Lady of Lyme
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • About
  • Products I Love
    • Supplements & Meds
    • Makeup & Skincare
    • Food & Diet
    • Apps & Organization
    • Gift Guides
  • Resources
    • Symptoms/Resources
    • Lyme Vocabulary
    • Printables
    • Books & Reading
  • Features
  • Testing
  • Contact
  • Treatment Info
    • DesBio Treatment Facts
    • My Treatments
    • Treatment Blog

Parasites & Protozoans - The Eosinophil connection (How To Tell If You Have Parasites)

9/12/2014

14 Comments

 
I've received many of the same questions from those around me, and it's all been fair questions, but one I didn't know how to answer.

The basic question/s are "Why are you doing so bad again now, when you used to be better? How are you worse now than you were 2 years ago? What's happening?"

Well, I don't really know. I mean, I know why, and it's because I have been fighting like hell through a relapse while simultaneously trying to kill these parasitic infections in my body. However I can't tell you why this is so hard in comparison to other treatments I've done. Trust me, I did not estimate it being this hard. I do not make this statement lightly, but treating the parasites & protozoans has been the toughest part of my entire treatment. Harder than the Lyme & harder than the Bartonella, the C Diff, or any of the viruses. No one could have prepared me, I was very naive when I went into this.

Back in May I was doing SO good (well, good by my standards) before I began this, and it was just a slow little slip downward, coming to what I consider rock bottom yesterday.

I thought I would use this time to briefly discuss some clinical lab tests that are ran which can show you the level of parasitic infections in the body. Since 2007 my physicians have been checking a specific thing in my body called eosinophils. The eosinophil count is often indicative of having a parasitic infection. I took to asking my wise and well educated friend Clay Brown to explain this to you all:

As you know, eosinophils are a type of immune system cell knows as granulocytes. The most common granulocyte is neutrophils, and then there are eosinophils, basophils, and then mast cells. Mast cells are most commonly known for releasing histamine during a reaction of some type... They get their name because they are the "suicide bombers" of the immune system. Each type produces different proteins, enzymes, and cytokines. When the immune system is activated, either by trauma or infection, ganulocytes are stimulated to be produced in the bone marrow. They then travel to the site of trauma or infection and degranulate, or "explode" really. This releases all those enzymes, proteins, cytokines, etc, in hopes of killing bacteria or marking them to be killed by other immune system cells.

Now, it was long hypothesized, and later proven that in parasitic infections, the immune system will produce more granulocytes. This leads in turn to more degranulation by the cells themselves... In the case of eosinophils, one major molecule they release is the Eosinophil Catatonic Protein, or ECP.

Now it's odd, but for some reason in some individuals with certain infections, the Total Eosinophil count will be higher. This number is what you'd see on a CBC blood test... Sadly, modern medicine just calls this Hyper-Eosinophilic Syndrome, or HES. Now having HES does not mean that the person will have a high ECP, but almost always they do... I've even read of some NIH studies on people where they classified them as having HES and the individual was later diagnosed with Babesia. (Link here to study)

So, a normal ECP value for a healthy individual should be less than 10... In people with babesia or other parasitic infections, that number will be much much higher. This is really the reason LLMD's will check an ECP number to monitor such activity for infections and things.



Pretty interesting huh? My eosinophils have been chronically high. Like off the charts high. Higher then the high level on the scale most of the time it was checked. Eosinophils can be raised a bit due to allergies, but my allergies aren't that debilitating to have ever warranted that drastic amount of lab results. It was pretty obvious I had parasites and/or Protozoas going on in my body (infections like Babesia & Protomyxzoa are considered Protozoas & essentially a parasite). So in a sense I shouldn't have been shocked when treatment began & it was so tough, but still... I'm such an optimist I never am totally prepared. I always think that I will be the exception & have an easy time. Hey, at least I'm positive right?

Anyway, after a long fight we checked my levels again, and much to my hearts joy I saw the levels went down DRASTICALLY. I haven't seen levels this low ever, and my mouth dropped when I saw the screen. It was so encouraging to see that all the hard tough days were worth it.

Picture
Visual reference of my levels through the months/years compared to now
What does this tell me? It tells me my fight is doing what I need it to, and to not give up. I can't give up now, I have to finish what I started so this can never ever get a leg up on me again. I have to keep the momentum going until everything is cleared out, which means until I feel well, and then many months after that (you can never be too sure). Now is do or die as I say, and I have to power through and stay focused on the goal at the end. My health.

I've lost a ton of weight during this, I'm back down to a lowely 92lbs and dropping, but that's the name of the game with parasites. They fight me for my food, especially when I'm trying to kill them off. They want to survive, so whatever I eat, they take half. Greedy little things right? If any of you have advice for weight gaining supplements please do message me or leave a comment. Sticking with the Lyme diet and trying to gain weight is quite a task if I do say so myself.

Thanks for reading, and as always, keep fighting!

xoxo,
- Christina


14 Comments
Krystle link
9/17/2014 03:22:31 am

Hey, I'm not sure if you ever received an email I sent you but in it I'm pretty sure I talked about my struggle with weight as well. It's a non issue for me now. I'm not sure how strict you are with carbs but for me adding low glycemic beans in my diet helped me to gain weight and stabilize my blood sugar. I use unsweetened hemp and pea protein also. Coconut oil and seeds helped a ton too. I'm sure this all isn't anything new to you as you are a researcher as well:). Glad you are making progress with killing them! I know the herx is incredibly hard. That's my biggest struggle with any treatment. Take care.

Reply
Christina
9/17/2014 06:32:56 pm

Hi there! I remember your email & I remember replying but if you did not receive but I apologize! Yes you are so right, the herx is the hardest part to get through. Once it passes though the relief is like none other! I will need to look into pea protein to a add more calories in, I appreciate that suggestion! Where did you find your recipe ideas when you were trying to gain weight? Not having an appetite makes it tricky but I'm looking up some shakes that I can hopefully stomach which could be helpful. Thanks for your info & keep up the fight!
Xo

Reply
Krystle link
9/18/2014 02:42:31 am

Hey:) I didn't ever recieve it, weird. This is where I get my protein http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-organic-certified-organic-pea-protein-powder-non-gmo-1-lb-454-grams-pwdr.
They now have organic! I love this site and get a lot off it. Im not sure if you have used them or not but they always have some kind of coupon code to use. The no appetite must be hard. It's crazy how we all experience different symptoms.
This is where I first got all my recipes from
http://forum.wholeapproach.com/category-topics/recipes
It is a site for those fighting candida so the diet is similar to fighting most infections. Hope it helps!

Su
6/30/2021 10:56:05 am

I can't relate to any of you ladies! I've been fighting Babs, Bartonella and Lyme for 15 years. My weight has never been higher, my Eosinophils have never been lower. I have no idea what to do....

Reply
Lauren
11/24/2015 05:21:15 pm

Hey Christina,

I'm curious how high your eosinophil count was. I haven't really felt well for about two years but recently my health has declined dramatically. I've been bed ridden for about two months now. My doctor tested my eosinophil and it was at 22. I tested negative for Lyme but I also had high C4a levels. Also, my stool sample showed no parasites. I haven't really been officially diagnosed with anything yet. I'm curious what your eosinophil count was and how you figured out you had parasites! Thanks <3

Reply
Christina
12/3/2015 12:01:44 am

Hi Lauren! A couple of questions, have you had some of the stool tests done from places like Doctor's Data? They tend to be a bit more specific then those done at hospitals, etc. Sometimes they can pick up on things! Also, some parasites are blood born, so for example Babesia is considered a parasitic infection. These can all mess with eosinophils.
A good way to know is to do a test with some herbs and see if you respond. For example, try taking anti-parasitic herbs (some people use artemesinin, or a blend), and if you have a herxheimer reaction then it's a good indicator of some kind of parasitic component. I suspected it due to my G.I issues, some of my symptoms, and my high Eosinophils. I treated it and I herxed terribly so that was another clear indicator for me!

Reply
Jill
3/6/2018 10:45:16 pm

I have had “FMS” for 25 years.
Always tested neg for Lymes BUT....
I was going through a 5 week period of bad vertigo so my doc ordered my lab work to test for Lymes and Babesia using the lab at Stanford instead of a local ordinary lab. He said most labs are only 60% accurate on Lymes testing but the lab at Stanford is 100%.
When they tested for Babesia it came back 160. A result of just 40 indicates active infection. So I am in the process of multiple antibiotics and herxing reactions. My temperature is always between 99 an 100. I have had a problem for years where I sweat from my neck up really bad. I have horrible dreams both Babesia symptoms along with body pain.
My CRP was over 4.
So I am currently in the middle of the battle.
On a another note about two years ago I was miserable in my gut. It felt like Gnawing sensation which was uncomfortable. At times my lower abdomen felt like small constant wiggly feeling. I felt bloated and my low gut just felt weighty. I tried a parasite cleanse which had black walnut extract, wormwood, as top ingredients as well as adding garlic, tumerick, pumpkin seeds, and diatemactious earth.
The herxing started and had a cleansing of my gut that would prove unbelievable. I won’t get gross but it included, a variety of flukes, in stages of size to colors. Some about 2 inches. Others were rope worms and a few I can’t name as well as a lot of candida. The sensation in my gut completely cleared up. But I continued treatment for sometime and found results of them at one time with hundreds at an early stage being 1/4” no doubt from eggs that were not effected earlier. .
I periodically cleanse. But FYI my stool test for parasites with obvious ones present came back negative so you can not trust that lab results. Not sure what they are expecting but they couldn’t see the Forrest for the trees so to speak.
That is separate from the tic borne pathogens which are much harder to eradicate especially if you have had it for a long time. I lived in Oregon and also in Maine. Now am in California and just turned 60 but feel pretty defeated and like my good days are no more. I was an RN but had to retire from nursing about nine years ago because of my health.
The best thing I can say is to pay attention to your symptoms. And request a Lymes and Babesia test to be done at a more hi tech facility. I think his lab was Igenix.
And for gut parasites take a cleanse supplement you can get from a health food store or supplements on line that has black walnut extract and wormwood as top ingredients with highest dose per capsule possible and read up on line on other things that you can take. Once you loose your health it can be a long road back.

Reply
Michelle
5/17/2018 09:59:32 pm

Hi there,

My 5 year old daughter was diagnosed with Guardia parasite in January and I treated her with a natural worming and parasite cleanse that had wormwood amongst other things in it. She seemed to improve and started eating better and put the 2kg she had lost back on. Then 3 months after the initial treatment I did another treatment just to make sure in case it had come back. And 3 days after that treatment she also had another blood test which came back with moderately high eosinophils in her blood. Everything else was normal. Do you believe this positive eosinophil result could have been because she still has the parasite, or do you think it could be because the blood test was done 3 days after the treatment and her body was in the 'die off' phase meaning her body would've have had lots of inflammation because of this? I will need to get her blood retested when she is feeling well (she has a runny nose at the moment so I cant get the test done until she is feeling better), but in the meantime I am very worried as many websites also suggest raised eosinophils could be linked to cancer and this scares me!

Thanks for your time and I look forward to hearing to opinion.
Michelle

Reply
Christina
5/17/2018 10:07:49 pm

Hi there! It is the most likely that since it was so soon after the treatment that it is due to die off. It takes the body a little bit of time for the eosinophils to normalize or lower, because the overall body inflammation has to go down too. So I dont think it is anything to be worried about yet, especially if physically she is feeling better, improving & gaining weight. Getting another test when she is feeling better and some time has passed (2-4 weeks) will be much more helpful! It is hard when you search the internet and see all these scary articles discussing what else it can be linked to, but if she is feeling better then that is a good sign to me that you are headed in the right direction! I'm sending prayers for your sweet little girl!

Reply
Michelle
5/21/2018 12:35:15 am

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. You have eased my mind somewhat. I have also come across articles that suggest Guardia does not affect ones eosinophils count, but then others that say it does. What do you think? And yes, when she is over her cold I will get her re tested (they also want to re test her poo to see if the parasite has cleared up and do a Celiac test whilst we are at it to rule out that as a possible cause of inflammation). And yes, it is very scary when you read things on line. I find its always best to ask people like yourself who have more knowledge in the area for their opinions! Thanks once again for your help!

Greg Azran link
4/13/2020 04:46:05 pm

Christina, I never heard about ECP. Adding your post to our queue on our group. We post updates daily about Lyme and Co-infections: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lymecochronicdisease/

Reply
R C M
6/30/2020 01:27:53 am

Hello Christina!

First off, thank you so much for posting this thorough account of your experience with parasites and high eosinophils. Can you please describe to me the symptoms you experienced when you were herxing? I am determined to treat these bugs, but what should I be expecting re the herx? lol...Did you find that your symptoms just increased significantly or did new symptoms or fever arise too?

Today I was told that my eosinophil level was at 12.5 which is considerably high, because it should really be at 3 or lower on the test I did, according to my naturo doc. I have just started on anti-parasitic herbs for treatment and will continue for 2-3 weeks and hopefully we will see these numbers go down.

I too have experienced weight loss without trying to lose weight, so I believe it is a parasite or maybe a few of them at play! Hopefully you and I will both gain our weight back over time! Good health and healing vibes! <3

Jen

Reply
Dave
3/26/2021 08:37:35 pm

This is a great post and thanks for taking the time to write it. I have Hashimto's and have been unable to tolerate my thyroid meds probably due to the chronic inflammation by mold and parasites. My ECP numbers have been going up the past year and more recently have reached the upper end of the test limits.

Here's a screenshot from my last diagnostic (ECP is 37).

https://snipboard.io/TtBMz3.jpg

I did a 4 week round of Ivermectin a few months ago and this didn't change any of my ECP numbers it seems. My doc put me back on it again and this time wants me to try it for a few months. My symptoms have gotten worse and not sure what my next move should be but I thought I would reach out and ask a few questions.

What treatment did you find helped you? Was there anything over the counter you found helpful in addition to your medication?

Thanks!

Reply
Jean Blevins
3/5/2022 12:46:03 pm

Thank u for all info.i know this is for humans but.. My dog has high eosinophils and i think he has lymes that is not detectable. My vets solution is to deworm him. He has has several lyme tests negative. He has some of the same symptoms his sister had and she died frim lymes
Her kidneys shut. Down. What tests could i have done. TY Jean

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Subscribe To Updates Below

    * indicates required
    /* real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups */

    Intuit Mailchimp


    Follow @ladyoflyme

    Follow Lady Of Lyme (@ladyoflyme)

    10.2k Followers, 618 Following, 51 Posts - Follow (@ladyoflyme)


    Categories

    All
    Crohn's
    Educational Posts & Info
    Gift Guides
    Giveaways & FREE Resources
    Health/Life Updates
    Interviews & Features
    Lyme Awareness
    Quiz & Polls
    Reflective Thoughts
    Things About Me

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    May 2025
    March 2022
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011

© 2011 Lady of Lyme™. All Rights Reserved.

Terms and Conditions  - Privacy Policy
Connect with me:
Facebook
Twitter
Contact   About   Email Me


Lady of Lyme is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.