Saturday, December 21, 2013

What I am doing for my Lyme Disease


I tested positive for Lyme Disease...probably in 2010.  I wasn't taking notes then.

Similar symptoms occurred in the summer of 2011 but more severe.  Feeling far-out dizzy, feverish, etc.  I pulled a tick off of my neck at the end of April and noticed it was full meaning it had been attached for a while.  Months later, my neck was itchy, but there was no visible rash.  It was July and I took my temp and it was about 99º.  2 days later, I went to the Walk-in with a fever of 101º and told the doctor I suspected Lyme.  I was put on Doxy.  6 days later the doctor called me and said my Lyme was negative BUT I was positive for Babesia, another tick-borne illness.  This required different treatment.  

I won't bore you with all the nitty-gritty details, the purpose of this note is to tell you what I am doing and why.

Fast-forward May 2013, I am feeling "Lymie" again.  Temperature of 99º, foggy-brain, and achey joints.  I went to a doctor and he prescribed Doxy but my Lyme test came back negative again (or at least not higher than it would be from my previous infection.) 

It seems like nearly every spring, I feel Lymish, have a negative test, go searching for some other cause, and waste a lot of money on dead ends.  Spring 2013 I had severe hip pain (interestingly, the area of my first tick-bite in 2010.)  I had it x-rayed and aside from minor arthritis, nothing.  The doctor asked me if I wanted a muscle relaxant.  Um, no thanks.  I did go to a chiropractor who straightened me out after about 2 visits....but I also simultaneously started the Buhner Lyme Protocol.  See, I told you I would get to my point. 


I confess I am an herbal-medicine skeptic.  I did research each of the herbs he recommends and found that each definitely have qualities that would address Lyme symptoms.  Also, he seemed honest about the success-rate feedback he receives.  I figured it was worth the $ investment to give it a try.  I have used it for over 6 months and saw definite improvement.  I have been slacking off lately and have seen some symptoms returning.  

This is what I have been using from the Buhner protocol and the research on each herbal supplement. You cannot believe everything on the internet, of course, but most herbal and medical websites gave these as listed properties of the herbs.  I ordered all of my supplements from Vitacost (and if you haven't ever ordered from them, you can use my link and you will get $10 off and I will too):  https://www.vitacostrewards.com/6YpQ45 

1. Resveratrol (japanese knotweed) - anti-oxidant , anti-aging, heart health 
Vitacost Trans-Resveratrol with CoQ10 - 250 mg/ 100 mg - 60 Capsules

2. Astragalus - immune booster
Vitacost Astragalus Root -- 1500 mg per serving- 100 Capsules

3. Alpha lipoic acid - anti-oxidant, fatty acid, repairs nerve damage, restores brain function
Vitacost Alpha Lipoic Acid & Acetyl L-Carnitine HCl -- 1,600 mg per serving - 60 Capsules

4. Eleuthero root - ginseng- energy, memory, endurance
Vitacost Eleuthero Root (Eleutherococcus senticosus) -- 1000 mg per serving - 120 Capsules

5. Cat's Claw - antibiotic properties, reduces inflammation
Vitacost Cat's Claw {Uña de Gato} -- 500 mg - 300 Capsules

I stopped taking the Resveratrol after I finished the 60 caps because it is the most expensive of the herbs. (Correction, I took it for 4 months, so that would be 2 bottles).  $25 verses the $5-$10 for the others.  I will probably re-order it again since it has other health benefits:  http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/resveratrol-supplements

Anyway, like I said, it was worth the relatively small monetary investment to feel healthy again and it has worked for me.  Purely anecdotal, I know, but I suppose if enough people have success from it, it then becomes more tested and proven.