AP in South Africa

[Fkendall]

I have been suffering from pain in my hips for about 7 years. It was diagnosed osteoarthritis but regardless of careful diet and exercise became worse, appearing in my thighs, knees, ankles and shins from time to time.

This was accompanied by chronic fatigue and I was sleeping up ten or eleven hours a night and struggling to wake, groggy and tired. The fatigue was put down to depression and I was prescribed antidepressants.

I was referred by a friend to a doctor in Johannesburg who is considered alternative but said to be successful with chronic fatigue. She did extensive blood tests including for Rickettsia, Mycoplasma and chlamydia. I had strains of all three including chlamydia pneumoniae as well as helicobacter pylori and raised RA factor.

This doctor explained that she believes my symptoms are caused by infection and can be treated with antibiotics, especially tetracylines. She treats numerous different symptoms this way, not only RA.

I have been on the AP for 4 months now. I take high doses of different antibiotics, mostly tetracyclines each month for one week followed by three weeks on plasmoquine. Also Arthrotec when needed. No sugar ever, and no dairy when on antibiotics.

Within days of beginning the first treatment my pain reduced, and after about a week my energy levels improved. I now sleep 8 hours a night and wake up refreshed, so I have gained about 3 hours per day. I get tired but not exhausted and can go out in the evenings. I am off the antidepressants.

I found “The New Arthritis Breakthrough” on Amazon and ordered it. I thought it fascinating and it was good to know my doctor was not the only one using these treatments. She has been attacked by the SA Medical council but managed to defend her protocols and keep her license.

My sister who has suffered from fatigue for 40 years, and a neurological desease which has robbed her of most of the use of her legs, is seeing the same Dr and following a similar treatment. During her second treatment she could feel her toes for the first time in about 7 years.

[lynnie_sydney]

Frances – a warm welcome to Road Back and thank you so much for sharing your uplifting story. I hope your road – and your sister's – continue on this upward trajectory. I think your drug plasmoquine is equivalant/similar to plaquenil in other countries. Certainly sounds like you are on a Lyme-type protocol. What other antibiotics are you currently taking? Lynnie  

Be well! Lynnie

Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)

[Fkendall]

My first month I was 7 days on Augmentum 1000mg and Clacce 500mg per day, then 3 weeks on the Plasmoquine (Nivoquin) which is an antimalarial drug used also by conventional rheumatologists. These first antibiotics were to treat the helicobacter pylori. I take nexiam to protect the stomach lining and vit B supplement every day.

The second month it was Tetraslysal and Flagyl — don't have a note of quantities but high doses also for 7 days then as before. I didn't like the side-effects of the flagyl!

The third month Dumoxin 200 mg and Ciploxx 1000mg daily for 7 days followed as before.

I didn't make a note of which I was given the 4th month, but seeing Dr tomorrow so will post afterwards.

This doctor says whilst on antibiotics: no dairy , minimum 2 litres of water per day, 10 min hot bath Temp 40% in the evening with 2 Tbsp Epsom salts, and to drink tonic water. All of this helps with absorption.

No sugar ever, and minimise coffee.

Best wishes,
Frances

[Maz]

Francis, very nice to meet you and thank you for sharing your's and your sister's stories! 🙂

How wonderful that you have found a doctor willing to help you hit all your chronic, underlying infections. I find her protocols to be fascinating and agree with Lynnie that they sound very Lyme-like in terms of meds used, rotations and long pulses.

You might also be interested to see the protocols used for chlamydia pneumoniae at the http://www.cpnhelp.org site:

http://www.cpnhelp.org/treatment_protocols 

Hope your doc will be willing to add to the RBF referral list – she sounds like a keeper!

Peace, Maz

[Roz]

Dear Francis,

I want to well you as well.  The people on this website are sharp and beyond helpful.

Thanks so much for sharing.

x Roz

[Fkendall]

Thanks Maz for the link — it's hard to find this stuff but once you do there is so much it's astonishing that the mainstream continues to turn a blind eye.

I imagine Dr J does use Lyme-like protocols. Her history is interesting. Her father worked for the Louis Pasteur Institute in Africa researching rickettsia and developing the test now used for rickettsial antibodies.

When Dr J qualified as an MD and surgeon she observed that many of her patients exhibited rickettsial symptoms and began using her father's tests to screen their blood, and treat those who were positive for rickettsial infection, with amazing results.

She believes these various microorganisms are released into the blood on a cyclical basis hence the monthly treatment, also she says hefty doses once a month prevent building resistance and boost immunity.

Her husband is also an MD and uses the same or similar protocols.

My daughter Kate (26) is suffering from fatigue and what has been diagnosed as bipolar disorder. she is on a range of psych meds which have precipitated low blood pressure. She has been to Dr J who found the usual suspects in her blood. I am fascinated to see if the AP can fix her, and hoping it will get her off the psych meds.

Best wishes
Frances

[Trudi]

[user=2174]Fkendall[/user] wrote:

My daughter Kate (26) is suffering from fatigue and what has been diagnosed as bipolar disorder. she is on a range of psych meds which have precipitated low blood pressure. She has been to Dr J who found the usual suspects in her blood. I am fascinated to see if the AP can fix her, and hoping it will get her off the psych meds.

Frances–

Best of luck to your daughter.  I am certain she will recover and get off the meds.  It is very disturbing just how much damage bacteria can cause and how little mainstream medicine is at connecting the dots.  You were very lucky to be referred to your very knowledgeable and astute doctor.  I enjoyed your post!

Maz–

That cpnhelp link is a goldmine of information, thanks for posting it–

Trudi

Lyme/RA; AP 4/2008 off and on to 3/2010; past use of quinolones may be the cause of my current problems, (including wheelchair use); all supplements (which can aggravate the condition) were discontinued on 10/14/2012. Am now treating for the homozygous MTHFR 1298 mutation. Off of all pain meds since Spring '14 (was on them for years--doctor is amazed--me too). Back on pain med 1/2017. Reinfected? Frozen shoulder?

[Maz]

[user=2174]Fkendall[/user] wrote:

Thanks Maz for the link — it's hard to find this stuff but once you do there is so much it's astonishing that the mainstream continues to turn a blind eye.

She believes these various microorganisms are released into the blood on a cyclical basis hence the monthly treatment, also she says hefty doses once a month prevent building resistance and boost immunity.

My daughter Kate (26) is suffering from fatigue and what has been diagnosed as bipolar disorder. she is on a range of psych meds which have precipitated low blood pressure. She has been to Dr J who found the usual suspects in her blood. I am fascinated to see if the AP can fix her, and hoping it will get her off the psych meds.

 

Trudi, so glad the link was of interest! It's been posted a lot around here, so I can't take credit for being the first to post it. I find the cpnhelp site very interesting, because my brother has MS and all the many other diseases that appear to be helped by antibiotic therapy, including heart disease, crohns, IBS, macular degeneration…and so many others.

Francis, I took a look at your doc's website and am very impressed in her approach! She really is a treasure and what an auspicious familial background! I wonder if she is aware of the Road Back Foundation? She's linked into http://www.immed.org and Prof Nicholson is one of RBF's medical advisors.

I think Dr J is very much on the same page with my LLMD (Lyme Literate MD) that these organisms are released on a cyclical basis. He has mentioned to me that many of his Lyme patients report that their symptoms wax and wane or they will herx on a monthly schedule. I was talking with Maria (our other forum volunteer) about this a while back and I don't think she would mind if I mentioned that she brought up the primitive nature of these organisms, which are influenced by moon cycles. May sound whacky at first glance, but female reproductive cycles are influenced by similar environmental influences….the seasons by magnetic pulls and tilt of the planet…the ocean tides influenced by moon cycles and magnetic pull…women living in close proximity will share similar timings of reproductive cycles (pheromones?).  So, why not the most primitive of our planet's organisms, too? Knowing what science knows now about these organisms living in synergistic bio-film communities and communicating for collective survival within us…then why wouldn't they be influenced in much the same way? I find this a very fascinating concept.

Interestingly, Lyme has been linked to psychosis and what has been dubbed, “Lyme rage,” over here. It's a highly contentious area of Lyme, with very polarized views emerging. However, in this light, as your daughter, Kate, has been dx'd with bi-polar disorder and been found to have these organisms in her, then I do hope she responds well to treatment and can come off of the drugs which have been so debilitating to her. Please let us know how she gets on.

The phenomenon of the mainstream “turning a blind eye” is indeed an interesting one as it relates to the potential for chronic infectious causes for so many diseases. What may be even worse is when antibiotics are clearly having some effect on a patient and they are withdrawn and refused for further treatment. There is a movie out now called, “Behind the 8 Ball,” which documents the story of a woman with ALS-like symptoms (she had Lyme) who, while in hospital, was given IV therapy for some infection and she responded well, her symptoms reversing. The IVs were stopped and, in spite of her family begging for the treatment to be continued, she was refused…and she passed away in her hospital bed. It's quite a shocking tale.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du2H3WdBlLE

There is also the movie documentary Under Our Skin, if you get a chance to watch it:

http://www.underourskin.com

Thanks for sharing, Francis. I really look forward to hearing of your's, you sister's and your daughter's progress on antibiotic therapy!

Peace, Maz

[Fkendall]

Many thanks for this input and the utube links Maz. It is good to talk to non-sceptics for a change! I should think these organisms are very likely are linked to our body cycles, and influence them.

Saw Dr J's husband Dr G yesterday. Back on Tetralysal & Flagyl which doesn't thrill me — I don't like the Flagyl and wonder why my sister isn't prescribed it!
He took blood to check to see if my RA markers are down — so that will be interesting.

My sister definitely has more strength and energy and is walking further, but she is suffering from brain fog and struggling with her editing work. Is the Herxheimers?

Best, Frances

[Fkendall]

I forgot to mention that we had “The new arthritis breakthrough” in Dr G's rooms yesterday — he glanced at it then said “but this is not new, there have been many studies etc” so presumably he is not aware of Road Back but on a similar page. I think most of Dr J's networks are through chronic fatigue and all the symptoms it correlates with: MS, lyme desease, lupis, fybromyalgia, scleroderma etc. and she also says AP works from schizophrenia and depression etc. I have a schizophrenic daughter but no chance of getting her to any doctor! She is not medicated, lives alone and does quite well — a whole other story!

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