Katherine, age 10, Lyme Disease
Our 10-year-old daughter Katherine has suffered from chronic neurological Lyme Disease for the past six years. Lyme has invaded nearly every system in her body. Over the years she has suffered from a vast array of symptoms, including debilitating arthritis, fybromyalgia, migraines, gastrointestinal problems, severe insomnia, heart arythmia, motor tics, encephalitis as well as various profound neurolopsychological symptoms such as phobias, violent mood swings, motor tics, separation and other anxieties, depression, dramatically slowed motor skills, ADD-like symptoms, short-term memory loss and changes in academic performance.
Katherine responded to long-term oral antibiotic therapy well, but after more than two years of treatment was still not cured.
Next, we tried five months of IV antibiotic therapy. This was also very helpful, but led to unacceptable side effects, including a very painful bout with gallstones. We took Katherine off all antibiotics for several months. Unfortunately, she soon began to relapse.
At this point, we began researching hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Although there was not extensive published literature on hyperbarics and Lyme, we were able to find unpublished studies and case histories. We spoke directly to neurologists, Lyme specialists and hyperbaric specialists about their experiences. All had seen dramatic and long-lasting improvements in their patients who had undergone prolonged hyperbaric therapy (at least three months).
After more than 100 hyperbaric treatments, we are amazed. This restful, non-invasive therapy has led to dramatic improvements in all of Katherine's symptoms. In fact, we are hopeful that she may finally be close to a complete cure. She almost never complains of joint pain, stomach discomfort or headaches. Her temperament is even. She suffers from no phobias, separation anxiety, or depression.
Her academic performance has improved along with her memory, motor skills, and concentration. She is active, happy, social and healthy. In retrospect, we wish we had begun hyperbaric therapy much earlier. Although it is expensive, it has been a highly effective therapy in our daughter’s battle with Lyme—and with virtually no negative side effects.
Dr. Bramwell’s facility is comfortable, child friendly, and well supervised. Katherine slides into the chamber each day with a blanket and a drink to watch television or a movie for a little over an hour. She is comfortable and content while she breathes 100 percent, pressurized oxygen.
Sometimes, it is difficult for us to believe that such a comfortable setting provides such a powerful killer of the Lyme bacteria and such a profound healer of damaged brain and other tissue. But in the case of our daughter the positive results are unmistakable.
