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Posted 6/20/2017 1:09 AM (GMT 0)
I've looked for answers in previous posts, but didn't seem to find any (my brain fog is strong right now though). For those of you who have used the Buhner protocol, I just have a few questions and would appreciate any guidance you can provide:

1. Did you start off using all of the herbs mentioned in the Core Protocol or just one or two? If you just used a few, did you decide which ones to start with based on your symptoms?

2. I have never heard of a tincture before now, so to say I'm a little intimidated is an understatement. Is it best to use the tincture or is the pill/powder version okay?

Powders, pills, tinctures, oh my! I am so grateful for all the information this book has to offer, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed on how to begin.
Posted 6/20/2017 1:36 AM (GMT 0)
1.) I added the herbs in one at a time. I started with Japanese Knotweed because Buhner seems really high on it, and then added the others in no particular order. For me it was pretty easy to tell if a particular herb was causing me a reaction or not.

2.) All forms work fine.

Tinctures
Pros: Convenient; fast.
Cons: Increased alcohol ingestion; sometimes tastes bad at higher doses; can be expensive when you get to higher doses.

Capsules
Pros: No bad taste; convenient; fast
Cons: Probably the most expensive; at higher doses you're ingesting a lot of capsules (not sure what the ingredients in those are.

Powder
Pros: The cheapest option by a long shot
Cons: Tastes terrible. I get around this by plugging my nose while I chug the mixture. I can't afford the other options at high doses. Some people buy powder and then make their own capsules. This is a great option if you have the time.
Posted 6/20/2017 1:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hi jmoore06,

I'm sure some of the more experienced members will chime in soon but maybe this will help...

I would recommend starting off with single herb tinctures and go low and slow. Start with a single herb tincture for several days and titrate up from one drop slowly and see how you react. One drop for a day or two, then one drop twice a day and so on. Then, add in others from the protocol slowly. Buhner's herbs are meant to work together. I get the impression that not everyone is taking every herb but I think you want to make sure that you cover at least one herb for each section of Buhner's protocol. Then, you would add herbs from the extended protocol to address specific symptoms.

Also, I think starting off with a tincture is best because you can literally start with a single drop and see how you react. I think some people start with tinctures and then graduate to powdered or capsule forms as their dose increases. Some of Buhner's recommended herbs can be bought in tincture form from elkmountainherbs.com and sagewomanherbs.com or montanafarmacy.com and there are more sources listed in the book and on this site: buhnerhealinglyme.com/resources/herb-source-list/

And most important -- don't forget to detox and take binder like charcoal. Many suggestions here:
http://www.tiredoflyme.com/detox-methods-old.html

Hope this helps.
Posted 6/20/2017 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
jmoore06, I would be more than happy to tell you how I and my husband did Buhner's protocol.

Please email me. I have been healed for over a year and hubby has been off the tinctures for 2 weeks now and doing super well.
Posted 6/20/2017 6:33 AM (GMT 0)
PeteZa,

is there anyway you can share your experience here? (unless it's very personal I understand) I'm doing the protocol now and I'm sticking to it to a tee, but would be really good to hear an experience such as yours, where you completely healed, how long it took, etc, etc. Maybe things you added in to facilitate the protocol further?

It's very inspiring and gives me more optimism! Especially since I'm pretty sure I infected my partner, and he will be starting the protocol soon as well. Thank you in advance!
Posted 6/20/2017 12:27 PM (GMT 0)
One herb at a time, without any doubt. When you feel comfortable with the herb, add the other. They do act in synergy, but taking them all at once, and possibly crashing after is not recommended.

Just telling you my own experience....

If you're chronic, buy bulk and mix them in water. They're much cheaper, no fillings, no additives.

I prefer bulk as I can either do teas, take them pure, produce my own capsules, and take EXACTLY the amount I need, as the amount may vary.

There is a difference between tincture and teas: tincture will have inside it, for example, oily parts of the plant that dissolves in alcohol. Teas will only have the water-soluble substances.

If you take bulk, you get somehow everything.

In the beginning, I thought they tasted horrible. After a while I didn't mind, really.

I'd rather take the herbs in water than ingest plastics (pills) and alcohol (tincture).

Now I don't have lyme anymore, for 8 years, so I do take a lot of stuff in alcohol. But during lyme, it was somehow a disadvantage as I reacted badly to alcohol.
Posted 6/20/2017 12:39 PM (GMT 0)
Jinna, how do you know that it was the alcohol that caused you a reaction?
Posted 6/20/2017 12:42 PM (GMT 0)

cakegirl said...
Hi jmoore06,

I'm sure some of the more experienced members will chime in soon but maybe this will help...

I would recommend starting off with single herb tinctures and go low and slow. Start with a single herb tincture for several days and titrate up from one drop slowly and see how you react. One drop for a day or two, then one drop twice a day and so on. Then, add in others from the protocol slowly. Buhner's herbs are meant to work together. I get the impression that not everyone is taking every herb but I think you want to make sure that you cover at least one herb for each section of Buhner's protocol. Then, you would add herbs from the extended protocol to address specific symptoms.

Also, I think starting off with a tincture is best because you can literally start with a single drop and see how you react. I think some people start with tinctures and then graduate to powdered or capsule forms as their dose increases. Some of Buhner's recommended herbs can be bought in tincture form from elkmountainherbs.com and sagewomanherbs.com or montanafarmacy.com and there are more sources listed in the book and on this site: buhnerhealinglyme.com/resources/herb-source-list/

And most important -- don't forget to detox and take binder like charcoal. Many suggestions here:
http://www.tiredoflyme.com/detox-methods-old.html

Hope this helps.

This is pretty much what I would have posted, so I"m being lazy this morning and just quoting Cakegirl!

The other thing is that if you don't wish to use tinctures made with alcohol (for most there is no issues with this though), there are tinctures you can buy that use glycerin instead of alcohol, but I'm honestly not sure how they compare to alcohol tinctures.

The capsules aren't actually plastic - they are from gelatin unless you buy ones that aren't made from gelatin. When I make my own capsules, I buy the empty gelatin capsules, size 0 because they are easiest to swallow, and they hold 500 mgs if you pack them tightly.

I use this "pill machine":/goo.gl/ZWzLcC You can find You tube videos on how to use them if you wish to.

Keep asking questions!!!!
Posted 6/20/2017 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
Like Trav said, the empty capsules aren't plastic, they are gelatin. I get mine from iherb:

www.iherb.com/pr/Now-Foods-Healthy-Foods-Single-0-Gelatin-Caps-1000-Empty-Capsules/893

Also, some people make their own tinctures but I think when you are just starting out that it's just easiest and less time consuming to buy them ready-made by someone who Buhner recommends. Then later if you needed a higher dose and you want to stick with tinctures, you might consider making them yourself.
Posted 6/20/2017 11:28 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all so much for your guidance and advice! I appreciate this group of people so much!
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