Re: Re: the Host vs the Bug...

[Guest guest]

I don't think it's "overuse" as much as it's a blatant "misuse" of antibiotics. They're constantly being prescribed without the benefit of cultures and sensitivities to determine the appropriate abx or follow up testing to see if the bug was really eradicated, which creates greater resistance in average bugs that already know how to evade just about everything on the planet. It should be criminal that doctors are allowed to practice medicine this way.

Yes, our immune systems are surely impacted by environmental factors, but I don't believe that's the main cause behind chronic infections, nor do I believe that only a few of us get sick because of them. The more you research infection the more you realize that bacteria's involved in far more illnesses than people realize, and they're probably involved in a lot more deaths than they ever get credit for. Heart attacks and valve impairment are known to be caused by bacterial infections originating in the mouth. Recent research is linking dental bacteria with diabetes as well. Some cancers (definitely oral cancer) are linked to infections. There are also studies linking thyroid disease to bacterial infections. Then there are all the problems caused by hypercoagulation (sticky blood caused by bacterial die-off) like stroke, that are directly linked to chronic, low grade infection. I really think that if those of us who are

chronically ill didn't have immune systems capable of being in constant overdrive to fight these bugs, we would already be dead from some other acute, more sudden kind of illness with no one ever guessing resistant bacteria were the culprits in our demise.

penny

From: kdrbrill <kdrbrill@...>Subject: [infections] Re: the Host vs the Bug...infections Date: Sunday, July 20, 2008, 12:44 PM

Well, I partially agree, and partially disagree. I personally don't think it's a black or white situation... lots of greys in there. (or is it "grays"?)I agree that the medical field has helped turned these little guys into bigger monsters every day, but isn't that due in part to the overuse and abuse of antibiotics, which wipe out our natural immunity (the good, fighting bacteria that's part of our gut's immune system)?I wish I could find the link where I read where some believe that ABX's actually drive infections deeper into the body (as they try to hide from the meds)...but of course can't find it now.But besides the "bugs", we have to look at chemical poisoning, including molds, pesticides, solvents, and other chemical exposures. They must have some sort of detrimental affect on the immune system or on liver function/detoxifica tion.After all, everyone is surrounded by the same bugs,

bacteria, etc., yet only a small percentage of us become chronically ill.So...somehow, for me anyway, immune function (or dysfunction) plays a part in our illnesses.Just my TWO CENTS! :)d.>> ...and as everyone who knows me knows, I don't blame the immune system for this mess we're in at all. I blame the bugs...AND the medical field for turning these little guys into bigger monsters every day.> > penny> >>