Healing gut / healing Lyme

Hi Manzanita2 -

First, I'm sorry you're struggling with these GI symptoms - I definitely know what you're going through - many of us here have the GI problems. But you're asking the right questions so it's a good start.

And yes, GI issues are very common w/ Lyme & Co and this is before people start taking abx and other treatment. The microbes can get into the gut and cause mechanical problems, cause imbalance in the gut biome, which is so important for proper absorption and digestion and immune function since 70% of your immune system IS your gut.

I also flipped back-and-forth between diarrhea and constipation. It's hard for me to pinpoint the cause because I had SO MUCH going on. I suspect it was the result of yeast/fungal overgrowth and die off, babesia and bart and reactions to treatment and leaky gut.

But it's really, really helpful to pause a bit and heal your gut. Fully healing your gut takes a VERY long time - sometimes years. But it's not necessary to completely heal to start treatment. What I did was stop all treatment for 3 months and I ate only whole, organic, GMO-free, chemical-free liquid/purreed veggies during this time, a lot of bone broth, frequent but very small meals. I also was working with an integrative gastroenterologist and he gave me a good food powder and enzymes and healing supplements which I know were helpful. But most helpful was stopping all the tx and cutting out most foods and slowing everything down.

Once my GI recovered a bit (after a couple wks) I started on a good gut binder at VERY low doses.

And only toward the end of my 3 wks did I start reintroducing solid foods - again, very small amounts but multiple times a day. I still had the broths. No roughage - nothing that required heavy digestion (no animal meats, no beans). And no dairy, no sugar, no processed foods.

And after a few months as long as you're making progress, I'd go ahead and start re-introducing your treatment protocol ONE component at a time at very low doses and as long as you don't have any significant herxing, I'd continue increasing doses and adding more components VERY slowly and continue healing your GI.

We've had a lot of good conversations here and there is a ton of gut healing info on the web so there are some good sources for the details once you figure out your approach.

Good luck - please let us know how you're doing.

-p

PeteZa, I started having the gut symptoms three years ago before anyone knew what was wrong with me. I just got diagnosed with Lyme last week actually. But I've suspected Lyme for the last six months.

Thanks Pirouette, you've given me a lot to look in to. For one it may be my diet has not been strict enough. I don't eat gluten but I've never been able to go completely sugar-free for more than a few weeks. I cook for a family that includes teenagers and sometimes I find it near impossible to resist a nibble of some of the foods I make for them. I guess I need to get serious and figure out a better cooking arrangement among other things.

Post Edited (Manzanita2) : 8/10/2017 9:11:29 PM (GMT-6)

Oh I love Dr Axe, PeteZa! Good article. Thanks.

I've been thinking I'd like to try bone broth. I just don't know where to get it. I never thought of ordering it. I've looked for organic cuts of bone-in beef at the local grocery stores so I can make my own but never see any.

Manzanita2 said...
So, my question is, if Lyme Disease is what's causing my digestive issues, how can I fully heal my gut before I heal the Lyme? This whole concept seems a bit like a Catch 22 to me. What am I misunderstanding?

A great argument could be made that your digestive issues caused your Lyme Disease or at least allowed it to progress.