I am thinking about stopping all Abx treatment

Congratulations on feeling so much better!!

Are you willing to consider switching to an herbal protocol to knock out those remaining symptoms? It could kind of act like a "safety net" for you in that if you still have bacteria that are causing the issues, it would continue to treat that, yet not be quite as harmful to the body.

My symptoms were much too low to be anything other than healed. I still had some nerve related issues, but it can take up to 7 years for nerves to completely heal, so since those were the only symptoms (other than Babesia symptoms) that I was having, I just stopped. I still had a nervous few weeks waiting and watching though!! LOL!

Same thing with the second time. I was down to very minor issues for me and considering the other things I was dealing with, and I started to have that feeling you were talking about - something wasn't right - so I just jumped off the herbs and held my breath!! I panicked over more than one or two muscle twitches or spasms for a while, as well as foot pain, but I have issues with my back and seeing the Chiro has been very helpful for those things.

We have to remember that while we may have killed the bacteria, our bodies have to still recover from not only the bacteria - but the abx that we have been using too. And you won't be just going without any treatments - if you stick with the more well known herbal protocols, you will still be in treatment for these infections - but it's easier to step down on using the herbals once you are ready to quit them as well - at least in my opinion it's easier.

Are you taking milk thistle? It's known to protect the liver pretty darned well!!! If you aren't, you will want to start using it before switching to the herbs, as they too will push those toxins through the liver. One word of caution about it - if you have a rag weed allergy like I do, you may not be able to use it. I had even more pressure in my side and back around the liver when I tried to use it.

I used the Chronic Tonic - which not many have used to be honest: www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3244272

But you can also order the original version through Misty Meadows if you are interested: www.mistymeadows.org/onlinestore/syrupsTonics/index.htm

You can also look into Buhner's protocol. Many on here use it successfully: buhnerhealinglyme.com/

And there's Cowden's protocol as well: www.nutramedix.ec/ns/lyme-protocol/292-condensed-cowden-support-program-summary

Those last two are the ones that are used the most by members on this forum.

I hope that this helps!!!

I used only the Chronic Tonic as described in the first link - where I bought the herbs, mixed them and made a medicinal tea for my Lyme infection. There are 2 (I think??) other members who are using the Chronic Tonic from Misty Meadows site, which you buy made with honey and alcohol (but not much).

I used only Houttuynia for my Bartonella infection. And for my Babesia infection I'm not sure what all I used!LOL! Seemed like my practitioner at the time threw everything but the kitchen sink at that infection!! We tried many things, so I don't remember what all was used, and her handwriting was definitely as bad as any other doctor!! So there was very little translating I could do with my records unfortunately.

It's a great question. I'm so glad you're going to talk to your LLMD.

There are other things available that help fight off Lyme. I have been off antibiotics last August. Now, I am taking herbal tinctures, artemisinin, Transfer Factor, and low-dose naltrexone (along with other supplements). I also go to acupuncture.

I am doing okay :)

Lymepickle and bluebyyou, so would you guys say your like 95% better?

Lyme pickle how long have you been on Abx? And how long have you felt better for? The reason I ask, I think I have had a good 3 months of feeling great and have had the mild tingling and stuff. Makes me think its just nerve damage? But like you I also get floaters still and I will have the occasional aches. But I attribute a lot of the aches to when I go off the diet and eat gluten.

Hi CCCmama. I have been on abx for like around 17 months now… and been around 90% for close to a year now… But it has dropped down on some times to as low as 70% and other days 99% ( like around last September was when I was the best). I also had bartonella relapse on me twice. Both times when I tried to cut back on abx.

But I have to figure out to do something else… Because to be honest I have been quite lazy with treatment lately. All I do is eat about a 95% completely healthy diet, avoid alcohol, do occasional exercise, take my abx in the evening once a day, and take probiotics before bed. That's pretty much all I have been doing lately… I need to consider some other things, perhaps a more involved biofilm treatment, or maybe I need to get on a herbal protocol. I'm just stuck on my LLMD saying rifampin for 6 months to get rid of bartonella! And so i really don't want to lose any progress on that.

I think the vast majority of my lyme is done… But I have a suspicion i have biofilm colonies in certain areas of my body like some of my joints where symptoms flair, and I get occasional tingles here and there which I suspect is lyme… But you bring up a good point! Maybe it's nerve damage! but because it comes and last only like a second or two… I think it's lyme as it drills out of a nerve… Who knows!

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

LymePickle, what antibiotics were you on? Did you have a PICC line?

wow, thats a whole arsenal of abx :) lymepickle

I, like you, saw improvement every time I finished a cycle of tindamax.

Do you follow any specific protocol? or it all just abx right now? I feel like you and I are in the same spot as far as recovery goes. Similar symptoms that are left too, occasional tingling, aches, floaters.

You mentioned that you stopped abx and the symptoms got worse...how long were you off before they started up again? Thats my big fear.