Stephen’s response:
Morgellon’s disease is very new, very complex, and somewhat controversial, and there are not any herbalists that I know of who are focused on treating it. If one does have the common symptoms associated with it I can suggest a couple of things:

1. For the sensation of crawling under the skin: Vitamin b-12, 5000 mcg sublingual daily. It probably will not stop the problem but it can often help.

2. For brain fog: Resveratrol, vincamine, huperzine A. Usually from inflammation in the brain or CNS, this will help lessen that and increase mental acuity as a result.

3. For fatigue: Eleutherococcus
In general, the deep fatigue comes from the body having to deal with a continuing infection; all its resources go there and not into a general feeling of vitality. Eleuthero will raise immune function and also increase energy levels. It will also help with depression.

4. Skin lesions: The skin lesions are problematical. This is always a difficult condition to treat, no matter what the cause. However, because of some of the aspects of the skin problems associated with Morgellons that research has shown, the use of the collagen protocol outlined in my Healing Lyme book (see bookstore) should help. Specifically: “Eighteen specimens, taken from a 57-year-old woman reveal bone, synovium and joint tissue having extensive degenerative fragmentation, roughening and bony formation and underlying extensive degeneration of the bone.” This seems to be common and the collagen protocol should help.

5. Fiber growth: the problems with the fiber growth are, well, really strange and though I have looked through some of the newer research on it, the reason why it is occurring is unknown. The collagen protocol should help strengthen the skin structure, the resveratrol should help with the inflammation. However until the underlying cause is determined it will be hard to treat the underlying cause. This pretty much throws things into the symptom treatment category until then. Since antibiotics do work to some extent with the condition, it does point to an underlying bacterial cause (working hypothesis). This means that increasing immune function should help. The fact that about half of the people with Morgellons (at least from one study I looked over) have lyme is interesting and stimulates the question as to whether or not it is related. Maybe.

The skin problems are, well, horrible. I have two suggestions besides those offered, both experimental.

1. Cryptolepis tincture: this is a remarkable antibacterial herb, perhaps the only systemic general herbal antibacterial of any strength. I suggest it for systemic staph that does not respond to antibiotics – it works very well. I also suggest it for babesia (not enough data yet to tell if it is reliable for this). You might consider trying it. Cryptolepis tincture is available from Woodland Essence (315.845.1515) in Cold Brook, New York.

2. The second suggestion appears in the article Eaten Alive published in the Guardian Unlimited on Tuesday, April 10, 2007. I have looked into this a bit and it sounds very promising. Not a cure but perhaps something that can help a great deal. It is an odd thing but I have had similar reports from people and have seen the healing involved and it is impressive. Whether it would help with this is unknown but if I had the condition I would try it without hesitation.