What Did I Expect?

Let me start by giving thanks that for each new day that God gives me. It would be easy for me to use this blog completely as a means to complain and express how horrible things can be. However, there is a bigger picture and I don't want to get stuck on the speck that I don't like. That being said, I also believe it is important to be real and share that sometimes circumstances in life just suck.

The past couple of weeks have been particularly difficult for me physically and emotionally. Unfortunately these two things thrive off of one another. I can feel bad, get upset about feeling bad and in return symptoms (especially neurological) get worse. This is why I recommend that anyone with Lyme have a psychologist they meet with regularly! It's a tough road to recovery and mental health plays a vital role.

For the past several weeks my symptoms of dizziness, shaking, and fatigue have been bad. I have felt like I have had the flu but worse. Several times I was so dizzy that I fell over. Of course with falling and major painful body aches I was afraid I was going to need to get my cane out again; something I haven't had to use for over a month now! Perhaps one of the most frustrating things was that I could barely get my kids ready for school, and I couldn't get them there because I couldn't drive in the condition I was in. This meant calling on others to help me out, and that is always difficult for me.

Asking people for help is not something anyone really wants to do. It means admitting that you are not completely self-sufficient and that you can't do life on your own. I personally HATE calling my friends and family and asking for help. I know it is inconvenient for them. Plus, it lets them know that I am not 100% and that is a bummer too. There is the good news: asking for help kills pride and gives others a chance to serve. Which of course is biblical and essential for spiritual growth and character building.

Since I have been doing so so so much better over the past couple of months, I wanted to brush my continued struggle under the rug. I wanted everyone, including myself, to believe I was well, that treatment was exactly what I needed, and no one need be concerned anymore. Treatment is exactly what I needed, but being 100% after a few months is unrealistic with the way that Lyme has ravished my body. My latest tests results showed improvement in areas! YAY!! However, the Spirochetes are still present. I am still going to Herx and sometimes at this point in the game and with the supplements/meds I am on, a Herx can last a couple of weeks.

Lyme and Exercise

I love hot yoga. I stretch my body and focus my mind all in presence of infrared heat. Oh, so nice. Until later. Detox time. My body is so toxic that when I induce sweating and raising my body's internal temperature, I end up "herxing." Herxing, short for Jarisch-Herxheimer, is not a bad thing, but it is difficult to endure. It often occurs with large doses of antibiotics, but I have found that it occurs with alternative treatments as well. Basically what happens is the dead bacteria release their toxins into the blood and tissues. This provokes an inflammatory response that is exaggerated.

Recently I have had such intense regression that Hot Yoga has not been something my body can handle. However, just laying in the infrared heat can be beneficial.

"Sweating in the infrared sauna flushes fat-soluble toxins (including heavy metals) out of the body via the skin. This detoxification which occurs at the lower heat available in infrared saunas assists the immune system and the healing process while increasing circulation, invigorating the body and allowing the meds to reach all parts of the body in a more efficient manner. Infrared sauna therapy also relaxes the muscles and joints, giving the patient some relief from their pain."
 -Quote from Sunlighten

In addition to infrared heat, exercise is very important for Lyme sufferers. This may sound impossible to you as it often does to me. When you can barely move or get yourself out of bed due to pain and discomfort, exercise is the last thing on your mind. However, according to Dr. Raj Patel

"Exercise offers many benefits in the treatment of Chronic Lyme disease.  The treatment of Lyme and its co-infections (regardless of the modality used i.e. antibiotics, herbs, rife, etc.) results in a significant load of toxic byproducts in the tissues and lymphatic system.  These byproducts include remnants of dead bacteria as well as the heavy metals and chemicals being released as the Lyme load is reduced.  The body mounts an inflammatory immune response to these bacterial remnants which is responsible for the well known "Herxheimier's reaction."  Exercise, through increased circulation and lymphatic drainage, enables the body to more quickly and efficiently rid itself of these substances, and thereby reduce the length and intensity of the herx reactions.

Another potential benefit of exercise, when done correctly, is that it can raise your core body temperature, and thereby aid in eradicating these infections.  We know from research that borrelia, the Lyme bacteria, thrives in certain areas of the body like the sinuses, collagen tissue underneath the skin, and joints and ligaments due to their scarce blood flow and lower temperature.  Proper exercise enables one to raise his core body temperature for a sustained period of time."

I have found Dr. Patel's evaluation of Lyme and Exercise to be an accurate assessment for me. When I am having a "good day" I have been walking on a treadmill at a very slow pace and then sitting in a sauna. Shortly following my workout I will take a nap for a couple of hours. Even with this simple exercise plan my body will herx and I may not be able to exercise again for several days.

I encourage you to find an infrared sauna or hot yoga place and utilize the benefits of infrared heat. If you are unable to do yoga, just remain in child's pose and let your body detox as the heat penetrates your body. Drink loads of filtered water and take a warm shower afterwards. REST IS ESSENTIAL. Do not choose a time to exercise or sauna when you have errands or work directly after. You must allow your body to rest in order to lessen your herx.

To learn more read Dr. Wilson's information on Parasympathetic Healing