Update on Schardt protocol/a Carnes

[Guest guest]

hi paula and others interested in schardt protocol:

in case folks are interested, this is what i have in my files about

schardt. includes links to his original article, and a later

interview. it is a long post:

Original diflucan medical article found at

http://www.neuroborreliose.net/downloads/files/Neuroborreliosis.pdf

Prof. F. W. Schardt's official publication/Abstract

" Clinical Effects of Fluconazol in Patients with Neuroborreolosis " (8

pages in English) here:

http://www.neuroborreliose.net/downloads/files/Neuroborreliosis.pd

You can also access his Forum where many pose different questions

concerning the use of Fluconazole, but have to utilize the

translation features from German into English.

for translation: http://world.altavista.com/babelfish/tr

some recommended using babelfish.com for translating

Go here and put in website you want translated and I believe its

german to english.

Translate a Web page

http://world.altavista.com/

below is an interview with the doctor (different from the ariticle

above) and then pages and pages of other info about this protocol.

protocol in summary: Dr. Schardt's regimen: 200 mg diflucan daily

and no abx for 50 days and then narrow spectrum abx for 50 days and

then repeat the cycle (schardt later changed his protocol to only 14

days of the abx).

__________

Betriebsarztliche Untersuchungsstelle, Bayerische

Julius-Maximilians-Universitat, Wurzburg, Germany.

" Prof. Dr. med. F. Schardt "

______________

http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/6431

A New Approach to Chronic Lyme Disease

ImmuneSupport.com

05-11-2005

By Jill Neimark

In May of this year I sat down at the beautiful Essex House on

Central Park South, with a German physician specializing in internal

medicine, Fritz Schardt. Dr. Schardt, who is associated with the

University of Wurzburg in Germany, published an interesting pilot

study in the European Journal of Medical Research in July of 2004 on

the use of an antifungal drug, fluconazole, in treating chronic,

advanced lyme disease. This pilot study examined 11 patients with

chronic lyme. Dr. Schardt has slowly refined the protocol since then,

and believes it holds great promise in treating this difficult

condition-which is often misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue or

fibromyalgia. Here follows our interview:

Jill Neimark (JN): What made you think of using diflucan, an

antifungal, to treat lyme disease?

Dr. Fritz Schardt (FS): I was actually my first patient. I got lyme

disease in 1989, and was given two weeks of doxycycline. Our country

follows the protocols set by yours, so that's what is generally

recommended. I now know that was very inadequate and I do not think

doxycycline should be used in early lyme disease at all. It is only

bacteriostatic, meaning it inhibits the bacteria but does not kill

them.

JN: I know, the same thing happened to me. At the doses they

recommend, it also does not penetrate the central nervous system. I

had a fever, stiff neck and bullseye rash. The stiff neck means it

was already in my nervous system. Therefore I probably needed six to

eight weeks of doxycycline at double the dose I was given. Higher

doses will penetrate the CNS.

FS: Right. I recommend penicillin in early lyme disease.

JN: Amoxicillin is given here. Is that what you recommend?

FS: No, that's broad spectrum, so you end up killing many bacteria,

including necessary ones in your gut. I recommend smaller spectrum

penicillins. The syphilis spirochete has not become resistant to

penicillin, and there's good evidence that borrelia, the lyme

spirochete, has not either. In Germany, we have cefalosporine,

roxithromycin, cotrim-TMPO, and clarithromycin. These are all good

choices. They should still be taken for 20-30 days.

JN: Okay, well, you took doxycycline so you ended up with chronic

lyme disease. What happened then?

FS: I was sick for 18 months. I was given intravenous rocephin

several times. I would feel better, but then once I stopped taking

the antibiotics, I relapsed. I was often bedridden and I thought I

was ready for the wheelchair. Then, I developed a fungal infection,

possibly because of all the antibiotics. So I was put on diflucan.

This was around 1990. It was a new drug that was being used mainly

for opportunistic fungal infections in AIDS patients.

JN: And what happened?

FS: I got better. But I only stayed on it for two weeks at first, and

then I got worse again. So I went back on it for 30 days, and I got

well.

JN: What was the dose?

FS: I took 100 milligrams twice a day.

JN: Are you completely well?

FS: I am very active and energetic and I feel quite well. I have

since competed in athletic events and won them. However, I do have an

occasional heart arrhythmia that I believe may be due to permanent

damage from the spirochete.

JN: Tell me your reasoning as to why diflucan might work in chronic lyme.

FS: There are several reasons. First of all, it inhibits an enzyme

called cytochrome P450. This is an enzyme that your liver, for

instance, uses to detoxify chemicals and drugs. Borrelia has a very

primitive p450 defense, so if you inhibit it, it is easily weakened.

Therefore I believe that diflucan inhibits the growth and replication

of borrelia. It does not necessarily kill it. In addition, it

penetrates well into the cells and into the nervous system and brain,

where borrelia may hide.

JN: What is your current protocol?

FS: I recommend 200 milligrams a day, for 50 days. There are now 200

milligram pills available, so once a day is fine. Then I recommend

20-30 days of any of the penicillins I mentioned. You may have to go

through several cycles of this protocol. You must also be very aware

of other drugs that act on the p450 enzyme system, specifically a

subset that inhibits CYP3A4. You should not be taking any of these

drugs at the same time as you take diflucan.

JN: What are some of these drugs?

FS: There are many, and it's best to check with your doctor. Some

common ones are erythromycin, amitryptylin, midazolam, Lovastatin,

and others.

JN: I hate antibiotics. Do you have to take the penicillin?

FS: I understand, many lyme patients come to hate antibiotics because

they have to take so many of them for so many years and are still

ill. In fact, I also was made ill by the antibiotics.

JN: They really disrupt your digestion.

FS: Right, that was my problem.

JN: So, this protocol is your best one-two punch against borrelia,

but you don't have to take the antibiotics if you truly hate them.

FS: Right. In addition, diflucan has a slow half-life so it can

slowly build up in your bloodstream. Sometimes patients call me after

a few weeks and say they are feeling very ill on the protocol.

Perhaps it's a herxheimer, or perhaps it's that the levels of

diflucan are higher than they can tolerate. So I say, take a 3 or 4

day pause, and then go back on the protocol. This is perfectly

acceptable.

JN: What happens if you have a weak p450 system? Have any of your

patients have raised liver enzymes from the diflucan?

FS: I have been lucky, not one of my patients have had raised

enzymes. It is generally well tolerated. If it is a problem, however,

you can lower the dose of diflucan. This would be overseen by your

doctor. I recommend 100 milligrams in pediatric cases.

JN: How many patients have you treated now?

FS: At least eighty.

JN: What is the most difficult case you've had?

FS: I have one 75-year-old patient who has had lyme for 18 years. He

was very ill. He has had to do this cycle of diflucan and penicillin

3 times. He is much, much better. In fact, he's so happy with his

improvement he called the drug manufacturer to tell them they need to

run a publicity campaign to promote diflucan for chronic lyme disease.

JN: Some patients on some internet groups are adapting your protocol,

probably in concert with their doctors, and I'd like to know what you

think of this. They are suggesting staying on diflucan for 9 months,

and some of them are adding in low-dose minocycline. Are you aware of

this?

FS: No, I am not aware of this.

JN: What do you think of the idea?

FS: I believe in the narrow-spectrum penicillins for borrelia, not

the cyclines.

JN: What about 9 months?

FS: That remains to be seen. Perhaps, like tuberculosis, some

patients will need to be on diflucan at least six months or more.

Borrelia is a very sophisticated organism, and one of the few

bacterium with two cell membranes. There is much we still have to

learn about it.

© Jill Neimark, 2005.

THE ACTUAL STUDY OF DIFLUCAN FOR LYME MAY BE FOUND on CanLyme and

Ilads cite, I believe. Or you can email me and I can send it to you

electronically via PDF: <rivka@...>

SOMEONE ONLINE ON LYMENET WROTE: The latest news about the Diflucan

protocol from Prof. Schardt is that diflucan alone doesn't work. He

is talking now about taking Diflucan for 50 days, then 21-30 days of

Penicillin 1,5 mega (3 pills a day, one in the morning, one at noon

and one in the evening.). If you relapse, repeat this protocol. He

even says sometimes it can be necessary to do 2-3 cycles.

ANOTHER POST FROM ANOTHER LISTSERV SAID: Fluconazole for 2 months

200mg/day. After 2 weeks on the Fluconazole start Penicillin

500mg/4x/day. Repeat 60 day cycles as necessary.

AND FINALLY, MY (RIVKA'S) DIRECT EMAIL TO DR SCHARDT FOR THE MOST

UPDATED INFO ON DIFLUCAN FOR LYME

EMAIL FR DR SCHARDT MAY 26, 2006

From : Prof. Dr. med. F. Schardt <fritz.schardt@...>

Sent : Friday, May 26, 2006 4:55 AM

Subject : Re: diflucan treatment

An improved therapy is now 50 days fluconazole, 2 weeks penicillin and 2

times repeating this scheme.

Sincerely F.S

> Hello Dr. Schardt,

>

> I have had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and/or Lyme for 16 years.

>

> I am hoping to begin the Diflucan protocol that you describe in the below

> article. Are there any changes to the protocol since this article was

> written? I will see my local primary care physician on Thursday and my

Lyme specialist on Friday, and will discuss with them your response to my email

> before I begin the protocol.

>

> Thank you so very much!

>

> RIVKA the USA (Boston)

_____________

[Guest guest]

Rivka, I cannot begin to thank you enough for sending this. I have not

been able to track all this down in my internet searches. I will save,

print, and take to my doctor. She is treating a lot of Lyme and cfs

patients now - all of them refered by me - poor doc! This is a

goldmine of information.

a Carnes

>

> hi paula and others interested in schardt protocol:

>

> in case folks are interested, this is what i have in my files about

> schardt. includes links to his original article, and a later

> interview. it is a long post: