Dear Stephen,
Since coming off doxycycline 5 weeks ago (taken for 1 month for early disseminated lyme and an unidentified rickettsial coinfection) I have been following your protocol but am confused about the astragalus dosage. On page 124 of Healing Lyme you recommend starting at 3,000 mg per day and working up to 16,000 mg per day, for active lyme infection. 2,000 mg per day is recommended as a tonic or preventative dose. I ramped up to 4,500 mg per day which is still well short of the maximum recommended in your book. However this website now says 1,000 mg per day. Should I cut it? I made spectacular progress in the first 3 weeks but seem to be going backward a little now – note that my doses of knotweed and andrographis are still at the very low end of your suggested range though. Thanks for your help.
Since coming off doxycycline 5 weeks ago (taken for 1 month for early disseminated lyme and an unidentified rickettsial coinfection) I have been following your protocol but am confused about the astragalus dosage. On page 124 of Healing Lyme you recommend starting at 3,000 mg per day and working up to 16,000 mg per day, for active lyme infection. 2,000 mg per day is recommended as a tonic or preventative dose. I ramped up to 4,500 mg per day which is still well short of the maximum recommended in your book. However this website now says 1,000 mg per day. Should I cut it? I made spectacular progress in the first 3 weeks but seem to be going backward a little now – note that my doses of knotweed and andrographis are still at the very low end of your suggested range though. Thanks for your help.
Stephen’s response:
Well, what I am meaning IN GENERAL, not in specific cases, is:
Well, what I am meaning IN GENERAL, not in specific cases, is:
For prevention if you live in a lyme endemic area: 1000mg daily
If you get bit by a tick, or if you notice a bulls eye rash, immediately begin taking 1000mg 3x daily, increasing it every week by 1000mg, so the second week use 2000 mg 3x daily, the third 3000 mg 3x daily, and so on. Essentially to ramp up the immune response markers needed to either prevent infection or reduce symptoms to mild.
This is essentially an immediate response to the onset of acute infection. There are some people who, I think, can use astragalus who have been infected for some time, but that is pretty much a case-by-case sort of thing and the dosage would vary considerably. Let me know if this takes care of the confusion.
Stephen
Hi Stephen,
I have seen variations of this question in your Q&A. Basically, I’d like to know why astragalus is contraindicated for people with chronic lyme? I noticed this information on your site here, but have not noticed any such information in the second edition of your Healing Lyme book. Also, to confirm, astragalus is safe to use as a preventative tonic indefinitely at 1000mg per day during “off season” for ticks?
Hi Elizabeth,
I was wondering the same thing. I found a reference in this article:
http://www.betterhealthguy.com/images/stories/PDF/PHA/2010_4.pdf
On page 10 it says that astragalus may cause autoimmune issues in those with chronic lyme and is best avoided.
All the best,
Sarah
Hi Elizabeth,
Stephen’s response:
For some people it can make symptoms worse, I talk about this more in depth in the second edition of Healing Lyme where I do note that for some people it really does make the condition worse, for some it helps. It is safe to use indefinitely.
Dear Stephen
We lost our Son from Lyme disease borrelia garinni in Belgium Europe.He took antibiotica but iT didnt work.for HIM.What have we to do immediately after a tick bite? Homeopathic Ledum Pallustre or what is there to take in ?
What is the traktement for children >3 and baby < 3 yaers?
Thank you for your Answer we are zo afraid and traumatised ….
Hi Josiane,
I am so sorry for your loss, that is just awful. The Q & A is no longer open for questions. The good news is that your questions have already been answered and you can find them on the buhnerhealinglyme.com website. For new tick bites, Stephen typically recommends taking astragalus – 3,000 mg daily for 30 days, 1,000 mg daily thereafter, indefinitely. Also: using a paste made of andrographis tincture mixed with green clay, the paste applied on the tick bite area can often prevent an active infection. See also: recent tick bites. For past questions on children, see https://buhnerhealinglyme.com/category/lyme/children/ Blessings, Julie
I have heard that Manuka honey, with it’s natural antibiotic properties, can be an effective Lyme treatment. Hesitate to try as it is a sugar, and sugar is a no-no with Lyme. Yes or No???
What is the dosage for chdonic carditis on Astragalus? Does it also help with EBV? Thanks!r
I have been attempting to digest all the information in the new edition of Healing Lyme, and start the core protocol just a few days ago, plus additions for Chlamydia co-infection, especially the berberine eye drops. My eyes have been getting more and more sore, red, and itchy, and every morning they are glued shut with exudate. I hope this is a healing reaction, but I am concerned I may be damaging my eyes. Should I back off the treatment, or power through?
I have started the core protocol plus was wanting to add tryptophan for neural involvement, but I read in Healing Lyme that tryptophan feeds chlamydial co-infection. Should I not add tryptophan if I have a confirmed chlamydia co-infection?
Hi Nancy,
I’m not sure what to tell you (Stephen no longer does the Q & A here) but he has always said to reduce dosage or stop for a few days if symptoms/side effects become too much to bear. Then slowly increase. Some people are very sensitive and need to start with very low doses. I am hoping others will respond here and share their experiences. I would proceed with caution since it is your eyes, err on the side of safety. You might try sending Stephen a message on Facebook or on the Facebook Healing Lyme group. Best wishes to you, Julie