This is a fun review to write because my opinion of this place started out quite skeptical and really turned around for the better as I got to know them over the summer of 2019. BACKGROUND: I have chronic Lyme, Bartonella and Babesia infections, diagnosed in 2004, and eventually started the Buhner herbal protocol. I got very sick and was unemployed and bedridden for a good portion of that time, and barely remember it. After a couple of years of that and some improvements but not as much progress as I had hoped, I switched doctors and tried prescription antibiotics alone for a few years, with testing every 3-4 months and switching up the exact drugs a couple times a year. I got much better, tested negative for Bartonella and then Babesia multiple times, but then as I got to the cyst-busting stage of the Lyme treatment, all hell broke loose and it all came back very aggressively. It was at this backsliding low point I become terrified and knew I needed something more. So, I decided to do everything I could simultaneously: 1) prescription antibiotics 2) herbal antibiotics 3) chiropractic and soft tissue bodywork, AND 3) hyperbaric oxygen. I found Holistic Hyperbarics as the nearest center, since I did some research and figured I would need a lot of sessions, the proximity was important. Unfortunately it was right in the middle of their move, so there was some confusion and I showed up at the old location, not happy. But I called Alex and she paid for my Uber and made it right. I'm glad I stuck through that rocky start, because the HBOT started to bring benefits after just a few sessions.
PERSONAL HBOT EXPERIENCE: I had had severe "spasticity" (unconscious muscle tension) along my left side for years, which affect my gait and ability to do many household chores with my hands, sometimes even typing. After my third HBOT session in 10 or so days, I felt something amazing - it started to relax. I excitedly wrote my doctor that it felt like I had released a silent scream and the mental and physical tension were dissappearing. She mentioned that this was likely due to a CNS/brain problem resolving with oxygen, and she started recommending HBOT to more of her patients. My chiropractor also immediately noticed the difference when he laid hands on my back, "what did you do? You feel like a totally different person!" He was surprised to see such improvement so rapidly. He spent an hour every week with me getting me to rebalance my gait and working out my many soft tissues adhesions. Little by little I got more range of movement and started to exercise again. I completed a course of 40 HBOT sessions, usually going 3-5 times per week, to 2.4 ATM for 75 minutes (after acclimation). I started sleeping better, and working more (consulting part-time) as my mind came back. My sense of humor and other quirky aspects of my personality also came back! I started doing long hikes in the Oakland hills, then my chiro cleared me to try running! I am 52 and thought my running days were over long ago, but soon I was doing 5-mile trail runs on steep and rocky terrain! (as I had in my 30s) Professionally, I have also been gaining momentum, with a new challenging full time job. So far, it's going well. It's been about 6 months since I started HBOT, and 3 months since I stopped doing it intensively, and the changes have been largely durable. I still pop in one every week or two to stay tuned up and resolve the ever-changing aches and pains as I continue to progress with my antibiotics. Overall, my life now is very manageable. I cannot ever promise this will happen for anyone else since there is such a vast difference in every Lyme case, and I was doing so many interventions at once, but I am very, very thankful I found Holistic Hyperbarics! I also love the space and the people, Alex is an inspiration to me in many ways, and I always look forward to catching up when I'm there.
WHAT TO EXPECT: I was an avid scuba diver previously, so I knew I would have no trouble clearing my ears. The sessions are pleasant and relaxing, you just put on the mask when they tell you you are at your depth, and usually I read a book or papers for work (no electronics at my deep depth) -- also I use colored pencils since pens will explode when you come out. I didn't get bad herx headaches from this, but would frequently feel little stings and burns in my known Lyme spots that passed quickly and moved around. Immediately after a session, I always had to hit the bathroom due to bladder pressure, and feel a little lightheaded which went away in 10 minutes or so. When I got home I was very hungry and wolfed down anything in the fridge, then a bit tired (I take this as a sign my immune system is very busy). The next day I would be full of energy and ready to go again. I think consecutive days, once you work up to them, are very helpful. read more