019: Sascha Alexander UPDATE: This Lady’s Got Lyme!
Uninvisible Pod with Lauren Freedman
Shownotes Transcript
Join us for another joyous installment with the incomparable Sascha Alexander. Remember that time she thought she had toxic mold, in addition to interstitial cystitis, candida, and Hashimoto’s disease? Well, guess what? That toxic mold ain’t so moldy…it’s Lyme! Lauren sits down with Sascha to find out how she was ultimately diagnosed, and how she’s increasing her detox protocol to rid her body of one of the most insidious of invisible diseases: the tick-born illness, Lyme.
**Listen in as Sascha shares… **
that the detox protocols she had begun 5 years ago to treat toxic mold have actually given her a leg up on Lyme treatment, as some of these protocols overlap (infrared saunas, antibacterials/antimicrobials, coffee enemas)
that she is now working with the same doctor Lauren works with for her thyroid: Dr. Lisa Hunt at Holtorf Medical Group
that the more updated protocol for treating Lyme is to boost one’s immune system, rather than to deplete it entirely with long-term IV antibiotics
that Sascha’s current treatment regimen includes ozone therapy, peptide therapy, and FMT (fecal microbiota transplantation)
how Lyme works: it survives by destroying the inter- and extra-cellular nervous systems
that Lyme and syphilis are both spirochetes, and can look similar under a microscope
the different tests used to diagnose Lyme
the gold standard for Lyme testing in the US: iGeneX, which is even more accurate and detailed than the Western blot test
that Lyme thickens blood cells with biofilms (almost like an exoskeleton around the cells), and the biofilms need to be dissolved before treating the infection; this thickening of the blood is similar to HIV infection, as well
Lyme is known as the “great imposter” because its symptoms can mimic, and it is often misdiagnosed as, one of the following: rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, MS, ALS, Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, and CFS/ME
her recommendation that anyone with symptoms related to RA, lupus, MS, ALS, Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, or CFS/ME also seeks out the assistance of an LLD, or Lyme Literate Doctor, to be thoroughly tested and rule out Lyme as a root cause
that band 58 of her Lyme testing was the definitive indicator of her infection
the relief and vindication that came with her definitive Lyme diagnosis
that Lyme may be one of the worst diseases of all time, BUT it’s curable
that Lyme causes autoimmune diseases – which may include her Hashimoto’s disease diagnosis
that her current protocol is being undertaken in steps. First, she has to kill the Lyme in her system; next, she has to repair the damage the Lyme has done to her immune system
that her doctor recommended stem cell treatment, but it’s very expensive and she finds her current regimen is working well
what a fecal transplant (FMT) is, how donors are selected, and how it works – including all the dirty details!
that C. diff (Clostridium difficile) is the only infection for which FMTs are currently FDA-approved; so FMTs are difficult to get a hold of otherwise, unless you find a doctor willing to help
what distinguishes Bartonella and Babesia co-infections in Lyme
how ozone therapy works: using O3, it kills pathogens in your blood on contact
the healing process of Lyme: patients tend to get worse before they get better, and the die-off period during which they feel worse (generally flu-like symptoms, because the die-off releases toxins in the body) is called a “Herxhiemer reaction”, or Herx
the process of being more “seen” by others since she got her Lyme diagnosis – because her network understands this diagnosis more than they did the previous ones
how she has allowed her illness experience to change her for the better: she has learned self-compassion, and to ask for support with acceptance and grace This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit uninvisiblepod.substack.com)