She takes fifteen different dietary supplements, follows a dairy-, sugar- and gluten-free diet, and sleeps under a heated duvet.
Zsuzsanna lives in a small town in Western Transdanubia; she loves dogs and has four of her own. It’s no coincidence that she chose her profession either – she has been working as a dog groomer for 28 years. For 27 of those years, it never even crossed her mind that she should be afraid of anything. However, ever since the ever-growing red patch appeared on her skin, fear has taken hold of her life.
Do you remember how and when you might have contracted Lyme disease?
Not exactly. As I check myself quite regularly, and the last time I found a tick was 5–6 years ago, I think it must have been then, since, as far as I know, the disease can lie dormant without symptoms for that long. That said, I might be wrong, and I may have been infected at some other time. After all, I have four dogs, and as I’m a dog groomer, an infectious bloodsucker could have transferred to me at any time from the animals – or even from their clipped fur. One thing is certain: I first noticed the red patch last May; it grew larger day by day and was a clear sign of the infection. As it appeared on the back of my body, where it’s harder to spot a bite.
Did you know straight away what was wrong?
I had a hunch, not least because my mum had had Lyme disease before. I went straight to my GP, who confirmed that this was indeed what I had and prescribed a 25-day course of antibiotics. As the antibiotics had worked for my mum before, and I didn’t have any other symptoms apart from the red patch at the time, I hoped that this course of treatment would be enough. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
It seems other symptoms started to appear…
I was still taking the medication when, all of a sudden, my hands and feet became incredibly heavy; I could barely walk and couldn’t lift my arms. All my limbs went numb; it felt as though ants were crawling over them. This made my work very difficult, as I used to make house calls, but after two months I could only groom the dogs at home whilst sitting down, I felt so dizzy. I constantly felt weak; sometimes I’d fall asleep during the day, and at night I’d break out in a cold sweat, even though I’d always been sensitive to the cold.
Did you go back to the doctor?
Of course, but he, too, and the other people in the same boat in the Lyme disease Facebook group, urged me to be patient. However, no matter how long I waited for an improvement, I just got worse and worse. I felt I had to do something, so I went and had a DualDur test done to find out how serious the problem was. It turned out that, despite the course of antibiotics, my blood was teeming with Borrelia; fortunately, the test also showed that I had no co-infections. Whilst I was waiting for the test and the results, I thought I’d try treating myself in the meantime. In the Lyme disease support group, where I found a great deal of useful information, one patient described what had helped them get better, so I tried these over-the-counter products – mainly dietary supplements – myself. I bought garlic capsules, propolis and grapefruit seed extract, and nettle tea. I switched to a dairy-free, sugar-free and gluten-free diet. When I started this new lifestyle last August, I was still in tears because I’d gone on a trip to Sümeg with my child and every step was a struggle. By October, on a school trip, everything went smoothly.
So were you cured by these natural remedies and the change in diet?
I wouldn’t go that far – the symptoms, such as numbness in my limbs, still come and go. But when that happens, I take even more garlic extract and make sure I keep warm, because as far as I know, heat is a great enemy of Borrelia.
Weborvos does, however, recommend consulting a specialist! Did you not go back to see a doctor?
When the results of the DualDur test came back last September, I went back to my GP. Just then, these natural remedies were starting to take effect, so I was feeling better. My GP said that if I was feeling better, there was no need to do anything. He did, however, offer to prescribe antibiotics if I did want treatment, so I could have the 50-day course that’s officially used to treat Lyme disease. In the end, I decided to stick with the natural remedies that had worked for me.
How many different dietary supplements do you take?
Fifteen different ones. I don’t take them all every day – just four, but I rotate them. The ones I take regularly are garlic capsules and heat therapy.
If I’ve understood correctly, the illness has changed your life quite a bit…
Well, quite a lot. I used never to be afraid, but now I’m terrified of ticks brought in on dog hair. This is quite a challenge for me, as the village dogs are also shaved once a year, mainly in spring, by their owners, and at such times, especially when large dogs are being shaved, I’m up to my ankles in fur. Of course, I try to keep my surroundings clean whilst I’m working, but I don’t always manage it. So at this time of year, in spring, there’s only one thing left to do: I check myself thoroughly almost every day.
Are you able to work as much as you used to?
Even when I was feeling unwell, I still worked; I looked after my child when I had to, I harvested the crops, and I carried gravel for the house renovation. What’s more, I feel fine now, so I’m working as normal – it’s just that, as I said, fear has taken hold of me.
What advice would you give to others in a similar situation?
Pay very close attention to what and how you eat; alongside a healthy diet, get as much exercise as you can, always keep warm – an electric bed warmer or a sauna won’t do any harm – take hot baths often, and eat plenty of garlic!
(C) Lyme Borreliosis Foundation
