Eureka Moment.. Mycoplasma.
We've been toying with doing the DNA Connexions Lyme panel on John in order to see what co-infections are there with his Lyme. I ordered the kit, and managed to get him to do the 1 hour of exercise needed to complete the test. We collected on Thursday night, and thankfully I had read the paperwork that urine shouldn't go out with Thursday-Saturday's mail. They want samples mailed Monday-Wednesday to ensure that it doesn't warm up in a mail warehouse over the weekend. While I had time to wait to send it in, I was having a nagging sensation in my gut that this wasn't the best use of money. It's a $525 test, but it doesn't get all the co-infections. Yes, I realize that no test gets them all, but all I've been researching has led me to believe he has Mycoplasma. This test does not test mycoplasma.
I have 2 weeks to refrigerate the urine before I have to send it in if I want to use it. I decided to order Raintree's Myco supplement, and see how John responds to it. It came in less than a week, and I gave him one. It's a blend of herbs known to attack Mycoplasma. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Big time reaction to this supplement. He felt it within an hour. A major Herx reaction complete with tingly nerves to his finger tips, and some major joint pain. With reactions comes knowledge!
Maybe we're barking up the wrong tree, but I don't think so. It all makes sense to me. When we went to Utah for Lyme, we didn't know his co-infection status. My belief is that his treatments at the FAR Clinic *may* have helped kill off the Lyme... but this allowed more landscape for the Mycoplasma to prosper.
Have you ever heard of Mycoplasma? There are several different strains. I think I read that scientists have discovered 23 strains so far, but there could be many, many more. The two that are fairly well known are the mycoplasma that causes "walking" pneumonia, and another strain that effects genetalia. I don't believe we have either of these "common" ones, but rather a hemoplasma... which is to say, a mycoplasma that happens upon transfer of blood (TICK BITE?!?!).
As far as bacteria go, mycoplasma are pretty awesome little buggers, which unfortunately makes them very hard to kill. They lack a cell wall, and as such, can move around into all kinds of places that other bacteria can't. Mycoplasma have an affinity for cilia - the hair-like parts that help cells move. Because of this, the mycoplasma find a cell with cilia, and hitch a ride! While they're in you, they also suck up your nutrients, leaving you deficient of things even if you're supplementing and eating well.
When mycoplasma attacks a cell, the cell sends out a signal called a cytokine which is supposed to sound the alarm to the immune system. However, mycoplasma are so incredible, that instead of becoming prey to the immune system, they turn the tables on white blood cells and attack and destroy them instead. John has been low in white blood cells for years. Oh, so tricky these guys.
Oh.. and so the cilia... where do you have lots of cilia? Your lungs, hence mycoplasma pneumonia. Another place where the mycoplasma likes to hang out is in synovial fluid - the joints! Ding ding. Lately our biggest issue has been the pain in the joints.
I have maintained that throughout our illnesses, that Facebook support groups have been instrumental to figuring out what to do and what to pursue. Talking to people who have these diseases and have been curing themselves has been motivating and eye opening. I've spent near $20000 on medical bills this year alone for my son. I've probably spent another $5000 on supplements and medication. If you are counting on MDs to get you and your family well, just remember - what do you call the person who graduated last in their class in medical school? DOCTOR.
You know your body. You know your family. You have unique knowledge that a doctor doesn't. Trust your gut. Research like your life depends on it. Network with other people with the same symptoms and diagnoses.
I have 2 weeks to refrigerate the urine before I have to send it in if I want to use it. I decided to order Raintree's Myco supplement, and see how John responds to it. It came in less than a week, and I gave him one. It's a blend of herbs known to attack Mycoplasma. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Big time reaction to this supplement. He felt it within an hour. A major Herx reaction complete with tingly nerves to his finger tips, and some major joint pain. With reactions comes knowledge!
Maybe we're barking up the wrong tree, but I don't think so. It all makes sense to me. When we went to Utah for Lyme, we didn't know his co-infection status. My belief is that his treatments at the FAR Clinic *may* have helped kill off the Lyme... but this allowed more landscape for the Mycoplasma to prosper.
Have you ever heard of Mycoplasma? There are several different strains. I think I read that scientists have discovered 23 strains so far, but there could be many, many more. The two that are fairly well known are the mycoplasma that causes "walking" pneumonia, and another strain that effects genetalia. I don't believe we have either of these "common" ones, but rather a hemoplasma... which is to say, a mycoplasma that happens upon transfer of blood (TICK BITE?!?!).
As far as bacteria go, mycoplasma are pretty awesome little buggers, which unfortunately makes them very hard to kill. They lack a cell wall, and as such, can move around into all kinds of places that other bacteria can't. Mycoplasma have an affinity for cilia - the hair-like parts that help cells move. Because of this, the mycoplasma find a cell with cilia, and hitch a ride! While they're in you, they also suck up your nutrients, leaving you deficient of things even if you're supplementing and eating well.
When mycoplasma attacks a cell, the cell sends out a signal called a cytokine which is supposed to sound the alarm to the immune system. However, mycoplasma are so incredible, that instead of becoming prey to the immune system, they turn the tables on white blood cells and attack and destroy them instead. John has been low in white blood cells for years. Oh, so tricky these guys.
Oh.. and so the cilia... where do you have lots of cilia? Your lungs, hence mycoplasma pneumonia. Another place where the mycoplasma likes to hang out is in synovial fluid - the joints! Ding ding. Lately our biggest issue has been the pain in the joints.
I have maintained that throughout our illnesses, that Facebook support groups have been instrumental to figuring out what to do and what to pursue. Talking to people who have these diseases and have been curing themselves has been motivating and eye opening. I've spent near $20000 on medical bills this year alone for my son. I've probably spent another $5000 on supplements and medication. If you are counting on MDs to get you and your family well, just remember - what do you call the person who graduated last in their class in medical school? DOCTOR.
You know your body. You know your family. You have unique knowledge that a doctor doesn't. Trust your gut. Research like your life depends on it. Network with other people with the same symptoms and diagnoses.
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