Healing from Lyme: Defeat the Spirochete!

I posted some time ago with a list of symptoms of Lyme disease, of which I had most.  I am doing a lot better and I want to share my protocol.  When I read that post from almost 3 months ago, I realize how much of an improvement I have made since that time.  I have gone from feeling rather bleak to being hopeful.  I do feel that I should be able to reach a point of being symptom free.  As of now mostly I just have joint pain (in the shoulders and hips), tightness in the upper back and neck, occasional mild headaches, and some emotional difficulties (depression, irritability).  I also have dry mouth at night which I am working on by addressing my Liver Yin Deficiency (TCM).  I'm not sure if it is related to the Lyme particularly, or if it's an effect of the Lyme treatment.  I was having insomnia regularly until recently which is not normal for me (prior to getting Lyme).  I took herbal formulas to address the insomnia particularly along with doing some acupressure.  The latter which helped tremendously.  Anyway, I want to share what's been working for me...

 Initially, back in September of last year, I took a month of antibiotics (along with various herbal formulas prior to the research that led to the formulas I am sharing here).  I did notice some improvement initially but then reached a point where I was not improving and not well and I felt that it would not be good for my body to continue taking the antibiotics.  I did not want to destroy my intestinal fauna and felt my immune system needed all the help it could get if I was going to defeat this spirochete!  I decided to try a serious run of herbal formulas and supplementation.



I consulted two books I found on Lyme along with various online sources:



The Buhner book I cannot recommend enough.  'Course I'm biased because he happens to be a favorite author anyway, but it's the most comprehensive book I could find on Lyme and natural healing.  The second book is modern CM, not TCM, so it has lots of scientific study data.
Also, I just found this book, literally.  Not sure why I didn't come across it before.  It looks good too.



Here are the best two online sources I found besides Buhner's:
Fruehauf
Winston

Here is the Herbal blend I made specifically to deal with the Lyme:
(I also have been making various herbal formulas along the way as needed to deal with my personal symptom picture, which is quite possibly different than yours, so I am not going to share those here - see a qualified Herbalist if you want to do this yourself).
A major key to defeating the spirochete is to change what you are doing regularly.  It has an incredible ability to respond to threats and will defend itself against whatever:  antibiotics, herbs, your immune system, etc...  You need to trip it up.



So, here are the various herbs and herbal formulas that I interchanged.  I did not follow a specific schedule, but would switch up every few days or at most every two weeks, with an occasional missed day because life'll do that.

#1 - Herbal Formula in Decoction - amount that I took daily (when I took it that is) decocted in 4 c. water with lid for 1/2 to 1 hr. then strained and re-decocted the same a second time, then composted (except Reishi, see below)

Hawthorne 3g.
Turmeric 1-30g.
Licorice Root 3g.
Ashwaganda 3g.
fresh Ginger 1g.
Neem tincture
Dandelion Root 10-30g.
Forsythia 12-15g.
Lonicera 12-15g.
Polygonum cuspidatum* 9-30g.
Cat's Claw* up to 20g.
Devil's Claw 3-6g.
Red Root 1g.
Astragalus 3-16g.
Chen Pi 3-9g.
Red Clover 6-15g. (added in last 10 minutes to infuse)
Smilax 3-6 g.
Teasel 6-12 g.
Eleuthro 8-30g. (I add this only when I will be drinking it in the am only as it can too stimulating for sleep)
Reishi 15 g. (this needs to be decocted 6-8 hours for full break down, so I pull it out before composting the marc and continue to re-use it)
Artemesia annua 9-27g. (I didn't have this on hand and so didn't add it, but would if I had it)
Add honey to taste as needed to get it down; it is bitter.
*The starred herbs are ones that I worked up to taking the full amount, watching for unwanted side effects and cutting back the amount if needed.

#2 - Boneset- as a cool tea, 1 oz. herb in quart boiling water, let steep with lid overnight, strain and drink

#3 - I make a separate decoction with Andrographis* up to 9-15g. as it is 'The King of Bitters' and overwhelms the already bitter formula above.  Also, it is stimulating to me, making me almost giddy, and I don't want to have it at night.  It may not affect others this way though.  I add honey to taste to help get it down.

#4 - Gaia Para-Shield - a product you can get from Mountain Rose (see link to right to order).  I took this to help with the damage to the digestive tract from taking an antibiotic for a month and also because it has some herbs in it that should help with the Lyme.  Here is info from their website:  "This formula supports a healthy intestinal environment and supports the GI tract by promoting healthy intestinal flora.

Contains: Black Walnut Fresh Green Hulls (Juglans nigra), organic Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), organic Sweet Wormwood herb (Artemisia Annua), Pomegranate Seed (Punica granatum), organic Gentian Root (Gentiana lutea), Coptis Rhizome (Coptis chinensis), Ginger Root (Freshly Dried) (Zingiber officinale), Clove Bud Oil (Syzygium aromaticum), Vegetable Glycerin, Vegetable cellulose (capsule)."

#5 -  LB Core Protocol - from a great company who has put together a formula based on Buhner's book into capsule form.  Green Dragon Botanicals

On top of mixing up these 5 listed above, I also am taking a lot of supplements to help with the Lyme itself and also to repair the damage it does.  This is the daily amount but I rarely actually take it daily because it is so many pills and they should be taken in several portions throughout the day rather than all at once so the body can process them, and well, it just doesn't happen some days.  This protocol is a lot to keep up with for months on end.  I'd say on average I have taken this daily amount 3-4 times a week.

Supplements

Vit. C 1000-3000mg. (I often take Emergenc-C for this)
Vit. E 400-800 I.U.
Pregnenolone 50 mg.
Huperzine-A 100-200 mcg.
Magnesium 400-1200 mg.
Zinc 30 mg.
Copper (I have just stopped this as I don't want to interfere with Zinc absorption, but took it for awhile - see Buhner's book)
Selenium 200 mcg.
Garlic- Kyolic Formula 100 - 2 capsules
Vit. D 2000 I.U.
Probiotics
L-Carnitine 250 mg.
Acetyl-L-Carnitine 500-1500 mg.
Alpha Lipoic Acid 100 mg.
Glucosamine sulfate 1500 mg.
Quercetin 500 mg.
Grape Seed Extract
regular food-based, high-potency multi-vit/min (I like Rainbow Light brand)- not a one a day, not a generic store brand - this is a case where you get what you pay for - your health is worth more than being cheap


I also have been having SuperGreens+ almost daily in about 4 oz. of organic juice and 4 oz. of water.


Extreme heat is supposed to be of help in combating Lyme and it does seem like it helps me so I have been going to a local Korean spa about 1-2 times a month that has hot saunas up to 170 degrees and spending as much time as I can in there.

I take hot baths with a couple cups of Epsom salts to help with the joint pain.  Sometimes I add a cup of Lemon Balm herb in a bath bag.

I saw an acupuncturist for 5 weekly visits (and 156 needles, yes, I counted!) and it helped a lot with the pain and emotional difficulties.  I stopped going because I felt I reached a plateau with this particular acupuncturist, but may go to another whom I learned specializes in Lyme.  The one I went to did not seem particularly knowledgeable about Lyme. 

I get a few (1-4) massages a month and it helps quite a bit with the tension that seems to be in my body.

Otherwise, I try to eat well and get good sleep as usual as this makes a huge difference no matter.

I have been using St. John's Wort oil and Comfrey oil on my sore joints and muscles.

I sometimes use Yunnan Bai Yao plasters on my painful upper back.

An herbal blend for my particular symptom picture.

Best of luck if you're dealing with this, and please, share anything you have found or experienced.  It seems Lyme maybe be epidemic and we need to pool together our findings since no one seems to know real clearly how to deal with it absolutely.

For the longest time my symptoms seemed to fluctuate drastically, continuing to have some really bad days, but now I seem to be having mostly better days and some days almost normal.  I think it's also important to make time for relaxation and renewal, such as yoga, meditation, walks in nature,...  The body gets quite stressed dealing with Lyme and needs to be given extra care.  I notice that a couple alcoholic drinks or getting too little sleep or eating junk food will make me feel much worse than it ever did before.  So, if nothing else having Lyme has forced me to take even better care of myself than I used to because when I don't the results are especially unpleasant.


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