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Cowden sooo expensive; how do you afford? (yes, just read thread)

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Posted 12/15/2013 7:50 PM (GMT 0)
I just read the thread on Cowden, and the success quite a few people have had on his protocol. I know that Eva Sapi supports his protocol; Horowitz thinks it's the most successful protocol so far. I emailed Sapi once, and she sent me a brief message saying she thought I should go with Cowden Condensed, based on my history of c. diff.

So, I thought I would try it. I looked at Cowden Condensed first, bc I figured it would be less expensive, and perhaps would involve fewer herbs.

Then I looked at the expenses, and I thought no way!!!!

HOW do you folks afford it?

I do think it probably is successful for a lot of people, but I also know that there are folks with Lyme out there who are homeless, the fact of which makes me sad.

I just wish some of these practitioners would take expense into account. That's why I'm trying the Buhner protocol for now, because at least he has a clear list of the herbs he uses, and his providers aren't as expensive. Plus, I'm sure you can choose your own company for the herbs.

HAVING said that, I am not suggesting one protocol over the other. If you can afford it, by all means go with what works!

Just, what do you think about affordability? What's your take on the expensive stuff, and people who are sick and don't have a lot of money?

Obviously, no insurance is going to pay for herbs, seeing as they don't even pay for LLMDs.

I'm on Disability, but my Disability pay doesn't touch my medical (and herb/supplement) bills.

Trav., if you think I should be on the previous thread, just move it, or do whatever you want.

Margaret
Posted 12/15/2013 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
I definitely agree, but its not just the Cowden protocol. Just about any procotol, herb and supplement combination is very expensive. So is switching to an organic, pollution free diet that this disease almost requires. Im only able to remotely afford these because I work fulltime. I'm not going to lie either, I worry every hour of every day as to how long my health is going to last.
Posted 12/15/2013 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
I've often wondered if people could reduce the cost by sharing tinctures, placing half a tincture into another bottle. You would need to know and trust the person before doing that. I know there are several people who don't use up a whole bottle any way, so that would save them some money if the herbal didn't work.
Posted 12/15/2013 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
I don't mean to be ornery, but my part self-designed and part Buhner protocol is decidedly less expensive than Cowden, but that's because I'm on less stuff, and I'm titrating up veeery slowly.

Cowden is one of the more expensive that I've encountered, hence my thread. I think I called Nutramedix to confirm; about $245 a month?

Now all the supplements I take are indeed expensive, and I used to do all organic, but can no longer afford it. I try at least to do local, so there are a few less pollutants involved.

Being sick can be very expensive, especially with the IDSA being the way it is about Lyme.

Still would like to know how folks deal with Cowden, since that's what I was considering.

Margaret
Posted 12/15/2013 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Margaret
I am on the Cowden protocol for 3 months now. I am on disability pension & Cowden works out at about one week of my pension. I am in my 60's & I have my family reared & I don't have a mortgage. I was not diagnosed with Lyme but I was diagnosed with MS & that sucked after dealing with cancer. I decided I owe it to myself, hubby & family to give it a try & if I improve 50% I would be delighted. I have a few old issues that have cropped up at the moment but I have had a great improvement & if the current issues were dealt with & I didn't improve any more I would still be happy. My children (all adults) never saw me as a well mother so it would be nice to change that especially for my grandchildren now.
Good luck with your decision. I must add that I thought it was expensive but if I started trying some of the products from any protocol I might not make the right choices & still have spent a lot of money without getting decent results.
Regards
Mary
Posted 12/15/2013 11:24 PM (GMT 0)
teragram - you are not being orney at all, I think its just one of perspective.

My own personal version of Buhner (which is his core protocol from his first book, but his extended herbs from his big "Healing Lyme Disease Coinfections" book plus additional stuff he covers (but doesnt put into his core procotol) runs me about $300-400 per month. This is roughly similar to the cost of Cowden I believe (for Banderol, Burbur, Cumanda, Houttuynia, Enula, Mag, etc). The difference being you cant really buy Cowden in bulk or cheaply (like you can with most of Buhner's herbs).

However, my own LLMD's protocol dwarfs both of these costs (her protocol is more like a next gen Burrascano protocol with a ton of herbs to address things Burrascano doesnt mention.


You are right though, the bare minimum Buhner CAN be cheap (but his extended Herbs + supplements quickly add up). It doesnt help that I have just about every confection you can get from ticks either. I suspect everyone's situation (and wallet) is different than mine.

Post Edited (vcast) : 12/15/2013 4:41:40 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/16/2013 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
So what do people like me who are low in funds do??

I smiled when I read the word co infection. First, I read it as "confection," which my guess was a typo., but a cute one. If only ticks really did give us some nice confections.

Maybe I should stick with Nicola McFazdean. But after she exhausts her own arsenal, she uses Byron White. My guess is he's expensive too.

I think I might have to go with Trav.'s protocol, depending on how expensive IT is.

Or just stick with Teasel, Cat's Claw, Eleuthero (I'm on those currently), along with the anti-malarial meds.

But those don't take care of mold, Mycoplasma, and I could make a song out of it!

Wow, I've been awfully negative today. It's time to be positive, so I can influence my outlook. Maybe I'll create a separate thread on positivity.

Margaret
Posted 12/16/2013 3:27 AM (GMT 0)
teragram - I just try out a new Herb/suppllement for an extending period time. If I do not notice a beneficial impact Im that much less likely to order it again. There are exceptions of course (like multivitamins which are helpful, but youll probably never notice a difference). However, there are supplements like Serrepetase, tumeric, magnesium, Coq-10, certain probiotics, B12, that I know I need to take because I notice an immediate improvement. Research and the experience of others like Traveler helps fill in the gap. For example, there is a lot of growing research around Cats Claw. You probably wont ever notice a difference, but we should probably be taking it.

Yes I know this isnt scientific, but its the best I can do with the wallet I have!
Posted 12/16/2013 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
vcast,

Are you saying you design your own protocol?

Also, what is Serrepetase?

Margaret
Posted 12/17/2013 5:35 AM (GMT 0)
The protocol I use is almost entirely my LLMD's protocol. But yes, I'm taking an extended range of stuff from all of the protocols to see if I notice any improvement. Yes, Im my own guinea-pig. My LLMD requires me to (eventually) get her approval before taking anything new. Whats great about this system is she almost always has a great amount of experience to offer with just about anything new. She actually saves me a great deal of money by pointing to the more effective herb sometimes too.

Serrepetase is a digestive enzyme that I take specifically for pain. I take it in synergistic combination with Bromelain (a pineapple enzyme) that helps dissolve hard fibers and dead tissue that are considered to be at the root cause of inflammation. Its use is well documented and it noticeably works. It easily takes a good 25 to 50% of my joint pain away, which can be incredible at times. I simply cant run or exercise without it.

Serrepetase is also hypocoagulent and reverses the damage Lyme does to the blood. Within a week I noticed my cuts heal better and my blood isnt as sluggish when taking it. Lastly, Ive been reading that all of the digestives enzymes (like Nattokinase and Lumbrokinase) help break down Lyme biofilm too (very very few things Ive found do this).

Id definitely read more about it, the discovery of Serrepetase (in silkworms) and how it actually "dissolves" damage in the body is a pretty interesting story.
Posted 12/17/2013 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
Can you email me, and tell me whom your LLMD is, and where she's located?

Thanks, Margaret
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