posted
Well, I been sick for four years. I went on antibiotics for more than a year (probably two). With and without antibiotics I felt no different.
The weird thing is, summer time I completely perfect (almost symptom free) and when winter hits that's when all my symptoms come back.
Last time I saw my doctor which was three months ago she told me I need no treatment which I totally agreed with her, I was fine.
Now, on the other hand, winter days come along and I am sick! Lightheaded 24/7, chest pain, chest tightness, frequent urination, pain all over, palpations, fast heart rate. I mean, everything you can think of.
The thing is I can't afford to keep going to my doctor. I am a nursing student with no job. My dad used to help me pay but now he is struggling financially because he recently lost his job. Is there a way to treat lyme disease naturally?
I eat very healthy, gluten free and lots of fruits and vegetables. Any suggestions?
-------------------- Ema Posts: 394 | From Southern California | Registered: Jun 2010
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
In a word...yes. Many have to do this for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, even if you go to a doctor - they can't "cure" you. I've seen it happen quite often here & on other message boards.
You just have to study alot & take matters into your own hands. There are plenty of supplements, herbs, etc. you can get on your own without a doctor.
Catgirl
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 31149
posted
You can try salt/c, Buhner's herbs, rife, Byron White, Cowden, Essential oils.
-------------------- --Keep an open mind about everything. Also, remember to visit ACTIVISM (we can change things together). Posts: 5418 | From earth | Registered: Mar 2011
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- 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 (lyme literate) doctor 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.
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.
Integrative / Holistic M.D., etc. (Be aware that those in this category can have various levels of formal herbal &/or nutritional education, perhaps even just a short course. Do ask first.)
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,
LOW HEAT INFRARED SAUNA detail,
BIONIC 880 (& PE-1) links, and
RIFE links. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
Dr. J in Kansas (at the Hansa Center) wrote a book called, "Beating Lyme Disease" in which he outlines his herbal/detox protocol for Lyme. I know of a person who followed this protocol in the book, never saw Dr. J in person, but got well from Lyme/coinfections.
Also might be interested in a book called "Insights Into Lyme Disease Treatment: 13 Lyme-Literate Health Care Practitioners Share Their Healing Strategies" by Connie Strasheim.
And Bryan Rosner's "The Top 10 Lyme Disease Treatments."
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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glm1111
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 16556
posted
I had great success with the salt/c protocol and antiparasitic herbs. You can order the e-book on salt/c at lymestrategies.
Buhner also has very good herbals as suggested by others. Parasites/worms have now been recognized as the number one co-infection at a recent ILADS conference, so antiparasitics should be a priority.
Gael
-------------------- PARASITES/WORMS ARE NOW RECOGNIZED AS THE NUMBER 1 CO-INFECTION IN LYME DISEASE BY ILADS* Posts: 6418 | From philadelphia pa | Registered: Jul 2008
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annxyzz
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20404
posted
Of the lyme people I know, none improved much with LLMD , but all $pent a lot of money . Honestly , I made more improvement with herbs than ABX . I am far from normal , but definitely improved . Treating parasites I believe is critical . Look into herbal protocols . ABX can hurt kidneys, liver, and immune system . Some suggested herbs that have helped me : cats claw (herb pharm ) Artemesia annua (herb pharm) Andrographis ( NOT concentrated ! ) Grapefruit seed extract drops - Nutribiotic
I started with these and started with small doses and eventually worked up . I also found it best personally to take herbs every other day and not daily . It gave my liver and kidneys time to clear toxins . Doing it everyday has never worked for me . I get toxic overload , can not function, then feel useless and frustrated . After six months I was better than I had been 3 years on ABX .
Personally , I have also had improvement taking ivermectin with praziquantel every other day ( equine from tractor store ) . My asthma and babesia like symptoms have lightened up and I breathe much better . This may be because many people with lyme cfs have been shown in a study to have lungworm, a parasite .
There are no clear EASY answers , but I believe you can improve with herbs and parasite meds.
-------------------- annxyzz Posts: 1178 | From East Texas | Registered: May 2009
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posted
Before answering your question about whether you can treat yourself the bigger question is "Why are you sicker in the winter?"
I could be totally wrong, but the first thing that came to my mind was vitamin D. If you are deficient in that vitamin then it will lower your immune system. And there is less sunshine in the winter so you make less vitamin D.
But you probably need more than just vitamin D. I would also take adaptogens -- will have to experiment to see which ones you can tolerate and that help. Some choices include Siberian ginseng, ashwagandha and rhodiola.
Then to treat the infections you still need to know if you only have lyme or if you also have babesia or bartonella or any viruses.
As for herbal treatment -- the easiest and cheapest is the Buhner herbs. I would buy the book Healing Lyme and also his new book Herbal Antibiotics 2nd edition.
If you can't find an herbalist then you can take the herbs yourself. But you will need to be very dedicated to figuring out which ones work in what doses. Buhner believes in high doses and I would agree that if you want to really get well that is what it takes.
For some people the infections seem to become resistant to the herbs after a year or so -- but you can rotate between the herbs. Or even better would be to add something cheap like doxycycline or minocycline to the herbs for lyme.
Do NOT start with the suggested doses of herbs in the books. Start with only 1 pill per day -- not 4 pills 3 or 4 times per day. If the herbs work you can get a lot sicker. It just makes sense to gradually increase the doses like many people do with antibiotics. And as always only add 1 new thing or increase the dose on 1 herb at a time. Wait 3 or 4 days between each change.
Not everyone does well on herbs but it is definitely worth trying.
Good luck.
Bea Seibert
P.S. There are a couple of websites and forums devoted to the Buhner herbs if that is what you decide to do.
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Judie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 38323
posted
For the winter problems, the first thing that came to my mind is people are indoors a lot more and indoor air quality can be TERRIBLE in the winter.
Fragrance, cleaning supplies, mold from the moisture,fireplace smoke etc... can all give problems like what you're describing along with stirring up underlying conditions.
I noticed that you're a nursing student. I assume you're in a classroom or hospital without windows that can open. If there's any new construction, the VOCs can make you ill too and stir up old problems. Also, the cleaning supplies at hospitals can make people VERY ill and cause light-headedness and headaches.
I agree with Bea. Start looking at herbal protocols like Buhner and give those a try.
I've noticed some people buy fish doxy off eBay and take that.
Good luck.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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posted
Judie I am trying to reply to your message and unable to since your mailbox is full. Posts: 905 | From Santa Cruz,Calif | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
I would like to hear more on this as well. I tried a brief course of antibiotics that left me in worse condition then when I started. I am afraid to try another at this point and have been introducing a host of herbs in the meantime.
So far I'm on: Samento Banderol Cumanda Cryptolepis Sida acuta Black walnut hulls Artemisia annua Cloves Diatomaceous earth Low dose salt/c (3-6g a day)
Pulsing in GSE and raw garlic when I can. I also have andrographis and resveratrol and will cycle them in later. Also on a bunch of supps, but that's another thread.
I haven't been doing this long (only a month) so I can't comment on progress, but I am putting some faith in the formula and I'm trying to stay positive that something in there will have beneficial action (as long as I can get my detox straight).
BTW- I was on berberine for a few weeks (high hopes for that one) but I read a study where it promoted muscle wasting in mice by inhibiting protein metabolism. I'm not in the position to lose any muscle so I stopped taking it.
Posts: 131 | From Neptune, NJ | Registered: Oct 2012
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CherylSue
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 13077
posted
Eh, before I was seen by an LLMD I tried all the herbal medicines, TCM, Nutramedix, Buhner,etc. Spent thousands of $$$.
The only thing that worked was ABX with an aggressive LLMD. I was on disability for 2 years. Long term abx with many ups and downs worked for me.
Posts: 1954 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Some people are self-treating with the Buhner herbs. Stephen Buhner wrote "Healing Lyme," and I think he may have a new one too. The yahoo group is lyme_aid_buhner and the site is www.planetthrive.com.
Another possibility why you're sicker in the winter, and this is only a guess, is because the bacteria thrive in a less-oxygenated environment.
We're colder in the winter, with not as much bloodflow in constricted tissues, so am wondering whether that supports more bacterial activity, if anyone knows.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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posted
Another issue that you may be doing worse in the cold is because spirochetes thrive in cold environment.
A former LLMD told me that when patients go to very cold areas, they feel worse because the spirochetes'act up'.
That may be a distinct possibility.
-------------------- RI Posts: 440 | From New York | Registered: Sep 2005
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annxyzz
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20404
posted
Hmmm, I think you have a great arsenal and will probably improve more than with ABX , which did little for me after three years of them. They also caused a lot of problems. I also think ivermectin has really helped me and probably helped with babs .
-------------------- annxyzz Posts: 1178 | From East Texas | Registered: May 2009
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