***

Hi Susie,

It sounds like your eager to get better. Good for you. In my humble opinion, the way to do that is to begin the MP.

The problem is that many of these diseases are so insidious that there really is no conclusive blood test. Often times, the 1,25-D is high, but sometimes it isn’t, and even if it is, some doctors will say, so? The key for you would be to do a therapeutic probe. See if you react to the mixture of light/vitamin D avoidance, antibiotics and Benicar as specified by the Protocol guidelines. Most people with the symptoms you describe do react. Sometimes people find the Benicar feel better (it’s anti-inflammatory) and sometimes people notice they react to the antibiotics.

As for your doctor, there is no one universal objection to the MP. See what is holding him/her back from allowing you to do the MP. Chances are, it’s on this list.

If you have not done so already, I encourage you to register at CureMyTh1.org. The advocates there usually take less than 3 weeks to respond.

***

Dear Leanne,

Symptoms of depression and anxiety are sometimes exacerbated by immunopathology, so I can understand your concerns.

One tool in the ol’ toolbox is increasing the frequency of antibiotics dosing, so you don’t overload your body with too much immunopathology. Also, make sure you can increase your antibiotics very slowly. One other thing: you should train your family/friends how to best support you as you go on this difficult journey.

Some of the more heavy duty anti-anxieties like Valium are certainly an option. Personally, I found anti-depressants (as well as 5-HTP) to be unhelpful, but I may be an exception. My attitude is that you do what you need to do to get through the toughest days.

If you haven’t done so already, you too should register at CureMyTh1.org.

Hope this helps.

Once again, sorry for the delay in response.

Best,
Paul

As I am working to get an MP doctor on board, I have too much time to ponder and read, but I am wondering if Paul was on ANY anti-depressants when starting the protocol. I definitely have some depression and anxiety issues, and they seem to get worse the few times I have tried one pill of anti-depressants. I am concerned about these symptoms getting worse or escalating to suicidal tendencies when starting the protocol as I herx. I know there will be times of doubt and anxiety. I just am trying to be as prepared as I can and put “tools in the tool box” to get through it. I have tried 5-HTP, which did not have any adverse reactions, but also didn’t really help. I know Vallium is recommended for anxiety, but not on a regular basis. Hopefully the Benicar will help???

LeAnne in NC

It’s funny, for the longest of time I have tried to figure out why I feel better in the morning and as the day progresses about 1-2 hours later I have brain fog. I read that after being exposed to the sun after a couple of hours this can happen. Another thing my bun creatine is always elevated about 28/29. My doctor told me I was just dehydrated. Paul, I am at my wits end. I suffer mainly from fog and no energy. But the funny part is i’m not really sleepy just exhausted. I wake up in the morning and feel like I haven’t sleeped at all. I just don’t know how I will get my primary to do the initial tests and subscribe Benicar and antibiodics. Who knows he may say yes. I have gone to him for the last 4-5 years asking him to draw blood to check for anything that could make me feel this way. Never finds anything. I found a letter to your doctor yesterday but cannot locate it again. What would you suggest I tell my doctor to convince him to get me started. He may feel liable if anything were to happen. How did you get your doctor to give in. Did you have the vitamin D test done. Also, I don’t know how I would explain wearing glasses all day at work. Help Please!

Most people get a pair of the 2% as well as the 10% in the wraparound style; I think they’re called the 30. The lenses block infrared light. If you call up NoIR (1-800-521-9746) and tell them you’re with the MP, they’ll steer you in the right direction– and give you a discount.

I have yet to hear of anyone having trouble dropping their Benicar. Some people in the midst of the MP actually feel better when they skip their Benicar due to its immune-activating properties.

Keep in mind that Benicar only happens to be a blood pressure lowering medication. The reason why it is used as a part of the MP is that it nestles very nicely into the vitamin D nuclear receptor.

Best,
Paul

I know Dr. Marshall recommends Noir sunglasses but any particular type? Also, If you take Benicar long term I would think it would be very hard to come off of it. Most people, once they start blood pressure medication that have to stay on it for life. When they try to come off they get a very strange reaction.

Thanks for your comment. It’s true that some people can generate immunopathology on Benicar alone and that antibiotics become increasingly less necessary as one progress on the Protocol, but I would not have experienced much of my die-off were it not for the pulsed low-dose antibiotics. They are definitely a key part of the MP. If progress is what you’re after I would do the MP as it is written as much as you possibly can.

Best,
Paul

I suffer from chronic fatigue and really bad brain fog. Do you have to combine both low-dose antibiotics or can you get better just with benicar?

The MP varies in length depending on a person’s bacterial load. It is now understood that inflammatory diseases such as CFS result from infection with chronic bacteria. Some people have accumulated a lot of these pathogens and are very, very sick. Other people have picked up less bacteria and are more active.

A person who is extremely ill with a high bacterial load can expect the MP to take about 4 years. Of course, over the years, improvement occurs gradually. Some less sick patients recover after about two years. But as you can see, in every case, the MP is a long term commitment. Then again, if you compare the length of time spent on the MP to a lifetime of illness, the MP actually seems quite short.

Both AIDS patients and CFS patients can pick up HHV-6 because they are severely immunocompromised and HHV-6 is a virus that easily takes advantage of a weakened immune system. HHV-6 doesn’t cause either disease. Rather, in the case of CFS, immune dysfunction is the result of the fact that the chronic bacteria that cause the disease also slow the immune response. When the immune system is no longer working up to par, viral infections like HHV-6 take hold. But they are only co-infections and will not go away unless a person kills the bacteria causing CFS in the first place.

Yes, Benicar can be purchased from several Canadian pharmacies that import it from India. The current cheapest rate is around $60 a month.

Benicar is not an antibiotic. Benicar is a medication that activates the receptor that controls the innate immune response, thus activating the immune system. Patients on the MP take other pulsed, low-dose antibiotics along with Benicar. Because their immune systems are in good shape thanks to Benicar, they are able to kill the bacteria that cause CFS and regain their health.

I highly suggest you read the following two pieces that explain the Marshall Protocol in greater detail:

http://bacteriality.com/about-the-mp/

http://bacteriality.com/2007/10/11/antibiotics/

The following video also gives a good overview of the treatment and the science that makes up its backbone:

http://bacteriality.com/2008/05/07/mpintro/

After reading as much as you can about the MP on this site and on the study site itself (www.marshallprotocol.com) if you still have questions about the MP the best place to ask them is at the following website:

http://www.curemyth1.org (Th1 refers to diseases caused by bacteria). The patient advocates at the site will answer your questions free of charge.

Hope this helps!

Amy

How long does the treatment run? Is it all about taking the antibiotic pill named “Benicar”…?

Another question, read somewhere here that HHV-6 is present in case of CFS patients which is also common for AIDS patients…then why CFS patients do not die whereas AIDS patients die…and I thought it was HIV which causes AIDS nto HHV-6:(

Finally, can this Benicar be ordered from India? For a man who has moderate CFS how much might it cost the total course of treatment? Waiting for your reply.

I’m so sorry to hear that you are suffering so greatly.

However, Autoimmunity Research Foundation (the non-profit organization that runs the Marshall Protocol Study) has done everything in its power to keep the cost of the treatment to a minimum.

Patients take the medication Benicar 3-4X a day in order to activate the innate immune response. One can order a month’s supply of Benicar for $50 dollars from specific Canadian pharmacies that import it from India (the quality is still the same).

The antibiotics used by the treatment are taken in such low, pulsed doses (where they are most effective against biofilm bacteria) that your doctor can prescribe you the “regular” amount of an antibiotic used for an acute infection and the number of pills will last you for months. Each time I fill my minocycline prescription the pills last for almost a year.

Also, I’m pretty confident that Medicaid would cover the cost of the antibiotics and possibly even Benicar.

And those are all the medications used. No supplements, no vitamins, nothing else. The goal of the treatment is to allow the body to reach a natural state of homeostasis on it’s own as the bacteria causing CFS are gradually killed.

So I suggest you learn more about the Marshall Protocol in greater detail just in case you can pay for the cost.

This video is a good way to get an overview of the treatment and the science that forms its backbone:

http://bacteriality.com/2008/05/07/mpintro/

Also, the following article helps explain why you are feeling so sick after six pregnancies:

http://bacteriality.com/2008/03/09/cognitive-dysfunction/

Good luck!

Amy