posted
The reason for this post is mostly because I have just started abx again due to the cardiac symptoms I have been experiencing, and not knowing what else to do. I have been trying herbs and essential oils and other things but can't figure out what to do about the very scary heart symptoms and I do not want to take any more chances with that.
I did some searching here on the site yesterday for ways to support the liver while on abx and stumbled upon some posts from people that were so negative about abx that I wanted to throw mine in the trash and give up.
I write this with the intention of respecting the views of others and by no means am looking to disagree with different healing philosophies.
I have been on and off of treatments for years and have tried both pharmaceutical and natural/herbal protocols.
One thing that has probably hindered my healing if I look back, is the fact that there is so much negativity about certain treatments, especially antibiotics.
There have been times when I have read posts on this site that have made abx sound so destructive that the idea of staying on them has been something that generates fear. Fear of ruining the gut, immune system, hormones, overall health etc.
This can become a problem when someone (especially newly diagnosed) comes to the site after finding a LLMD that wants them to take abx when all of their other doctors say that they are bad and will hurt them.
Right off the bat they start to question the judgement of their LLMD and can fall into the void that is the divide between the opposing views.
I remember being so happy that I had an answer for my health issues when I finally had a positive test from Igenex. I went to an I.D. dr that supposedly specialized in Lyme. He looked at my test and said it was not a valid test and was wrong. He told me to stop the abx that I was on and that the cat's claw that I was taking was just snake oil. He said he would not go back to the Dr that prescribed it.
This is something that still happens. So when people come here also and read that abx are terrible they might stop treatment out of fear and delay treatment while searching for other answers.
Alternative treatments are great. I am a huge fan of holistic healing, essential oils, herbs, fir sauna, mHBOT etc. But some people do not have the confidence to try and navigate all of this on their own and not everyone can afford to fly across the country to find Dr's who are obviously very gifted at using alternative methods as a primary treatment approach.
Some people are blessed to find ILADS LLMD's (many of whom are also gifted) that are within a reasonable distance and who might not use just natural methods but also use abx. I realize the importance of adding in natural things, correcting diet, addressing mold, etc while taking abx and totally agree with that logic.
I am also EXTREMELY happy for anyone who got better without abx. That is fantastic and I hope that there are more and more stories like those. As we all know this illness requires an individualized treatment approach.
I hope that I will not need to stay on abx for a long time and that I can switch to other more natural methods but until then I really need to listen to and trust my Dr. He is one of the best in my opinion and the opinion of many others. I hope I can come to this site without feeling like I am doing something wrong for taking abx prescribed by a smart, experienced, Dr.
Posts: 413 | From nj | Registered: Nov 2005
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Good medicine is what works. It makes sense to look to all corners of medicine from the plant kingdom to the science lab.
IMO, so many with lyme are not even given the option of a truly assertive protocol - and that often requires antibiotics and OTHER antimicrobial Rx in high enough doses for long enough - and in the right combination and rotations.
But, IMO, any Rx protocol must be accompanied by an equally well thought out herbal / nutrient support plan.
Many who have trouble with antibiotics miss that part.
As well, any treatment is just hard. It just is. So it can be hard for some to separate out that reality. Treatment does not negate the effects of the illness, either. That's different from the promises we see in drug ads that have us all brain washed that when we pop any pill, we feel better. The path with lyme / TBD is very different.
There are many differences of opinion about Rx -- and many come from forces not even educated in lyme / TBD
so the best move is to find as excellent a LLMD &/or LL ND that you can. You mentioned looking for support methods to help maximize the abx treatment. You may have seen this set. If not, hope it helps. If so, still hope there may be some things new to your eyes.
LIVER & KIDNEY SUPPORT & and several HERXHEIMER support links, too.
HEARING SUPPORT, too. Be sure to see the Tinnitus thread so you know how to protect your hearing / balance while on Rx. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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bluelyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 47170
posted
Tx for any heart or brain infection is iv abx...!? There are many who have done this for years and are not better...guess we gotta try...
considering port and rociphin...what choice do we have...i do not like the idea...i wish i wish i wish for a one day fix even a 1 year fix...
This blogger @ will ther be cake makes a pretty good argument for taking them ...then there another, she is the young lady who did iv 1 yr and orals for 3 and is not in good shape..
maybe droid can chime in , or others ..i am in a pickle a real dilly,i had been ignoring sx for years . moving pains ,headaches ,eye stuff etc etcetc, for ear infection i took a short course off bactrim,
either i had a huge herx ,allergic reaction or the ketes ran for cover and i got huge immune response automatic. Short of the long some twenty doctors later . Visable muscle wasting and right bundle branch block and little lesions on mri . Twiching is sign cns involvement .
Some how inhibiting proteins and damaging dna doesnt sound like it will get me better?. I am having harder time walking and lifting ..glad its not ALS . 1st llmd said i need abx, that bee venom doesnt kill it to stay away from tx like ozone h202 .
The two nurses said h202 and bees got them back to functionality.they did do abx . One said it helped the other said it got her nowhere .i dont know what to believe or what to do. The antifungal that llmd 1 gave has a black box warning for liver damgage.
i am scared of getting worse , i am scard to treat ,over or under , i have been under extreme stress and trauma for 2yrs and now this ...so i jumped to the endgame ,bvt and rife . I have orals just winking at me ..
a follow up in march to see if doxy zith combo is working , have 60 days tini left also . How long can one keep doxy around ? So dave martz is the only guy ive heard to halt his progression with 4g rociphin for a few months...is he still on on iliads board is he still on abx?
hope this thread will help me get off the fence..thank you all for your wisdom and experience. Trial by fire and the forge hardens the steel rite
posted
Keebler, Thanks for the link, that is what I was looking for yesterday. And I agree with your statements.
Bluelyme, Yes IV is usually recommended for major neuro or cardiac involvement. The only thing is that so far my Dr doesn't feel that it's the best route for me at this moment.
And I read that willtherebecake.org post a couple of weeks ago and that was one of the reasons I considered abx again. She made some great points.
Lymetoo, since you stopped by, just in case I haven't said it, thanks for being there over the years when I have asked questions, some of them more than once.
Posts: 413 | From nj | Registered: Nov 2005
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
Very open to it and will be looking into it. Someone near where I live has one that they are not using. I am trying to find out what kind it is etc.
Posts: 413 | From nj | Registered: Nov 2005
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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poppy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5355
posted
Abx have kept me alive and functional, if not cured. I don't know anyone that can guarantee a cure, regardless of what they use to treat it.
I do agree that some people come on too strong about discouraging abx. This is not helpful, especially if an educated lyme doc thinks it is necessary.
People can make their own choices, but they should not unduly influence others in that direction. The decision maker is the patient and they are the ones who take the consequences.
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Jordana
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 45305
posted
My impression is that people usually don't get better without abx. What I've been sort of tallying up in my head are the stories of people who stop taking them because they didn't work, and then went on to other protocols that made them feel better.
These narratives include a lot of people who are well now.
So all the herbals, naturals, etc, and additional therapies probably did help them get better. But the one thing they did first -was abx.
Sure they're toxic. Sure they sterilize the gut. But that's really the whole point.
Posts: 2057 | From Florida | Registered: Feb 2015
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