has anyone been successfully cured naturally or are antibiotics needed?

I'm also very curious!

I'm fairly certain my whole family has had lyme, possibly generational going back to the 1880s or further (1776!) , based on their exposure levels, occupations and locations lived. If so, we would have ALL been affected, but "functioning lymies", and my Pa is 90, and mostly mentally well! Sharp as a tack, for events, history recounting, body. His symptoms, many of them major, have been spread out over MANY years. Not a single one of his specialists, or doctors ever asked about tick exposure, lifestyle, etc. not one.

I think I may have had gestational lyme, (based on my mom's lifelong exposure, lifestyle, health symptoms, clues) if not gestational, then my first exposure was likely my "tick inoculation" ...that was 1966 or 7 and it came with significant symptoms surrounding it, of course not treated or recognized at the time as being directly related to the known tick bite! (floaters, severe conjunctivitis, severe nosebleeds) I got ointment for the eyes, at the time. We did not rush off to a doctor for the bite...just removed the tick and treated the bite site with alcohol. I did however have repeated rounds of tonsillitis each year thereafter...and ABs to chase it away only to have it return!! I honestly think it was lyme related--it ceased to exist when I began to smoke tobacco many years later of course...hmmm (not suggesting anyone smoke!..i do think the nicotine acid/poison for tobacco chased the lil bacterium out of my lymph glands, as I NEVER had it return, it cease to occur)---13 is when I ceased using antibiotics, with the exception of a few rare times, in 40 years. I have been bitten two known times since, the last bite 2 summers ago. i DO have symptoms that followed the last bite...I will try and treat myself naturally, ...i have no health plan, I'm a pauper, that sort of sets one's course....even buying the herbal protocols, is tough, food, gas, bills come first. So I "get by" for now....I think my degree of symptoms is light, likely because my immunity was somewhat strong to start with....I have refused antibiotics since my early teens, as well as vaccines (after ALOT of self research on that subject-- to each their own, still within my legal right to refuse them, in the state of CA..)
After my many months of study, I think the tiny bacterium, parasites, protozoas, molds, fungi of the world and more are the source of much if not most of the illness of the world!!,..mankind is trying to solve the puzzle, over time, it is a slow process....hindered in large by the fact that IF we solve the riddles, people will get well, and there's not $ to be made, in well people. I found a very interesting site yesterday, a German doctor whose protocol involves using plant rizols....I think reading and self research is really a help to anyone, as well as backtracking your own family history as much as possible, things began to make sense to me, looking backwards, thankfully I was able to get great oral history from a walking encyclopedia, my Pa! He and his Dad, Mom and older brother lived in Eastern OR in the 1930s..high desert..my G'pa a surveyor for the state water dept. He would return from his outdoor work , his clothes COVERED in Ticks...my Dad remembers his Mom picking the ticks off his clothing ....I wish I had begun my research in time to maybe help my Mom, diagnosed as having COPD...I think it her COPD was allergies to pollens and molds, due to a lowered immune response. Not a single doctor she ever saw really delved into her history. Only YOU can do that, and hopefully then find a DR who cares, --I've had my Dad's dr's shun my lyme inquiries on his behalf.........they won't even discuss the subject. I live in a major tick area, Northern CA....you would THINK there would be savvy Dr's, locally. West coast took years to "catch up" with the east. I'm 54. Sorry for the longwinded 2 cents worth;-) if you email me thru this site I will share the web info I "stumbled" upon yesterday, which seemd to make sense to me......I love research. This subject,,,,,,,,It is VERY confusing...so much info, so many books....so many protocols.....!!! Start small.

I made the choice to go antibiotics over natural when I started treatment. My NDs experience was that both options worked, but antibiotics typically worked much faster. But she has many patients treating completely naturally.

Anyway, I got back to somewhere between 80-90% on orals. I was stupid and quit too early, so I'm now re-starting, but once again, I am just on orals. Unless a miracle happens, IV is not even an option for me. My ND can prescribe antibiotics but not an IV, and I cannot afford to go to the US to get one.

But I also know that there is research out there that oral antibiotics can be very nearly as effective as IV. I think some research says just as effective. The doctor I saw recently said in his view the difference between them was only about 5%.

Also- very few people JUST do orals or even IV. Many people on IVs still take oral antibiotics, I think (not sure, I've never done it). And pretty much every LLMD uses supplements and natural products to help them. I think Lyme disease is good for that- it pushes doctors to investigate alternative medicine because a) if you can use a supplement instead of an antibiotic it is easier on your system and b) Instead of piling on pharmaceuticals with tons of side affects, they can use other methods.

If your LLMD has a lot of experience with oral antibiotics, I would trust them.

Actually, I think that is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. Just finding an LLMD is good, but finding one who you trust, and who you feel explained their treatment methodology is even better. But I think it is best to play to your doctor's strenghts. See what they recommend and what they have experience with

Hi teeners,

Yes, I am cured...  I followed Dr. Jernigan's protocol from his book at home since I could not afford to go to Hansa.  As yazzer said, it's just not about the medicines, it's about addressing the big picture such as diet, attitude, stress, detoxing, etc. (not in that order).

A good friend of mine never took 1 antibiotic in her life (she has been cured for years also), she actually went to the Hansa Clinic and I took notes from her visits.  She and her husband were and still are an inspiration to me. 

Hope this helps,
Denise

In the past 10 years I've been sick I have tried ABX's, been to hansa and tried everything recommended and so far I am no better. I know others like myself that have not gotten better and I know some that have recovered. I always tell people that there are many strains of Lyme and the co-infections and if a cure was simple, we wouldn't be on forums or struggling. What works for some, doesn't work for others. Just keep trying to find what works for you!

My LLMD seemed to think, because I am not that sick and because it seems I have had symptoms for a shorter time (a year), that antibiotics would be a better option. In other words, just knock the lyme out and move on. Now that I have started the treatment, he is not hesitant to add herbs as needed. I am also breastfeeding and he was a little more worried about the affects of herbs on the baby.
The funny thing is, before I was officially diagnosed, I tried acupuncture and homeopathy. I had huge reactions to both. I guess that should have been a good indicator I was dealing with something bigger than just depression and anxiety.
My LLMD said 6-12 months for most of his patients.

I am trying a natural product called monolaurin. First did couple of months of abx and herxed. Dr. Changed abx and the zithromax caused me heart palpitations. So I decided to go natural. Was on monolaurin for about 2 weeks and big herx. At least it was working. Stayed off for a week and now trying lower dose. I am also new to this. Just diagnosed in jan. I am drinking lots of lemon water and taking Epsom salt baths every night but I still seem to build up toxins and have to take a break because it affects me so bad mentally that I can't function and anxiety is so bad. I have heard of hydrogen peroxide but I didn't know if that was for foot baths or safe for body baths too. Seems like I will have to do lots of detoxing. Looking into the Bentonite clay which is natural. My dr. Doesn't do natural and never mentioned detoxing to me. The monolaurin is all natural.

I'm severely allergic to antibiotics.... anaphylaxis and trip to the ER kind of allergic. Thus, antibiotics aren't an option for me.

I was dx'd last fall, I think..... my memory sucks. My naturopath and ARNP tried several different alternative therapies with me... cat's claw, japanese knotweed, andrographis, homeopathy, etc. None of which really seemed to make a difference.

Then, on Feb. 14th, we started essential oils.... Thieves oil - 2 drops under the tongue, 2x/day. By day 10, I began herxing and it didn't stop for two weeks! Which means something "good" is happening, good for me, bad for the bugs. Eventually we switched to thieves, cinnamon bark, frankincense, and oregano oil -- 2 drops of each in a veggie capsule, 2x/day. These additional oils produced another two week herx.

My most recent appt with my naturopath was last week and through various forms of testing, she's quite confident that the oils have weakened and decreased the lyme and coinfections.

I still have a long way to go but, to answer your question.... YES, I do think you can have success with alternative therapies. The biggest challenge will be finding what works with your physiology.

25 yrs of severe torture, no diagnosis, became so chemically sensitive had to be homeless & living in a car for 5 yrs. Given that everyone has given up on me, I have no family or friends & in Aust so no dr. My adrenals failed, thyroid, liver, kidneys, pancreas, digestion are all malfunctioning according to tests I ordered from o/s. Finally I got an o/s test that showed lyme, cysts, biofilm, 3 forms of mycoplasma, barmah forest, many molds, h pylori etc. Now I got rr, ebv, barmah 25 yrs ago so I suspect I got lyme then. I had tried all the natural because of the mcs & fms & cfs diagnosis. I've already been detoxing,bio hormones, diet, supplements 8 yrs all to no avail. If I'd known I had so many infections I would have done it differently although I can't get antibiotics here. But I hear for chronic they are only 38% effective. I have to treat myself because nobody is interested except to give me morphine to stop me screaming from the pain. All I can do is Klinghardt's garlic, selenium & I have glutathione wasting so that. I tried alive 98. The pain was so bad I was seriously suicidal which I am most days anyway. I have Byron white herbs but I don't know if I will ever know if they will make a difference.

Hi Coolruby!
Welcome to our community! I'm so glad you found us.

As Girlie suggested, if you haven't ​yet​, it would be helpful for you to start with reading through the thread at the top of the forum titled,"New to Lyme?...Start here!!", as it is packed full of important information, symptom lists, helpful links and pdf's, how to detox when one has these infections, information on probiotics and much more. And this is another good list of possible detoxing routines: www.tiredoflyme.com/detox-methods.html Detoxing for us is an incredibly important part of our healing.

Where ever you heard/read that herbs are only "38% effective" - they got their number wrong. People are finding out that with these chronic infections they fail pharma abx treatment more often if they don't use herbs with them, and there are many, many people using herbs only to heal, and are healing well. It doesn't matter what route a person takes to heal, what matters is that the person has to be patient enough to find the protocol that works for their body. That's why when I got reinfected, I have stuck to the very same treatments that healed me the first time around when I had 40 year old infections to heal. This time I don't have 40 year old infections, but I do have serious adrenal and thyroid issues that I am also trying to heal, so I must be careful just how much stress I subject my body to if I wish to continue to heal.

I would also encourage you to take a look at this thread, where someone else is asking the same questions about if natural protocols have the ability to heal: www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3631616

"Our bodies are wise as they can heal themselves, all one has to do is nourish them properly. Thus it's all about the Immune System mixed with Daily Detoxing and a dose of Positive Thinking!"

I love this signature because it is so true.

An illness's root cause is lack of proper nutrition to the body's cells. When the trillion cells are properly nourished, cells work optimally. Optimal cells mean they don't malfunction and they can fight or prevent disease on their own because they were genetically designed to do so (when in optimal health).

Coolruby said...
antibiotics only work 38% of the time for chronic lyme is what I was saying. Even though I can't get them here in Oz. Lyme may not be my biggest issue. It was suggested my nervous system is completely damaged & nerves stripped of their myel sheath by a virus. I've had many. I had read new to lyme but of course none of this is new to me. I just wish something had worked... even just a little.

Forgive me!! I completely misunderstood what you were saying!

Lyme is another thing that can strip the myelin sheath. Have you ever tried Lion's mane? It's been proven to rebuild the myelin sheath. You can find a ton of information online about it now. Here are the two articles that I found a while back:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12675022

www.livestrong.com/article/509385-lions-mane-mushroom-for-nerve-damage/

While I'm not so sure we can present any new information for you, I hope that I don't frustrate you with my questions. I'm hoping that someone here knows something that may be of help, or that there are things that we can help you with.

Many people find that they must treat mold before they can heal from these infections.

Is it safe to assume you've tried Cowden's and Buhner's full protocols for several months as well?

Also have you ever tried high dose lysine for your EBV? That's all I use and it works for me.

Also, I can't leave out detoxing. How's that going for you? I know that many people don't realize just how much help our bodies need in detoxing at times. Do you find it's hard for your body to detox? If so, have you had any of the gene testing to see if you have those gene mutations that can make it harder for your body to detox?

You said you have Byron White products - have you tried them? I know that some find them quite strong and have to start off on very low doses.

Again, sorry for all the questions - just trying to understand more and be of some help.