Dr. Conners details out the autoimmune phase of Lyme (Phase 3) in his book, The 3 Phases of Lyme, available as a free download from this site - see here.
Please study this as well as the videos he makes available (all at no charge).
There are many clinical ways to help determine which phase of Lyme you may be experiencing. Lab testing is probably the most specific, however, most patients can simply determine if they are in Phase 3 by their poor reaction (worsening of symptoms) when they take immune stimulants.
Dr. Conners lays this all out in his book, updated in June of 2020, and available as a FREE DOWNLOAD as a complete PDF.
Lyme Disease Progression
Phase 1: Acute infection. It is our recommendation that you seek immediate medical attention.
Phase 2: Chronic Lyme. The bacteria has gone intracellular and though long-term antibiotic use may help, herbal protocols are often beneficial.
Phase 3: Autoimmune Lyme - When the patient’s condition continues to linger, the immune system is constantly trying to kill it – this is normal. However, in doing so, the “killer” side of the immune system, the Th1 response, fires to kill the pathogen and is unable to enter the cell to destroy those bacteria that have entered. This will eventually calm the Th1 response and set-off a B-cell (Th2) immune response in an attempt to find the bacteria (the antigen) and make antibodies against the bug, thereby “tagging” the bacteria (with the antibody) allowing quick detection and destruction.
As this Th1 – Th2 response cycles over time and the B cells continue to be unable to create antibodies to the specific antigen (due to the bacteria’s ability to hide inside the cell), the immune system may begin to make antibodies against the cells themselves. THIS is what an autoimmune disease is and exactly how EVERY autoimmune disorder begins! THIS phase (Phase 3, autoimmune) is really what our care is all about! These patients are miserable and it is the autoimmune phase of Lyme that is deadly.
How do I know what Phase I am in?
- Get tested. Dr. Conners suggests lab work through Cyrex labs to test for antibodies to self-tissue that would (if positive) indicate that you are in Phase 3 and Igenex, DNAConnexions, and other Labs to test for Lyme. The DNAConnexions lab is perhaps the best and easiest for patient use for determining and proving chronic Lyme as it tests for 13 different co-infections, gives an easy "yes/no" answer, and is a urine sample that one can self-order, collect and return the kit to the lab - see HERE
- One can do a fairly good self-assessment of whether they are in Phase 3 or not by answering a few simple questions:
- Do I improve with herbal/immune (Th1 stimulants) or worsen? If one worsens with any immune stimulation, it is a fairly good sign that they are in Phase 3.
- If taking antibiotics, do I have a recurrence of my symptoms after I discontinue the medication?
- When taking any immune stimulants, do I have inflammatory issues with organs/tissues (colitis, histamine issues...)
- Have I been diagnosed with any autoimmune disorder?
- Again, the best way to determine Phase 3 is to test for antibodies.
In this Brand New 3rd Edition Dr. Kevin Conners adds almost DOUBLE the content with all new insights and practical tips on how to understand your body’s ability to heal and get back to a state of health.