Hi Wayne,
Sorry to have delayed in returning to this board for a while.
It’s been over a year since I’ve put any thought into Amy Yasko’s work, but what you’re saying rings a bell.
If I recall correctly, she talks about people who have a certain genotype having initial problems on her protocol (specifically the folate-B12 combination). It’s my recollection that this leads to the release of lots of ammonia, which causes a “spacey” type feeling.
Some people find this difficult to distinguish from detox, especially in the early stages of the protocol. Rich suggests that people do a urine test to see if they’re having problems.
It seems to me that getting bacteria under control was a major way of dealing with the ammonia problem. So that’s feeding right into what you’re saying.
Following is an abstract from the dissertation that covers the effects of satratoxin on the BBB.
http://etd.lib.ttu.edu/theses/available/etd-05252005-163223/
Sick-building syndrome (SBS) is a phenomenon in which individuals in buildings with poor indoor air quality (IAQ) experience health problems associated with the environment of the building. Fungal contamination in buildings due to species such as Stachybotrys chartarum and Penicillium chrysogenum has been correlated to poor IAQ. Symptoms experienced by individuals exposed to mycotoxins produced by Stachybotrys species include, headaches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, bleeding from mucosal membranes, depression, sleep disturbances, anxiety, vertigo, memory-loss and seizures. Although these symptoms have been observed in individuals exposed to Stachybotrys sp. mycotoxins, the mechanisms by which these compounds may contribute to neurotoxicity are unknown. In this study, a series of experiments were conducted on human brain-capillary endothelial cells (HBCEC), astrocytes, and progenitor neuronal cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects induced by satratoxin H on neural tissues; this includes the HBCEC which forms the blood-brain barrier, followed by the astrocytes which act as immune cells, and the neurons. These cell lines were exposed to satratoxin H at concentrations ranging from 1ng/ml to 5000ng/ml. These data were compared to controls; cells exposed to known inflammatory compounds such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), cells exposed to oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H202), and to both LPS and H202 with satratoxin H. Immunofluorescent examination was used to evaluate apoptosis events, and the expression of cellular receptors including. Supernatants and cellular extracts were examined for inflammatory agents as well as compounds associated with apoptosis. The results of these studies demonstrated that at satratoxin H concentrations (1ng/ml- 10ng/ml), results were similar to control cells, while cells exposed to moderate concentrations of 100ng/ml-1000ng/ml of satratoxin H alone or with LPS or H202, demonstrated high expression of inflammatory and apoptotic events. These experiments demonstrate that the macrocyclic trichothecenes produced by Stachybotrys chartarum are able to induce apoptotic and inflammatory cascades in endothelial cells, astrocytes, and neurons. These studies suggest that exposure to low to moderate doses of satratoxin could activate cellular pathways that induce a series of events leading to neurological tissue damage, which may induce the symptoms observed in individuals exposed to Stachybotrys chartarum.
This article is rather technical. However, it’s my understanding that LPS (lipopolysaccharide) is an inflammatory compound made by endotoxin. There seems to be some question about whether LPS is made by Lyme in particular, but regardless the toxins made by Lyme seem to fall into that category.
The significance tests for the various compounds vary a little, but my takeaway was that combining the satratoxin with the LPS caused much bigger effects in a variety of ways than either alone. Adding “oxidative stress” (here by adding hydrogen peroxide) increased the effects further in some cases.
That seems consistent with my own experiences. Not avoiding mold and having a Lyme flare (or worse, using doxy) was quite excruciating. The more that I’ve been able to avoid mold, the more I’ve been able to tolerate the doxy. Perhaps I will try it again at some point soon.
Insofar as Lyme is still a problem, perhaps getting it under control would allow the mold reactivity to go down. Erik actually reported early on in his mold avoidance days that doxy seemed to have helped, but he didn’t feel it was curative. Whether his body has kept the Lyme under control since that time (he took 300 mg/day for a bit less than a year), I’m not sure.
This article brings up atmospheric related worsening of symptoms during storms and the full moon. These symptoms seem clearly to be related to the increases in mold poison present at this time. Dropping barometric pressure causes colonies to release spores (in preparation for the falling rain), and to a lesser extent for the poisons that are present in the environment already to become “unstuck” from whatever they’re stuck to. (The latter phenomenon is especially evident when I drive my RV to a high altitude. The toxins let go, making it feel terrible, but when I bring it back down and wash it, it feels much better.) The full moon increases the problematic nature of the mycotoxins also.
We know that the barometric pressure and full moon is affecting the mycotoxins because when we go to places where they’re not a problem for us (e.g. the “Godforsaken wilderness”) the effect does not occur. So here we have further suggestion that the combination of mold + Lyme is problematic.
The author’s recommendations of high-dose Vitamin C is consistent with my own experiences that this is the one treatment that has helped my mold reactivity.
Josh/545 (an apparent Moldie who actively treated Lyme and recovered basically fully from his CFS) expressed enthusiasm for Wobenzyme at one point. Perhaps I will pursue it.
The idea that the herpes viruses produce arginine, and that arginine + ammonia are particularly problematic for brain tissues, adds to the witch’s brew. That also seems potentially consistent with the fact that I couldn’t take even a small dose of Famvir when I was getting mold exposure, but could take Valcyte with almost no problem whatsoever if my mold exposure was low enough. (The Valcyte did help me though, especially in terms of cognition, so it was clear that I still had a problem with the viruses. It was just that the reactivity went way up while I was first taking it.....meaning that I had to be super-careful about my mold exposure at the time.)
So all in all, I’m really impressed with this author’s observations. As is always the case, he’s left mold out of the equation, but he managed to cover a lot of ground anyway. I will be able to use this article in the work that I’m doing, so thank you so much for providing it!
I don’t know a lot about cranial sacral. But I wonder.....is this at all related to the pressure of the spinal fluid buildup that certain CFS patients have sought to relieve through spinal taps or surgery? Clearly that is related to the swelling of the spinal fluid resulting (at least in part) from mold exposures. Extreme mold avoidance has resolved that symptom for a number of us.
It’s my understanding that this results in a certain kind of headache, tender, toward the base of the skull. Neural therapy in that area also has been helpful for me in relieving that.
Detoxing stuff out of the brain is painful, I’ve found. It seems worth it though.
Thanks much for that article reference!
Best, Lisa
