Can one recover from Chronic Lyme without antibiotics? Also, would love to hear more success stories and how you got there. Thanks!
Posted by Carmen (Member # 42391) on :
I am unsure if a complete recovery is always possible with or without antibiotics. Clearly some people do recover both ways, and some people do not.
If you can't recover I believe you can make your quality of life much better, worth living, with alternative treatments.
Antibiotics may or not provide a cure. In the long run they can really damage some peoples biology on multiple fronts that can take a long time to heal from.
I believe antibiotics can be a precurser to cancer so I stay away from them, ditto for steroids since I have had cancer issues in the past. I have clearly seen how antibiotics have screwed me up over the years causing candida and ileitis, fungal toe nails, chronic sinus issues, stomach issues and arthritis. Its hard to heal from a microbe disease when you are suffering from a drug induced disease, for drugs can profoundly affect your immune system's ability to respond as well as your overall nutritional status.
We have a number of people on this forum who are doing quite well with alternative medicine, who have left antibiotics behind or who never went the antibiotic route in the first place.
We also have some people who have done well with antibiotics. Ultimately the choice is yours and should be based on your own self knowledge and belief systems.
As you read the posts here you will get a sense of the difficulties that can come with the choices that people make. Some people I think have more difficult strains of the disease than others but I think that should not be a reason to choose antibiotics in and of itself.
alternative treatments that have helped people are:
mHBOT Photon Therapy with pulsed nosodes Colloidal Silver with enzymes Rife Ozone therapy IV nutritionals Herbal protocols MMS
It takes a lot of self motivation to do alternatives and the learning curve can be difficult for beginners who are not familiar with these choices.
Posted by D Bergy (Member # 9984) on :
We have used a minimal amount of natural antibiotics to help with Bart, but never have used any prescriptions for Lyme or coinfection treatment.
We did not use any physician either.
The vast majority of treatment was Rife frequency treatments. My wife, who has the Lyme is quite well today. Not cured as I can still detect some Lyme in her, but completely normal due to the infection being greatly reduced.
She is not the only one. Juli, who was suicidal because of the disease is now enjoying a normal life using the same method.
Don't ever give up. There is always people recovering from the disease using various methods.
Good luck.
Dan
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
I remember dr b saying at a conference he had one patient that was allergic to all antibiotics and she got better with a combination of other treatments but she had to comply totally 2 diet and other lifestyle changes
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- When considering herbal / nutritional / adjunct methods:
if at all possible - because each person & each case is different - it's best to consult with an ILADS-educated LL ND (lyme literate naturopathic doctor) (or similar) who has completed four years of post-graduate medical education in the field of herbal and nutritional medicine -
- and someone who is current with ILADS' research & presentations, past and present, and has completed the ILADS Physician Training Program (see: www.ilads.org )
Many LL NDs incorporate antibiotics (depending upon the licensing laws in their state). Some LLMDs and LL NDs have good working relationships.
When possible, it's great to have both a LLMD and LL ND and even better when they have a long-standing professional relationship.
Be aware that integrative doctors can have various levels of formal herbal &/or nutritional education, perhaps even just a short course. Do ask first. Some have learned on their own from experts in the field. There are many ways to acquire knowledge and most are eager to share basic details about their training. You want someone with a deep knowledge.
Some of the specialities above may not actually treat lyme yet, for things such as physical adjustments, it is just good that they are also LL, at least to some degree (to know never to suddenly twist the neck or spine).
Links to many articles and books by holistic-minded LL doctors of various degrees who all have this basic approach in common:
Understanding of the importance of addressing the infection(s) fully head-on with specific measures from all corners of medicine;
knowing which supplements have direct impact, which are only support and which are both.
You can compare and contrast many approaches.
BASIC HERBAL EDUCATIONAL & SAFETY links,
BODY WORK links with safety tailored to lyme patients,
PROGRESS & SUCCESS STORIES -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Someone above mentions the importance of diet. That is key but not enough alone, still, if not attended to, treatment may not have enough of a chance.
Excitotoxins; MSG; Aspartame; & "Natural" Flavors (that are not likely natural at all).
GLUTEN & DAIRY also discussed. Many LLMDs and LL NDs strongly suggest patients go gluten-free. Many also find dropping dairy to be a big help. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Exercise & Physical Therapy considerations are highlighted here, as well as key support methods:
EXERCISE INTOLERANCE is (partially) explained in the article: "when exercise doesn't work out" (and what we can do about that)
ADRENAL, CARDIAC, MITOCHONDRIA & MYELIN SUPPORT - that all helps movement better work for us
Styles discussed: Pilates; Qi Gong; Tai Chi; Yoga; water; strolling; etc. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Some basics so that you can better understand lyme & how it works: that always has to be kept in mind so that we can be sure whatever attempts are made to counter it have a chance.
Dr. Alan MacDonald: Pathologist, Lyme Disease Expert (an ILADS member researcher, not a treating physician)
The Biology of Lyme Disease: An Expert's Perspective - July 2013
Part III - 26 minutes -
Posted by Carmen (Member # 42391) on :
One thing I have found very helpful in my treatment is going to a doctor, in this case a naturopathic medical doctor, who uses dark field live blood analysis. This way I can see what is going on in my blood without a lot of expensive tests and it gives some direction on what I need to do next. It is the one physician capability I really like having access to.
It has shown me parasite issues, heavy metal issues, as well as my response to my alternative treatment for lyme which has been good. Although I would love to do my doctors recommended treatment protocol I just dont have the money for it and he's about 100 miles away on top of that so I have developed my own protocol that has consisted of Colloidal silver, enzymes, rife and ozone therapy.
My ozonator broke last week and we will be traveling soon and there is no time to send it to Canada for repair so I have just added MMS to my protocol to replace the ozone, at least until spring when I have time to get my machine repaired.
There is so much that can be done at home with alternatives that are safe and can really provide a good effect... yet still it is not cheap.
Since October Ive spent at least 4,000 which includes the rife machine. I already had owned my medical grade ozonator. MMS is probably more effective that topical applications of ozone anyway.
When it comes to alternatives what you do will surely be based on just how sick you are, what kind of help you have at home etc.
My neighbor would surely have died if he didnt drive into the city 3 x week for 6 months for his alternative treatments. He was collapsed and nearly bedridden and on oxygen when he started. Now he's working his ranch. Not one antibiotic drug entered his body.
Posted by SacredHeart (Member # 44733) on :
Carmen, what protocol did your neighbor use that was bed ridden? Thanks.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I don't believe Carmen is still around, Sacred.
Posted by Abxnomore (Member # 18936) on :