My article on the MP written after I was banned

[Guest guest]

This was my report written for the Wisconsin CFIDS Assoc. I think it

will be obvious I wrote this without help from the powers that be.

a M. Carnes is a frequent contributor to the CFIDS community. She

has a special way of making the complex simple. For this reason we

asked a to summarize the Autoimmunity Research Foundation

conference and the Marshall Protocol. a had a diagnosis of CFIDS

in 1995 and chronic Lyme in 2003. She is in Phase 2 of the Marshall

Protocol. Currently a has no connection with Dr. Marshall or his

websites. The information she presents here is solely her own, based

on her experience and research of this treatment approach. Articles

by a Carnes can be found at the following link and other places

online.

http://www.immunesupport.com/library/powersearch2.cfm

Word count 1277

Should I Consider the Marshall Protocol?

My thoughts on the Autoimmunity Research Foundation Conference

March 12-13, 2005

a M. Carnes

Writer, Patient advocate

Pj7@...

A new treatment approach to the so-called autoimmune diseases may be

hatching out of its shell.

The concept that autoimmune diseases are caused and continued by

bacteria living inside the very phagocytes designed to destroy them

is not new. Dr. McPherson Brown, MD studied this concept for

many years. Brown used minocycline and clindamycin to treat

rheumatoid arthritis. But most scientists moved on because the

infecting pathogens were difficult to find. The infections they did

find varied from patient to patient, as did the symptoms. The new

concept seemed, for awhile, to be trapped in its shell.

Then a man named Trevor Marshall was diagnosed with sarcoidosis and

was given less than two years to live. Trevor's hard hitting drive to

live set him on a search for a treatment and recovery. To do this he

had to find the cause of his illness.

On March 12-13, 2005, Trevor Marshall, PhD, hosted the first

conference of his Autoimmunity Research Foundation. He called this

conference " Recovering from Chronic Illness. " Dr. Marshall had found

his cause and was alive and well on his new treatment protocol.

The conference was attended by about 200 guests. The patients

included many sarcoidosis and some Lyme and cfs cases in various

stages of recovery. But most notable was the presence of several

medical doctors in various stages of trying Marshall's protocol on

their patients. This cadre included top arthritis and Lyme doctors

from the US, Canada, and the UK.

Patients and doctors sat in a large meeting hall where the lights had

been dimmed. Some patients wore their NoIRS, dark glasses blocking

both UV and IR light. At the Saturday night banquet one could

distinguish the patients by their uneaten bowls of delicious clam

chowder - no seafood on the Marshall Protocol. The patient who

deserved the style award was a fellow with a black felt hat and dark

glasses who likes to call himself, " Dark Vader. "

What is Marshall's research about? He did not invent the idea that

sarcoidosis, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Lyme are caused

by infection inside the body's cells. He did not invent the idea that

these diseases could be treated with appropriate antibiotics. What he

did discover is the idea that the 1,25 D hormone is used by these

bacteria to survive and reproduce. The level of 1,25 D hormone

inflammation can easily be determined by two simple blood tests.1

In order to reduce this active D hormone and inflammation which is

keeping the bacteria safe and sequestered inside the cells the

patient must do two things.

1. Take an angiotensin receptor blocker at high dose (olmesartan

or Benicar)

2. Avoid all sources of vitamin D both in food and lights for

many months. This explains the dim lights, dark glasses and no clam

chowder.

Once this blockade against inflammation is in place for a few weeks,

low dose pulsed antibiotics are added. Patients diagnosed with Lyme

disease and mycoplasma have been accustomed to high dose, multiple

antibiotics. It comes as a surprise to these patients that the

protocol causes rather severe Herxheimer reactions to very low doses

of the same antibiotics they have taken with no effect in the past.

Marshall's choice of antibiotics fits with the history of people like

McPherson Brown who used minocycline to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

At least two more antibiotics are used eventually thus reducing the

risk of antibiotic resistance.

Why would a patient try this treatment? It is difficult, slow and

produces sometimes severe symptoms as the bacteria die off. Here is

my " top ten " list for trying it, followed by my " top ten " for not

trying it.

1. You know you have an infection such as borrelia, mycoplasma,

or rickettsia.

2. You know you respond and feel better on antibiotics.

3. Some excellent doctors are trying it on their patients.

4. You have heard from patients who are making progress and

recovering.

5. You have heard of patients who are feeling surprisingly bad

on the protocol, but their pattern of bad days fits the cycle of the

pulsed antibiotics.

6. You know you feel worse after sun exposure which raises

vitamin D hormone levels and inflammation.

7. You know you feel better after sun exposure. I know, this

sounds crazy, but in some cases the elevated D hormone supresses the

immune system much like a steroid would. You feel better and so do

the bacteria. Nothing is killing them!

8. You got your D levels tested and the ratio of 25 D to 1,25 D

was high. A ratio of 1.25 is normal. Yours was, say, five! Any ratio

of 2 or more is cause for concern, even if the two D levels are in

the normal range.

9. You want a good excuse to hide out and watch old movies for a

year.

10. You have tried everything else and have nothing to lose.

Let's be fair and balanced. Her are ten reasons not to try this

protocol.

1. You need to be evaluated for other serious medical conditions

that might preclude you doing this protocol. These conditions would

include low aldosterone levels, kidney problems, and serious

undiagnosed illnesses such as AIDS and cancer. Some hepatitis

patients have been using this protocol, but one would not want to

start this treatment without a doctor's understanding of all the

issues in a particular case.

2. You are unable to find a doctor who will prescribe it and

oversee your care.

3. Your insurance will not cover the Benicar, and you cannot

afford it.

4. You do not have a caregiver to stay with you the first few

weeks of the protocol. This applies in cases where the patient is

extremely sick, as milder cases do not have as difficult a time.

5. You already have low blood pressure. (You worry about this in

spite of the fact that you can drink extra fluids, eat more salt, and

patients report that their blood pressure stabilizes in a few weeks.)

6. You have concerns about the safety of Benicar at high doses.

(ARBs are the safest drugs on the market with a side effect profile

similar to that of placebo. Yes, some people get sick on placebos.)

7. You don't think your disease is a Th 1 upregulated disease.

You think it is Th 2 as described by researchers such as

Klimas, Phd, and Dr. Cheney. (Both Th 1 and Th 2 aspects of the

immune system are disordered. Dr. Andy stated that the

cytokines found in the tissues do not look like a Th 2 shift. Dr.

Shlifer commented that we really don't know what Th 1 and Th 2

labels mean. She stated that some have even suggested that there is a

Th 3. You may want to wait until all of this is resolved, or you may

want to take the plunge.)

8. You know you are infected with _______ but you aren't very

sick. (These patients seem to have the easiest time of it with their

minor symptoms resolving quite quickly.)

9. You are not willing to make minor alterations to your diet.

10. You are not willing to wear dark glasses, avoid sun and

lights, or go to work or school looking like " Dark Vader. "

I cannot possibly cover all the science involved in this treatment.

You can access much more information at this website.

http://autoimmunityresearch.org

If you are searching for a medical doctor who will use this protocol

you can go to this website, join and request the names of doctors in

your area.

Http://www.marshallprotocol.com

Am I optimistic about this new treatment? Yes. But the choice is

yours.