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April, 2014- HELLO ALL! I am no longer posting to this blog. For the latest on me and my work, I invite you to subscribe to my NEW blog: www.conniestrasheim.blogspot.com where I share my latest findings on how to heal from chronic illness involving Lyme and other conditions. Thanks!

Greetings and welcome to my Lyme disease blog, a comfy cozy (and sometimes crazy!) place for cutting-edge information, encouragement and insight into the fastest-growing epidemic disease in the United States. In this blog you will find everything from bug-killing strategies to immune system and hormone help, as well as lifestyle and spiritual suggestions for healing from chronic illness involving Lyme disease. The information contained within this blog is based upon my own healing journey and what I have learned over the past eight years as I have been diligently digging and researching my way back to a better state of health. May you find it to be a source of hope, inspiration and wisdom in your own journey towards wellness.

About "Insights Into Lyme Disease Treatment"

About the book:

443 Pages - $39.95
Published August, 2009
Written by Connie Strasheim
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Sunday, April 19, 2009

Week Two in Germany with the Bionic 880

I've been in Germany now for two weeks and four treatments with the Bionic 880. Like my fellow Lyme companions who are here with me and who have completed 4-6 treatments, some of my symptoms have worsened, and a few have improved. Regardless, though, I can tell that change is afoot in my body. Actually, I mostly feel a little bit worse overall, and I'm not sure how much of it is due to supplement withdrawal, and how much of it is due to herxheimer reactions.

My back pain has intensified so much that last night I actually took a narcotic for the first time in my life, and today I can hardly stand to sit in front of my computer, but I still think that this pain, as per Dr. Woitzel as well as a neurosurgeon and osteopath in Costa Rica, is the result of a structural defect and not Lyme, especially since all of my fellow Lyme companions here have reported improvements in their pain by the fourth treatment. So I'm finally going to get serious about doing exercises, since I've been told a million times that this will help but I've stubbornly wanted to find another way. Well, no more.

My postural orthostatic imbalances continue, but seem to be getting better, and I am now completely off of my anti-depressant and melatonin and still feeling relatively sane. I'm not sleeping as well as I did when I took the melatonin, but the fact that I can even sleep without taking something is a miracle.

Because I have stopped taking my oh-so-powerful, super-sonic D-ribose, it has been difficult for me to assess changes in my energy as a result of the biophotons, but I surmise that I have more energy than had I not received the treatments and taken D-ribose. Also, my energy feels a little more constant, and I don't find myself "crashing" as much in the late afternoon.

Interestingly enough, my friend Troy, who has always been more functional than I, has herxed much harder from the treatments, so much that he's barely been able to get out and about here in Germany. It just goes to show that infection load doesn't necessarily correspond to one's level of functionality, I think. And I still don't think that borrelia is primary for me.

This past week, Connie, Troy and I visited a homeopathic lab in Baden Baden and picked out forty different nosodes for infections and conditions that we suspect could be other factors in our illnesses, and which Dr. Woitzel has agreed to test us for. Troy has generously donated the nosodes to Dr. Woitzel for use in other patients who come to his office to get tested for other infections and conditions.

Yesterday, Troy, Lynn and I returned to Baden Baden to attend an exposition where a multitude of holistic health care products and services were represented. It was a Lyme Disease sufferer's Disneyland, with lots of homeopathic remedies, health foods, fun energetic and other devices that we tasted, sampled and tried out. We especially loved the infrared massage beds, acupuncture pain gadgets and free food samples!
Not to mention all that we learned about the Bionic 880 from Henry, (who sells the device to patients and practitioners), as well as from a brilliant, compassionate health care practitioner from Hamburg, who also uses the device in her practice. This practitioner was fluent in English and more than willing to share her knowledge and experience with the Bionic 880, so we took advantage of the opportunity to pick her brain and learn all that we could about using the device for subsequent treatment of infections and other conditions.

While the Bionic 880 has been touted for its effects upon mood and hormones, as well as infections, I don't think that it can make up for neurotransmitter and hormone deficiencies, and for that reason, may be limited in its effects upon the neurological, neuroendocrine and related systems. My hypothesis about this was solidified when the practitioner from Hamburg said that concurrently treating the adrenals and thyroid with supplements while doing Bionic 880 treatment is sometimes necessary if patients are to fully recover, especially if patients' adrenal insufficiency is severe. She also believes in supplementing with nutrients while receiving Bionic 880 treatments, stating that the immune system needs all the help that it can get in order to beat the infections.

This is in contrast to Dr. Woitzel's philosophy, which is that taking non-essential supplements during treatments causes the body to re-regulate the metabolism, taking into account the effects of the supplements, so that (as I understand it) the body becomes dependent upon these. The practitioner in Hamburg has been treating Lyme with the Bionic 880 for a couple of years, while Dr. Woitzel has nine years of experience with the device, so on the one hand, I'm inclined to go with Dr. Woitzel's philosophy. But the Hamburg practitioner's strategy also makes sense to me and in my conversation with her, I sensed that she was quite brilliant.

Like Dr. Woitzel, however, she believes without question that the Bionic 880 is far superior to antibiotics for the treatment of infections, and fortunately, she has had experience with using both for the treatment of Lyme.

One interesting tidbit of information that I picked up from her was that those of us who use the Bionic 880 can partially safeguard against EMF's affecting our treatments by making a collar with aluminum foil and placing it around the neck so that it covers the thymus and thyroid whenever we use the computer or are around EMF devices.

So far, my experience here in Germany has left me with the impression that the Bionic 880 is most effective for infections, but probably cannot address all aspects of chronic illness and that other treatments may yet be necessary, especially when it comes to making up for deficiencies in the body. It can, however, do some remarkable things, including balancing the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, hormones, neurotransmitters, and immune responses.

With every day that I spend here in Germany, I find my mind going a million miles an hour with a multitude of thoughts and activities; the amazing experience of being in another country alongside other Lyme disease sufferers; the challenge of trying to sort out treatment issues, deal with treatment reactions, write a book, do a blog, and make a plan for healing and work once I return to the United States and Costa Rica. I'm trying to keep my brain in Germany but indeed, sometimes I find it spilling over into Costa Rica and the United States, since the decisions and experiences that I have here will affect my life once I return home.

No, I don't think I'll be returning home feeling 100% better, as I know some of my friends and family members who are reading this might expect, but before you all think I'm out of my mind for blowing all of my savings on this treatment, you should know that most of us who come here have multiple infections to treat, and each requires at least a month to treat, with another month in between each one so that the body can process the treatments. And while this treatment probably isn't a "cure all" for the multiple dysfunctions found in chronic illness, it sure as heck seems like it will solve the important issue of infections, along with perhaps other things.

I am yet hopeful and optimistic, and excited to see what it has done, and continues to do for others.

13 comments:

Joey said...

Thank you for the update. Very informative, and appreciated the input from the Hamburg doc.

Do any of you plan on purchasing the machine?

Anonymous said...

Thanks very much for the update Connie, I also found it very informative and I'm enjoying reading your blog. Just a question regarding what the Hamburg doctor said about the importance of treating the adrenals & thyroid concurrently if necessary ... do you know what kind of supplements she uses to treat severe adrenal insufficiency ... for example do you know is she uses hydrocortisone in some cases? Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Planning to be in Hamburg shortly.. Would like to see if I can connect with this Dr.Since I have severe thyroid and adrenal issues that cannot seem to be resolved by anything here.. on top of all the other bugz.. It might be worth a try.. Could you pls. pass the name of this Dr.
Thank You so much for all you efforts into informing us all. Can't wait to receive your your book!!

Anonymous said...

to anonymous: What is wrong with taking the right amount of thyroid meds, and some hydrocortisone? There are even websites for people with that combination, I think one site is stop the thyroid madness.
I myself take thyroid hormones etc.

Anonymous said...

Connie, thanks for updating. I have found that even now one month after returning from Dr. W my biotensor says no to most supplements each day except magnesium. Some days it will say yes to vitamin D, but generally says know to my vitamin B and my regular multivitamin and even my Omegas fish oil capsules.

Of course I am still leery of the biotensor, but when he tested with the biotensor and nosodes, he got the exact same results as when he used the bicom machine. I noticed that before I treated the egg allergy both the biotensor and pendulum said I was allergic to eggs (which agreed with my blood test) and now they both say I am not allergic to eggs. I don't know what a blood test would show.

Anyway, thanks for the updates. Ann

Connie Strasheim said...

Hey Joey,

How are you? Hope you are feeling good these days! We all plan on purchasing the machine, yup. (There goes my new car :), sure hope it's worth it!)

Hi Anonymous,

I think the Hamburg doc uses different stuff for adrenals and thyroid, much similar to what we use in the US...glandulars, herbs, nutrients, hormones...she may use hydrocortisone, but I think she prefers a glandular formula. At least that was my impression.

Thanks!

Hi Anonymous,

Thanks for your comment! The book is coming along slower than I would like due to these treatments but I hope to be finished by the end of May, with publication shortly thereafter. A lot of research has gone into it though so I think you'll find it's worth the wait!
If you email me at: connie9824@msn.com I'll give you the info. for the Hamburg doc.
Thanks!

Hi Ann,

Thank you for your comment about the nutrients. That is really interesting! Do you test yourself with the biotensor? I have heard that it's good to get others to test you from time to time since personal biases can get in the way of accurate results.

I hope you continue to feel better from the Bionic 880!

BTW, do you use the biotensor to determine what infections you need to treat for, or did you have Dr. W do that for you before you left?

Blessings and take care!

Connie

Anonymous said...

I think this Doc in Hambrug may gets ome new clients. It certainly sounds like she knows her stuff and Hamburg seems an easier city to get housing and transport than were Doc W seems to be. And youc an visit where the Beatles used to play at the Star Club!

Michael S.

Anonymous said...

Connie, thx for the info particularly since your back is killing you! And give Troy a big pat on the back for donating the nosodes-I'm sure they will help someone else someday.

Feel better soon!

Anonymous said...

Hi Connie,

thanks for your updates on your bionic treatments.
Very inspiring.

I would be interested to know the doctors name from Hamburg.
Is there any way to get it?


Lulu (from North-Germany)

Anonymous said...

Ok, I found out the name of the Hamburg doc.
Actually, she's not a doctor but a health practitioner.

Here's a list of all German practitioners of the Bionic:

http://www.biophoton.de/liste.htm

Lulu

Connie Strasheim said...

Hi Lulu,

Thanks for the clarification--indeed, you are right. When the practitioner from Hamburg told me that she treats Lyme, I think I mistakenly assumed that she was a doctor-or misunderstood. I changed the blog post to reflect the fact that she is a health care practitioner. My apologies for the misinformation.

Thanks also for the list of practitioners! I think this will be helpful for others who want to check out this great device.

Michael,

Yes, indeed Hamburg might be more convenient than Pforzheim, although the black forest is a nice, peaceful place to be!
Beatles club sounds like fun :)

Anonymous,

Thanks for your kind wishes. I too hope the back pain issue gets resolved. Then again, I'm not the only one suffering with pain here, so at least I don't feel alone!

Take care,

Connie

goin2improve said...

Hi Connie, glad you are gaining from this treatment, I wonder could you indicate rough costs of the treatment as I am thinking of swapping my treatment in London, using the Starlight therapy (from Holland) and saving up to come to Germany to see Dr W. I sent for a price list but German isnt my language so am trying to get it interpreted as best I can!
I don't feel confident that the Starlight biophoton is as beneficial as the BIO 880, did you get chance to ask him whether he has heard about it. I understand you probably have a million questions to ask.
Bless you for being so informative in your blogs, even if you don't always feel up to it.
This is so helpful to us all.
Kind regards
Lorraine. (England)

Connie Strasheim said...

Hi Lorraine,

Thanks for your message. I apologize, but it has been very difficult for me to get enough time with the doc to ask all the questions I've wanted to ask, and so I think it might be a better strategy if you emailed his office or one of the many docs in Germany who use the device (Lulu posted a web addy of practitioners above), to find out how it compares to the Starlight. I'm sorry, it's just been a whirlwind of activity here!

The cost for the machine is 6,400 euros, plus 1,200 tax that can be refunded if you don't live in Germany. The place I'm staying at is 23 euros a night; car rental is about 700 euros for a month I think but I have shared a car with someone else so I don't know exactly what the cost is; the treatments are about 1,500 euros I think, but if you need more or other types of treatment, (as some do) it might be a little higher.

Best of luck to you in your decision!