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Holistic Medicine

The difference between conventional and naturopathic healthcare

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Up until my recent health issues, I did not know much about naturopathic (or functional) medicine.  A lot of people dismiss its effectiveness and don’t consider it an option compared to the type of doctors and care we are accustomed to in conventional medicine.  But, as I’ve come to discover firsthand, conventional healthcare does not pair well with uncovering and overcoming chronic illness.  See my other post here on my health journey using both the holistic and conventional routes.

What is naturopathic healthcare?

Naturopathic medicine does not necessarily mean only natural treatments are considered.  Traditional treatments, such as prescription medicine, can still be considered if needed.  Naturopathic care considers more treatment options in addition to traditional care, and emphasizes the body’s own healing abilities and identifying the root cause of illness.

For example, my naturopathic doctor prescribed me Valtrex, as it may inhibit the replication of the Epstein-Barr virus, and we considered an SSRI to increase serotonin levels in the brain.  The goal was to not rely on these medicines long term.  Ideally my body and immune system should be able to fight and get itself out of the ditch it is in, but if there really is no improvement, then it is time to consider throwing a ladder in there for some temporary assistance.  

Naturopathic medicine strives for holistic healing.  The whole person, including the body, mind, and spirit, are considered.  Each person and their health is unique, and it is important to not treat as if the patient is just an average person, or some statistic you read about.  

The six principles of naturopathic medicine are:

The Six Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
From https://aanmc.org/6-principles/
  1. First Do No Harm
    Core to all medical practice is the desire to help the human form and condition. NDs (naturopathic doctors) typically approach care by utilizing the most natural, least invasive and least toxic therapies. NDs will refer when the patient’s presentation is outside their scope or level of skill.
  2. The Healing Power of Nature
    NDs recognize the value of our natural world in assisting the healing process. Not only do NDs utilize substances that originate in nature, but they also incorporate a healthy natural environment as foundational to human health. NDs recognize and harness the body’s inherent wisdom to heal itself in order to guide patients to wellness and total health.
  3. Identify and Treat the Causes
    There is a time and place for symptom suppression, however most naturopathic patients will benefit from identifying the underlying causes of illness and removing obstacles to cure.
  4. Doctor as Teacher
    Naturopathic doctors elevate patient health literacy. That means that NDs are part of the team helping patients have a better understanding of what it takes to be and stay well. Through education and a trust-based relationship, patients better understand the steps they need to take to achieve and maintain health.
  5. Treat the Whole Person
    NDs understand the interconnectedness of our body, our environment and our lifestyle on total health. It is only through this whole-person-based approach that NDs seek to restore balance and health.
  6. Prevention
    Naturopathic medicine affirms that it is better to prevent illness and suffering whenever possible. Through their comprehensive practice, NDs combine all six principles in order to identify potential areas of imbalance and teach patients how to get well and stay well.

What is conventional medicine?

Did you know that the origins of conventional medicine is based on infectious disease or health emergencies?  The premise was: Find the bug that caused the issue, and develop a drug just for that purpose.  Which is fine for acute care, but what about some chronic illnesses?  What about restoring the proper balance and function of all your body and the systems within it? 

The conventional medicine approach to chronic illness, whether that be hypertension or chronic fatigue or something else, is to identify the dominant symptom the patient is suffering from, and to take a drug to treat this dominant symptom.  In other words, treat the effect of the illness, and not the ultimate cause. Continuing to take drugs to mask a symptom means that you never quite get over a chronic illness, regardless of what drug it is you are taking.  It simply persists, and potentially can get worse.

It’s true that there is a need for drugs in chronic illness — they can definitely help manage symptoms.  Another example is if Lyme disease is caught early, then antibiotics are more effective. But, its probably best to use fewer medications, for a shorter period of time.  It gets tricky when multiple drugs are prescribed to treat various dominant symptoms.  Combining multiple drugs and their ranges of side effects that may not emerge until long-term use, is a real risk.

Conventional medicine aims to treat dominant symptoms, typically by prescribing medicine.
Pills pills pills for symptom management

I’m not saying conventional medicine is all bad!  But, I’ve learned that there are specific scenarios where its care will absolutely address the issue, and those scenarios unfortunately do not include struggles with Reactivated Epstein-Barr / Chronic Lyme Disease / Fibromyalgia / Chronic Fatigue / Adrenal Fatigue / mold toxicity.

How do appointment lengths differ?

With the exception of my initial intake appointment with the rheumatologist, my visits with conventional care doctors typically last 15 minutes, at a maximum.  I think we can all agree that appointments always feel rushed!

My naturopathic doctor visits last 30 – 45 minutes.  This is consistent across the three NDs I’ve seen in the past year.  Having said that…there’ve been many cases where I wait a while because they tend to run behind – my guess is because they are spending so much time with their patients and run over their appointment time!

Will insurance pay for naturopathic healthcare providers?

It really depends on your insurance plan.  I was fortunate in that my plan has great coverage and considers naturopathic doctor visits no different than any other preventative care visit at the conventional doctor.  

In terms of bloodwork and labs, most basic labs were covered by my plan.  My ND was transparent when first bringing up a test, mentioning how much it usually costs. What was not covered in my plan?  Adrenal testing, specialized Lyme testing, mold testing.

Something else to keep in mind is there’s a possibility that the naturopathic practice will require additional out-of-pocket payment in the form of a concierge fee.  

What is a “concierge” model?

Conventional doctors tend to spend a short time with patients due to the amount of insurance reimbursement they will receive.  As mentioned above, a naturopathic doctor spends much more time on average with each patient, even supporting patients outside of the office, including answering questions, discussing and brainstorming treatment options with other NDs.  Unfortunately, insurance companies aren’t keen on spending more than the absolute minimum.  So, the naturopathic doctor may charge a membership fee to provide this comprehensive care.

With the first ND I saw, their concierge model was either a monthly membership fee, or a per-visit fee.  The membership included:

  • Direct access to our doctors: email/pager access
  • Monthly InBody BIA analysis
  • Six B12 injections
  • Free shipping from online dispensary
  • Priority scheduling with your physician
  • Same-day appointments if needed or within 48 hours
  • Discounted lab work and other services

Different membership tiers were offered.  Keep in mind that all practices will be different!  I wanted to include my experience as an example.

I personally appreciated the ability to call my ND’s direct voicemail, leave a message, and she would return my call the next day, sometimes just later that same day.  I’ve tried to connect with my ‘primary care provider’ with a conventional practice before in the past, and it is less direct of an experience — usually getting connected with the nurse practitioner instead.

Here’s a comparison of the care I’ve received for a bad, prolonged cough (at different times):

  • Conventional: prescribed codeine cough syrup
  • Naturopathic: prescribed codeine cough syrup, bronchial tincture, and used a nebulizer (with garlic)

I do want to reiterate that just because you’ve found a doctor who provides naturopathic care, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still look for a good fit!  And that goes the same the other way too — maybe you’ve found a great conventional care doctor who tries to get the root cause of the issue. It’s overall still important to find a good match and find a provider who is experienced, knowledgeable, will listen, and displays empathy.

What are your experiences with naturopathic vs conventional healthcare?  I would love to hear about it.

The healing power of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

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Taking deep breaths has numerous benefits for our bodies and minds.  From decreasing stress, relieving pain, and boosting the immune system, its such an easy and important way for us to replenish ourselves!  It always feels so good to just step outside for a walk (especially in the crisp Fall weather — my favorite!)  So, when I first heard about hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a potential Lyme treatment, I was immediately drawn to it.  Just breathing?  And no needles?  Bonus!

What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

The goal of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is to increase the amount of oxygen your blood carries, which is then delivered to all parts of the body.  The concentrated oxygen gets deep into the tissues and blood, and oxygen promotes tissue repair, healing, and assists in fighting infection by killing viruses and disabling the toxins of certain bacteria.  If you’re also taking vitamins and supplements, HBOT boosts the impact of the nutrients because it drives it further into your tissues.

The therapy involves inhaling 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber, which is one of the fundamental aspects of the therapy.  It is the pressurization that increases the amount of oxygen your blood can absorb, a benefit that going to an oxygen bar will not provide.

HBOT is used for many conditions — many covered by insurance, but many not (typical for Lyme…)  Some of the on-label conditions, which are potentially covered by insurance, that are treated by HBOT include:

  • Carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation
  • Crush injuries
  • Decompression sickness
  • Failed skin grafts and flaps
  • Necrotizing infections
  • Radiation tissue damage
  • Nonhealing wounds
  • Thermal burns

And some off-label conditions include:

  • Arthritis
  • Cancer
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Lyme disease (The bacteria associated with Lyme disease is anaerobic—it cannot exist in oxygen!)
  • Migraine
  • Mold toxicity

Fun fact: Did you know HBOT also improves your skin health?!  Increased circulation to the skin promotes cell repair, reduces age spots, saggy skin, and wrinkles.  What a bonus!

Laying back and relaxing during my hyperbaric oxygen therapy dive
Just enjoying a movie while in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber…

What is the difference between a soft-sided and hard-sided chamber?

There are two types of HBOT chambers: soft-sided and hard-sided.  It seems more common to find soft-sided chambers being offered over hard-chambers.  The HBOT chamber is pressurized, so a harder chamber translates to the ability to achieve a higher level of pressurization.  Soft chambers can only be pressurized to about 1.3 ATA (atmosphere absolute) which corresponds to about 9.9 feet of depth, while hard chambers can reach 3.0 ATA, or about 66 feet of depth.

Low pressure levels unfortunately cannot facilitate as much healing.  There are specific situations where a soft chamber would be beneficial, such as for helping with allergies, but a high pressure is needed to heal tissues and kill harmful bacteria.

In addition to the pressure level, a soft chamber is only able to deliver ambient air, which is around 21% oxygen, whereas a hard chamber has the ability to deliver 100% medical-grade oxygen.

A summary of some of the ways hard and soft-shelled chambers differ in hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Some differences between a hard and soft shelled chamber

Why do some hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers require patients to wear a mask, but some do not?

The chamber can be pressurized by either the 100% oxygen, or with outside, ambient air.  If pressurized with the oxygen, no mask needs to be worn.  However, there are additional precautions that must be taken in this case, such as wearing special clothing, and there is an increased risk of oxygen toxicity.

How often do I need to go?  How long is each ‘dive’?

Your doctor will ultimately be prescribing the frequency of each ‘dive’, and the duration each time.  For Lyme, at least one round of 20 dives is usually prescribed, likely reaching 2.5-3.0 ATA towards your later dives after you have ramped up.

Dives can be 60, 90 or 120 minutes.  There is no set standard for Lyme treatment, but it is common to complete 60-minute dives.  My HBOT doctor recommended that I consider longer dives, ultimately reducing my total number of dives, but maintaining the same total number of hours.  However, my Lyme doctor brought up a concern of the possibility of increased herxing with 120-minute dives, so I instead opted for 90-minute dives as a compromise.

Oxygen toxicity is a potential side effect, especially with longer dives (90 or 120 minutes).  To reduce this risk, breaks of 10 or 15 minutes need to be taken mid-dive.

The healing benefits of HBOT are best realized with frequent dives, going as many days during the week as possible.  My doctor recommended 3 times a week at a minimum, however, because of my availability, I was able to go 6 times a week. While everyone’s treatment protocol is different, see how I ramped up in my first round of dives:

Everyone's treatment plan is different, but this is how I ramped up in pressure and duration during my first set of hyperbaric oxygen therapy dives.
How my HBOT dives ramped up in pressure and duration

What are the risks?

As mentioned above, oxygen toxicity is a risk.  Other high severity risks include: lung damage, rupture of eardrum, and changes in vision.  However, side effects are generally mild, such as fatigue and lightheadedness, if the dive is not longer than two hours, your doctor ramps you up gradually, and gives you breaks if needed.

How much does it cost?

I contacted clinics in the greater Seattle area, specifically looking for one that offered a hard chamber.  Of the three that I found, costs widely varied.  However, all offer packages of dives.  The more you purchase, the cheaper per dive.  All charged a consultation fee ranging from $100-$150, unless you had a referral from your physician.  The below details the costs for the providers I contacted.

An example of the costs for hard-chamber hyperbaric oxygen therapy dives at a few Seattle-area clinics
An example of the costs for hard-chamber HBOT dives at a few Seattle-area clinics

What should I expect during the treatment?

Even though HBOT is a safe treatment, I was a bit nervous.  My Lyme doctor told me about how some patients with congested sinuses can experience an intense discomfort, sometimes feeling like their teeth will explode.  Woah.  Obviously no explosions will actually occur, but yikes.  My fears were pretty unwarranted though, my experience was perfectly uneventful!

Before you get started, your doctor/technician will fit you with a mask.  I personally had two choices of masks: one that was pre-filled with air in the cushiony part that seals around your face, and another where you can add more air.  The first ended up getting deflated and the hard plastic would press against my nose, hurting me during the dive.  Switching to the latter type of mask (child size haha) improved my comfort a lot.  When in a dive under higher pressure, the mask will need to be inflated even more.  There was another patient using a CPAP mask, so really, any mask that allows for the oxygen tubes to be attached will work.

What to expect during the hyperbaric oxygen therapy dive -- its easy and relaxing!
Its an easy and relaxing experience!

The most important tip: keep opening your mouth and popping your ears! I continued to pop my ears when the pressure was increasing, as well as when I was ramping down during the dive.  Most of the impact of the pressure is going to be felt in the initial ramp-up.  In other words, increasing from 1.75 to 2.0 ATA isn’t going to be as noticeably different compared to ramping up to 1.75 ATA.

Another tip: it gets chilly in the chamber, so wear thick clothes and socks.  Even consider gloves and a hat!  I personally went in my puffy jacket.  My doctor also provided a blanket, which helped a lot.

Oh, and go to the bathroom before heading into the chamber!

Will I herx afterwards?

Every body reacts differently!  There’s no standard when it comes to how you will react after a particular treatment.  I personally found accounts of people herxing after HBOT, while my HBOT doctor said his Lyme patients haven’t tended to herx because of the gradual increase of pressure.  

For me, I unfortunately herxed 🙁  Story of my life.  There were a few waves, the first immediately after my initial dive, once I reached the 2.0 ATA pressure range, and then after I reached 2.6 ATA.  I try to remind myself that each time I feel crappy, die-off is occurring!

Does hyperbaric oxygen therapy help?

At this moment, I’m still completing dives in my treatment plan. One case study showed that HBOT at 2.5 ATA with a treatment duration of 90 minutes for 10 sessions led to decreased nervous-system-associated symptoms, with more symptoms disappearing as sessions continued. Since I spent some dives ramping up to the 2.5 ATA range, I’ve just now completed 10 90-minute sessions at 2.5+ ATA.

Even though I’m still in the midst of my dives, my fatigue has improved. While its not entirely resolved, lately I’ve been able to wake up more alert, and with less lower back pain and body exhaustion. I’ll take whatever incremental improvements I can get, and will remain hopeful that the healing continues and I’ll show more improvement as time goes on.

Check out these helpful resources below

As always, this is not medical advice, but me describing my experience and what I’ve learned. Please consult with your doctor for your individualized treatment plan.

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Supportive Oligonucleotide Therapy as a treatment for Lyme disease

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Have you heard of Supportive Oligonucleotide Technique, or SOT, for Lyme treatment?  I first heard about the treatment within a couple weeks of my official diagnosis, and was immediately intrigued.

What is SOT?

SOT is a treatment for cancer and many viruses, like Epstein-Barr, Lyme, and its co-infections.  You may also see it referred to as Antisense Oligonucleotide Technique.  While the technique has been more widely used in Europe, it is still fairly new in the US.  SOT involves molecules specific to an individual’s DNA, and these molecules prevent a pathogen from further replicating.  The RGCC lab (http://www.rgcc-group.com/) in Greece is the only lab that prepares the SOT molecules.

How does it work?

Like the cells in our bodies, Lyme bacteria (spirochetes) replicates, having a life cycle of around 80 days.  Each pathogen has a specific section of DNA that is fundamental to the cell’s function.  SOT involves the creation of small molecules customized to an individual’s species of Lyme bacteria, acting as a key that disrupts this specific, important portion of the DNA. Note that species is different from strain — species means the bacteria itself, such as Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia mayonii, Borrelia afzelii. Each species can be one of various strains. For example, the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto species in the US may include the Borrelia burgdorferi B31 or Borrelia burgdorferi 297 strains.

Typically, protective Lyme biofilm needs to be broken down in order to attack the spirochetes, but the SOT molecules are small enough to penetrate the biofilm.  This ultimately shuts off the ability of the Lyme cell to replicate.  The SOT molecules then remain active in the bloodstream, attacking other Lyme cells 24/7, for 24-28 weeks — that’s six months!  Once the replication sequences of the Lyme cells have been shut down, the next generation of pathogens are eliminated.  This, combined with the die-off due to the life-cycle of the existing Lyme bacteria, means eventually there is no pathogen left!

When should one consider SOT?

This was one of my first questions when I initially heard of SOT.  It was early in my Lyme treatment, so should I be trying antibiotics (the “traditional” route) first?  Is it only after I’ve tried treatment x and y that I try SOT?  Ultimately, based on many Lyme sufferer’s personal accounts, while there is no specific sequence of treatment steps to follow before considering SOT, one message was clear: the earlier the better.  There is little downside to trying this treatment.

For me, I’m used to running experiments on webpages, isolating one variable to change in order to measure the impact of this change.  Shouldn’t I view SOT similarly, treating with just this method and seeing if it has been effective?  Not at all.  My perspective had to evolve.  This isn’t a controlled experiment — all possible variables are not taken into account.  What’s important is that my entire holistic treatment plan is effective for my healing.  Attacking Lyme with a multi-pronged approach, including SOT, herbal remedies, potentially antibiotics, and other treatments is a comprehensive treatment program.  Which leads me to…

What other treatments can be considered to assist and boost healing after SOT?

While I have not yet personally pursued these, my SOT doctor recommended both:

  1. Ozone therapy, specifically the hyperbaric 10-pass ozone treatment 2x a week, for five weeks.
  2. Exosome therapy.  Exosomes allow for cells to communicate with each other.  This therapy involves giving cells new information from exosomes that promote proper cell function and effective, coordinated healing.

Its not uncommon to feel crappy initially.

First off, everyone’s experience is different.  Some people do not experience a noticeable impact, whether that be negative or positive, in the first weeks afterwards.

As of writing this, I’m exactly one month post-SOT.  I’ll have to update on how I feel as time goes on, but I can speak to my experience during the first month.

The first night, I felt feverish and had difficulty sleeping (oOo my immune system is activated!), but this wasn’t an issue the next day.  

My first week afterwards was about the same as my usual baseline symptoms.  The second, third, and fourth weeks were pretty bad though, consisting of flareups that lasted a week, feeling better for a couple days, followed by a stretch of increased severity symptoms again.  Prior to SOT, I’m typically able to identify a trigger event for a flare-up, such as a supplement change, strenuous exercise, or too much back-to-back activity.  However, during this first post-SOT month, it’s been extremely difficult for me to discern exactly what the culprit is.  To me, that’s a pretty clear indicator that my flareups aren’t due to one specific trigger event, but my body experiencing a herx.

But…aren’t herx reactions only when there are die-offs of the Lyme bacteria, yet SOT isn’t exactly killing the pathogen…?  I asked my SOT doctor about this, and was told that die off of an entire generation of pathogen can still cause herxing even if its not necessarily killing off the pathogen.

It can take months for one to feel an improvement.

Others have noted significant improvements in as little as a few weeks, but the majority report feeling an improvement in symptoms towards 4-6 months afterward.  And, many also seem to need two SOT treatments. Everyone is different!  There are still accounts where patients ultimately did not experience much improvement after all, at least after the first SOT.

Like many things Lyme, this is not inexpensive.

There are multiple components of the entire treatment cost.  

A breakout of the different costs involved in SOT for Lyme
Breakout of the costs associated with SOT for Lyme

Lyme test results: In order to proceed with SOT, you will need a Lyme test result confirming you are indeed positive for the virus (within six months).  This test result can be obtained via labs such as IGeneX, MDL, Armin Labs, where each lab has its strengths depending on which bacteria or co-infection is to be detected, or can be completed using the PrimeSpot test through RGCC’s affiliate lab.  There is a significant variance in the cost, depending on the chosen lab and panel. I personally used IGeneX’s Lyme ImmunoBlot Panel 1 (IB1). This did not include co-infections, and in hindsight, had I known more, I probably would have opted for an even more comprehensive panel to rule out co-infections as well.

RGCC lab fee for SOT preparation:  This involves RGCC actually creating the SOT molecules from your blood sample.  The preparation cost will range from $1,400-$1,600, varying due to the current US-Greek exchange rate.  

SOT administration:  After the SOT molecules have been prepared by RGCC, your SOT-trained doctor will then administer this treatment.  Ultimately, this cost will vary by doctor. 

I have heard accounts of the cost (exclusive of testing) ranging from $2500-$4000.  In my case, my SOT ND charged $1000 for the SOT consultation and administration, on top of the $1508 RGCC-preparation cost.

Unfortunately, insurance will not likely cover this treatment, but make sure to double check with your plan!

What are some questions to ask when evaluating whether to move forward with SOT treatment with your doctor?

The SOT Facebook group helped me narrow down the questions to ask my SOT doctor.  Here’s an idea for a start, and my ND’s response to them during the consultation:

Questions that I asked my doctor when evaluating whether to proceed with SOT for Lyme
Some questions I asked my doctor when evaluating SOT for Lyme

What should I expect?

Timeline

The timeline for my Lyme SOT treatment. Everyone's will be slightly different, so this is just one way it may pan out.
Your timeline will likely be different, but this is how my timing went.

My appointment for the SOT administration ideally would have been right after the doctor received it, but he had recommended that I schedule it six weeks out after Fedex-ing the blood sample out, in case of shipping / processing delays. So, your timeline may be shorter than this!

The actual procedure

For the actual administration of the SOT, it was fairly straightforward and quick. See the few steps detailed here!
Steps involved during the SOT administration
  1. Take oral antihistamine (Zyrtec).  Lowers the chance of an allergic reaction.
  2. IV goes in.  Ouchy time.  Remember to hydrate the day beforehand so that your veins will be nice and available for the needle 🙂 
  3. Begin administering saline via IV
  4. Steroid given via IV.  Tightens the vein walls to minimize leakage of the small SOT molecules.  We want these molecules to not escape and flow out of the veins!  For me, this step took less than one minute.
  5. SOT molecules administered via IV.  For me, this step took four minutes.

The entire time from IV with saline in, to saline done and IV taken out, was approximately 22 minutes.

Where can I find a doctor who offers SOT for Lyme?

The FB group had a document listing practitioners that offered SOT for Lyme, which is how I found my doctor in Portland, OR.  Some have mentioned receiving a list of practitioners from RGCC, but after emailing the USA RGCC offices twice and not receiving a response, I gave up on that idea.  To find a local doctor, you can also try cold calling the ND offices in your area.

Some resources to consider…

As always, none of my posts are meant to be taken as medical advice. I’m summarizing my experience and information that I’ve learned along the way. Be sure to consult with your doctor for your individual treatment plan!

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My healthcare journey in conventional versus naturopathic medicine

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After my “you are just recovering from mono” diagnosis, being told to just rest, and waiting more than eight months to “get over it”, I began becoming disillusioned by the conventional care doctor I’d been seeing for years (a provider at Swedish health care in the Seattle area).  Once my symptoms got worse and I developed joint pains, and on the recommendation of my physical therapist, I looked into the naturopathic option more and more. I realized that for someone suffering from chronic health issues, it really didn’t seem like conventional medicine was going to cut it. Time to continue on in my healthcare journey.

I kept an open mind before my first visit with the rheumatologist. I figured there was no harm in moving forward with both the holistic route as well as the conventional route — why shouldn’t I concurrently see both and have a coordinated approach to my treatment?

Take a look at my “diagnoses” and solutions along each path.  While I’ll never know what would have happened had I continued on the conventional care path, an emerging pattern is clear – prescription drugs to cover up symptoms and lack of both knowledge and recognition of chronic illnesses like Lyme, Reactivated Epstein-Barr, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Adrenal fatigue, and mold exposure. The root cause of my illness was never investigated.

Here's a comparison of my healthcare journey in identifying my chronic health issues. Conventional care ended up providing a bandaid solution to cover up symptomss, as opposed to treating the root cause.
My own healthcare journey with conventional vs naturopathic healthcare. Such different outcomes!

The biggest takeaway for me was to continue searching for a treatment that works for my healing and to keep fighting for myself.  Don’t give up!

I can’t imagine the shape I’d be in if I stopped and settled with my rheumatologist.  Would I be taking Plaquenil forever?  What would happen to my body if Lyme was left untreated for more years to come? If I hadn’t continued pursuing what the root cause of my illness was, I wouldn’t have discovered the root cause and discovered all the benefits of oxygen therapy, ozone therapy, Supportive Oligonucleotide Therapy, herbal and natural treatments. I’ll never know if my body would’ve been fine with managing my symptoms using prescription medicine. But, I’m confident that focusing on holistic healing and solving the root cause of the problem is a win for my health.

What does your own healthcare journey look like?