Daughter's Update: Buhner's bartonella/babesia protocols

Our daughter is doing wonderfully! Three years ago I would not have believed that she could improve to the extent she has. She has lost all cognitive/executive impairments and her Tourette's is only suggestible (if I ask if she needs to tic she will have to - motor only, no vocals), and not otherwise visible. Going back to school has not resulted in any sort of relapse.

We were at the cottage this weekend and without me asking she got out her homework (Grade 8) and reviewed (reworked) 30 math questions for a test that she has today. She packed the homework herself, got it up to the cottage and took full responsibility for studying. She worked for at least 3 hours. Neat and tidy writing, organized work area. At dinner time she admitted that she was having trouble with one question, but that she felt after dinner when she had had a break that she would figure it out - and she did. No screaming or crying. No throwing things or raging. Absolutely no frustration; just confidence. It was truly amazing!

This was a child that 3 years ago (Grade 5) I had to physically dress, brush teeth, tie shoes, pack backpack, pick up homework from school and work through unfinished school work/homework one on one because of ADD. She had an IEP and the help of the classroom EA. She sat behind a screen and wore ear plugs to decrease distraction. She was removed from the classroom for testing and had an EA sit with her to redirect her attention. She had an EA or another student go to the bathroom with her because she would become distracted and forget to go back to class. She had to eat lunch in the special needs classroom so the teacher there could redirect her to eating; otherwise her lunch would return uneaten.

Her printing was huge and messy and her books covered with doodled pictures (the same one over and over - her OCD). She raged, she screamed, she hit, she was socially withdrawn and regressed. She was so fatigued, dizzy and in so much pain that she had to sit out of gym class, or sit on the curb watching the neighbourhood children play. She had Tourette's so badly at times that she couldn't read because of head snapping/bobbing/eye rolling, and often couldn't give presentations in class because her vocals were so bad. A couple of times her Grade 6 teacher would recount this to me and cry, she felt so sorry for our daughter.

Her improvement has been nothing short of a miracle.

We are maintaining low doses of Buhner's bartonella protocol (minus l-arginine), I am still messing about with the babesia herbs. Both our daughter and I are reacting very strongly to bidens (which Buhner says is not supposed to be as potent as cryptolepis), with brain herxes (dizziness, brain fog), but with the help of Julie McIntyre we are still seeing improvement.

One thing that I found to be a surprise was Julie's recommendation of cilantro/zeolite for detox. I put off using cilantro for about 8 months. One because I thought it was baloney (you'd think I'd know better by now), and two because I couldn't find an organic source. Well I found an organic tincture source, and as soon as I started using it (1 drop 3x daily) our daughter's remaining symptoms declined noticeably (that is, even my husband noticed).

I messed about and ended up being too enthusiastic (10 drops 3x daily) which resulted in a yeast infection (googling revealed that the gut may overgrow yeast to protect the body from too many metals being dumped into the intestine at once). Instead of using zeolite we are using Diatomaceous Earth; we may switch to zeolite (which Julie swears by, and she hasn't led us astray yet - except for dosages which are very tricky for us (we find 1/4 of recommended dosage to be best).

The amazing thing is that during a recent trip which entailed a week's stay in a "free wireless" hotel (meaning wireless is EVERYWHERE) both our daughter and I were unaffected by the EMF's. We are usually quite electrosensitive. Previous trips to wireless available buildings (museums, hotels, restaurants, malls etc.) generally resulted in an increase in symptoms for our daughter (especially ticcing, fatigue and headache to the point of having to sit down and rest) and palpitations/anxiety for me. I was not looking forward to staying in the hotel, and neither was our daughter, but after our first night there we realized that we weren't being impacted to the extent that we had been. We actually slept like logs!

Cilantro and clays are used in many natural metal detox remedies; and it would make sense that removing metal burden from the body would decrease reaction to electromagnetic frequencies.

No child should have to suffer the pain, fatigue and cognitive dysfunction that we have had to endure, but I have learned so much from this journey with our daughter:

That mainstream medicine isn't the be-all, end-all it presumes to be.

That bacteria are not the only problem, that compromised immune/detoxification systems are responsible for symptoms as well.

That our children are being poisoned by the pesticides in their food (big agriculture) and by the metals/adjuvants in the 70 (!) vaccines now recommended by experts (mainstream medicine / big pharmaceutical companies).

No large corporations/conglomerations are going ever again going to tell me what is best for me or my family.

Although in the past I would have considered myself nuts to even suggest this to anyone else (let alone believe it myself), I now read several alternative health sites:

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/

http://www.mercola.com/

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/gmi-blogs

http://www.chrisbeatcancer.com/

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/index.php

http://www.ageofautism.com/

http://www.momsacrossamerica.com/blog

Here is a list of our daughter's symptom timeline:

Dear Daughter 13 - Born 2001. Loss of speech/fine motor ability 2 weeks after 15 month MMR vaccination.

2004 - Dx ADHD, sensory disorder (light, sound, touch), motor delay (with toe-walking), hypotonia, oral apraxia.

2008 - MMR booster and insect bite (bruise-like rash) - motor/vocal tics, emotional lability (including rage), age regressive behaviour, low level OCD, urinary frequency, diminished fine motor ability, insomnia, loss of executive function. Waxed and waned with strep/viral infections.

2010 - Dx ADHD, Tourettes, Aspergers, motor delay, probable PANDAS.

Jan 2011 - shin/forearm pain, cyclic IBS, foot (sole) pain, dizziness, palpitations, chest pain, anxiety/panic attacks, pick-like skull pain, pain and stiffness at base of skull, tingling in extremeties, chills and hot flashes, extreme fatigue, nightly fever.

June 2011 - Igenex PCR positive bartonella, Negative ELISA, Negative lyme (IND IgM kDa 41; IND IgG kDa 39, 34. kDa 41++). CD57 18. Positive ANA (speckled type), heterozygous A1298C MTHFR. Multiple Abx, methyl B12, methylfolate, P-5-P, herbal, homeopathic treatment with LLMD.

Jan 2013 - Bartonella IgG titers declined from 160 (Jun 2011) to 80. CD57 16.

April 2013 - Weaned from abx treatment at 80% improvement. Continued with Full Buhner bartonella herbal protocol, Terry Wahls/PerfectHealthDiet gf/cf/sf diet. Minimizing EMF exposure.

Sept 2013 - CD57 45.

Oct 2013 - All symptoms (PANS and pain/fatigue) 95% resolved. No flares with viral or other infections. Herxing remains with changes in herbal protocols.

Nov 2013 - Improvement to 98% with addition of Buhner herbal protozoan treatment.

Dec 2013 - ANA titers negative. PANS symptoms resolved. Regular classroom requiring no accommodations. B+/A student.

Mar 2014 - Continued improvement in cognitive/executive function with increased dosages of cryptolepis/sida/alchornea (CSA) tincture.

Sept 2014 - Continued improvement with the addition of red root and bidens. 99%

I think her reaction to the vaccinations was likely a combination of the MTHFR deletion and a congenital lyme/bart infection.

Her immune system wasn't functioning properly because of the probable congenital infection (born with light, sound, and touch sensitivities) and reacted abnormally to the biological constituents of the vaccine.

Her decreased ability to detox likely made the adjuvants more problematic than they otherwise might have been.

Buhner's associate Julie McIntyre is wonderful. Soft spoken and caring. Both my daughter and I have improved symptomatically with every suggestion she has given us over and above the herbs Buhner recommends in his protocols.

I chart symptoms vs protocol change daily using an Excel spreadsheet/chart and send these to Julie so she has a picture of response. If you would like a copy of ours to use as a template, just ask.

The only (and I mean ONLY) difficulty we have had is with dosage. DO NOT START AT RECOMMENDED DOSAGES. Everyone is dealing with different infection loads. What works for someone may cause huge die-off and herxing in another. Start with one herb at a time at low (1/8 recommended). Continue at this dosage for at least 1 week to 10 days before increasing. Increase SLOWLY until there is some die-off and then decrease back to a point where die-off is manageable before adding another herb.

I found that low dosages of the whole combination of herbs in each protocol was necessary for improvement. One or 2 herbs didn't work as well as the entire protocol combination for us. Others on this forum have had different experiences - this is what has worked for us.

Looking back at the beginning of our herbal treatment in Apr 2013, I suffered from large muscle and overall body pain after exercising from June through August. I now realize this was die-off.

If you want do use Buhner's protocols you really need to be up to speed on his recommendations; the herbs he uses, why he recommends them, how he suggests using them, and where the best sources are. This will save time and on the numbers of questions if you plan on working with Julie.

The books:

Healing Lyme Disease Coinfections: Complementary and Holistic Treatments for Bartonella and Mycoplasma

Herbal Antibiotics, 2nd Edition: Natural Alternatives for Treating Drug-resistant Bacteria

Herbal Antivirals: Natural Remedies for Emerging & Resistant Viral Infections

are essential, and cover pretty much all of the herbs he uses for the different protocols.

His new one should be out soon:

Natural Treatments for Lyme Coinfections: Anaplasma, Babesia, and Ehrlichia

and I am looking forward to reading it; but in the meantime between Julie and the homepage of Buhner's website, we are up and running with babesia treatment.

You have to be proactive with your own treatment. There are no short-cuts when dealing with these infections - it takes some work on your part.

Rowingmom, it's great to hear about your daughter's success! I'm so glad she advanced so much and that you have less stress because of it. She's lucky to have you.

I sure hate to hear what people have to go through before they see the value of alternative meds. I was lucky that it only took 2 MD visits to turn me towards alternative meds. I went into it with some skepticism, but 6 or 7 months later I was well after being so ill.

I wish you both continued healing. Thank you for showing others another avenue to healing.

You know what they say, "live and learn!" You did your best and succeeded in helping your daughter. Now you have more confidence in alternative medicine.

I was nervous when I first turned away from modern medicine. I started by taking a couple of classes on the modality I was curious about, but it only took 2 classes for me to want to try it since it made so much sense to me.

Enjoy your new daughter. :)

flowerfairyherbalhealer.com/Cilantro-Tincture

This was the only organic one I was able to find in Canada at the time. There may be more now.

Dear rowingmom,

Thank you for the post. I'm afraid my son has contracted lyme from me congenitaly as he
has been diagnosed with learning disabilities,OCD and tourettes. He is having a hard time in
school and I homeschooled him for 4 years. He has just started high school. He is not exhibiting active lyme symptoms like
joint pains,headaches.. but I'm sure he has it because I was misdiagnosed/treated for the past 25 years. I have to find/afford a neuro lyme DR that can check him out b4 symptoms trigger into something worse.

Good luck and continued success!

RM, glad you are finally there, I know you have had a long road and been so careful and diligent with all treatment. Your daughter is blessed to have you care for her. Andrew is still healing, this gives me some hope that we will get there. We are just finishing 15 months now... anything is better than the raging pscyosis of a hormonal 16 year old boy! I can handle the rest I hope.

Happy you are both finding peace and wellness.

Yay!! I'm so glad to know that High school is going wonderfully for her!! Congrats to both of you!!

rowingmom, love the story and had red it many time as it gives me hope. DD is doing generally well but executive function is not there yet.

We are on a full Buhner for L/Brt/Babs but haven't try Cilantro yet as she would get a headache from it whenever we tried. What are the do's and don't with Cilantro. Should it be taken at the same time with other tinctures or separate, and if separate by how much? Are there any interactions with cilantro?

What awesome news, rowingmom! It gives the rest of us still in the thick of it with kids with Lyme hope. I read all of your posts, especially about treatment, eagerly. Please continue to update what you do for maintenance as that is so helpful too. Congratulations to you all on the recovery.

I would treat it all at once.

A large chelation and dumping of metals into the intestine will result in yeast overgrowth as the body tries to sequester it. But too much yeast in the gut (especially the type that grows mycelia through the intestinal barrier) in the gut has it's own issues as well as acting as a sequesterent.

You need to have balance.

RM-you HAVE been a ROWING MOM!! Rowing non stop with caring & crusading! Re-reading your daughter's story gets me both misty-eyed, hopeful & angry.

Angry because of the poisoning on so many levels--ALL the children & families suffering with what is not only misdiagnosed, but ignored...

And yet you have been bravely acting as your own & your daughter's advocate for survival. And along w/your odyssey, I am acquainted with too many up close & personal stories re vaccines so here goes my passion rant.

It is not just the "added" media popular ingredients like thimerosal, a nice name for MERCURY poison. But add to that aluminum, formaldehyde--a list of poisons that an adult should challenge, let alone inject into a teeny, tiny, baby or child.

And do we really know the purity? In other words, when these chemicals are stewed in animals--monkeys, chicken, cow, pig & dog--(yup, monkeys & dogs), do you actually know the sources??

Or do you just take the word of those in authority? Do you know the transport of these animal specimens?

Do you know the storage of these ingredients before they make it to the needle that is injected into your baby’s arm? Or do you just say the FDA & the pharmacy companies are spot on, looking after your own & the greater good?

And supposing it were “for the greater good,” ...If a child or person has something wayward immunity-wise happening to begin with, what do you suppose injecting additional, questionable & reactive elements in their bloodstream will do to an already challenged immune state?

I am surprised the CDC has the balls to show this on their site, but here I will cut & paste just a few of the ingredients for folks to check & see for themselves.

One vax:
formaldehyde, gluteraldehyde, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum, phosphate, lactalbumin hydrolysate, polysorbate 80, neomycin sulfate,polymyxin B, yeast protein, calf serum, Fenton medium (containing bovine extract), modified Latham medium (derived from bovine casein), modified Stainer-Scholte liquid medium, Vero (monkey kidney) cells

Another vax:
Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cell protein, MDCK cell DNA,SRO\VRUEDWH FHW\OWULPHWKO\DPPRQLXPEURPLGH ȕ-propiolactone,phosphate buffer

And yet another:
aluminum phosphate, polysorbate 80, formaldehyde, sucrose,gutaraldehyde, bovine serum albumin, 2-phenoxethanol, neomycin,polymyxin B sulfate, Mueller’s Growth Medium, Mueller-Miller casamino acid medium (without beef heart infusion), Stainer-Scholte medium (modified by the addition of casamino acids and dimethyl-betacyclodextrin),MRC-5 (human diploid) cells, CMRL 1969 medium (supplemented with calf serum), ammonium sulfate, and medium 199 , aluminum hydroxphosphate sulfate, ethanol, enzymes, phenol, detergent,complex fermentation medium

Did you know that the Hepatits B vaccine is given to US infants at birth is for a disease which they are not at risk of & which is mandatory for most school age kids.

In the U.S., it is stated that individuals at the highest risk for hepatitis B infection are those, who engage in risky behaviors such as illegal IV drug abuse, prostitution, men who have sex with men, heterosexuals with multiple sexual partners and people who have received blood transfusions using infected blood or healthcare workers, who are exposed to infected blood...

Last I checked, a baby does not fit under this sexual & risky behavior. Does it concern anyone that there are some pretty solid questions linking MS & Lupus, liver damage with this ONE vax?

RowingMom~Your story shows your brave fight. It also emphasizes to always, always, always question authority.

Here the CDC ingredient site:

www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/B/excipient-table-2.pdf

Post Edited (happyjo) : 6/10/2016 5:13:15 PM (GMT-6)