Anyone used this before and get good results? Any input on this would be appreciated.
Gary
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
This is the same thing as Samento (in case you're doing a search of the forum).
I found it was good in conjunction with other treatments. Never had any substantial progress with it. I liked it best as part of Buhner's core protocol .... I took Samento, Banderol, Resveratrol, and Andrographis. That was the best herbal Lyme protocol I was on though it didn't help with the coinfections.
Posted by gwb (Member # 7273) on :
sgk, how do you know what all to take when it comes to all of these herbs and stuff? You have a lot of knowledge about this stuff but people like me have no clue.
It's so hard and frustrating for a dummy like me to figure this all out on my own. My LLMD is relatively new at this and he really doesn't have experience in treating advance Lyme disease such as what I have.
Did you have an alternative doctor or holistic person helped you get it all figured out? Plus, how do you know what brands to trust? According to some lab reports, that test these herbs, over half of them don't have the full amount of products they claim they do.
Sure wish I lived near someone like you who could help mentor me. In OK there is really no support and no doctors here who even believe this Lyme stuff anyway.
You, and many others here, are fortunate to have the knowledge you do about the proper herbs, detox and other stuff that I am still very confused about. My brain can't concentrate enough to figure it all out on my own.
So much I need to learn and do...
Posted by massman (Member # 18116) on :
There is a great Naturopathic doc in Austin. He also does phone consults. If you like I can PM you his site and #.
Posted by Pam08 (Member # 19203) on :
This is the same as Samento as someone else said. I personally haven't tried it yet. I have some but my LLMD does use herbs with abx and hasn't recommended me to start it yet so I am waiting. I have however heard really great things about Samento for Lyme Disease. If you do look it up at this Lyme group there is a lot of info on it as well as other herbs.
If you try it be sure to start very slow and work your way up. I have heard it can have a pretty strong effect on some people. Many recommend to start with one drop a day and stay at that for one week to see how you do with it. Then if you can handle that dose increase by one drop per week if you can handle it. No need to herx hard.
Anyhow...that is just what I have heard recommended for dosage. I am not a doctor though so you may want to check with your doctor first.
I know it can be hard to research all of this stuff when you don't feel well and your brain wont function properly. Luckily I was able to research all of this for years and was doing things naturally before I found out I had Lyme and started seeing my LLMD. She uses a combo of meds and natural treatments so I am lucky to have a doctor who knows about both.
Take Care, Pam :-)
Posted by gwb (Member # 7273) on :
massman, yes, please do PM me his site and #. I assume he's Lyme literate?
Thanks much!
Gary
Posted by lymeinhell (Member # 4622) on :
Been on it 5 years. Was used to transition me off antibiotics (and I've been off them for almost 5 years now). And I am better and have my life back.
Packs a punch. I would suggest to anyone to Go slow - empty out some of the capsule when you first try to see how you react.
Posted by j_liz (Member # 20496) on :
My LLMD starts her patients off first with this. She says she has had success with it and that some patients need to go onto abx.
I did well on it until I was reinfected with who-knows-what (got 12 bug bites - never even felt the biting- and went down hard and fast). Then started abx.
She continued having me (and her other patients) taking it even when we had to move on to other treatments. Unfort. I can't remember why - stinking Lyme brain.
She uses the Allergy Research Group brand, Prima Una de Gato. When I went to the health food store to compare prices the owner told me he couldn't sell it, because health care professionals can sell it so much cheaper.
He would have to sell it at $90 and she sells it for $60 So, if you can get it from a LLMD or naturopath...Well, just compare prices if you decide to get it.
liz
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
When I first found out I had Lyme and started reading at LymeNet, I read the discussions about Cat's Claw.
I realized that this was something I could do while I figured out what to do about finding an LLMD.
I've been taking it off and on for the last five years. I haven't gotten sick with bronchitis at all in that time, and very few colds.
Dr. Stephen Sinatra has suggested using Cat's Claw with Wobenzym to treat Lyme Disease.
The Wobenzym reduces fibrin which reduces biofilm, and the Cat's Claw stimulates the white blood cells to phage (eat) bacteria.
Carol
p.s. Editing to add, Dr. Sinatra is not a Lyme doctor, as far as I know. I think his specialty is cardiac.
His book, The Sinatra Solution: New Hope for Preventing and Treating Heart Disease, has information that I found useful for fatigue.
The supplements that he recommends for an ailing heart are the same recommended for the fatigue we Lymies have.
[ 08-24-2009, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: Carol in PA ]
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Hi, Gary -
Carol makes a good point - Samento or regular Cat's Claw might be a good starting place while you're figuring out what to do next. And I agree with Julie - go slow with it and any herbal supplement until you know how you'll react.
Samento is part of the Cowden Protocol, and regular Cat's Claw is part of the Buhner Protocol. That might help you if you do some searching about this herb.
I don't know if this will work, but I did some LymeNet searches, and here are the links to the search pages.
That's interesting, Carol - hadn't heard of that combo.
Posted by gwb (Member # 7273) on :
Julie, what exactly does this stuff do? Can you take Zithromax and this TOA free-Cat's Claw together? I thought it was basically a liver support or toxin remover?
When you say "it packs a punch", you mean it can give you a bad herx? What does it do to you physically? Is it harmful to take or any bad side effects possibly?
Did you get better on this stuff alone, or did you get better on abx too? What else did you take to get better and how long did it take?
liz, I'm not sure if that's the brand at the link but the stuff costs about $80 dollars a bottle. I'll gladly pay it if it helps.
Pam08, thanks for your input. You are indeed fortunate that you have an LLMD that knows about natural and traditional Lyme treatment.
By the way, I went to the ACAM website and found a doctor (MD) (not LLMD) who treats alternative medicine along with traditional. I made an appt this Wednesday to see him hoping he can help me with the holistic part.
Thanks again everyone for your input. It all helps.
Gary
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
I agree with Julie (Packs a punch. I would suggest
to anyone to Go slow - empty out some of the
capsule when you first try to see how you react.)
Cats Claw is considered a natural antibiotic.
I got mine for around 9 dollars a bottle.
Posted by gwb (Member # 7273) on :
Carol, thanks for the information on Wobenzym. I will check that out.
Tracy, yeah, I've read a little bit about both of those protocols. In fact, I wrote to Stephen just last week asking him some questions and he was kind enough to write back to me.
I plan to buy his book soon. Right now my mind is in no condition to read books or long articles about anything as it's all I can do to read and write a few posts here.
It's amazing how knowledgeable so many of you are here on this forum. I'm glad I can come here and learn from so many of you.
And yet, it's kind of sad that we're all pretty much on our own having to try to figure out how to heal ourselves because of the controversial nature of this disease. And because 98% of the doctors in America don't take this disease seriously.
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