Epsom Salt Baths....They Work!!

Question

I am currently unable to take abx (or any other medication) because of elevated liver enzymes (5 weeks today) and had developed this fibromyalgia around my upper back, neck, shoulders, and down back of arms that was really bad.  I would wake up with it and go to bed with it, muscle pain with no apparent cause or reason. (other than lyme)

So I took an epsom salt bath (really hot) and it actually improved last night and is still a lot better this morning.  I had been taking regular baths and they had helped briefly, but this seems to help past a few hours.

It is very frustrating to have constant pain and not be able to take an medication or find any relief!!  I guess the magnesium is absorbed into your skin and muscles and helps with the constant aching.

I had the small box of epsom salt  for months and just thought it sounded to simple to actually work.  I am going to buy the bigger box today!! ;)

PlateletGal · Answer

Let me know if you try the "recipe'. I may do it and soon because I've had some pretty nasty headaches in the last month. It may be due to the fact that my hormones are adjusting (which is great), but the headaches are awful.

Do you add lemon in your drinking water ? That is one additional thing that I do to help detox. Since you can't take antibiotics, you may want to inquire about Dr. Jernigan's formulas. Dr. Jernigan does not believe people on these treatments should have herxing symptoms... he's done everything possible to create a detox protocol (and supplements) that make it to where you are experiencing hardly any herxing symptoms at all. He does phone consultations ($50 for 15 minutes).... something I thought I would mention.

SOONERMOM · Answer

PlateletGal, okay I was thinking yellow "hotdog" mustard..hehe, your recipe doesn't sound bad at all!!

gorbybelle,
I actually had my first brain MRI on 10/07, because of facial numbness.  It started in a little spot and then kept spreading.  When it spread all over the left side and then the tingling started down the left side of my spine 11/07, they ran another MRI and included the c-spine.
They found numerous white matter lesions in my brain, I have a photo of a couple slices on my profile.  I think there were @ 13.  There weren't any on my c-spine.

I still have suspicions that the borrelia have increased the inflammation inside my CSF and have made the stenosis and nerve impingement worse somehow.  They also found one O-band when they did a lumbar puncture.

gorbybelle · Answer

my MRI results were basically the same as yours!! I am seeing an LLMD next month.  My 'fibro' type pain started three years ago around the time of a tick bite.  When did your problems start that prompted you to have an MRI.

hope you don't mind all these questions .

ott70 · Answer

The detox bath seems to help me also. It shouldn't be expected as a cure and it is recommended to take the detox bath for days in a row and not just every so often. For me, I do 4 cups epsom salts, one 32 oz bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and 1-2 tbsp of grated fresh ginger wrapped in cheesecloth (a tea-ball might work better instead of having to tinker around with the cheesecloth). This is the detox bath that Dr. Jernigan recommends.

I also bought one of those bath balls that dechlorinates the water.

PlateletGal · Answer

LOL ! I haven't tried his mustard foot bath either, probably because I have very little herxing symptoms now... at least compared to when I was taking antibiotics (for mycoplasma infection, but it is all the same). 

Anyhow, for anyone interested in Dr. Jernigan's mustard foot bath, here is the info:

Stir into warm (not hot) water... to cover just above the ankles:

1 T. dry mustard seed powder
1 t. cayenne pepper powder
1/2 t. dry ginger powder
1/2 t. dry rosemary powder

Dr. Jernigan says that this foot soak is used as relief from general aches, pains and toxic headaches (wait... maybe I do need this..? LOL!)  He also says that it seems to increase blood and lymph circulation.

SOONERMOM · Answer

I had read online about the hydrogen peroxide...I will have to get a bottle for next time!!  Thanks for the reminder.  I will probably pass on the mustard, though..lol

PlateletGal · Answer

I'm glad the epsom salt baths are helping you.... I also swear by them. Dr. David A. Jernigan, author of Beating Lyme Disease, mentions several things you can do to help detox. His epsom baths are one of them, although he recommends adding hydrogen peroxide to the mix. He also has mustard foot baths, but I haven't tried those yet.

SOONERMOM · Answer

Yes, but it has been over a year ago.  I was told it was "normal" and showed changes due to aging.  (nerve impingement, foraminal narrowing, borderline stenosis all at c5-c6)..it also said marked abnormal bone marrow signal.

The new neuro symptoms I was having were coming from that same area (I believe) and would involve intense pressure/pain that would spread from neck across shoulders down arms and would involve a heaviness/pressure/pain and then tremor.  It was quite disabling while it lasted, which was usually brief..thank goodness!!

I was diagnosed with lyme almost a year ago with many positive (10) bands on an IgeneX western blot.

I hadn't really experienced this "fibro" until recently.  I have had spasticity on the left side which was painful, but  wasn't every day...day after day.

gorbybelle · Answer

just wondered if you have had MRI of cervical spine?   your 'fibro' pain areas are exactly the same as mine.  Have you been diagnosed with lyme?

gorbybelle · Answer

epsom salts definately help my pain-a lot

SOONERMOM · Answer

I almost forgot to add that they consider these baths "detoxing", so maybe that is helping me too.

My LLMD does basic labwork on me every 4 months, to look for things like this.  There are other issues that can come up, so it is VERY important to watch the function of your liver, kidneys, WBC, etc.

Lali418 · Answer

Did the Dr. find the elevated liver enzymes?   Were there any symptoms of that?
Did he say how long it would take for that to go away?  One last question, Did the Dr say that he thought the liver condition would happen again when you restarted ABX? 

It seems so scarry to be taking something to get better and it makes some other part of you sick.

I am glad you found something to help!  When I would be hurting badly, sometimes I would alternate hot bath, and then after about an hour ice packs on the worste places.

Good luck and I hope you are better soon.

Amyloo · Answer

Cool Stacey!  I hope it continues to benefit you.  I cannot tolerate a hot bath, but maybe I'll try it with warm.  My doctor took me off IV for a week (after two months) due to herx.

Love to you.  Amy