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If you’re living with Lyme disease, you understand just how uncomfortable and disruptive this condition can be. Fortunately, treatments can help, including supportive oligonucleotide therapy (also used in cancer treatment), available from the Fairfield Family Health team in Fairfield, Connecticut. Simply call the office during business hours to book a visit or schedule online with a few clicks.
What is the purpose of supportive oligonucleotide therapy?
Supportive oligonucleotide therapy (SOT), sometimes called antisense therapy, is a treatment that relies on your blood to help fight off specific types of infections. Researchers have reviewed how this therapy can help treat certain cancers and muscular dystrophy. Findings also show SOT as a promising therapy for treating patients with Lyme disease.
The treatments work by creating synthetic ribonucleic acid (RNA) strands that disrupt the messenger RNA, interrupting the production of specific proteins (peptides). Supportive oligonucleotide therapy creates a “key” that only fits within a “lock” on a portion of your DNA, which helps a pathogen thrive.
When enough “keys” open enough “locks,” the targeted pathogen cannot survive, and the overall disease load within your body decreases.
How is supportive oligonucleotide therapy administered?
The first step in SOT is blood testing, which helps understand how Lyme disease affects your system. Next, a simple blood draw gathers the material the lab needs to create your customized SOT. Once returned to Fairfield Family Health, the solution gets administered intravenously, allowing the powerful components to enter your bloodstream directly.
SOT then seeks out the bacteria that cause Lyme disease and embeds itself within those molecules, preventing the bacteria from replicating. Often, SOT gets used in conjunction with antibiotic therapy.
Before your SOT infusion, your provider administers antihistamines and steroids to bolster your vein walls and reduce the risk of an allergic reaction.
How long do the results of oligonucleotide therapy last?
For most patients, the results of SOT last 3-6 months. At that time, you can choose to come in for another round of treatment for a total of three times per year. Additional blood testing determines how well your therapy works and whether you need more treatments to control Lyme disease.
In-office infusions take around an hour from start to finish, and there’s no need for any form of anesthesia during sessions. You can rest and relax during your infusion and return to the rest of your day afterward.
If you’re looking for additional support in your fight against Lyme disease, contact the Fairfield Family Health team online or by phone to schedule a consultation.