Natural vs. Drug therapy question

I am a bit confused right at the moment...

Since being diagnosed in august this year I have been pretty much in the mind set that antibiotic treatment is the best course for me. I've had Lyme all my life, I'm sure I'll test positive for co-infections... Anyway, I contacted a highly renowned LLMD in New York and they accepted me as a patient! I was beside myself with relief and excitement that my nightmare could be over soon after treatment with this doctor. I will be flying there from MI the day before thanksgiving :( and will have to stay a couple of days. Cost will be well over $3000 not including labs.

I had my first Lyme support group meeting last night, and I have to say... Every one of them there was smiling and was happy. They had a great outlook on life, even with Lyme!! I began to realize that after they all shared their story, they are doing natural therapy treatments under the supervision of an experienced medical director.

I am confused with which plan to go with.

I have the appt with the natural MD next week. She works with energetic therapies such as EFS, Pulsar, TurboSonic machines, with much success with the personal stories from this support group.

Maybe I can get some feeback from you all! :)

Post Edited (Hopehere) : 10/18/2011 2:37:46 PM (GMT-6)

Thanks Traveler!! Always good info to think about.
I have to listen to gut. I know that New York will still be there IF holistic approach doesn't help.
Seems to me from the small amount of experience I had with taking natural herbs/minerals, I was able to 'control' my herx reactions easier than on the abx.
I took the advice from here and began doing the dry brushing and Epsom salt/H2O2 baths to help the detox process.
I am looking forward to my first EFS session next week!

To be continued...

P.S. It's one of the most frustrating things to realize that there isn't a cookie cutter treatment plan from one person to the next! It's all a 'trial & error' kind of process to see what works for each of us! Ugh!

I've been struggling with this question a lot lately. Right now I'm doing a pretty even mix of antibiotics and natural/herbal supplements.

Personally, I'm much more of a natural kind of girl. Im all about the body being in harmony and I hate the idea of "medicine." I think it's amazing that this world is just naturally equipped with so many substances to heal us, and sometimes I think western medicine made a big old mistake by going in the direction it did with all of these man-made medicines. At the same time, I try to be realistic and accept the society I live in which obviously favors western medicine. I feel like I have a better chance at treatment success staying at least partially inside the box.

Before I got really sick, I was interning for a psychology practice that used really interesting energy interventions to treat psychological problems. Right before I left we started using neurofield, this giant helmet that I believe was similar to RIFE machines. I used the anxiety program many times (after having a panic attack in front of my thankfully very understanding boss!). It worked. I was going to try using protocols they had for Lyme, EBV, and a lot of other health problems, but I had to quit unexpectedly when I got so sick. Since then I've read a lot about energy medicine and energy psychology and have been doing a lot of the techniques I've read about. I'm very suggestible so it's hard to tell if it really works, but I feel like it does. Because of all that I really question whether I need the antibiotics or if energy stuff would be better. I like to think both work just the same, both are means to the same end, but I have no way of knowing unless I quit my current treatment plan and start over, which I won't do.

Personally I have a gut feeling that energy stuff is really valid, but our society is going to seriously resist it because it would kill big pharma. It is what it is, I guess.

Honestly from all the support groups I've been to I'm starting to think abx might be the road less traveled! Most people I've met have been following herbal protocols/changing their diet. But then again, I'm in Austin, TX... we are all about natural in general. :) I've had such amazing results with herbs that I keep trying new natural healing modalities. I never thought I'd get so into energy medicine but here I am, doing muscle testing and earthing and all kinds of stuff I probably would have rolled my eyes at a year ago.

I did recently visit a new LLMD (the one here in Austin doesn't take insurance. very pricey) and she's running my CD57 again to see if it's come up any since being on the herbs and then we're going to discuss treatment from there. I really don't want to go on abx and if she really pushes for that I may attempt to find another doc that's supportive of what's making me feel better.

Not to argue with you Miss C, but being really, really ill was exactly why I couldn't tolerate abx treatment. I happen to think that if a person has been pretty ill for decades, starting off with the gentler, kinder treatments that focus on supporting the whole body is a better way to go. But that's just my 2¢ worth! No matter what my opinions are about abx though, I respect and support all those that choose that route!

The truth of the matter is that we all respond differently to different meds/herbs.The abx made me bed-ridden -no buts about it. I can't take milk thistle - no matter how good it is for the liver, it makes me quite ill. So I have to use a different approach. Same goes for Lyme and other TBI treatments. Each of us has different viruses, infections, weaknesses and strengths in our bodies, that's why we all need very unique treatment plans.

It does seem to be quite the hot topic as I am finding out.
I am just grateful that us Lymers have choices at least, just like those who are given cancer diagnosis and have the right to choose natural over chemo, or vise versa.

Sense the natural, is just that... Natural. I am glad that I have the opportunity to give it a try. I am not opposed to doing ABX treatment. I have to consider what would be best for me and my family. I have a 3 yr old that needs her mom, a husband who is in sales and travels frequently! I can't be much if I am so terribly sick with meds:(
I am also not above knowing

It's quite interesting (and telling) that those kinds of comments should be made in a thread that is about Natural vs. drug therapy.

A member can come on this forum and want to do nothing but abx and I do what I can to support them, but if someone comes on here asking about natural treatments and you would rather I tell them what you say about natural treatments? Curious.

My question is why are you afraid of others using Natural medicine? You are not being pushed into using any of them. Natural protocols not only been proven to work quite well, but even LLMD's that are using abx are incorporating natural products into their treatment protocols - that should show that even they are seeing quite a bit of value in the natural products.

If you have issues with me personally, please email me and allow us the possibility to work this out - without attacking people on the forum. Another thing you can do is contact Admin and register your complaints about me. It really wouldn't bother me.

I think the important thing to remember about the forum is to stay positive and reinforce each other.  While we all have opinions, no one way is the right way to attack any illness.  Every dr. is different as is every body.  What works for some, doesn't work for others.  If you told me 5 years ago you were taking 32 pills a day I would have thought you were crazy.  If you told me you were on antibiotics for over 2 years, I would have told you you were crazy.  If you told me you were on antianxiety and antidepressants, I would have thought you were crazy.   But it is the choice I have made and it has worked for me.  So I personally have learned a lesson.  Keep an open mind. Live and learn.  More importantly, I have learned to take one day at a time and to treasure each moment we have.