Dear Stephen,
I began taking antibiotics for lyme and bartonella 2 1/2 years ago. At times, I have taken breaks from the antibiotics and switched to your herbal protocol, but I always begin to have scary/dangerous symptoms that don’t seem controlled by the herbs and thus go back on the antibiotics. However, I also feel that over time the antibiotics are weakening my immune system and I’m acquiring new secondary infections. I’m not sure what to do as the herbs don’t seem strong enough to carry me through without the antibiotic support. Do you find it effective for people to pulse herbs/antibiotics if they’re not able to wean off of antibiotics? In other words, a week of herbs/a week of antibiotics or some similar protocol (and what would be the best way to do this)? Also, it seems that sometimes people do better on the herbs once the worst stages of lyme and coinfections have passed, several years into antibiotic treatment. At what point is it safe for severe cases to switch to herbs as a maintenance treatment (i.e. should one be symptom free a certain period of time?) Thanks!


Stephen’s response:
I am not a fan of pulsing except in rare instances (with some forms of eleuthero and echinacea). Many people who have used antibiotics for years go directly to the herbal protocol with good results, most experience major relief. Given your responses I would suggest you work with a practitioner, either Julie Mcintyre (julie@gaianstudies.org) or Tim Scott at Watercourse Way in Brattleboro, VT.
Stephen

This protocol was incredible. After only a few weeks most of my symptoms were gone. After six months all my symptoms were gone… it has given me my life back.

– Amazon review by Joseph

Please note:

Stephen Buhner is no longer living and this Q + A column on Planet Thrive is closed to new questions. It will be kept on our website so readers can access vital information in the archives, communicate with each other in the comments section, and find herbs, books + lyme adjuncts in our directory. If you want to read more of Stephen’s writings, please see his website at: stephenharrodbuhner.com.



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