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Meg Mangin R.N.
Research Team
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Posted: Sun Dec 4th, 2005 02:36 |
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What is neurological immunopathology?
Inflammation from intracellular bacteria can affect many areas of the brain. Dr. Brian Fallon's borreliosis study (yet to be published) found from SPECT data that the main metabolic changes in the brain were in the region of the parahippocampal gyrus. This area is responsible for receiving sensory input from the outside world, integrating it, and projecting it onto the hippocampus (memory) and Amygdala (fear, aggression, mood).
"Another thing doctors should understand is that in the case of nearly every patient, immunopathology occurs in the brain. This means that during much of the treatment, patients are not thinking properly and have psychological issues. These mental reactions should not cause doctors to question the stability of the patient, but instead it should be understood that every patient will experience a certain level of confusion, anxiety and neurological symptoms while on the MP." ~Greg Blaney, MD
Stimulation of the brain by the increased inflammation of immunopathology can cause many of the neurological symptoms that are so bothersome to folks with Th1 inflammation.
Neurological symptoms may include:
seizures
depression
irritability
aggressiveness
vivid dreams
compulsions
disturbing thoughts
obsessing
lack of concentration
‘brain fog’
loss of memory
poor judgement
confusion
anger (Lyme rage)
mood swings
inattentiveness
poor problem-solving
fear
anxiety
depressive disorders
psychosis
insomnia
Seizures
In my opinion, seizure disorders are very common in Th1 diseases. However, frank grand mal seizures are the least common. Variants of petit mal, 'spacing out', loss of train of thought, muscle twitches, restless leg syndrome etc are all seizure disorders. The 'blacking out' that I have described and which are not uncommon as immune system reactions, are seizures, IMO. Also, emotional outbursts, again common in Th1 diseases, may be temporal lobe seizures. ~Greg Blaney, MD
-Because seizures are caused by the Th1 immune pathogens, EVERY epilepsy drug will affect the immune system in a way which will retard or halt progress to cure. It is clear that epilepsy is only controlled by either
1. getting rid of the pathogens, or
2. a lifetime of immune suppression
Dr. Trevor Marshall, Ph.D
Assessing symptoms
When assessing neuro symptoms, fog, clarity, tiredness, moods etc are quite different to assessing physical immunopathology which we may be more aware of, and are just as important as part of the assessment as the physical.
Adequate eye protection is essential
Dr Marshall wrote: "The short-term consequences of not wearing adequate eye protection will be an increase in neurological symptoms caused by stimulation of the Amygdala in the brain. These neurological symptoms include fatigue, irritability, aggressiveness, lack of concentration, brain fog, photosensitivity, transient loss of memory, mood swings, confusion, anxiety, anger, neurosis and even psychosis." See Testimonials to the need to wear adequate eye protection
Managing symptoms
Controlling the severity of the immune system reactions will help to keep neuro symptoms at a tolerable level. My immune system reaction is too strong. What should I do?
Non-medication and medication measures to provide palliative relief of some neurological symptoms are discussed in:
I have insomnia and fatigue. What should I do?
When and why should I use Valium?
How can I control my anxiety and depression?
Prescription medications required to control severe neurological symptoms are fine to take while on the MP. Please see:
Should I stop taking any of my medications?
Safety
If you have a history of seizures, be sure to take all seizure precautions.
"Clumsiness" is related to neurological symptoms and these may come and go. Try to be aware of any loss of sensation (or abnormal function) in your hands, feet or ankles. Take precautions. If you are prone to dropping things, avoid cooking that day. If your brain can't tell if you are picking up your feet when you walk, steer clear of rugs and obstacles and stay away from stairs.
Members's experiences
-Previously, I reported odd sensations in the right cheek when lying on my left side. This time I tried to have an afternoon sleep on the sofa and had to lie on my right side which is unusual for me. The neurological tremors happened in the left cheek. The flashes were very fast, painless but made a noise like rustling silk. It happened 5 x in the space of 15 minutes. It has only ever happened during afternoon rests. ~Willemina
- Valium seems to be effective to prevent seizures when taken at the start of a seizure headache. ~Caitlin's mother
See also:
Will the MP treat paresthesia and neuropathy?
'Lyme Rage'
Personal, Family, Relationship Tips
MENTAL ILLNESS and Th1 inflammation
Self help to improve mood
Depression
Last edited on Fri Jul 25th, 2008 04:52 by Meg Mangin R.N.
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Meg Mangin R.N.
Research Team
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Posted: Tue Dec 5th, 2006 23:54 |
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(filelink)
Members' experiences
Ival (member in phase 3 has RA. Ival tells of his MS-like immunopathology): Phase three continues to amaze me. I just went through a series of herxs in my upper spine that the best ways to describe them are very MS like. I had a lot of neuropathy and paralysis in my hands and my legs. I had no strength in my hands and my legs became real heavy and rigid feeling real difficult to walk. I’ve had this before but just not as bad and it always followed with a lot of joint pain in my legs and hips. This time it pretty much left my joints alone just mild joint pain which has been great.
I even had the lightning flashes and the spots of light that people with MS get and Major chronic fatigue for a couple days. This took a little over two weeks to run its course and I feel fine now. The best thing about it I was able to stay on the full dose of Phase Three meds the whole time.
That has been a long time coming and I’m excited to say that I’ve been able to stay at the full dose and get through a herxs. I could have slowed it down by lowering the Clind but I did not have to do.
My oldest sister has MS and she has had some of these very same symptoms over the years. It is so obvious once you start this protocol how all of these diseases are related. I came down with rheumatoid arthritis but one or two different species or just catching them in a different order and I could’ve had multiple sclerosis or Sarcoidosis.
I definitely feel like I’m running out of bacteria and my herxs are going to be background nuisance before too long. ~Ival
-I vividly remember that for a long time I avoided stairs and heights, and I found glass-walled elevators or upper levels particularly unnerving, since I always felt like I was being drawn toward them, to almost-surely fall. I used to be frequently startled awake by a feeling that I was falling, and my body jumping to catch my "fall." All that is gone now, and I am thankful. ~Belinda
-There are times too, when I am having "all over jerks and tremors" that last for so long and include such dramatic jerking of the head, neck, trunk, and limbs that a prescription is neccesary for this, as it becomes very painful on the muscles with all this non stop action, not to mention interferring with fluid intake, eating, speaking, etc.
One of the triggers for "Myoclonus" is infection, as you will find in this Fact Sheet on Myoclonus. You may want to speak with the staff and your physician on medication when this becomes debilatating. ~hrts4me
Julia: re OCD
-It is weird to have a strong immune system reaction with no pain or discomfort. That may be mistated. When the little macrophage hand grenades spoil my serenity then my Wife and family bear some discomfort.
I am choosing to dose or skip my antibiotic by noting how often I do something especially dumb, along the lines of storing my keys in the fridge.
The 'events' that I care about aren't so benign and often involve moments of poor judgement while driving, or reacting badly in a meeting, or spending a busy day with little focus. ~John McDonald.
-Beause most my problems are mentally based it is hard for me to recognize improvement at times but I can tell when I'm better when things just seem easier to me, like I'll be thinking about something and realize "hey thats not so hard after all". ~Jimmy_jimjim
-(27/12/07) After 2 years on the MP, I would say that any episodes of brainfog that I have are comparable to the occasional ‘vagueness’ that any normal person has. ~Vicki SA
-I ordered the DVD's from http://autoimmunityresearch.org/dvd-requests.html and I have been watching them all weekend. I have another Dr appointment tomorrow and a much better perspective than I had during my previous visits. I wasn't really sure about how to deal with the doctors lack of awareness of Th1 inflammation. To make matters worse I have been been inpatient and generally a pain in the ass. I realize now this is the "Th1 brain" that they were talking about on the DVD - All people with Th1 have "Th1 brain". I have to be calm and rational with the doctor and not come across as some raving maniac with another "internet cure".
I think that i've been slowly developing the Th1 for about 35 years so I really don't need to start freaking out and it's not going to help anyways. After I was able to think objectively about the "Th1 Brain" information it really helped explain a lot of things...some of them are things I didn't want to admit - but they are true and it sure helps to be aware of them. ~markt9452
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Meg Mangin R.N.
Research Team
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Posted: Wed Dec 20th, 2006 00:10 |
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Psychological symptoms of Th1 inflammation
(filelink)
It is my opinion that early and prominent symptoms of Th1 disease are psychological which have been interpreted as anxiety, depression, insomnia, learning disabilities etc.
These symptoms like physical ones are exacerbated during effective treatment of Th1. By understanding this, one can lessen some of the impact of those symptoms, just as one can with the physical symptoms. Not knowing why one is 'suffering' increases the stress of the situation which then, actually intensifies the problem.
By understanding, one can remain more relaxed which lessens the intensity and supports recovery. Also, by accepting the temporary limitations imposed, it is again less stressful and more beneficial for recovery.
In my opinion, seizure disorders are very common in Th1 diseases including borrelia. However, frank grand mal seizures are the least common. Variants of petit mal, 'spacing out', loss of train of thought, muscle twitches, restless leg syndrome etc are all seizure disorders. The 'blacking out' that I have described and which are not uncommon as immune system reactions, are seizures, IMO. Also, emotional outbursts, again common in Th1 diseases, may be temporal lobe seizures.
One physiological causation for panic attacks is the depletion of intracellular magnesium by the infection. I believe this is primarily due to Vit D dysregulation but could also be caused by the direct depleting effect of the physical stress of the illness. Therefore, taking extra magnesium but without calcium or Vit D, can lessen some of these reactions.
Greg Blaney, MD
Cognitive dysfunction
"........., Nobody has dropped out of our study because of kidney failure, or because their heart muscle has weakened, or their lung capacity has diminished.
By all means, ask Doc to measure these for you, but the real reason that you are having trouble, and that others drop out of the study, is that their brain starts playing tricks on them.
Earlier this year Meg, Amy and I gave presentations at a conference "Cognitive Dysfunction in Disease" at the home of the Nobel Prize organization, Karolinska Institute in Sweden. The difficulties you are experiencing are as a result of the disease process.
You need to cut back your IP, but primarily to allow your brain the ability to reason again. To get a grip on reality again. To plan about walking your daughter down the aisle at some time in the future. To plan what you want to do with your life when these bacteria have been defeated and you get your life back again." ..Trevor..
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Dr Marshall: Magnesium is fine. Milk of Magnesia is used by quite a lot of MP folks (the ones with GI tract problems). I used it myself for years. Only remember that you should not take the Minocycline within 2 hours of Magnesium to prevent mal-absorption.
Is it okay to take magnesium?
==================================
Vertigo
Inflammation in the inner ear can make you have vertigo - a feeling you are moving, even spinning, or that your environment is moving when in fact they are not. Or you may feel like you are floating or falling. OR these may be due to neurological inflammation. The sensation may occur during sleep (waking a person from sleep) or while awake.
While these symptoms can seem disturbing, at least they are not painful and are relatively trivial as long as you are not falling or constantly nauseated. Mentally reassuring yourself may help. Keep in mind that *feeling anxious* can be a neurological symptom. If you don't have a family member around to help you identify anxiety as neurological immunopathology, you are left with having to try to remind yourself. Take heart that these do get better in later portion of treatment. ~Belinda Fenter
-This teacher explained how the amygdala part of the brain is like the "guard shack" that everything has to get past before it is processed by the rest of the brain. And if the amygdala is on heightened alert, then we "forget to act like ourselves."
So, if we are in "threat mode" we will act uncharacteristically immature emotionally. We will be responding to others in a self-preservation orientation, when usually we are more than happy to be considerate of others (along with other more mature behaviors). ~Joyful
Last edited on Mon Jul 21st, 2008 03:19 by Meg Mangin R.N.
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