I am taking liquid TOA-free cat's claw by Allergy Research Group, not Samento. I think it is the same thing, but not the formula used in the clinical trials. It's the only one my LLMD carries.
I was recently diagnosed with chronic lyme and have only been taking the cat's claw for a few weeks. It must be doing something because I do seem to be herxing, and am having to increase my dose slowly.
I started on a low dose (one drop a day) and increased by one drop every few days. Supposed to work up to 5 drops 3 times a day (15 total). Right now I take 5 drops in the morning, then 3 later on. 5 drops 3xday would be too much for now. My ankle pain gets pretty intense at time (old injuries, probably large strongholds of lyme bacteria).
Sorry I couldn't be more help. My new doc (LLMD) says his patients have good results, but I didn't press for more details on the first visit. I can post more as I progress, and as I ask more questions.
Nutmeg
Posts: 386 | From WA state | Registered: May 2005
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posted
I started taking it about a week ago because I started to get depressed and nothing else was working. I will not entertain SSRI's BTW.
I herxed on it well and it has made quite a big difference in the way I am able to think. I used to have quite a constant foggy head.
Very early days yet though. I have been in this situation before only to have it all go down hill. As we all know, lyme does this sometimes for a week and then it slams you back down. I have heard that some llmd's recommend it.
I always read up on things like this before I try them and this was the FAQ that convinced me to try it. http://www.samento-faq.eu.kz/
posted
WHAT DID U TAKE ,PILLS ? DROPS ? HOW MUCH ? ONE WEAK AND SUCH IMPROVMENT ,NICE
DOSE IT REDUCE MUSCLE PAIN ? I AM WONDERING IF SAMENTO REDUCE 1,25-D
Posts: 641 | From Wroclaw, Poland | Registered: Mar 2004
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ArtistDi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 2297
posted
I tried the Samento protocol and it worked for about two months until I became sensitized to it. I later learned (in my case) that I had an autoimmune component to my illness, and that Samento and Cat's Claw can actually stimulate that immune reponse for autoimmunity.
It didn't make me herx, but overstimulated my immune system. While I was on it, it gave me more energy, helped my lungs and cleared my brain fog.
I just don't know if it can hold up over time, or if antibiotics are needed first to kick the bigger bugs out first. Maybe if someone doesn't have a bad case of lyme it works, or at the end of treatment for maintenance. Just my particular experience.
Posts: 1572 | From Hatfield, MA, USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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i took samento for 7-9 months, cant remember. i worked my way up to 15 drops 3x daily. i got real sick with my first drop and got sick almost everytime i increased my dose. at the time i thought i was herxing but now im not sure. it never really seemed to help me much. im pretty sure samento just boosts the immune system. how are you going to boost a physical immune system when you have no killer cells? its not going to. if you are really sick i highly doubt this will work. perhaps at an early stage, or for some people this may be helpful. although i stopped taking it because all of a sudden i heard a lot of talk about samento being very heavy on the liver, and causing liver damage. my LLMD verified this when i asked him, and he told me he was just about to tell me about that.
Posts: 245 | From connecticut, the lyme state | Registered: May 2004
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lymeHerx001
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Member # 6215
posted
I took samento and herxed so bad on it.
In fact I still have a whole box.
For some reason though the LLMD wants to stick to drugs too.
He said I can add the Samento in slowlly. I herx so bad from it though.
I guess that means its working.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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I just reviewed my LLMD's advice again, and made a change to the way I am taking the liquid cat's claw (similar to Samento). He said to start with 3 drops 3 times a day (I started with 1 drop at a time), then work my way up to 15 drops 3 times a day. That's basically what the directions say on the box, except work up to 5 drops at a time. It will take me a while to get to 15.
I usually take the first dose first thing in the morning, then one in the mid-afternoon, and the last one at bedtime, and I take it at least 30 minutes before and an hour and a half or more after a meal.
If you are taking capsules, it would seem safest to take only one a day at first.
Does that help? Hope so.
Nutmeg
Posts: 386 | From WA state | Registered: May 2005
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posted
Thanks NuttMeg , i think i will take only one a day at the first. I was reading about Marshall Protocol and the secret of it is pulse dosage of antybiotics. /quote/ "...So the reason you get worse herx on day 2 is because those particular bugs giving you the most herx right now are susceptible at the lower concentrations, on day 2 ..." /enf of quote/
I understood that if you take mino pulse ,plasma conentration is higher faster ,and body is not killing bacteria when mino is too high .It kills them when concentration drops down. I don`t know why ,but i am going to check it on myself. So i am going check if not always much antibiotics is more effective ,than properly dosage ... Cat`s Claw that You have is TAO free? If yes than it is similar tosamento , if not , TAO will supress working of PAO`s ,that is major active ingredient in samento.
Posts: 641 | From Wroclaw, Poland | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by wrotek: WHAT DID U TAKE ,PILLS ? DROPS ? HOW MUCH ? ONE WEAK AND SUCH IMPROVMENT ,NICE
DOSE IT REDUCE MUSCLE PAIN ? I AM WONDERING IF SAMENTO REDUCE 1,25-D
I am taking the liquid. From what I have read, the liquid is far better than the pills. I still think it is too early to comment yet about how I am doing on the samento.
Just in the last day my other symptoms have gone down hill again, but I still have a clearer head than I did before taking it - much more energy too.
I think it makes a difference to nuro sx more than anything else.
lymeHerx001
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6215
posted
its a herx because I notice the burning pains that come hours after I take it.
Then a day later I feel considerabblly better. Then back to crappy again that night.
Its hitting something. I just have to work at it slow.
I realized that I cant herx and excersise because it puts me into too much pain.
Especially with my feet. So right now I starting slow and pulsing the anti-biotics.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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Mathias
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5298
posted
I"m on it (for two months now) along with an antibotic. It has helped me (reduction of symptoms and severity) but IMO it is not a cure. I take the liquid form 20 drops/day.
Posts: 1250 | From New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Our personal experience with Cat's Claw both capsule & liquid, TOA free and regular, over 15 months matches the results of the Austrian study reported by Dr. Lee Cowden. My wife and I contracted Lyme disease in August of 2002. Polyneuropathy, chronic fatigue, memory loss, arthritic symptoms, and sleep loss, were among the worst symptoms by February of 2003. Treatment for Lyme started in March of 2004 with 4 weeks of low dose Doxycycline. No change in symptoms, except some herxing. My wife and I started Cat's Claw around the end of March 2004, from 4 drops/day to over 50/day after about 8 months. We take a much smaller amount today four caps per day of the Prima Una De Gato from Allergy Research Group (TOA free). We remain symptom free, but continue our herbal treatment until we test negative with IgeneX and Bowen. Our experience is that Cat's Claw in all forms is powerful (many painful herxes)and long lasting against a 1 1/2 year old late stage (before treatment) Lyme infection. Other herbs that we give credit to our recovery are: Teasel, Artemisinin, Sarsaparilla, the two antispirochete combinations from Seven Forest herbs (Chinese), and Kyolic fermented garlic. Blue Skies...........John
[This message has been edited by jwf (edited 28 June 2005).]
[This message has been edited by jwf (edited 28 June 2005).]
[This message has been edited by jwf (edited 28 June 2005).]
Posts: 134 | From North Carolina | Registered: Sep 2004
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