DoTerra Essential Oils and Lyme Disease

I've recently been introduced to DoTerra essential oils.  The interesting thing is, I've always been drawn to oils, but never even considered the fact that some oils can be ingested and used as medicine.  While that may make some people laugh, and I sort of laugh at that now that I know differently as well.  Essential oils are opening up and entirely new medical world to me now and it's so exciting! 

A fellow lymie introduced the oils at one of our Lyme support meetings.  I knew right away that it was going to be my next treatment.  I researched quite extensively before diving in and am now a DoTerra consultant.  I've talked to so many people who are now lyme free - after many other unsuccessful treatment options.  I learned the importance of starting very slowly, so that is exactly what I am doing.

I started yesterday by using a dropper and carefully placing a drop of oregano oil into a pill capsule.  You can buy empty pill capsules at Walgreens or most organic markets.   Oregano oil is a hot oil and can burn your skin, so you have to be very careful.  Since it is a hot oil, I would advise against using it on your skin - even with a carrier oil.

I didn't notice anything after taking the drop yesterday.  However, today I am feeling a little uncomfortable which is a typical herx reaction for me.  It's not unbearable at all, but it's there.  I'm going to continue with one drop the remainder of the week before moving up to two drops. 

The oregano oil is meant to be taken for 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off within the Lyme protocol.  There are many other oils in the protocol, but as I mentioned, my intention is to start very slowly.  I will continue to update as I increase dosages and such. 

Work, School and Lyme disease

I lost my job last January.  Losing my job was actually quite a blessing.  I worked from home, but even that prooved to be too much more times than not.  Sitting all day at a desk become very uncomfortable.  My legs and finger tips would go numb.  The light on the computer screen would often be too much to look at.  I would find myself extremely fatigued.  Needless to say, there was a small celebration in my house when I lost my job.

My LLMD upped my treatment when she knew I wasn't working.  It was probably the toughest couple months of treatment.  We were targeting Babesia and my brain felt swollen - maybe it was!  I had horrible thoughts.  There were a few times I wanted to check myself into a mental hospital.  Somehow, I made it through that....during hard times I always try to remember that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.  Lyme is like climbing a mountain with many peaks.  You go up and then down, up and down, up and down.  The entire thing is hard, but just when you think you can't take anymore, you reach a valley. 

I did have a few months where I felt really good and focused on job hunting.  I applied to over 100 jobs during that time frame.   Over the course of the year, I applied to over 200 positions.  So many of the positions seemed like they would be a perfect fit, but many had over 500 applicants.   Portland, Oregon has a horrible job market.  Granted, I could have taken a job waitressing or working at a grocery store, but I wasn't willing to take such a significant pay cut in comparison to my previous position.   Looking back, I can see that a job wasn't in the cards for me.  I was supposed to take another route.  It seemed that going back to school was the best answer.  So that is exactly what I have done. 

I'm grateful that things worked out this way.  Like most chronic Lyme Sufferers, Fall hit and hit hard.  All of my symptoms came rolling back.  Extreme Fatigue.  Dizziness.  Anxiety.  Numbness.  Joint Pain.  The list could continue for quite some time.  I was so thankful I didn't have a job.  There is absolutely no way that I could have worked through the last few months.

As far as school goes, it too has been a struggle.  When my symptoms are high, I have a hard time under the florescent lights.   It's also tough to see students flying through all of their homework.  It seems I have to put in three times as much time as most students.  My brain works much slower than it used to.  Processing words can be difficult sometimes and my memory just isn't there. 

It's also very difficult to treat Lyme while in school.  Herxing would cause symptoms to flare and I can't imagine managing my class load feeling any worse.

I'm determined to get my health back - whatever it takes!  And when I do, I'll be better prepared for the working world.  Until then, I'll continue following this trail up, over, down and around the mountain.

Keep on keeping on.....

Kara

Living with Lyme disease - published article

Here is an article that was published in The Frederick News Post that I found intersting.  It's always nice to see others can relate to the dark cloud Lyme can create for people, but the better part is that almost everyone learns to live outside of the cloud.  Lyme people are very strong - we have no other choice.  We are fighters.  Keep on keeping on!

Lyme Story

IV UVB with Hydrogen Peroxide

I just finished my five months of Babesia treatment.  My doctor wasn't happy with where I was at (neither was I) and we had expected to see more improvement.   I was expecting that she was going to suggest that I go back on antibiotics, but she didn't.  Instead she started me on IV UVB treatments.  The more that I read about it, the more I think it's fantastic!

I'm going to explain this in simple terms.  A little over half a cup of blood is removed through an IV and it passes under a UV light.  Once it goes through twice (this may even go up in the future) it is returned to my body.  My blood cells are then supposed to read that as a map and kick up my immune system to fight off any invaders.  It also delivers quite a bit more oxygen to the blood which can do wonders.  I recommend using google to read more because I'm not a chemist and there is a whole wealth of information out there on this treatment for those with not only lyme, but many other illnesses.

I didn't feel a single thing after my first treatment.  However, today was my second treatment and they added hydrogen peroxide.  the more that I read, the more I think hydrogen peroxide is a miracle drug!  Amazing!  I have been very tired since my treatment and am experiencing quite a bit of die off. 

This treatment will continue for 4-5 weeks and then we will evaluate where I am at and whether or not the treatment needs to continue.  In addition I am taking Lauricidin which is also known to do amazing things for the body.

I'm feeling positive that I'm getting closer to being healthy again!  I'm determined to by lyme free this year - or at least in remission!

Fighting Lyme Today...

Since those of us living/suffering with lyme have to live day by day, I've decided to think of my treatment as a day to day thing.  We really have to listen to our bodies.  Herxing too much isn't a good thing, but if you're following your treatment and not herxing or improving, it's probably time to reevaluate your treatment.   What did I do today to help my body heal?

I didn't have any wheat/gluten or sugar.   I sat in the sauna for 30 minutes.  I ate organic, green food.

This fight is prooving to be much more difficult than I had anticipated and I wish someone would have told me that patience is required. 

For those of you with chronic lyme who are newly diagnosed - I'm sure you are happy to finally have a diagnosis.  However, please be patient.  Healing isn't as quick or easy as I'm sure you are hoping it to be.  Patience and persistence are two very important words in treating lyme.

Keep on keeping on!  We will all find our way back to good health!  I've met people who have beat this lyme battle and we all will too!

3 months into Babesia treatment

When I started treating Babesia, I thought I was seeing a great deal of improvment.  However, I did notice some intrusive thoughts starting around the same time as treatment.  I ignored them thinking they would get better or go away.  Ignoring them clearly isn't the way to go because the thoughts have continued to grow and are becoming very difficult to ignore.

I consider myself to be lyme literate.  I wouldn't say I'm an expert by any means.  I do notice when my symptoms flare, I question every single thing that could be causing these issues similar to what my doctor does.   I'm currently experiencing intrusive thoughts accompanied by anxiety, vision issues and head pressure.  All are pretty typical symptoms, but the fact that they are getting worse as I go through treatment is concerning.  Becasue of that, I have been running down the list of possibililtes.

Herxing?  If it was herxing, it should be letting up by now, not getting worse
Candidia from my recent antibiotics?
Lyme/Coinfections emerging full force again?

Whatever it is, it's miserable and very discouraging.   I stopped taking my drugs about 4 days ago simply because I was convinced it just might be the drugs making everything worse.  I also thought if I am herxing, I need to give my body some time to rid itself of the toxins.  Time for my second trip to the doctor this month.  Hopefully she will have some ideas as to what is going on.  


Update:  April 21st, 2013

My doctor and I still aren't sure what was causing such horrible symptoms, but I detoxed heavily for 3 weeks and the symptoms did back off some.  I'm still concerned that after 3.5 months of treatment, I'm having more bad days than good.  I'm not really seeing much improvement.   Maybe it's time to think about changing my treatment?

Uneducated

Lyme disease is an epidemic.  Let me say that again.  Lyme disease is an epidemic.

It blows my mind that so many people in my life know how much I have suffered with lyme disease, but most people have never taken the time to read about what lyme disease is.  I guess it isn't fair that I expect people to do that, but it sure would be nice.  Not only would it show that they care and support me, but it would also show that they wanted to educate themselves simply so they would be able to better protect themselves from this nightmare of a disease. 

Tonight I was asked about my symptoms.  When I answered, I didn't feel like I was being heard.  I'm sure that most people with lyme have experienced this at least once.  I think I expect people to somehow understand how difficult living with lyme diesease is and how important it is that they learn as much as they can about the disease.

Tonight I mentioned that I am approaching seven months of treatment.  I was looked at as if I should be cured by now.  It's almost as if I could read their mind.  "How can she still be sick after seven months of treatment?"  Well, if they took the time to educate themselves, they could have reacted much different when I mentioned it had been seven months.  

I often post educational pieces on Facebook. I often feel that people are a little annoyed with the posts, or just don't feel it's important.  It's rare I even get a single "like" when I post lyme info on facebook.  However, if I posted something about the flu virus, I'm certain I would get many "likes".

If lyme disease was an STD, I guarantee my friends would take the time to read about it.  Why?  Because they would believe they had a chance of catching it.  Why do people think they are safe from lyme?  I guess the answer is easy. According to the CDC, lyme isn't really an issue.