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Borrelia: Lyme disease life cycle. A cyclic bacteria

7/20/2012

30 Comments

 
I've always heard that Lyme has a monthly cycle it follows, much like the moon. It has 3 stages... 
1. The Borrelia (Lyme bacteria) is out in the system unprotected. In its natural state & attacking the body. Multiplying, drilling it's way into tissue etc. In this state the bacteria is most easy to kill as it has nothing to protect it. Once it realizes its being attacked by the immune system whatever bacteria has survived panics and then comes #2..
2. In the second stage the Borrelia  creates a biofilm, a protective shield so to speak. The bacteria can hide when in this shield & even the immune system can't find it. Very tricky little thing! Even antibiotics have a hard time penetrating this layer, hence why patients also take a "biofilm dissolver" during treatment.
3. In the third stage the Borrelia morphs into a cyst form. It is encapsulated in a cyst & once again is untouchable to the immune system. Also difficult for the bacteria to penetrate it. After a while the bacteria feels safe so it ventures out of the cyst .. This is when we go back to phase 1.

There are the 3 stages, and it goes in that order monthly. My doctor has told me to record when my Lyme cycles. I never knew what he, or other Lyme patients meant when they said they found their Lyme cycle. I thought, how on earth would I do that? I always feel bad, so what's the difference?

Finally after months I realized when it was.. Around the 19th of every month. I keep a very detailed log. This includes larger herxes, night sweats, stomach aches, migraines, & any flare ups at all. I also keep a food diary & a medication chart when I add new stuff in. Everything is detailed to a T. Thats why I noticed something that was very pertinent. On the 19th of every month, for the last 4 months I got very ill with the exact same symptoms! It feels like I have a stomach virus. God awful stomach ache like I got punched in the stomach, I can't eat, can barely drink, and I feel like I will barf any second. It's very intense & a few times I needed IV therapy to pull me out of it.

There is no coincidence of its timing. And that classic "ache" it gives me. I could recognize it anywhere. Not to mention I herx badly during thid time because my immune system is on overdrive killing off all the freely open Borrelia. It's no fun, as I'm typing this I am struggling with awful pain. But, I feel happy that those horrible pathogens are being killed off. That, is a feeling of greatness. 

On Monday I was celebrating my weight reaching 93.4, and by Wednesday night I was gagging at the sight of food. So that's not very encouraging, but I'm trying to push through as much as possible!

For my fellow Lymies I recommend charting EVERYTHING! There's a great app on my iPhone called My Fitness Pal. It lets you log everything you eat. For me, I use it to count calories to gain weight, but also if I get a bad reaction i can check if it was anything I ate. This is how I discovered my aversion to Chili peppers & that there was Soy in our cream of chicken soup.

Logging your symptoms also helps identify this cycle. When you know it's coming prep by doing extra detoxes & Epsom salt baths etc. Being prepared is the most important thing you can do to help yourself.

I hope this was informative to someone :)

Xoxo,
Christina 

30 Comments
Kath
4/30/2013 11:15:43 am

There is something call Lyme Tracker, an on-line thing, $3 a month that seems pretty good too for tracking symptoms. Print outs etc. Best wishes for wellness.

Reply
matt emerson
12/6/2017 12:55:59 pm

can you post the link to this lyme tracker i cant seam to find it on-line

Reply
Christina Kovacs
4/30/2013 01:12:59 pm

Thank you so much for that tip, I had no idea that existed. That will be really helpful to track & keep up with things!

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Sandra Peck
1/22/2014 01:44:02 pm

So true.Cycles everyone one I know with lyme. I have hopes of getting better. I notice when I eat red meat (very seldom) it makes me feel awful. Veggies,berries, easy digestible foods make me feel good. Lots of water to flush out the die off, lymph node drainage , healthy eating. And yes those epsom salt baths a must. Pain can be awful. Routine is important. Thank you for your blog

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Grace
3/9/2015 10:52:04 pm

Thanks for this! I was diagnosed with CFS 22 yrs ago but had an untreated lyme bite in 1983. Seeing a specialist in August (first appt was 6 mo out) and his sheets asked about the cycle. Now I can understand and pay attention. The herxing and sweats and migraines fit to a t. I thought it was pms as well... thanks again!

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Christina
3/11/2015 04:40:00 pm

Hi Grace! Wow, what a long journey you have had, but I'm so glad you will be able to see a specialist and get on the right track to healing :)

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Diantha
3/25/2016 06:31:21 pm

I remember reading something about "bacteria and parasitic cycles" probably 2 years ago now. I started doxi May 2014 but didn't get a llmd diagnosis until late August. The llmd was very surprised how high my readings were from tests in March from, Quest or labcorp. A naturopath I saw in Florida who said the high numbers just meant I had it in the past!!! Duh. At that time I was having low blood pressure 90/58 for a few months, so extremely dizzy and weak, no energy, Candida, etc after having a few good months. Well, good enough to move from Calif to Florida bc I was always freezing.

After the second very high Lyme readings he put me on the doxi. I had just moved into a new house and herxed like hell. My family, then and now, still think I'm faking something!!!! It was a terrifying couple of months. I got some info together and kept reading Lyme stuff when a story hit home for me. It turned out to be a doctor in San Francisco, so I begged my uncle to let me see this doctor. Which did turn out to fit my thinking I should see a doctor from where I got it. The duncani I understand is more prevalent on the west coast.

Huge relief when I went for those results, I wasn't crazy and I wasn't making things up. I had all the bad bands, etc. The babesia duncani didn't get tested that first time, just myoti, but it definitely came up positive for my April appointment. I thought I had a terrible flu, when she asked if I was having hip pain, air hunger, etc. RELIEF again, something more to treat.
I'm feeling a bit frustrated a year later that I'm having the WORST last 10-14 days, maybe ever, through all this! I'm having everything at once, shooting pains, feet and muscle cramps, insane itching, headaches, migraine, swollen feet(that's not happened before) swollen glands, sore throat, cough, no appetite,( I've been trying to gain weight, too) stomach issues, burning joints and muscles, shooting pain in teeth, low fever, sweats WAIT, it's all Lyme!! Haha. Just all at once, ugh. She suggested I cut out the glutathione. I've been taking it for months!!!

After my first appointment she said I'd probably be on treatment for a year. After the babesia duncani she said another 1 to 1 1/2 years. I'm having them test Bartonella on the results I get in a couple of weeks. It fits, too and maybe that's why just the Zithromax and mepron aren't working so well?? I felt pretty great for a couple of months, then wham. A bit of same cycle as last winter, too. Last year I was more like OCD or adhd while this year I just felt pretty great. I was glad knowing I was recognizing a pattern to when I felt cruddy!!!!

I now know it wasn't early menopause at 42, when I really remember the horrid night sweats starting. I went with that diagnosis. That was 2001. By 2003 I said "boy I've been sick a lot". I train horses so I'm used to being fit, strong and busy. 2006, same thing. Sick a lot. By 2009 I started with the allergist, cardiologist, neurologist, mind blank- the stomach doctor who took out my gall bladder, rehab, my mother thought I was drinking......I went bc so desperate to get help and counseling. Of course I thought I was just crazy or something by then!! That was 2012.

Sorry, didn't mean to run on like this. I'm having a hard time talking and typing but it's coming out right now. I'm itching to holy hell right now and my stomach feels like it's going to explode and my back is spasming..... I guess it's a good distraction for this moment.

There was insane stress in my house a couple of weeks ago, I'm not sure if that's what set this off so horridly? I rent rooms during the horse show season so I actually have a little fun money and some to save. I'm not sure the drama here this year was worth it.

Do you have any ideas/opinions about the climate effecting the Lyme?? I used to love the heat but I'm becoming less fond of it. Also, there's a lot of mold in the humidity, so I wonder if that's not helping either!

Thx

Reply
Christina
3/26/2016 04:45:36 am

Hi there, I am so sorry you are having such a hard time! If you'd like to chat more privately you can email me (cskova01@ladyoflyme.com)

For one, mold is a HUGE thing that can be really affecting you. With the lowered immune system is a huge component. If you google mold and Lyme disease you will see a lot of reading material.

Also, stress is a big factor and it's usually a ripple effect. The stress happens and then once it passes the effects hit. I notice this a lot during holidays or when I had the death of a pet or other stressful events. I feel like I handle it okay but then later it all flares up horribly. Have you heard of EFT tapping? I recommend highly looking into that for handling stress.

God bless,
Christina

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Sarah
7/6/2018 05:18:55 pm

Hi - your post really resembles me and I’m in desperate need of help. How are you and did you find any relief?

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Michelle link
10/12/2016 01:24:04 am

In reading Dianathas words, I certainly saw myself today. As if I sat and wrote that myself. Amazing how we feel so alone, and singled out, yet- we are from the same warrior tribe. Dreading the full moon-

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Mike.
12/8/2016 08:33:51 am

Can you provide some links to scientific papers that describe these characteristics?

Thanks!

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Christina
12/8/2016 09:14:17 am

Hi Mike,
Like I wrote in the post, I got this info from my Doctor. But if you have access to some sites with scientific papers I'm sure you can look this up to read more about it!
-Christina

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Jamila
4/11/2017 09:43:52 pm

Thanks for the info! I am still confused though - does it mean that ALL the Lyme little bastards are synchronized on exactly the same cycle?

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Caroline Karditzas
11/24/2017 07:29:48 pm

My husband just read me your post, Christina and ended up in tears because he knows how your symptoms feel. He has both Lyme and Aloha Gal. He struggled to eat and keeping weight on was a daily battle. This might sound nuts, but we spent yesterday backpacking and crushing a mountain in the Shenedoah because he feels 100% again with a natural protocol we formulated for him at the height of his misery. We have several others with Lyme and Babesiosis whom are taking it as well because they are so sick of being sick. It’s a simple protocol and we are furiously researching “why” it’s doing what it’s doing and I can do my best to explain it to you or anyone else that’s interested.
I am studying to become a Master Herbalist and I’d love to talk to you. Please don’t think I’m crazy. I’d never ever reach out to someone to give them false hope. As a yoga instructor of 11 years, teach the principle of “non-lying” and it would be criminal to reach out to a suffering person in this way if I wasn’t doing it with a whole heart.

Reply
Angel Gunn
12/18/2017 09:02:30 am

My husband has been suffering with lyme and bartonella for years and tried everything. I'd love other about your protocol. Can you tell me more?

Reply
Caroline Karditzas
12/18/2017 02:32:13 pm

Good almost afternoon!
I just re-read my post and spell check changed Alpha Gal to Aloha Gal....argh.... but on Christmas Day, my husband takes his last 4 capsules and will get retested for Lyme in January. We’ve done a lot of research on the natural combination we developed and have a much greater understanding why this protocol is so great. 1 of the herbs basically flips the switch on the endocrine system that pretty much gets shut down by the toxins that Lyme creates as a by-product of living inside its host, thus boosting the energy level and lifting brain fog. 1 herb helps the gut and for folks that have developed IBS, Crohns, diverticulitis, etc due to repeated antibiotic treatments, it’ll help. The most important gland that it effects is the Thymus. 2 of the herbs effect processes down at the stem cell level causing the body to produce more healthy white blood cells. The toxins from Lyme kill off many types of white bloods cells causing the body to become more susceptible to Invaders, so the body needs more to fight the Lyme again. One of the 3 herbs actually causes your body to start replicating T-type white blood cells in a way that they become antibiotic-like on their own. One of the others programs B-type white blood cells in a similar fashion. The best part is that bc these are all natural things, when the Lyme spirochetes come out to replicate every 30 days, they don’t detect anything that they’ll perceive as a threat and they’ll get fried. The joy in all this is that because I worked in hematology in joint replacement operating rooms, I figured out how to get the herbs into the joint spaces. It’s not complex, but it comes down to chemistry and how the body uses certain foods in certain ways in the body....When I finish my current studies, I’ll be a Master Herbalist and that’s how I come by the herbal knowledge. ..... my husband is attacking life again and so are the other folks that started close to the same time he did. I’m not allowed by law to tell anyone that this will “cure” anything. Feel free to email me and I’ll pass you my contact info. We’re still in the preliminary phases and would love more folks. Really, we started this to get Bill well, but I can’t just leave it there. There are too many people suffering from this. I’m also a yoga instructor and my soul purpose in this existence is to help as many people into wellness as I possibly can. The world needs well people. Life has enough challenges not to be eaten alive by bacteria like Lyme, Babesiosis and Ehrlichia.
innerstrengthherbs@gmail.com

Glen
2/18/2019 11:38:30 am

Hi Caroline,

I dont understand why you are not posting your protocol? please

Reply
Michelle link
8/27/2019 03:07:25 pm

Can you please tell me more about your protocol. The more detailed the better. miche_eileen_1@hotmail.com
Thanks

Reply
Beverly penner
3/13/2018 10:57:25 am

Ive been fighting an invisible illness for over 20 yrs. I would be interested to learn more about your lyme protocol... thanks!

Reply
Caroline Karditzas
3/14/2018 07:05:36 am

Beverly,
Drop me an email and I’ll give you my number. I’m happy to talk to folks about our protocol. My husband and the candidate that followed him directly are 100% symptom-free now. We have a few others finishing up soon and all are in the mend. It’s been reslly great to witness.
Innerstrengthherbs@gmail.com
Be well-
Caroline

Reply
Amber
6/12/2018 04:18:02 pm

May I email you as well? I’ve literally been labeled as crazy by Kaiser and they will not help me one bit and I am miserable! I’m having issues with my heart and nervous system at the moment, seems like every 4 weeks and I’m scared, I’m a single mom with 2 toddlers I can’t even walk down the stairs when this happens let alone take care of my babies. I need help

Caroline Karditzas
6/13/2018 07:09:09 am

Amber, absolutely email me. The only place I’ve ever posted anything is on this blog and lots of folks have found us this way. 5 months seems like forever but it needs to be to get the body to reboot and respond the way it needs to. It’s a healing process, not a scouring process that leaves folks with lifelong side effects. We’re having great success with our trial and going better than we could have imagined. We’ve learned so much from our candidates. Email me, I’ll drop you my phone number and we’ll chat to see if it’s a fit for you....or anyone out there really.
Talk to you soon-
Caroline Karditzas

Reply
Sarah
7/6/2018 05:24:35 pm

I’m interested in more info... I have not been diagnosed but suspect this is it. Can you recommend a type of doctor that will test? I’ve been given every allergy, colon, psychiatric test in the past year and still beyond ill. Begening to think I’m mental, however the physical sores that cover my body assure me there is something going on internally.

Reply
Christina
7/6/2018 05:51:51 pm

Hi Sarah! Please email me atcskova01@ladyoflyme.com and we can talk way easier there. I’m happy to help you!

Reply
Logan
11/15/2018 03:49:06 pm

I have been dealing with Lyme for 5 years now I’m 17 years old and I have been on antibiotics for 4 years I travel to Connecticut and New York every 3 months to see dr Jones I have tried everything to get better ivig infusions plasma pharesis now I have bartonella marks on my back my stomach is bad every day but I get significantly worse around the 14th every month and this is my first month trying iv antibiotics and my stomach feels worse than ever it would help to have someone who has had stomach stuff as well as my number 1 fear in life is vomiting it makes my stomach symptoms that much worse so if anyone would be willing to talk to me about what their sy,proms are if they got stomach stuff bad as well that would be great

Caroline Karditzas
7/6/2018 07:50:05 pm

Hi Sarah.... if you want to hash out symptoms, I’m happy to do so. I’ve learned waaaaay to much about tick diseases running this Lyme Protocol. It’s amazing how different everyone’s symptoms are. We’re also learning that a lot of folks have compounding issues bc being unwell can stir up all kinds of other laitent things like Shingles and Epstein Barr. Feel free to email. You folks have become my second passion.
Innerstrengthherbs@gmail.com

Caroline

Reply
Breda Mc Clintock
9/28/2018 02:32:16 pm

Hi Christina
I am just wondering what to do when you notice the date of your stage one. I am on antibiotics. I am wondering how things turned out for you?

Reply
Mdaisy
11/19/2019 11:35:29 am

Hi Everyone

I believe I have Late Stage Lyme after being misdiagnosis of Fibromyalgia & ME. I have being using Infrared Sauna, RIFE machine (after recommendation from Lorraine Demonte - UK advocate for Lyme community) and Lauricidin (from Amitra) with some success, very slowly improving (about 20% from being extremely unwell) .

I recently read an article about Bacteriophages in the fight against antibiotic resistance and I believe a scientist in Leicester UK may be looking into potentially finding the key to using phages. According to a researcher in Canada the studies may need infected ticks to possible find a phage that will destroy Lyme. Hopefully this is a promising prospect for all living with Lyme.

BTW if anyone wants to join the HealthUnlocked community Living with Lyme Disease I’d welcome everyone to share their experiences to help others.

Hope this helps :)

Reply
Mdaisy
11/19/2019 11:39:53 am

Forgot to mention, I definitely notice a monthly life cycle and also as others have said addressing Gut Health (Candida, Leaky Gut & Small Intestinal Bacteria) seems to help improve symptoms.

Hope to see you on HealthUnlocked Living with Lyme :)

Reply
Deborah Simpson
7/26/2021 07:40:36 am

I have been suffering with undiagnosed lyme for years .diagnosed with fibromyalgia .ibs .asthma. all started with a pain in my jaw bone ,cluster migraine,then vertigo,nerve deafness, at age 26. Years on im 56 .i never connected all symptoms .i had endometriosis ,also .im wondering if thus is lyme connected ,and if lyme spirochettes can take this around the body through lumph system and blood .goin into the menopause after tick bite again ,no treatment i suffered with tendon ,jiont pain in neck and shoulder ,nagging lasting months , then moving around ,chronic jaw migraine in eye .and face radiating down shoulder . Blurred vision ,vertigo ,worsening of tinnitis . Constipation , and diareah in bouts . Unresponsive to treatments . I was passes from nurology .to rhumatology . Laughed at . Diagnosed menopause . Fibro .migraine .ibs . After all treatments and offers of antidepressants . I was no better . Prob worse . My bowel and stomach ia damaged from anti imflamatorys . Codeine . And ignorance of drs . Who refuse to treat or acknolage i may have lyme . 10 years on im told the elisa test i was given negative does not work this far in .ive tryed herbal protocol . Cbd oil .accuputure . You name it ive tried it . Spent a lot of money . Come to the conclustion lyme is life long . Needs supplements just to help each day snd survive . Because every new thing added causes herx , crippling migraines . Or gut issues . I know taking herbs makes me feel like flu .or like i will die . Lyme seems to be able to move from your head to stomach or down to the feet ,to escape the product . Like garlic oil . Used to treat bacteria . It does not like herbs . I have litrally felt itching on my head . Or in my feet . Depending on what i take . My conclustion is to take vitamin d .for immune system .helped with my jiont pain. I also take aloe vera capsules . Probiotic .trying high strenth tumeric with black pepper at this time . As i read its great to calm imflamation. My main issues at this time are chronic cluster migrains .and ibs diareah . Which is non stop .makes me feel like death . No food stays in my body long . I also have days around the moon where i feel really sick .of late i seem to have this strange hyperactivity .where ive so much energy . This is unusual for me . As i can crash with fatigue . Any one shed any light on this .or share what they take .thanks

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