Planet Thrive

Borrelia burgdorferi

• One year on crypto, need to add artemisinin
  Dear Stephen, I have been on cryptolepis for one year for breathing difficulty...and now through VEGA testing, my body is now calling to add artemisinin. Can I mix both herbs simultaneously?
• Conception on protocol
  Dear Stephen, Do you think it is safe for a husband with lyme to conceive children with a non-lyme wife?
• Andrographolide content in bulk andrographis
  Dear Stephen, Would you know the approximate content of andrographolides in the Andrographis whole bulk herb ?
• Cortisol properties in stephania root?
  Dear Stephen, I found that very soon after getting to the 2 stephania 3x day, I was able to lower my hydrocortisone dose to about 12.5 mg. I'm wondering if stephania root has some cortisol-like properties?
• Am I herxing? Discomfort – new user
  Dear Stephen, I started your herb protocol and within hours all the affected areas began to kick up. Am I herxing with bacteria die off or am I just aggravating those little buggers so they burrow deeper?
• Preventing lyme transmission through body fluids
  Dear Stephen, Our 21 year old son was diagnosed last month with chronic Lyme. Is there any herb to keep his future wife from getting infected?
• Stephania eyewash
  Dear Stephen, If I wash my eyes with the stephania root infusion, how should I do it? Should I use an eye cup. Should I use just the clear liquid on top, or the whole, well, mess
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy with co-infections
  Dear Stephen, I know that bartonella is an aerobic organism and some have suggested that oxygen therapies should be avoided. I would like to know your thoughts on this...
• Mycoplasma
  Dear Stephen, In June I had some blood microscopy done by a ND. She and I both saw big-time mycoplasma, and I was wondering if that was hindering my recovery.
• Trans-reservatrol
  Dear Stephen, What is the scoop on trans-resveratrol? Are the brands of resveratrol you recommend the "trans" form - and does it even matter?
• Samento with acid blocker?
  Dear Stephen, I take antibiotics and Cowden herbs, as well as prilosic for acid reflux—is it ok to take samento, cumanda and quina with this?
• Toxicity/die-off with protocol
  Dear Stephen, I have read that herxing too much is not necessarily helpful even if it is a sign of die-off.
• Protocol for 4 yr old
  Dear Stephen, My 4-year-old daughter was just diagnosed with lyme (tick bite then rash). She's on amoxicillan for 30 days. Which herbs would be best for her?
• Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)
  Dear Stephen, I have two ill friends who wish to take more herbs but they suffer from horrible GERD and have not found anything useful. What would you recommend for GERD?
• Lomatium dissectum (LDM 100)
  Dear Stephen, What do you know about LDM 100 (Lomatium dissectum)? It's new and growing fast amongst the autism arena. Many are claiming that autism is really just lyme.
• Tincture of colchicum
  Dear Stephen, Do you know where I can purchase the colchicum tincture?
• Weight loss
  Dear Stephen, I understand that unexplained weight loss is one of the symptoms of lyme borreliosis. I'm trying to understand why the weight loss. Is it due to collagen tissue breakdown?
• Knotweed preparation
  Dear Stephen, In a previously answered question in your column about "capsule vs. decoction," you wrote to someone about using the whole herb or whole form, tinctures, and decoctions with regards to knotweed.
• Breastfeeding on protocol
  Dear Stephen, I am nursing a 10-month-old. Which herbs can I safely take while breastfeeding and are there any herbs that will help protect the baby or do I just assume the baby is going to come down with it?
• Pau d’arco
  Dear Stephen, I've been told that pau d'arco has strong antiviral qualities. I was wondering if you had any more information on this herb at this time...
• Chronic muscle pain and spasm
  Dear Stephen, What can be done to help with the chronic unrelenting migrating pain and spasms?
• Houttuynia for bartonella?
  Dear Stephen, Do you have an opinion on the herb houttuynia, which is being used by Dr. Zhang for bartonella, and do you know of any American herbs with similar properties?
• Core protocol side effects
  Dear Stephen, I started on the 3 core protocol herbs about a month ago...now that I'm at 500mg of each of these 4x per day I'm getting one humdinger of a sore throat.
• Dying For Some Zzz’s!
  by Connie Strasheim | It's midnight, and you've been lying awake for two hours, your thoughts on fast forward as you toss and turn like a vegetable kabob over a spit.
• Sarsaparilla herx
  Dear Stephen, I just started sarsaparilla today and for five or six hours afterward was miserable with one of the worst herxes I've experienced thus far.
• Higher dose for babesia?
  Dear Stephen, I've been looking at taking cryptolepis for babesia for a 2 week period at the recommended dose of 1 tsp tid. Do you think that it might take a stronger dose to get it?
• Orthostatic tachycardia (POTS)
  Dear Stephen, A year ago I very suddenly developed what has been labeled as P.O.T.S (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). When I sit or stand up my heart rate increases by 20-30 bpm or more.
• Bismacine to kill encysted lymes?
  Dear Stephen, A friend of mine said that bismacine is the only known thing that will kill off encysted lymes. What is your perspective on that?
• Thyroid and adrenals
  Dear Stephen, I spent some time living in the South Pacific. A year after returning back to the States, I started getting gastro symptoms. Is it possible that I got a bug overseas and it made Lyme surface?
• Is a shorter course of artemisinin enough?
  Dear Stephen, I was taking artemisinin for babesia but in the last week my anxiety and low mood got unbearable and I started to get other neuro effects such as distorted visual perception.
• Fasting while on protocol
  Dear Stephen, Do you know of any dangers with fasting and taking the herbs for the lyme core protocol, plus eleuthero and red root - is there any danger of the herbs getting too concentrated in some organs?
• Changing Cellular Behavior With Quantum Techniques
  by Connie Strasheim | Have you ever noticed how many folks have been brainwashed into believing that health is achieved solely through the killing of some bugs with a biochemical agent?
• Giardia
  Dear Stephen, Please advise me on how to kill giardia. I have used antibiotics in the past which reduced the bloating but never eradicated the problem.
• De-alcoholizing tinctures
  Dear Stephen, Can I somehow cook away the alcohol in a tincture without effecting the herb strength? Can I also add sugar to taste?
• Lyme and viruses
  Dear Stephen, As well as lyme disease, one of us in the family has long standing HHV6 and active EBV. Will any of the herbs mentioned in your book specifically address these viruses?
• North American herbal equivalents
  Dear Stephen, I'd like to find the North American equivalents to your core protocol herbs for lyme. Are there any alternatives to smilax and polygonum on the West coast?
• Intractable neck discomfort / choking symptoms
  Dear Stephen, I feel like I am being choked and when I move my neck from side to side my sternocloidomastoid muscles feel like they are so tight and ache so much.
• Herbs during pregnancy
  Dear Stephen, I am unclear as to whether it is safe to use your core protocol for Lyme treatment if one is trying to get pregnant.
• Elecampane for babesia?
  Dear Stephen, I read that the Cowden protocol may be adding a mixture, including elecampane, for babesia. Elecampane grows terrifically in my garden. How can I prepare elecampane to take medicinally for babesia?
• Liver support/toxicity
  Dear Stephen, Do you see liver problems with boneset? What herbs would you add for bartonella that are more gentle on the liver?