My opinion on Lyme's is not much different from any other of these chronic infections that accompany IC. The body's immune system needs to be in tact to make "neutralize" any chronic infection. I have seen repeatedly that working with the immune system is the way to combat any chronic infection such as with the work that I do rather than hitting the infection with antibiotics. HBO may be also effective, but I think that although it is a great therapy, it is not a comprehensive therapy alone and I do not know how it may effect what I am doing. And, as everyone who treats with me knows, I really need to stabilize all the variables during treatment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartonella

Above is a good site describing bartonella.

I dont want to interfere with the chat forum, but thought I might just add my own two cents about infectons.

They are not always best fought through the standard means of antibiotics.

And, although there may be conceptualization regarding a connection between IC and any given bacteria, the question remains why does one person affected by a bacteria not become symptomatic in an identical manner as another person.

I personnaly believe the answer is the immune system's responsiveness to a situation. In the case of bartonella, it is a bacteria introduced form the outside, but there are other being introduced from within the body itself.

Regardless of which it is, enabling the immune system to attack the problem, in my experience is the more efficent way of handling these kinds of health challenges.