells to repair some of the damage Lyme disease caused after stem cells have a bit more time to be perfected and come down in price. I highly suspect stem cells might be the solution to repair some of the damage Lyme disease has caused to my cervical spine.

The idea behind stem cells for fighting Lyme disease is that they can reboot the immune system enabling the immune system to identify and fight the infection and eliminate it once and for all. They also do other infusions and treatments to help open the detox pathways and clear biofilms and persister cells from the body. It is still controversial, and it isn’t without side effects. Some people experience a worsening of symptoms before getting better but they eventually recover. It can take up to 12-months from treatment to fully recover. Yet some people don’t seem to recover all which is why I am not relying on stem cells to cure me.

They have two methods, in the US they use your own stem cells, and if you get treatment in Germany I believe you have the option to get stem cells from another source.

I’ve talked to another stem cell clinic that was about 2/3 less expensive, but once again I’m waiting and saving this option for later once there is more research.

Dapsone

Dr. Horowitz, one of the leading Lyme literate doctors, has discovered that a 12-month treatment with the drug Dapsone seems to wipe out chronic Lyme disease including persister cells. Dapsone has been used since the 1940’s to treat leprosy, and has helped cure up to 100 of his patients in a clinical trial. The only downside is Dapsonse has some nasty side effects such as anemia, and requires patients to be monitored closely.

Personally, this is option I consider a last resort. I will likely only try it if everything else fails and since I don’t have health insurance anymore monitoring my blood regularly could get expensive.

Sources: https://www.lymedisease.org/touched-by-lyme-dapsone/

Whole-body Hyperthermia Treatment

I almost didn’t list this option, but many people have been cured from Lyme disease using whole body hyperthermia treatment. It has a very high success rate, but does require inducing a 107°F (41.6°C)+ fever for an extended period of time (typically a few hours). They have to put the patient under anesthesia and the whole process can take up to 8-hours. Having been under anesthesia before, I have no intention of ever going under again if I can avoid it. Let alone to induce an 8-hour fever. While the science and effectiveness behind this method is pretty well established, I will likely try everything else I’ve mentioned long before considering this option.

Final Thoughts

I realize some people are going to read this and think I’m crazy. Which is fine. I don’t really care. What I do care about is speaking my truth as I know it, and providing this information to as many people as possible who need it. I am obviously not a doctor, but my research skills as a journalist, as well as my thought processes as a hacker have lead me down this path and these conclusions. As I learn more I might change my opinions, but for now this is the information I have available to me. Much of which I had to pay thousands of dollars to Lyme literate doctors for, as well as years of suffering.

I realize that some of these concepts are radical, experimental, and not well researched. With that said, I don’t have much of a choice. Conventional treatment have failed, and I am forced to go outside the system for solutions and answers which is why I am exploring and looking into everything I can get my hands on. Sadly, I am limited by budget as many of these treatments cost thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.

I do have an ongoing GoFundMe now because I got diagnosed with CIRS due to living in an apartment with toxic mold which poisoned my fiancé, dog, and I. We lost most of our possessions as well as our home as a result. Some of the treatments I’ve tried lately were actually funded by this GoFundMe and I’ve since updated this article with the various treatments I’ve tried and now recommend.

I don’t know what the future holds. I’m just going to keep taking the medications and herbs I am currently on, continue to get PEMF therapy, and I hope to get ozone and oxygen treatments whenever I have enough money.

My life literally depends on it.

I hope this article helps as many people as possible. I will update it as I learn more.

Be well everyone.

I didn’t get paid to publish this, so if you like this article feel free to send some Bitcoin or contribute.

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I can be reached at trent — at — mysticlabs — dot — com