By Dr. Shawn Bladel
Why Your Lyme Disease Keeps Coming Back: The Biofilm and Co-Infection Puzzle
By Dr. Shawn Bladel | August 4, 2025 | Recreated Health
For many, Lyme disease feels like a never-ending battle. You go through treatment—often with antibiotics—only to have symptoms flare up again months or even years later. Fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, anxiety, heart palpitations—the symptoms can ebb and flow, leaving patients feeling confused, frustrated, and hopeless.
So, why does Lyme keep coming back?
The answer lies in the complex biology of the Lyme-causing bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, and its ability to hide in biofilms [1], mutate into stealthy forms [2], and travel with co-infections like Babesia and Bartonella [3]. To make matters worse, these infections can disrupt the immune system, triggering autoimmune-like symptoms that further confuse diagnosis and treatment [4].
The Biofilm Challenge: How Lyme Hides from Your Immune System
One of the biggest reasons Lyme disease is so hard to eradicate is biofilms—slimy, protective communities that bacteria create to shield themselves from your immune system and antibiotics.
What Are Biofilms?
- Biofilms are sticky layers made of proteins, sugars, and DNA that bacteria build to protect themselves [1].
- Within these films, pathogens like Borrelia become more resistant to treatment [2].
- Biofilms can form in tissues, joints, organs, and even inside the central nervous system [3].
- When Lyme pathogens hide in biofilms, they can lie dormant and then reactivate under stress, trauma, or immune suppression [4].
This helps explain why symptoms flare up after feeling better for a while. If treatment didn’t address biofilms, the bacteria may never have been fully cleared.
Natural Strategies to Break Down Biofilms
- Systemic enzymes like serrapeptase and nattokinase [5]
- Herbal antimicrobials including oregano oil, berberine, and grapefruit seed extract [6]
- Bicarbonate therapy to alter pH and weaken the biofilm matrix [7]
- Binders to capture and remove released toxins and debris [8]
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CellCore BioToxin Binder – Binds toxins and biofilm debris safely and effectively without constipation.
Co-Infections: A Hidden Battle Within
Ticks don’t just carry Lyme—they’re like microbial dirty needles, often infecting hosts with multiple pathogens in one bite [9]. These co-infections complicate Lyme disease symptoms and make recovery especially difficult.
Bartonella: The Stealth Microbe
- Symptoms: Foot pain, anxiety, neurological issues, stretch-mark-like rashes, irritability
- Infects the vascular and nervous system, making it a common culprit in neuro-Lyme [10]
- Doesn’t always respond to traditional Lyme antibiotics
Babesia: The Lyme-Malaria Connection
- Symptoms: Night sweats, air hunger, chest pressure, fatigue
- A protozoan parasite—so antibiotics like doxycycline are ineffective [11]
- Requires anti-parasitic treatments or natural approaches
Other Common Co-Infections
- Ehrlichia: Causes low white blood cells, fever, liver inflammation [12]
- Mycoplasma: Triggers fatigue, respiratory issues, joint pain [13]
- Anaplasma: Suppresses immune function and confuses diagnosis [12]
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CellCore Para Kit – Supports cleansing parasites and addressing co-infections like Babesia naturally.
Dr. Shawn’s Insights: Hidden Infections and Lingering Symptoms
Persistent Lyme symptoms are rarely due to a single factor. Dr. Shawn Bladel often sees patients who have:
- Incomplete detox pathways
- Hidden viral reactivations (like Epstein-Barr Virus)
- Parasites or mold exposure
- Nervous system dysregulation (stuck in fight-or-flight)
“Treating Lyme without first addressing drainage, mitochondria, and biofilms is like cleaning up a flood without fixing the leak.” – Dr. Shawn
His approach focuses on:
- Layered detox protocols
- Mitochondrial repair
- Immune modulation
- Personalized testing for co-infections and stealth pathogens
The Link Between Lyme and Autoimmunity
One of the lesser-known complications of chronic Lyme disease is its ability to trigger autoimmune-like symptoms through molecular mimicry and cross-reactivity [14][15].
- Molecular Mimicry: Lyme bacteria mimic your body’s own proteins, tricking your immune system into attacking joints, nerves, and brain tissue [14].
- Cross-Reactivity: Chronic infections keep the immune system on high alert, leading to systemic inflammation and “false alarms” against foods, chemicals, or even your own cells [15].
Natural Therapies for Immune Modulation
- L-Glutathione – supports detox and calms immune hyperactivity [16]
- Omega-3 fatty acids – reduce inflammation and support brain health [17]
- Curcumin & Boswellia – potent natural anti-inflammatories [18]
- Medicinal mushrooms (Reishi, Turkey Tail) – balance immune responses [19]
- Colostrum – restores the gut-immune connection [20]
👉 Recreated Health Recommends:
Cellcore GlyNACtive – Supports glutathione production, liver, kidney, and drainage support.
Integrating Natural Approaches for Holistic Healing
True healing from Lyme disease isn’t just about killing bugs—it’s about rebuilding the terrain.
Key Elements of a Natural Healing Protocol
- Drainage First: Ensure bowels, liver, and lymph are open before detoxing
- Target Infections Strategically: Rotate herbal protocols for Borrelia, co-infections, parasites, viruses
- Repair Gut & Mitochondria: Use bone broth, amino acids, CoQ10, probiotics, glutamine [16][17]
- Calm the Nervous System: Vagus nerve stimulation, adaptogens, craniosacral therapy, trauma healing
- Address Mold & Environmental Toxins: Air purifiers, binders, antifungals where needed
- Lifestyle Upgrades: Anti-inflammatory diet, gentle exercise, emotional healing practices
Conclusion: Rewriting the Lyme Story
Lyme disease is not just about a tick bite. It’s about a multi-layered disruption to your immune system, detox pathways, and microbiome. Biofilms, co-infections, and autoimmune responses create a chronic cycle that can’t be broken with antibiotics alone.
By understanding the biofilm and co-infection puzzle, you can unravel the mystery behind recurring symptoms and build a plan that supports whole-body healing.
Functional medicine doesn’t offer a one-size-fits-all cure—it offers a roadmap.
Your Healing Starts Here
If you’ve been stuck in the Lyme loop, it’s time to go deeper.
- Download our self-guided eBooks and begin your journey with a safe and proven drainage and detoxification method with The Parasite Detox Blueprint or learn how to finally take control of and eliminate your pain source with The Chronic Pain Fix
- Book a consultation with Dr. Shawn Bladel for a customized recovery plan.
Lyme is complex. But healing is possible.
References
- Flemming H-C, et al. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2016.
- Stewart PS. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2002.
- Sapi E, et al. Eur J Microbiol Immunol. 2012.
- Embers ME, et al. PLoS One. 2012.
- Zeng Z, et al. Front Microbiol. 2020.
- Vuotto C, et al. Pathogens. 2017.
- Alhede M, et al. J Bacteriol. 2009.
- Nicholson J, et al. Toxins. 2019.
- Krause PJ, et al. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2002.
- Breitschwerdt EB, et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2008.
- Vannier E, Krause PJ. N Engl J Med. 2012.
- Dumler JS, et al. N Engl J Med. 2005.
- Waites KB, et al. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2017.
- Sigal LH. J Clin Invest. 1997.
- Steere AC, et al. Autoimmun Rev. 2017.
- Pizzorno J. Integr Med. 2014.
- Calder PC. Nutrients. 2019.
- Henrotin Y, et al. Curr Med Chem. 2013.
- Wasser SP. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2017.
- Bagwe S, et al. Food Funct. 2015.
