If I only knew 10 years ago what I know today, so many lives would be changed and more might be saved.
The shock and awe of watching somebody you love get eaten up by a mystery illness is overwhelming and frightening.
We train so hard to be the toughest, to know how and why to be the best. When something unknown explodes in life and there are no tools to put the pieces back together, what do you do? How can one do their best with zero?
During the past decade, we learned how to create our own tools and survive. At this point in Blake’s recovery, we could easily lace up our boots, stand straight and never look back at this issue. Except for one thing: the man down was my son and the millions more falling are children and soldiers/warriors. We don’t leave anyone behind, that is unacceptable to us. We walk towards the fight, not away. We have learned a few tools and we can now hunt for more solutions. Walking away is just not an option for us. Our goal is to help others by sharing our journey.
HHV-6 is a virus that attacks the brain. Although most people carry this virus in their body in a latent status, what they do not know, is that it is like a grenade waiting to go Rambo at a given chance. This virus “reactivates” which means that when a human is hit with a bacteria, gets a severe flu, catches a pathogen in some 3rd world country or undergoes a physical injury or a TBI trauma the grenade pin might get pulled. The human body is then weakened just enough whereas this virus starts replicating. HHV-6 virus has been linked with Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and some Cancers.
We have scientific proof linking HHV-6A to these diseases. This does not mean this virus is the sole cause of the disease; but what it does mean is that the patient has a shot at better management of disease in CFS and PTSD by treating the HHV-6A virus if it is is present in high viral loads by getting it lowered to within an acceptable and safe range; so that underlying disease can be better addressed.
HHV-6A virus loves to hang out with the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) as well as a stealth bacteria called Mycoplasma. They sound benign, but these are stealth pathogens and cause destruction to organs and the immune system. This may not mean much to you, but you might be surprised to learn that these 3 partners are rampant within the military, are possibly contagious and may be linked with suicide and PTSD.
HHV-6 has been proven to be linked with schizophrenia and suicide. Viral antibody titers have been proven to spike dramatically around 6 weeks prior to suicidal behavior.
When Blake first got hit with these viruses, his “mood and character changed noticeably”. I mentioned this to doctors and they sent Blake for a psych exam and prescribed him antidepressants. Had we caught this one small “tell-tale sign” at early onset; we would not have needed to visit 100 specialists, spend a quarter million dollars and stare at the edge of death for years.
This virus likes to tango with testosterone and cortisol. We are seeing suicides in men from the ages of teens through late 40’s. This could be due to the fact that men have testosterone and cortisol changes/activity occurring around those ages.
If the virus is in reactivation mode, many antidepressants will work against the patient instead of for him/her. This is because the patient is not clinically depressed, but rather is suffering from a brain disease. Psychologists and antidepressants are useful; but only in tandem with addressing and understanding the underlying brain injury factor. The brains of those with TBI’s and brain virus need to be monitored by neuropsychologists who are skilled in brain trauma and healing. Until those specialists have assessed the patients brains, psych medications should not be randomly prescribed.
The virus attacks the brain in a way that shuts off the inherited survival and will to live trait. It can cause unnatural behaviors in people who would normally never consider suicidal thoughts. The virus seems to hit the body hardest after the initial assault when a patient is pushing themselves to their emotional and physical limits; not knowing that their body is in trouble.
During combat, extreme athletic training or when recovering from an injury; the body is normally in replenish and heal mode during down or sleep time. However, if a virus is escalating in the blood and the person is pushing it to the limits; normal replenishment cycles malfunction. As this cycle continues, the brain disease targets areas of the brain thereby possibly wearing down systems and fostering suicidal tendencies.
One sunny day as I was heading out to the horse pasture, I looked in Blake’s window and witnessed him with a loaded shotgun. He was sitting on his bed, he had a glazed and blank expression on his face. It took me a split second to figure out that I couldn’t run fast enough to get to him through the back doors of our house before he pulled the trigger. In the next hair of a second, I was tearing at a screen and hurling myself through a 4×6 ft. window. At that point in time, nothing mattered to me except for getting that gun out of his hand. I was able to accomplish that mission without any shots fired. Blake is alive and well today. Yet every time I read a Military report on our suicide numbers my heart fractures just a little more. Every casualty reported (and we know how many are not reported), news report and every email or call I get about this issue; never gets easier. This is one of the main reasons we are lacing our boots tighter, standing straight and walking towards you for support.
PTSD awareness is on the tongue of many right now. We know this is stress related, but what we didn’t know is that some, or many of these cases might be related to HHV-6A, infections and/or Traumatic Brain Injuries. When we look at high-resolution MRI’s of these patients with HHV-6A, white spots are seen on the brain. These spots can be caused by this virus. The spots can go away with anti-viral treatment.
New studies using experimental positron emission tomography (PET) tracer can effectively diagnose concussion-related brain degeneration while a person is still alive, effectively diagnosing CTE in the living patient. This new technology is redefining the way we view TBI’s and the symptoms that have been sometimes been labeled as PTSD is TBI Patients. CTE Treatment is an emerging field, with Mount Sinai leading the way in new discoveries.
The only known medication scientifically proven to effectively treat HHV-6 is an anti-viral named Valcyte. In a 2006 research study, Valcyte was found to be effective in lowering HHV-6 titers in a subgroup of patients having high antibody titers to HHV-6 and EBV. If a PTSD patient also presents with high Viral titers of HHV-6, it is possible to treat the virus, thus unravelling and alleviating symptoms for the patient related to high viral loads.
Why does this matter? Because this information could help save lives. If you notice 3 OR MORE of the symptoms below, please read our prior blog called “Getting Intimate with Your Viruses Part 1 & Part 2”. The tests and tools listed in that Blog took us 10 years to figure out.
Symptoms to look for include: 1) Change in moods or outlook in life; Anger, Depression. 2) Fatigue with unrefreshing sleep. 3) Insomnia 4) Memory loss. 5) Cognitive decline. 6) Migraines. 7) Weight loss 8) Flu like symptoms that linger 9) Joint/Muscle pain. 10) Very low blood pressure.
Sometimes all we “see” is the depression or a “character change” at first onset in our loved one. But if you can look beyond that and notice any other symptoms noted above, you then have biological options to research. The sooner you catch any viral or bacterial infections or recognize a TBI; seek treatment and the greater your chance for a successful and timely recovery.
We have 10,000 disability claims filed to the VA each month. We have unusually sky-high suicide rates. We are looking at high numbers of deployed coming home within the next 18 months; which some predict up to 50% could be afflicted. All three of these groups need to know that if they present with 3 or more of the symptoms above, they have the right to a blood test for viral and bacterial infections as well as tests for TBI’s. These are high risk groups that need support and treatment immediately and are rampant in our Military.
It is up to us, toolbox in hand, to be walking towards those that need us. Please support those at high risk because very few, if any, are getting the support they deserve and need.
JULIA HUGO RACHEL
VERY LUCKY GIRL ON VALCYTE
(Updated 2018)
VLG on Valcyte Blog 