Unlocking Lyme: Myths, Truths, and Practical Solutions for Chronic Lyme Disease

by Bill Rawls MD

"Dr. Bill Rawls understands Lyme disease sufferers seeking clarity and relief because, like myself, he has experienced the pain and frustration firsthand. Through this ground-breaking book, he shares everything he has discovered on his journey to reclaiming his health... it may just be the answer you've been waiting for." – Neil Spector, MD, Author of Gone in a Heartbeat Lyme disease is one of the most puzzling illnesses on the planet. Anyone who has suffered from its debilitating symptoms knows the frustrations of trying to find a cure. Many sufferers drag themselves from one doctor or alternative practitioner to the next, getting lost in a maze of lab tests, prescription drugs, and treatments. Thousands of dollars and months (or years) later, they realize they are no better off than where they started. Unlocking Lyme puts an end to this desperate quest. Written by Dr. Bill Rawls, a physician who overcame Lyme disease himself, this book is a comprehensive, practical resource full of solutions that work. What took Dr. Rawls 10 years to learn through intense research and personal experience, you can now learn and implement in a matter of months. DR. RAWLS’ STORY Dr. Rawls was in the middle of a successful OB/GYN career when Lyme disease interrupted his life. In his struggle to overcome it, he explored every treatment option – from conventional medicine to the full range of alternative therapies. Ultimately, he embraced modern herbal therapy as his preferred solution, but he recognizes that the path may be different for each person. INSIDE THE BOOK Unlocking Lyme is the sum of Dr. Rawls’ experience, research, and practical solutions to date. The book is divided into four parts, each part addressing a critical aspect of PART 1 - Provides an overview of common misconceptions about what Lyme disease is ( it’s more than just a tick bite and Borrelia infection) PART 2 - Provides information on how to obtain a diagnosis, despite current limitations in diagnostic testing for Lyme PART 3 - Discusses limitations of long-term antibiotic use, and offers an overview of holistic and non-toxic therapies for healing and symptom control (including pain, depression, insomnia) PART 4 - Explains how to embrace a healthier lifestyle so you can stay well; learn how to strengthen your immune system, microbiome, and balance in your body In the years since his recovery, Dr. Rawls has helped thousands of patients find their path to healing from Lyme disease. Unlocking Lyme brings together Dr. Rawls’ accumulated knowledge and is the key you need to get your life back. TESTIMONIALS “Dr. Rawls understands the misery of chronic Lyme disease firsthand. Unlocking Lyme shares the approaches that he used to successfully recover his own health, and helps the reader understand that there is so much that can be done to regain a state of wellness and optimal health.” – Scott Forsgren Editor & Founder, BetterHealthGuy.com “Dr. Rawls has spoken on his approach to Lyme disease for the past several years; his comprehensive approach and lifestyle guidance has helped many of our members. We heartily endorse his approach to helping deal with the symptoms of Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses.” – John Dorney, President NC Lyme Disease Foundation "Unlocking Lyme delves into the science behind Lyme disease, explaining what it is, but more importantly how it can be overcome. Dr. Rawls carefully explains the various treatments for Lyme, leaving the reader feeling informed and empowered." – Julie Ryan E-Health Advocate, CountingMySpoons.com

Genres: Health, Medical, Nonfiction

445 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 26, 2017

Reviews

[David Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

From a doctor who first suffered from lyme disease then learned how to cure it naturally. Now he works full time helping other patients.

[Elizondo Mariana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro es maravilloso para todo aquel que esté pasando como yo por esta enfermedad de la que existe tan poca información.
Investigué mucho del tema y el autor (que además es doctor y paciente de lyme) explica cómo fue que logró curarse.
Habla de la bacteria, de los medicamentos tradicionales, así como de protocolos herbales, vitaminas y adaptogenos que ayudarán a mejorar la calidad de vida, elevar el sistema inmune y eliminar la bacteria de forma natural.
💯

[Ken · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good intent but complex issue oversimplified. May be misleading for readers who are desperate.

[Laine Tigges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for anyone with chronic Lyme or who loves someone with chronic Lyme.

[E.P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reviewing this book somewhat prematurely, since I haven't actually tried out most of the things in it yet. However, each person's reaction to treatment is so individual that my success or failure probably won't mean much either way. What is more of interest to me about this book is that it lays out some of the important issues surrounding the treatment of Lyme disease in an accessible way, and suggests some common-sense approaches that it claims (and I've heard the same thing from others) often help.

The fundamental concept behind Dr. Rawls's approach is that Lyme disease and many of its common coinfections are not virulent, highly aggressive, quickly lethal disease agents, but rather what he calls "stealth microbes." People rarely die from an acute infection of Lyme disease. This is, of course, nice, but the problem is that modern medicine and its tools are largely aimed at acute, obvious problems. Western medicine is not set up to handle something like Lyme disease, and has responded by pretending it isn't happening. Unfortunately, though, pretending a disease isn't real doesn't make it disappear, and it turns out that just because Lyme disease probably won't kill you quickly, doesn't mean it won't leave you completely debilitated, and with no one to turn to, since most doctors will tell you it's "all in your head." (Which is true, in that spirochetes may be munching on your brain, but that's not what they mean).

Rawls describes the way Lyme and its common coinfections work in very simple, accessible language, with bullet points and end-of-chapter summaries. He then discusses the problems with what he calls "heroic therapies": antibiotics, oxygen therapy, and so on, and argues for the use of herbal therapies instead.

I have to say I have always been rather skeptical of herbal therapies, but Rawls makes a convincing case for at least trying them, and I have to agree that there are major problems with long-term antibiotic use, and oxygen therapy is completely experimental, not to mention expensive. The main point Rawls makes in favor of herbs is that most of them are, while slower-acting than synthetic antibiotics, also less toxic, making it possible to take them for extended periods of time. He advocates for a slow and steady approach to getting the stealth microbes under control and returning to health, using antibiotics and other aggressive treatments only for short periods of time, in particularly severe or acute cases.

I'm still somewhat skeptical of herbal therapies, just as I am of anything promising a cure, but after reading "Unlocking Lyme" I am at least willing to give them a try. And the overview of the different infections and how they act on the body is very useful. A worthwhile read for anyone trying to figure out what to do about a stubborn case of chronic Lyme.

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so disappointed I spent the money on this book. I didn't find any useful information in it that I didn't already know from a 6 page print out my doctor gave me.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

So much information!! Which is awesome. His passion is awesome. I gained all sorts of ideas on how to survive lyme. But I'm super organized and this book is not.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to rate this one. Overall, it's an accessible introduction to Lyme disease and tick-borne coinfections, including the mechanisms of how they spread. I appreciate that it was free of the conspiracy theories that are so common in Lyme circles, and this book has been and will be an important tool in advocating for myself with both my LLMD and primary care doc. Dr. Rawls is realistic and emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach and consistency in maintaining a healthy lifestyle -- he's not selling a quick fix.

That said, this book was repetitive and could be much better organized. It would benefit greatly from an index -- my only option for finding mentions of babesia was to flip back through and scan every page. While it briefly touches on tick-borne coinfections, primarily in the section on virulence, this is NOT your go-to book for navigating treatment of those. I've since purchased Buhner's book on herbal therapies for babesia and hope to find more specific guidance there. Also would have appreciated more info on Lyme & conception/pregnancy-- I understand there's a massive gap in research, but something more than "don't take this herb while pregnant" would be helpful for making informed decisions on the topic, especially given that he still addresses other hormonal issues and life stages like perimenopause and menopause.

I strongly disagree with his resistance to specialized Lyme testing (Igenx or Vibrant) and the idea that general use of herbs will heal any tick borne coinfection. Dr. Rawls claims that herbs are a low-cost intervention. Compared to what he calls "heroic therapies", maybe they are, but I have found that many quality herbs are $50 for a month's supply, leading to a total cost of $200-300/month. By getting more accurate testing, I was able to prioritize the herbs that would best address my specific coinfections (babesia, tick-borne relapsing fever) rather than wasting funds for months hoping I was targeting the right microbe.

Solid intro to Lyme etc. after diagnosis, but not a standalone tool.

[Hannah Lashbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me finally make sense of everything that has been going on in my body for the past several years. I received a diagnosis of lymes disease a year ago, and have been working towards healing my body, but I still struggled to understand the why behind many of my symptoms/ became discouraged with my slow recovery rate. Dr. Rawls explains so clearly what lymes disease is and does to our bodies, and so effectively lays out helpful information and products for getting well, that I feel far more informed and hopeful now. For someone who hated science and human biology in school, it was actually fun to read this book and learn more about my body and the herbs and supplements that can help it - a lot of the information I learned here went beyond lymes disease, and was informative on health in general. I borrowed this book from a friend, but it is one everyone struggling with lymes should keep in their own library, to reference whenever needed!

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read it for the information on anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial herb protocols. It gets lost in the weeds when it goes into dietary rants that begin to sound more like pop culture social media drivel. It made me question the legitimacy of the earlier chapters, but the information tracks with everything else I’ve been reading about herbal remedies and it is laid out here in an easy-to-understand fashion. The medical community is next to useless in helping anyone recover from Lyme. After the 14 days of antibiotics (rarely enough), you are basically on your own to rebuild your immune system and eradicate the leftover stealth pathogens and co-infections, like Babesia. This book does a good job on addressing what to do next. The rest is skippable, unless you are truly having major gastrointestinal issues as well - and even then I’d compare what is written here to other sources.

[Joe Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to the scary world of microbes. They come in all shapes and sizes, can cause an endless array of illnesses, are difficult to identify, can change to adapt to treatment and can hide for long periods of time and reemerge to attack again. They are the cause of recurrence of Lyme disease and many other illnesses. This book covers numerous facts about healthy living as much as treatment for the results of Lyme disease. It is as much a reference book to be kept handy as you transfer into a healthy lifestyle. You can skim many parts concentrating on those sections that are highlighted, keeping in mind you will return for more concentrated study. I recommend reading it as part of a "healthy living" library.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has very extensive information about treating Lyme disease. It has pretty accurate ideas and herbal medicine use which took me ten years to accumulate through many books, websites and doctors as I was attempting to cure my daughter with chronic Lyme. However some new treatments are not included which have worked well for my daughter, like disulfiram and laser treatment. In addition many herbal treatments only work for 6 to 8 weeks and must be rotated or the Lyme becomes immune to them. All and all this book would be helpful to someone new to a chronic Lyme diagnosis.

[Kayla Delventhal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of speculation/extrapolation not super founded in science. I don’t like the suggestion that if you have fibromyalgia you have Lyme even with a negative test— you should test positive before attempting to treat Lyme. The book has a bit of a fearmongering vibe. I found the first bit describing the evolutionary history of Lyme to be helpful although there were some misinterpretations on evolution

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encouraging & Thorough Information

I'm so glad someone recommended this book to me! I was very overwhelmed with a recent double diagnosis for Lyme for my husband and I. Dr. Rawl's book is very thorough, and his approach well-balanced. I am encouraged by the actual possibility of recovering our lives!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

In depth without being overwhelming. This well organized book gives a much needed overview of Lyme disease, co-infections, and many different types of therapies. His core approach is herbal and he has a lot of helpful information with a balanced viewpoint.

[Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to research and information, this book is a five. But it is also very dry, and there were a few comments here and there that I disagreed with based on my own experience. But it gives you so much information, good information. On a whole this is a great book.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I need to own. There’s so much information that I know I will want to refer back to. I’m on the right track for treatment but yes I need to purchase this book so I can keep supplementing my healing process.

[Lynsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure if all the information was true or not, but it was a page turner for me when I was thinking Avery had it. Lyme is a tricky thing to diagnose. If you really have it maybe it’s good. I have it 3 because I was entertained but not sure the validity of it.

[Dwight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holistic Health Care

This was an excellent read. I learned a great deal about Lyme disease and other malevolent microbes. I think this book can be a good guide for anyone looking at alternative treatments for chronic illness.

[Epifania Rita Gallina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read and great guide!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really impressed with the readability of this book. Most books on Lyme are too technical it just plain boring for the average reader.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the first half explaining lyme and other tick diseases but didn't read the sections about how to treat chronic lyme. Definitely worth studying if you're dealing with that.

[Holly Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book and resource on Lyme Disease

[Gabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked his overall viewpoint, definitely some things I disagreed with.

[Corinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic functional approach to Lyme

[Teddi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource, I've read it several times, and learn more each time.

[Jill Henson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great information and guides on how to start your path to wellness! Thankful for the herbs information

[Annie Oosterwyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of suggestions for remedies. Lyme Disease sucks!

[Jus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by my friend as I caught Lyme disease last year. Definitely an epic read to understand this disease.

[Veronica G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of natural health books to help cure/treat Chronic illnesses.
I like that Dr Rawls is a physician who developed Fibromyalgia-> he couldn’t get better and eventually realized he had Lyme and figure out how to treat it.

The first half of the book is info on Lyme and how insidious it is in our bodies... and how the disease can emerge. I enjoyed the descriptions because they did make sense along with everything else I Understand about the micro biome, pathogens and stress. He has a thick section of resources and research at the end.
Half of the book is things to do.
I feel like this is a good book for someone looking to understand Lyme and Chronic Illnesses.
The second half of the book helps explain the treatments and why the should work and how to use them.
There are sections for sleep, pain, menopause, and more
It’s pretty good. I didn’t find anything offensive or idiotic about it. 👍🏻