Off abx for a week, next steps?

Last Friday saw my LLMD who wanted me to take a break off abx to primarily give my body a break (14 months of daily intake) + help to figure out what bugs may be causing what symptoms.

While some symptoms have gotten worse the main ones (head and chest) have calmed down. I actually like not being on antibiotics! ;o) I'm sure this is short lived as only my immune system along with supplements is fighting the infections and that wasn't enough in the past.

First question, I assume I feel a bit better cause I'm not constantly killing the bugs via abx and causing less herx reactions?

Also, need to decide whether I want to start abx up again or try going an alternative route probably herbs. Given I can function currently I'd love to try the herbs but also know I haven't been off abx long enough to understand how the symptoms will probably come back with a vengeance.

Right now it seems my bartonella symptoms are the ones most prominent if one had to guess my frequency/type. Thanks for any thoughts.

You can also do herbs and your antibiotics at the same time.

Hi Rikky--

So glad you are getting a break.

Agree w/ a couple other statements - herbs are great. Often, you have to explore your options and see what works. Like many, I am on a hybrid tx for lyme, bart and babs. Sometimes abx work better for some people at different points in their tx than other times, and sometimes that's true for herbs--they get more out of herbs in the beginning or after trying abx or maybe that's what they transition to for their final phase of tx... and it's different for each one of us across the board. It is not at all convenient to have to test things out like we do but that's usually how we have to do it.

Whatever you decide to do, start slowly and get your detox program in place before you start.

I am glad to be finally treating bart with some fire power. I started off treating lyme but after the bart herxing I wonder if maybe it wasn't my dominant infection, after all. It can go dormant while treating lyme but didn't stay that way.

Oh - and did I mention to detox like a fiend?

Good luck and let us know how things go.

-p

ETA: fixed stoopid typos

Post Edited (Pirouette) : 6/3/2016 11:11:46 AM (GMT-6)

Sorry for the repeat --
But regarding the Diflucan. It's a harsh anti fungal that isn't even effective against all yeast/fungus. Unless you have a significant systemic problem to address I wouldn't use it as a preventative anti fungal (plus, if you go off it yet continue abx, you're not doing anything to prevent yeast/fungal overgrowth).

If you don't already have a yeast/fungal issue, I'd switch to natural antifungals but you need to use only two at a time and rotate the every couple of wks. Or, you could use PURE Nystatin powder 500,000 units - you can take this throughout your treatment, it's natural as well, safe to use long-term and is less susceptible to growing resistance (I can share more info if you like - or you can read more in my post in the "New to Lyme?" thread:
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=1606610&g=3644275#m3644275

When your LLMD said "hold off on herbs" he means antimicrobial tinctures, I think? There are many herbs that are beneficial for detoxing and whole body system support... I don't know where I'd be without these.

-p

Ahhh - yes. the powder is perfect for coating sore throat - should kill it on contact.

-p