One of my personal theories after I started learning about Lyme co-infections was that Bartonella was the culprit behind my reproductive hormone swings. I’ve read that Lyme can cause “unexplained menstrual irregularities.” Most of the antibiotics for Lyme didn’t do much in the way of dealing with my menstrual problems.
The thing that made the biggest difference was Metformin, a drug that regulates blood sugar and insulin production. I started taking it to treat PCOS, once I got a positive diagnosis of the syndrome, way into my years of Lyme-generated disability. One doctor explained to me that the reproductive hormones are on the end of a chain that starts with insulin and pituitary hormones. If either of these are not functioning properly, anything one does to try to fix the reproductive hormones directly (like taking birth control pills) will be wasted effort.
I had tried birth control pills long ago when my menstrual problems were causing me to miss work. They gave me tons of side effects that were much worse than missing a day of work once a month.
Anyway, after two years of metformin and plenty of antibiotics followed by enough regular coiling for Bartonella that mostly kept Bartonella symptoms at bay, my period stopped being a complete disaster. I had several months recently where I was either able to function when my period came, or I suffered from moderate cramps plus bone-tired fatigue. It isn’t nothing, but much less than the vagus-inspired torture (vomiting, diarrhea, chills, sweats, shakes, white-outs, low blood pressure, nausea, tingling and pain in my hands, weakness in my legs, and then cramps, too, for cryin’ out loud).
The way I made the connection to Bartonella was that twice I’ve tried coiling my central nervous system for Bartonella a few days before my period (both times it was a random coincidence) and both times, my period was was more extreme than the previous few months.
Until now my evidence is a repeated coincidence. The new evidence in favor of a link is that I stopped coiling for Bartonella for a week before my last ovulation and the PMS started the day I expected to ovulate. It was still another week before I returned home and started coiling again. During that time, Bartonella symptoms have been creeping up (foot pain in the morning, digestive disturbances). I’ve had bad PMS. I’ve been swollen in my abdomen, thighs, butt and breasts. I’ve had breast pain, headaches, insomnia and cramps. I’ve been moody. This morning I had another night sweat. In yoga today, I had some issues with orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure when I moved into an upright position). Tonight, more cramps followed by diarrhea.
My acupuncturist predicted this. She said I should expect trouble this month because my kidney energy was not right. (Kidneys are where the adrenal glands sit, which brings me back to the insulin question…)
In any case, tomorrow might not be so good. (Maybe no blog.) I’ve cancelled my plans just in case. Hopefully the suffering won’t be too extreme.
(Previous related post: Women and Lyme Disease)
Coiling
I double coiled for Lyme today, just in case I’m too sick to do it tomorrow.
- Candida, chest, 2 minutes; abdomen, 10 minutes
- Bartonella, chest, 2 minutes; abdomen, 5 minutes
- Lyme, 3 minutes on the 3 sections of the backs of my legs: butt+heels, calves+thighs, back of knees; 3 minutes each on the front of my feet, my shins, my knees and the fronts of my thighs; 3 minutes on my sacrum; ilium front, 3 minutes each side; ilium back, 3 minutes each side; side of legs/hips, 3 minutes each
Detox
- yoga
- nap (2 hours)
- boimat (2.5 hours)
- kombucha
Body
In addition to the symptoms listed above, I’ve had the typical Bartonella symptoms: hand pain and foot pain on waking.
Mild headache this evening. Pain in my knees this morning and in my hips during and after yoga.
Categories: healing process
Tags: acupuncture, bartonella, candida, lyme, menstruation, symptoms
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Coiling for Lyme 