Herbs against Lyme disease

Stephen Harod Buhner's "Healing Lyme" book talks about some specific herbs and how to use them in the treatment of Lyme and associated symptoms.

Naturopathic physicians usually know more about treating patients using herbs than MD's.

Yes, vitamins and minerals can be taken with herbs.

I was taking herbs prior to total gut shutdown. I was using some herbs I'd found helpful and then I also started the Buhner core protocol herbs for Lyme (Japanese Knotweed, Cat's Claw, Andrographis) and was taking Nettles for joint pain.

Marie,

Healing Lyme: Natural Healing and Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis and Its Coinfections
by Stephen Harrod Buhner is a good reference; but I would not recommend self medicating w/herbs.
and
The Book of Herbal Wisdom: Using Plants as Medicines by Matthew Wood are two excellent resources that our naturopathic Lyme herbalist studied with just to mention two.

It is always best to be under the guidance of a master herbalist who is trained, particularly in Lyme treatment, to understand the individual and customize a treatment protocol based on the clinical manifestations that any given patient experiences to include deficiencies, complications, co-infections, hormones and contraindications.

There is not a one size fits all with natural protocols. What may work for one can become problematic for another.

I believe nefferdun expressed it well in recommending one who is trained and has success in their field of specialty for herbal treatment. Heth's Dr. Josh was a brilliant naturopathic physician. We are praying his protocol will make publication this year following his recent passing, so that other physicians can continue to carry the torch. He was a teaching practitioner/professor as well and there are others now trained in the basic application of his herbal elixirs/blends and the safest places to purchase to ensure purity, quality and organic harvesting so as to nourish the body while helping it to fight the different pathogens, heal while waking up the immune system to respond once again.

Blessings,
Sojourner

I used the Buhner herbal protocol while waiting for my first LLND appt, and it kept me from relapsing while off antibiotics (I had previously relapsed every time I tried to stop doxycycline, which my regular doctors let me take for a few months after I had an EM rash).

I had negative reactions to Cat's claw (tendon pain), but I did very well on andrographis and Japanese knotweed/resveratrol. Andrographis is somewhat calming, which can help with the anxiety of Lyme and coinfections. And the knotweed kept my Bartonella down (it would get worse when I stopped the knotweed).

I think the Buhner protocol is a great back-up plan for when you aren't yet under the care of a master herbalist or Lyme doc.

They are excellent resources as is Mary Sho. She and I met online about 20 years ago when she was a newbie to the thyroid community and I had just been dx w/Hashimotos. It was during the days when no one was really online much except for business. We were able to share and support each other through some tough times. Little did I know that I would one day have a daughter who would battle such a horrific bacteria and face life and death. Little did I know that those days would be connected to what I have now learned and been able to use to help us help our daughter.

Mary is a trusted resource. She has earned tremendous respect b/c of her research and proven principles.

You are doing great, Marie!
You'll be teaching us before long!

Blessings,
Diana

My LLMD has me on herbals as well as abx.
Andrographis, artemisinin, and lomatium (for parvo).

The andrographis I have is in liquid form and right now my GI tract is so screwed up that I can't handle taking it because of it's intensely bitter taste.

Is anyone taking a pill form? And where did you get it?

I also agree not to take any herbals until you talk with your LLMD. Herbals are drugs too and can be contraindicated with abx. Remember: a chemical is a chemical. It doesn't matter if it's obtained through a pharmacist or the suppliment isle in the supermarket.

luck and blessings to us all

Hi Keep Hope,

You could go to the website of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians to find doctors who are trained in herbal medicine. This asssociation is for doctors who have taken pre-med and 4 to 6 years of naturopathic medical school.

Martha's Vineyard there are many different herbal protocols available.  I agree with the others about seeing a knowledgeable doctor who can properly monitor treatment.  Some Lyme doctors use these protocols and are very familiar with them.

I am sorry to bother you as you all seem to know more than me. I came for my 2 cents worth of knowledge - we contracted lyme disease 4 months ago and still not getting any better just new symptoms galore.

Has anyone tried propolis extract, garlic, stinging nettles (tea/soup), bayleaf, curcumin, tea tree oil, echinaceea, horseradish and other spices or plants known as antibacterial? I am looking at the organic agriculture and into spices to get my inspiration of antibacterial concoctions - bayleaf helps heal leishmaniose according to a japanese study.

also I read a research about human immunoglobulin reducing neurological symptoms of lyme

some herbs do interfere with the antibiotics though - e.g. doxy or same class antibiotics should not be taken with acidic substances (this includes grapeseedextract) or milk and dairy products

If someone has to do the herb treatment, there is some Dr. in Kansas that does this. It worked very well for some on this forum.
rawvegan did it and had great results immediatly.
But I do not know anything about them.
I myself did alternative medicine along with some abx for my bartonella and lyme.
But that was just my case at the time of my treatment at Envita in Scottsdale AZ. in which I was completely cured and everyone of my 30 symptoms are gone!

Hi Ina,
Yes I am a am completely fine now. It is like coming out of a coma. I had alot of catching up to do.
It is nice to be back.
After having been sick for long, being able to do all of the little things that I missed, I am a much better person now and it changed me.
I stop and smell the flowers and it slowed me way down. I truely appreciate every thing now.
M

I have gone to so many Dr.s The few so called LLMD's drugged the heck out of me with abx...and I got much worse.
I know of many people who got better on this forum on herbs...many.
I was not one of them. As you know I went to envita for alternative medicine through a surgical port in my chest.
I was interested in what herbs would be helpful for my two kids. Since they are too young for envita and one got very ill on the heavy abx treatment...so I stopped that. I think that many Dr.s are abusing this LLMD term.
I went to Dr.s who has in fact had lyme themselfs and who did not believe in taking tons of abx.
Granted there are some sharks out there who are going to prey on sick people and put money in their pockets. Such is life and it is not right. They will get it in the end.