Dear Stephen,
Hello, I’m writing to you from East Europe-Poland and I have a question. I have had lyme for two and a half months. I took doxycycline for only 6 days. Now I don’t know if I should take antibiotics again or would it be better to start your herbs immediately?
Stephen’s response:
You can take both, they work well together.
Stephen
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Stephen Harrod Buhner was an Earth poet and an award-winning author of twenty-four books on nature, indigenous cultures, the environment, and herbal medicine including the acclaimed book Healing Lyme: Natural Healing & Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis & Its Co-infections.
Stephen came from a long line of healers including Leroy Burney, Surgeon General of the United States under Eisenhower and Kennedy, and Elizabeth Lusterheide, a midwife and herbalist who worked in rural Indiana in the early nineteenth century. The greatest influence on his work, however, was his great-grandfather C.G. Harrod who primarily used botanical medicines, also in rural Indiana, when he began his work as a physician in 1911.
Stephen’s work has appeared or been profiled in publications throughout North America and Europe including Common Boundary, Apotheosis, Shaman’s Drum, The New York Times, CNN, and Good Morning America. Stephen lectured yearly throughout the United States on herbal medicine, the sacredness of plants, the intelligence of Nature, and the states of mind necessary for successful habitation of Earth.
He was a tireless advocate for the reincorporation of the exploratory artist, independent scholar, amateur naturalist, and citizen scientist in American society – especially as a counterweight to the influence of corporate science and technology.
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. . . have been on “zone out” regarding remedies, course of treatment, but am taking an antibiotic. Lyme possibly settled in a weakend knee. Lots of inflammation and limited range of motion. I also have no energy to speak of .
Thank you for the above confirmation of ” herbs and antis” work well together. It brings me peace of mind right now.
Be well, Mr. Buhner! Bonnie
Hi Stephen,
I had a very small (poppy seed sized) embedded/engorged tick 2 1/2 weeks ago. At about day 10-11 I developed a very bad headache which has lasted for about 6 days now (very unusual for me to have a headache). An herbalist friend gave me usnea and spilanthes which I’ve been taking as a tea for the past 5 days, but the headache persists. It seems doctors typically do 4-6 weeks of antibiotics. Given that I have leaky gut and Celiac, I’m hesitant to do antibiotics; but sure don’t want Lyme or another bad tick born disease!
I’d be so very grateful for what your thoughts/recommendations are for my situation.
many thanks,
Devona
My daughter from the uk had a tick bite on her toe in late June and developed symptoms in July, no rash initially (developed later on feet and hands) She had 4 weeks of doxycycline. She has had CFS for 6 years. She is no better following the antibiotics. She is seeing a herbalist who is following your protocol. She is having tincture, knotweed, serrapeptase and gou teng. 4 months down the line should she have astragalus, she hasn’t had any. She feels very ill with aching limbs, depression, crawling and the chills. Can you help with anything at all please.
@Devona, Throughout my 8 years of research on Lyme disease and the associated co-infections, I came across other illnesses that are closely related and and/or share/overlap with the same symptoms. Celiac disease can cause identical symptoms as lyme disease. Do you have a positive borrelia test?
I have chronic Lyme and got another bite ..will astralagus be a problem?
My son just got a tick bite, we thing, with a perfect red circle surrounding a red dot. We live in a high tick area, so they are assuming that is what it is. They are suggesting 6 weeks of amoxycillin… I immediately poulticed it with astragalus as suggested, as well as clay, echinacea, goldenseal, paul stametes immune mushroom tincure, fresh plantain, and una de gato (cats claw) tincture. I gave him the amoxycillin this morning… as well as doses of una de gato, paul stametes immune mushroom blend, and astagalus tinctures last night and twice today. I had the remembered I had two tick bites on my belly 7 years ago in BC and a naturopath we befriended put Rick Simpson Oil paste on it and covered it for 3 days with a waterproof bandaid. The infected tissue was all dissolved from the RCO and I had no further issues. So, I remembered this an have RCO, so I put it on the site and covered it. He began to feel cold this late afternoon after I worked on his leg meridians with massage (shiatsu) and he felt cold to my touch, so I bundled him up with blankets and a hot water bottle, and he fell asleep and soon thereafter he has activated a fever. I would prefer not to do the prescribed antibiotics and continue with what I’m doing. I’m planning to order Teasel root, and other herbal tinctures in your protocol. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions based on my current situation?
Another way to approach differentiating between Lyme or other infections and celiac or other food allergies/sensitivities would be to do a 6 week elimination/rechallenge with the suspected foods. This is the gold standard in identifying problem foods.