My name is patrick mulcahy and i am an osteopathic family practice physician practicing in kennebunk, me. my practice focuses on treating chronic medical conditions and i’ve been working with lyme patients for the last several years.
As an initial topic for the Lyme discussion group I would like to address the frequently asked question by most patients with chronic Lyme Disease, “Can I ever recover from Lyme or will it be something I’ll be living with the rest of my life?”
My answer to that is a resounding yes, it is possible to recover from Lyme and be able to lead a symptom free life. However, to achieve this end result I have found that most of my patients need to adjust their approach to Lyme.
What I mean by that is to not focus your intent on killing the bacteria or parasite but rather on healing your body.
One statement that I can make with 100% certainty is the only way anyone will become and remain symptom free of Lyme or any chronic illness for that matter is to establish a healthy immune system capable of defending the body against the onslought of biological and chemical stressors.
Lyme is a very adaptive organism capable of infiltrating and hiding deep in bodily structures and only with a functioning immune system can it be managed at that deep level.
Now that I’ve made that statement, I feel a comprehensive Lyme treatment is one that addresses both attacking the Borrelia and co-infections as well as supporting the body’s immune system to gain control, and complete the job.
So how does one achieve the end result of a healthy, efficient, well-functioning immune system?
This I feel is the true challenge to both the Lyme physician and more importantly the Lyme patient. The answer to this question is detailed and will be a large focus of my ongoing advice to the Lyme group. Briefly however I feel the single most important factor which prevents people from healing and stresses the body in general is the overwhelming amount of toxic burden one is exposed to resulting in toxic overload.
This toxic overload taxes the defense system, taxes the natural systems of elimination and results in a state of chronic inflammation and eventually a weakened immune system. It also provides growth medium in which Borrelia and other organisms can flourish.
What are the symptoms of chronic fatigue-inflammation, daily headache, irritable bowel, muscle aches, joint pain, brain fog, skin rash, insomnia, phantom pain, buzzing ears, vision changes, anxiety, irritability and the multitude of other bizarre symptoms characteristic of Lyme infection.
I feel a comprehensive approach to Lyme is one that focuses both on reducing bacterial overload, including antibiotics, Vitamin C/Sea Salt, Rife machine, etc. as well as healing the body and the immune system, through diet, detoxification, lifestyle, herbal supplements, etc. In the coming weeks I will expand on these subjects in addition to answering questions you may have.
Wishing you the best of health,
Dr. Mulcahy
These statements are not to diagnose or treat any disease. This information does not take the place of an exam by a physician.
Originally posted in September 12, 2011