Hi friends! I haven't been here in a few months. I used to post under JessJoy, but had to change my user name because I was unable to post due to computer issues.
Anyway, if you search my old posts, you can see that I was VERY ILL last year. I actually thought I was going to die a few times. Turned out I had Bart and Lyme.
After 4 months of antibiotics (Levoquin and Doxy), my body started rejecting them. I turned to the Cowden condensed program not expecting much but holy crap IT WORKED!!!!I'm almost symptom free and I'm in month 5.
Most of my debilitating symptoms began clearing up after 3 months into the program. Two things that I have to avoid at all cost are sugar (or sugar substitutes) and caffeine.
I am so pleased with my progress, I just wanted to share! BTW, I get Cowden discounted by 75% due to their assistance program. Thank the gods, otherwise I couldn't have afforded it. When I indulge in sugar or caffeine and end up paying for it, I take Gaia herbs Japanese knotweed(resveratrol) and chug water with wormwood tincture (artemesia). Those 2 are my back up weapons and they really work, I pop 4 pills at a time and chase it with a quart of wormwood water.
THIS COMBINATION IS REALLY WORKING!
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
I am glad you are doing so much better and hope things continue to improve until you are in complete remission. Thanks for sharing what is working for you. Which Cowden tinctures are you using and how much do you take?
Levaquin is so powerful. I was done in by 5 weeks of it. You probably killed off a lot of your infection with four months of it and doxy. It often takes a good die off for our immune system to recognize the pathogens and make antibodies against it. Then when the load is diminished we have a better chance of controlling it with herbs etc.
As we can never fully eradicate the infections, at some point we need to rely on our immune system to be able to fight on it's own. I am trying to make the cross over myself.
Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :
Looks like a major attempt to get adrenaline (epinephrine) down is very important.
The hormones glucagon and ***epinephrine*** (adrenaline) stimulate glycogenolysis (glycogen to glucose).
When you consume caffeine, the drug begins its effects by initiating uncontrolled neuron firing in your brain, according to Stephen Cherniske in his book, Caffeine Blues.
This excess neuron activity triggers your pituitary gland to secrete a hormone that tells your adrenal glands to produce adrenalin.
Did you happen to catch the post here re: PTSD and how it made lyme worse?
PTSD = remembering a scary incident = adrenaline "rush" = fight or flight.
Drug in use for PTSD is a beta blocker called Propranolol.
I saw a show on TV just recently about it...it takes time, but indeed helped (a woman who kept remembering her assault).
Another piece of the puzzle. Hope you continue to make progress!
Posted by JessieJoy (Member # 37502) on :
Nefferdun, I am doing the condensed cowden program and following the 6 month scheduled dosing. You can look it up on Nutrimedix's website, it's too many tinctures to name.
Yeah, I finally ended up on the levoquin after 6 weeks of doxy weren't working. My doc doubled the doxy and added 500 mg of levo. That really started my turn around, but I was still pretty bad, having episodes constantly.
I still remember when I first felt my body's immune system fight the lyme on it's own. It was an amazing feeling. I am so blessed to have a husband with a good job and lots of understanding. It allowed me to rest. Some people never get this very basic requirement because they can't afford it.
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
Congratulations! It's really gratifying to hear a success story every now and then.
Keep us posted!
Posted by Haley (Member # 22008) on :
I'm curious - what happens when you eat sugar or caffeine? These are the 2 things I am desparately trying to stop without much success.
Where do you get artemsia tincture?
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
This smells like a Nutramedix plug
Hope I'm wrong
Posted by karenl (Member # 17753) on :
think you are right, ....registered May 2012!
Posted by riverspirit (Member # 19435) on :
Haley, you can get artemisia annua via iherb. There are a few choices, including both herb pharm and gaia herb brands. They both use very high quality plants.
Canefan, Jessie says that she was formerly "jessjoy" and i trust what she shares here for the benefit of all.
Peace to all ~
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
I'm not on Cowden (on Byron White), but I see a well known doc and he swears by Cowden and Byron White.
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Catgirl - could you PM me your doc's name? Thanks:)
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
I've heard good things about cowden. Is it something you can do on your own?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
-- moving to general support
Posted by JessieJoy (Member # 37502) on :
Smells like a Cowden plug, huh? I guess it is! Too bad it's so expensive, tho. Most people can't afford it.
Yes, you can do Cowden on your own. It comes with a very strict 6 month dosing schedule in a rather thick binder.
There are different forms of artemesia. I have found straight wormwood tincture to be the most effective (and the most nasty tasting!)I buy it at whole foods.I also have the blended tincture of green walnut hulls, wormwood and pomegranate seed but you don't feel the instant relief with that one the way you do with straight wormwood.
Haley, you asked what happens when I eat sugar or drink caffeine...well, I'll get that lyme "buzz" inside. It's like a buzzing feeling that is really bothersome and will wake me in the middle of the night if it's really bad. Haven't had it in a while. I guess it's the spirochetes having an orgy in your blood. You can feel them surging! Wormwood really kicks that to the curb, but I haven't felt it for a while....
I hope this helped you all! I'll post more as I approach total wellness. Thing is, I've only got a month left of the cowden. After this, I'm heading into chinese treatment for Gu syndrome as developed by Dr. GReg Lee and Heiner FReuhoff. It is a lot of chinese herbs and ingesting essential oils. I'll be happy to report my experience as I attempt to put the final nail in the Lyme coffin!
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Good for you for doing better! I know folks who have improved a great deal on Chinese herbs.
Haley, you asked about how to reduce sugar - my suggestion is a step-down diet: no actual sugar anymore, but eat lots of sweet fruits.
Then when you're over the sugar craving, reduce the sweet fruits to less sweet - you can google for their sugar content -
You can also try using stevia as a substitute sweetener. Some of us can handle it and some not.
Re coffee, there was a tea I tried recently - I forget its name - it had hickory in it as one of its ingredients - anyway, it gave me a rush, and I need a wake-up rush to get through my day. I'll try to find the name of it.
Posted by Allsmiles (Member # 29417) on :
Jessie, I am so excited to hear about your success! Good for you! And I hope it keeps you on the path to full healing. You are the second person I have heard report this lately in relation to the Cowden treatment.
I have just been giving alot of thought to doing the Cowden option, so that I can somehow seque off these prescription drugs I am on.
But will need to look into this assistance program you mention because I cannot afford it. Way too expensive!
How does one go about recieving this discount you mention?
Also, I was just about to post a question about Japanese Knotwood for Bart, because it is highly suggested in Buhner's book. But have not found where to order it online at all. So thanks for mentioning that.
I think I will still post about this, because have talked to no one yet who has tried taking Japanese Knotwood. I see Resveratrol talked about alot, but most of this is not from the herb Japanese Knotwood. People need to be aware of this.
The wormwood sounds great too! Thanks to you for all this valuable info. and contined well wishes to you!
( Just realized I have been spelling Knotweed wrong. Explains some of the problem! )
Posted by Alexandru Matei (Member # 37348) on :
I'm really happy that you're feeling much better, keep us posted.
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
I just recently heard of someone else who successfully completed the 6 month Cowden protocol and is doing very well. Very pleased with how she feels.
Posted by outerspace1226 (Member # 34274) on :
i'm not seeing the expensive part, 1 month is cheaper than two weeks of my omnicef.
do they have a different protocol other than the 6 month protocol listed on the support section of home page?
Posted by annxyzz (Member # 20404) on :
How long were you ill before starting treatment for lyme?
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- JessieJoy,
You say that next you will be "heading into chinese treatment for Gu syndrome . . . " (end quote).
You (and anyone else pondering this) might want to see replies at your recent thread.
Please do not rely on that as the sole approach, or even the key. It is a good adjunct but only that.
Although it varies for each individual and changes every 3 weeks, the basic treatment pattern has not been formulated by someone who is truly lyme literate (or considers other TBD, tick-borne diseases). I wish I had known that.
I speak only regarding the author of the "Gu Syndrome" - not other L.Ac. mentioned. I am not as familiar with his work or how he may be augmenting the original premise of the GU approach.
But, as you also stated that you plan to "ingest essential oils" I'm not sure about how effective or safe that will be. Essential oils can burn and some can be too stimulating, so I'm glad you will be under professional guidance. They can be fabulous in some ways, though, with exactness and care.
Also be sure whomever you work with is ILADS "educated" in that they know as much about the spirochete as possible - and other TBD. Even if they have a different approach, it is absolutely vital that they are familiar with ILADS works and conference presentations as to the nature of such infections.
Thanks for mentioning the Two Frog site as I've not read from that in a while and will check on what else he's posted recently.
Best if you also talk to all the surrounding lyme support groups to compare notes for others who may have been there.
Now, if lyme and TBD infections have been adequately put into remission for you - for at least two solid months - the Gu approach may help with transition and is a good basic approach.
But it will not properly address borrelia or other TBD.
That sole approach was a huge failure for me for reasons detailed here:
[ 05-18-2012, 02:20 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- While regarding antibiotics or other anti-infective Rx, the same principle is important to remember considering herbal supplements - RIFE - or whatever methods employed.
And that is why it's so important to have an ILADS-educated naturopathic doctor / herbalist, etc. to guide any alternative treatments.
Bacteriostatic vs. Bacteriocidal (or similar thought to viruses, parasites, other infections besides bacteria).
Is the medicine strong enough to get you past the finish line or just keeping you managing better? A question we all have to keep in mind through the entire process.
Thanks to BigStan who just posted this in another thread:
Bacteriostatic vs. Bacteriocidal levels of certain antibiotics. Each different Rx would have to be considered regarding this issue, too. This paragraph is just about the Tetracyclines.
Bacteriostatic vs. Bacteriocidal consideration -
Posted by JessieJoy (Member # 37502) on :
Hi annxxyz and everyone else wishing me well.
Before I started antibiotics, I was progressively more and more ill for about 1.5 years. It started with chronic outer ear infections after we moved to a very rural area. I know, weird symptom! I may have been bitten on the ear, who knows!
Keebler, I appreciate your input. I will read your story and check out the link. THe chinese medicine ("classical pearls") will be what I rely on unless I get worse. But I've been feeling really good.
![[woohoo]](graemlins/woohoo.gif)
![[bonk]](graemlins/bonk.gif)
)