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thinking of taking the herbal healing route....

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Posted 8/17/2011 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
hey everyone!  I've been on a 10 month antibiotic treatment plan with Dr. J in Maryland.  He is a great doctor and he has done a lot for me.  He also accepts my health insurance and i'm a 21 year old college student stuggling to pay for my education.  I've seen improvement with him, but not as much as I would have liked to see.  He has had me on a very heavy dose of antibiotics and is now suggesting me to switch to the IV since I haven't had as much progress as hes hoped. 

Next week I start as a Junior at a University.  I just got my AA at a community college, but now i'm moving to a university.  I put my life on hold for 2 years and i'm finally started to get back on track, i don't want to put it on hold again with an IV my first year of college.  So i've been thinking of switching LLMD's to find a more herbal treatment for Lyme.  I've heard so many great stories of people getting better from natural herbs rather than antibiotics.  I've suggested to Dr J that I wanted to try a more herbal route but he says he has more sucess and knowledge with just antibiotics. I even asked him about Detoxing and he said he doesnt recommend it, but i'm welcome to try it and let him know if it helps....

I've been on Artemesia but the rest of my medicines are antibitoics that give me awful side effects.

I live in Maryland and I really need some help finding a new LLMD that uses herbal meds to treat lyme. 

Has anybody had more sucess on the natural route rather than antibiotics?  Or have any advice?

Thanks! :)

Posted 8/17/2011 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Brittany,

It sounds like you have a lot of things to consider concerning juggling your treatment with the things going on in your life.

We have many members here who have had good results with going the natural route. I'll let them speak for themselves.

I would point out that most everybody agrees that the natural treatments should be taken on under the supervision of a licensed practitioner -- someone who knows the medicine and can monitor your health and progress.

Also, your treatment is being paid for now by insurance. Are you able to pay for the natural treatment out of pocket? I don't think your insurance will cover it and the herbs and supplements are not cheap by any means.

Glad that you are going to start the detox regimen. It could easily provide the needed boost to your treatment to get the progress you are looking for.

I hope we can provide you with all the info you need to make an informed choice.
Posted 8/17/2011 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
It really depends on much a natural treatment would cost out of pocket. I feel llike im just throwing away money right now with this long term antibiotic treatment. Im kind of confused on how a doctor goes about doing a natural supplement treatment. Do they just recommend certain over the counter herbal products and monitor you?
Posted 8/17/2011 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
Brittany, here is a link to a website that explains the different herbal protocols:

www.lymediseaseresource.com/Protocols.html
Posted 8/17/2011 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
If you are feeling better, then you are not throwing away money right? I have been on long term antibiotics too and continue to see improvement. It has taken a LONG time but since my insurance would not pay IV, my doctor said slow and steady it would be with orals and that is how it has been. I worry about the day I have to come off but for now I'm enjoying where I'm at. Just curious, if you don't mind sharing, what do you consider heavy dose of antibiotic? Do you have any coinfections? You are so young and shouldn't have to worry about so many things. :(
Posted 8/18/2011 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
I don't mind sharing at all, i just really need some advice.

I have one coinfection, Babesia. Dr J has had me on really high dosages of several different antibiotics. He has had me on Doxy twice a day 200 mill. also Amox. 875 twice a day. Clarithromycin 500 mill twice a day. Minocycline 100 mill twice a day. tindamax 250 twice a day. mephron 750 mill twice a day and artemesia 500 mill three times a day. Within the passed year he has switched around these antibiotics so see which ones have had more progess.

maybe i'm just being impatient :/
Posted 8/18/2011 8:50 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, that is a heavy dose of antibiotics!! That is certainly a way to get fast results, but it has to be pretty hard on your body. I imagine you are quite tired after 10 months of that.

What a lot of us have found in our treatment is that after pushing and pushing against the disease all of a sudden one day you can really feel that you have "Turned the Corner". You just feel remarkably better and your healing is faster and everything is easier.

It might well be that you have not gotten to that point just yet but it may be close.

I would talk this over with your doctor at your next appointment. Your doc has no doubt seen a lot of cases and can probably give you an idea of where you are in your treatment progress.
Posted 8/18/2011 11:16 AM (GMT 0)
Biofilms, how new is this? My doctor keeps a blog and he made an entire entry last week about biofilms but hasn't mentioned anything to me about it yet. I haven't seen him since he wrote that so maybe he will mention it in Tuesdays appointment im hoping.

Yeah, being on such a high dosage is really starting to make me feel like complete crap :( espectually because im not getting the college experience that everybody else around me is being so sick all the time, never being able to drink alcohol. Really puts a damper on my friends and relationships. How long have you guys been on antibiotics for? Dr j has just been concerned as to why I haven't seen as much improvement as he's hoped for
Posted 8/18/2011 2:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Brittany,
It might help you to read through Dr. James Schaller's free ebook, "Babesia Update 2009" It can be found here: www.personalconsult.com/free/books.html

I'm still trying to work my way through it, as I tire very quickly when reading right now - UGH!! - and when I am tired I don't retain hardly anything! eyes
Posted 8/19/2011 12:02 PM (GMT 0)
I like your explanation, Lymster!! Even I could follow it after being awake for less than 30 minutes!!! LOL!!

I thought it would be helpful to go into your post and make that link you provided a hyper-link. Thanks!!
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