Tincture Ratio Question

My health has deteriorated at an ALARMING rate since beginning the Stephen B. Protocol 2 months ago. Now just about flat in bed I need to do a BIG increase of Japanese Knotweed and need to go back to tinctures regardless of the cost increase since the size 0 capsules I make require my taking 21 of them 3 times per day and this is ONLY for this herb. I take 5 others that use the same number (choke-choke!) PLUS 16 other OTC Supplements to go with it, three times or more each day. I can NOT swallow these things any longer not to mention I need to MAKE all these capsules.

Here is my question. Sage has the Japanese Knotweed using cold percolation method at a ratio of 1:5, 50%
Hawaiian Pharmacy uses Super concentrated Hu Zhang extract: dried material / solvents ratio is 1:3 (whatever THAT all means?).

Which is strongest? Or BEST? Pricing is very close but I need the best bang for the buck just like ALL of us do. My brain fog is now more of me now being under a full on mudslide. And this time I have fallen and I really can NOT get back up....

Before I place an order for 16 ounces, hopefully someone can clue me on which is strongest? I have used LOTS of herbs from Sage but never from the other so just want the best product If something doesn't change fairly soon I quit. I am wasting SO fast now I just have nothing left to fight with. Fallen SO far. Not just discouraged needing a pep talk, I am just worn out and at age 67 and having survived so many extreme surgeries I am just too exhausted to fight any harder. Maybe tomorrow right?

1:2 means 1 oz of herb, by weight, for 2 oz of menstruum, by volume
1:3 means 1 oz of herb, by weight for 3 oz of menstruum, by volume
1:5 means 1 oz of herb, by weight for 5 oz of menstruum, by volume.

The larger the second number the more diluted with menstruum it will be.

Menstruun is the liquid in a preparation; the alcohol etc.

90% means the menstruum is 90% alcohol, 10% water

I would not go below a 1:7 because it would be susceptible to mold because it is more menstruum (water and alcohol) than it is herb.

I hope this made sense. It was so confusing to me and I still have days when I go huh???

Thanks all. I DO need the larger order to save shipping costs but I have been at 1 full teaspoon for 5 weeks now and raised it to 1 TABLESPOON when my legs quit ALL function. The amount of Tincture needed to meet the 1 TABLESPOON of herb powder equivalent 3 times daily os going to burn through the 4 bottles of 4 ounces each order I plan very quickly. Unless I am missing something?
Proper order to explain might be,

1-Legs weak only ambulatory to bathroom and to mailbox on a GOOD day 3 months ago when I began This Protocol
2-about 1 week ago my legs have gotten to the point I don't even ake it to the bathroom without falling most often of late so as I fine tuned the latest book by Stephen, I caught what Girlie AND Traveler pointed out last month when I thought my 1 teaspoon of J.K was FULL dose, it actually was not and it was 1 TABLESPOON so I did the sudden increase to go with the sudden worsening of symptoms and NO side effects noted at all.

I never herxed at all that I am honestly aware of. I feel strong as a horse except my legs won't hold me up anymore with all the muscle wasting that I have endured.
I have no idea how my adrenals are doing or exactly what that means?
I never felt weird to speak of, just one day almost a year ago when walking my legs gave out with NO warning of any sort and I never again did my daily, every single day 1-2 mile walks. Never again. I have now been in this recliner for 3 months, or bed for the past 2-3 weeks (I lose track)

Headed to bed cuz I just can't think anymore today ( or any day lately)

Just remember if you buy from Hawaii Pharm, or anyone else that offers both alcohol base and alcohol free, Buhner says if using glycerites instead of alcohol to increase dosage by 1/3....

Dear Stephen,
It has been suggested I use teasel while treating for coinfections of lyme as it draws the bacteria out of organs and makes them easier to kill. Do you have experience with teasel? Is there anything I need to be careful of while taking it? Do you know of any non-alcoholic tinctures available? Thank you for your time.

Stephen’s response:
In my experience teasel is most effective for helping with arthritic symptoms from lyme; I don’t know of any contraindications. Here is a source for a glycerite of teasel, normally you should increase dosage intake if using glycerites by 1/3 as they are less strong than alcohol tinctures.
Stephen

I order one pound of herbs all the time, as it's less expensive, but I make a lot of my own herbal meds.

I would agree that you have been "gung-ho" with your protocols, and I had a feeling that this was going to happen. I'm so sorry!! This is a marathon, not a sprint - just because we think we can do it, doesn't mean our bodies actually can. Kind of like getting older, right? LOL!

I would very much encourage you to decrease your doses and increase your detoxing for a while before you end up in serious trouble healthwise. Herxing can get so bad that it become life threatening if we ignore the early signs that our body gives us of being overwhelmed with toxins.

Please do listen to your body - the fact that you have gotten worse means that somethings wrong, and we know that you have been pushing hard to get up to full doses quickly - likely too quickly.

What do you mean, you're not sick? You said: " My health has deteriorated at an ALARMING rate since beginning the Stephen B. Protocol 2 months ago. Now just about flat in bed "

That seems like you are sick to me! Just because you aren't throwing up type of sick, surely doesn't mean that your symptoms haven't increased dramatically (as you posted) - and this is an indication that it's a herx. I also remember trying to warn you not to increase your dosages as fast as you were, which leads to herxing as well.

Herxing is an increase in current symptoms, OR new symptoms appearing due to using healing protocols. Your situation fits that bill pretty darned well!!

Traveler said...
What do you mean, you're not sick? You said: " My health has deteriorated at an ALARMING rate since beginning the Stephen B. Protocol 2 months ago. Now just about flat in bed "

That seems like you are sick to me! Just because you aren't throwing up type of sick, surely doesn't mean that your symptoms haven't increased dramatically (as you posted) - and this is an indication that it's a herx. I also remember trying to warn you not to increase your dosages as fast as you were, which leads to herxing as well.

Herxing is an increase in current symptoms, OR new symptoms appearing due to using healing protocols. Your situation fits that bill pretty darned well!!

Well I meant that "alarming rate: was the rate is lost FULLY 100% use of my legs. I don't recall ever hearing the symptoms leading me to begin lyme protocol worsen? By being flat in bed refers to the fact I can no longer even get to the mailbox or even light duty walking around the house anymore. In MY mind the only problem I have that is new is the sudden complete loss of use in both legs now. I had serious loss before with muscle wasting so I began this protocol over 2 months ago now. So when waiting for improvement and EXPECTING improvements I see the sudden further leg DOWN (neat pun right?) and deeper loss of use in both legs so I increase the dose of Japanese knotweed from my 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon just 2 days ago and will now see if THAT helps. I do NOT feel sick or different in any way other than more dizzy from the hemp oild but am using it to help with the back pain. From all I read about herxing it seems I should be sich or something more than just having my legs give out completely. If THAT were the case, are you saying if I stop all treatment I will walk again cuz i would LOVE to stop chucking a hundred pills every day? Guess I need to Google some moreon Herxing but just did and still don't see any clue it is happening?

You got it! You stop over dosing on your herbs and we will all do the Snoopy Dance around you!

Well first I would need to know what stopping treatment means if I continue herbs? I know, you said "supporting herbs" but that loses me? I take the big 4 herbs then 28 other OTC supplements. All, 3X daily. Would LOVE a 2 day break but would hate to lose 2 1/2 months of dedicated medicating? You are 100% SURE a Herx can literally make the loss of use in both legs worse? I did not see that clearly at ALL at the Tired Of Lyme website?

If you are really serios, I will stop everything 100% for 2 days-NOT my Pain management drugs since I literally lose consciousness as well as blood pressure spikes and chest pains and heart issues reurn and I mean like right NOW if I do.

So I need to stop it ALL? All the Lyme herbs that are doing this? Makes no sense at all to me Trav?

Yep, I'm sure,as I've lost mobility in my legs more than once from either these infections being untreated AND from serious herxing.

Stop the treatment herbs - but not anything that you may be taking for detoxing (increase these things), or anything like anti-inflammatories, items that support adrenal or thyroid function, leaky gut, circulation, anything supportive to the lymph system (like red root), supplements like Vitamin D, C, E, fish oils, magnesium, and so on. And definitely do NOT stop any pain management you are doing.

Healing from these infections is a very careful balance of treatments and detoxing, and your s ales have tipped way over on the treatment side.

What herbs if Buhner's or any other Lyme/Bart/Babesia treatments are you currently taking?

Mike, I have to say this. You keep saying "no noticeable changes". So what do you call not being a letter to walk? This is a neurological issue, as the commands to your legs come from the brain - which travel down the nerves to give you legs the nerve impulse the make them move so you can walk.

And no, this would NOT be a good time to have any alcohol, your body is already overwhelmed with toxins, now is not the time to add more - even if it IS incredibly tempting. Sorry.

I would say that you should stop the Houttuynia, and Andrographis.
You should also reduce your dose of Japanese Knotweed back down to the one teaspoon you were at previous taking.

Also, don't take both "types" of cat's claw. They are too closely related to use at the same time, it would be like double dosing, which is dangerous.

Yes, it would be Saturday a.m. before you would restart the herbs, and do NOT go back to the higher dosing. Easy and slow with the herbs. They are REAL medicine and can be very dangerous if not used properly - and carefully.

Remember, you need to space out the charcoal from everything else - food, supplements, or anything you want your body to absorb. You need 2 hours before and after the charcoal before you take any supply, medicine, food and so on. Kefir too.

Please do let us know how you are doing!!!

You haven't lost all that matters to you - you have Trish. And don't let Trish hear you say that! She'll beat you up!!

If you mean that you will be going back up on the doses you were on at the top of this thread, you will only put yourself back in this same situation yet again. So please go slow and easy. You have NOTHING to loose by taking it slow. Nothing.

Traveler said...
Mike, I have to say this. You keep saying "no noticeable changes". So what do you call not being a letter to walk? This is a neurological issue, as the commands to your legs come from the brain - which travel down the nerves to give you legs the nerve impulse the make them move so you can walk.

And no, this would NOT be a good time to have any alcohol, your body is already overwhelmed with toxins, now is not the time to add more - even if it IS incredibly tempting. Sorry.

I would say that you should stop the Houttuynia, and Andrographis.
You should also reduce your dose of Japanese Knotweed back down to the one teaspoon you were at previous taking.

Also, don't take both "types" of cat's claw. They are too closely related to use at the same time, it would be like double dosing, which is dangerous.

Yes, it would be Saturday a.m. before you would restart the herbs, and do NOT go back to the higher dosing. Easy and slow with the herbs. They are REAL medicine and can be very dangerous if not used properly - and carefully.

Remember, you need to space out the charcoal from everything else - food, supplements, or anything you want your body to absorb. You need 2 hours before and after the charcoal before you take any supply, medicine, food and so on. Kefir too.

Please do let us know how you are doing!!!

One last think if you see this? You say :should stop the Houttuynia, and Andrographis.
You should also reduce your dose of Japanese Knotweed back down to the one teaspoon you were at previous taking. Also, don't take both "types" of cat's claw

Do you mean on Saturday when I resume all 4 of my herbs, you think I should not go back on Houttuynia, and Andrographis at all? (and I will stay only on my original cats claw)