Month 12- Focusing on Bartonella

I'm a couple of weeks into month 12 on the Restore Program. The weeks since I wrote my month 11 update didn't seem to bring any progress. Dizziness was pretty common and brain fog was popping up many days. It was a little disheartening.

At this  point, I'm willing to try different herbs/oils, etc that may or may not help as long as they seem reasonable and can't hurt you. Why not?

With this in mind, a couple of weeks ago I mixed a couple of drops of each oil and added coconut oil, so the mixture was 50/50. The mixture was applied via a bottle with a roll on top and applied topically.

Two problems I really wanted to work on are bladder issues, which wake me up at night several times and partially numb feet. I did some reading and mixed up some oils and applied them topically to the areas. I took them for about 4 days, but was feeling so bad I stopped taking them. Oils will definitely make you herx. Even with extra detox (liposomal glutathione & sauna), the herx was pretty bad.
I REALLY didn't like going back to feeling bad after a couple of feeling good.
So, I stopped.

We are trying to get our house ready to sell (we're downsizing) and I really need to feel well enough to do some of the projects, since my husband works full time and can't do it all.
This was my dilemma...do I treat more and feel bad or keep on the same dose of Restore?

January is when I had planned to do Buhner's protocol  for Bartonella, but was hesitant because I didn't want to feel bad. I decided to go ahead and try since I ordered the herbs last month. I am continuing to take the full Restore herbs. I started taking Japanese Knotweed - 1 cap 2x a day, then bumped it up to 2  caps 2 x a day, then 2 caps - 3x a day, which is the full dose Buhner recommends.
I expected to herx, but actually started feeling pretty good, even really good - and I had energy!
The past week + has been great and I've been able to get a lot done. Evidently, Japanese Knotweed stops the cytokine cascade, which causes inflammation and makes you feel bad. (I don't understand how that a cytokine cascade is different from a herx.)
I haven't added everything in the full Bartonella protocol yet, so there's no telling how I'll feel once I have.


So far I'm taking the full dose of Japanese Knotweed, Sida Acuta, EGCG(green tea) &Hawthorn.
I also added the Arginine and Milk Thistle a few days ago and maybe starting the Houttuynia tomorrow. I'm a little afraid of taking the Houttuynia and herxing, but we'll see. I can always back off.

As for changes to diet...still aiming for 50% vegetables, gluten, dairy and sugar free. I do eat organic butter (cow) and Romano cheese (made from grass fed sheep's milk).
I've added a tablespoon of Collagen from Dr. Axe, which is made from grass fed cows. I've recently read that Buhner recommends collagen for muscle wasting. I definitely should have started adding that to my smoothies 
sooner because my muscles are pretty atrophied. I've also lost my previously latina behind and now it's flatter than flat. I've been taking the collagen every day since January 9th and already the skin on my face feels smoother. I had to exfoliate several times a week before because it felt scaly. 

The Website says the collagen helps this way

• Healthy gut repair and brain function*
• Greater mobility and flexibility. Strong, healthy muscles. Healthier, stronger bones and joints*
• Vibrant, firmer, glowing skin and fight back against the effects of normal aging*
• Easier weight management and/or weight loss, due to its satiating effect on hunger*
• Deeper and more restful sleep*

You can purchase the collagen directly from Dr. Axe's website HERE.

As for the symptoms/areas I need to resolve(in this order please):

bladder

eyes

balance issues/intermittant brain fog

sound sensitivity - loud rooms cause tremors

numbness in feet

tinnitus

 I keep treating and reading and looking for information that might help. I hope you will do the same. Treating lyme and co-infections is a marathon, no a sprint. It's easy to get discouraged when you aren't feeling good or don't have any energy. Keep trying.

Hope today is a good day for you.

Pam

Here are the status of my symptoms:

Numbness, tingling in feet remain the same

swollen pads on bottom of feet near toes-a little better

dizziness/off balance- comes and goes.

difficulty finding words  about a 2 when really tired

blurry eyes - a few days clear, then a few days blurry

urgency  (3) - still a problem

light sensitivity (negligible)

noise sensitivity (3)

startles easily (2)

muscle pain -2 some days more

muscle weakness (3)

tremors - only when exposed to constant loud noises, but it's minor

high pitch ringing in the ears/low pitch ringing - high pitch is more present,

not being able to follow directions (2-3) -comes and goes

98 +   temp

Weight- I think I've lost another pound. It fluctuates up or down 2 pounds.
Most symptoms are the same, some days are worse, because I've added the Bart protocol. Some days I have a lot of energy and get a lot done and some days I just want to sleep for half of the day- I just go with it!