So I was on antibiotics for a few years now off and on. Mostly Biaxen and planequil combination. I treated Bartonella H and Bartonella Q with Rifampin years ago as well. I've mostly been on doxy and biaxen and planequil along with Flagyl and Tindamax.I'm lucky to be very high functioning. but still a few things here and there are still present. such as weight issues (I seem to never be able to loose these last 10 pounds gained), periods being more miserable than they should. and other minor things.
I decided that after being on and off antibiotics for like 5 years now, i wanted to stop antibiotics and start taking an herbal protocol which i never did yet. So I bought Source Naturals Resveratrol which contains the japanese knotweed in it. and I bought andrographis, Samento, and Grapefruit seed extract. I thought I would be able to tolerate them fine after being on antibiotics for so long. the first 5 days i was fine taking about the medium dosage of them all.
Then BAM! i started feeling a herx. I was tired, achey, swollen, and had bad brain fog. I stopped taking everything for a few days then went back on three source natural japanese knotweed pills. the symptoms continued of the herx. so now I only take two of them a day and nothing else besides large doses of Chlorella, which I've been taking for 3 years now. Is this normal? two tablets of the source naturals resveratrol isn't very much, considering the max dosage is 6 a day. this stuff is POWERFUL! Anyone else take a long time to ramp up on Japanese Knotweed? I can't start taking the other herbs till I can tolerate a good dosage of the Japanese Knotweed. I know sure and steady wins the race.Don't know why I'm having such a massive herx on it.
just checking other peoples reactions and experiences. thanks!
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- I recall days of being very surprised, indeed, by some. And it took me a long time to really listen to advice others gave me that I pass along now:
Try backing down to one a day, in the middle of a good meal. That should help.
If you can, divide the tablet in two and take half with a good breakfast and half with a good snack mid afternoon. But do not go over one dose a day until you feel you can advance. That could take a few days or a week.
Then, advance in a manner that is VERY low and slow.
Most people would have a strong reaction to more than one for the first few days of anything. Give your body some time.
Those with lyme are usually much more sensitive than the average person. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Andrographis can create a strong reaction, too. That is best taken one in the middle of DINNER (and don't plan to drive or go out that night). You might want to stick to one for week or two and see how that goes.
When you advance with that in the day, expect to be more tired and sleep more. It's just part of how it works and, in the long run if you don't have to go out, that added rest in the first two weeks of taking it daytime can be helpful.
You can read more about its properties here (I don't have a similar set for Japanese Knotweed but if you have not yet, be sure to read all you can written by Harrod Buhner).
ANDROGRAPHIS paniculata - LINKS SET -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Samento.
I recall ONE DROP really clobbering me, big time. I did one drop a day for a long time before I was ready to move to two drops.
Be sure when you take your drop, it's in a half cup of water, at least, maybe even in one full cup.
GSE, be sure to take in the middle of good meal to start with as it can be rather caustic to the lining of the stomach. I could never tolerate it for that reason, but with food, that should help. And, with this, also very slow and low.
Can you get to a LL ND (naturopathic doctor) so that they could assess what herbs might be best for your body, at this point in time? -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- " periods being more miserable than they should."
Liver support may need to be better. The liver is extremely connected to a women's period comfort level.
Get the book by Tori Hudson, ND and find her website for women's issues. The interlibrary loan system has her book. Find what she writes about this, and other herbs, too, and "stagnant Qi":
Dong Quai / angelica s.
and
be sure your magnesium is the right kind and 3 x day, divided doses. That often helps period pain, etc.
Dr. Tori Hudson's website -
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
Thank you Keebler! You are always so helpful and knowledgable! All of us here on the boards owe you an aweful lot! It is surprising the strong reaction I have to such a small dose of japanese knotweed since i was on antibiotics for a long time. However i have never taken herbs for Lyme before, maybe they are stronger in my case than synthetic antibiotics are. It seems to be killings something.
What does it have the biggest effect on? Trying to figure out what it's probably hitting. I will back down to one tablet a day. I'm high functioning and it's not good clobbering myself too fast.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Japanese knotweed is a strong antioxidant...I don't know if that would be what is causing the herxheimer reaction.
At one point, I attempted Stephen Buhner's protocol for Lyme. When I ramped up on Source Naturals Resveratrol (Japanese Knotweed) I had a wonderful reaction.
My brain fog cleared and I could think in a way I had been unable to for many years. It was marvelous!
Unfortunately, I also had awful kidney pain. My urine was clear, but both kidneys ached terribly, and I could pinpoint their exact location in my back. I spent a couple days in bed and stopped all supplements.
Later I took one tablet of Resveratrol, and again experienced kidney pain. I've been afraid to try it again.
Only one other person on LymeNet had kidney pain with Resveratrol, that I know of, but I thought I would pass that info along.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Carol makes a good point in that it is very likely not a herxheimer but just the properties of the herb. Like a strong food - or a food with certain attributes - its properties may just be too strong for you with a large portion and not being used to it.
And, as with all things from the plant kingdom / foods from the earth / spices / even garden herbs . . . not all suit each person. And, if a person has weakness in certain organs, strong herbs can be too much when taken up to speed too fast (or just the wrong one).
Glad she mentions Stephen Buhner. Lately, all I could think of his is middle name and I've been leaving that for various posts. -
Posted by Nula (Member # 38409) on :
Buhner says that lots of people had an odd reaction specifically to the Resveratrol by Source Naturals.
He is now suggesting Japanese Knotweed tincture, powder or capsules by other brands.
Excellent find. Thanks so much for posting that key detail. Scrolling down that web page also adds some good input. -
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
I took the powder, in very MINIMAL amounts, or did the decoction, also in minimal amounts.
Japanese knotweed is extremely potent, in my opinion. At least, to my body. I could never reach even the minimum doses.
Reverastrol is a total different thing than whole herb. I prefer 100 times full herb, as I get clearly some results with it. There is much more than antioxidative effect in the whole herb.
I never ramped up with that, but improved anyway. For me, the least I react, the best.
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
Thanks for all your help and input guys!
The feeling really does feel very much like a herx. I remember feeling this way when I first started treating my lyme 6 years ago. I was like smacked in the face with a fatigue/exhausted/sore feeling. I have decided I'm going to give the Japanese Knotweed from the source naturals an honest try. I've been doing what Keebler suggested by only taking one tablet split in two dosages a day for now. I need to very very slowly ramp up I think.
Also, I have read that Japanese Knotweed kills Bartonella. I had Bartonella H and Q and in the beginning of treatment 6 years ago I treated it with Rifampin for about a year i think. Perhaps it never totally went away? and it's being killed. I'll have to find out. I will eventually add in some herbs for Bartonella when I'm able to tolerate more of the Knotweed, considering it's my first herb
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
I answered your pm lymegal!
I just forgot to mention white cardamon seeds in powder (or just chew the seeds).
No one talks about it for lyme, but I do think it deals with some pathogens like babesia or borrelia cysts.