My basic feeling is: Take a healthy, slightly "yang-type" person, give them the antibiotic treatment and soon enough and you can eliminate the problems. Take a "yin" deficient person, give them the antibiotic, the spirochetes go into hiding to resurface and you see a downward spiral with more antibiotic treatments and more complications.
JULIE[*] age 35, works with Fish and Game.
INFECTION: Sometime in last 10 years
SYMPTOMS: Tested positive Nov. 1990. Extreme fatigue, severe hip pain after walking 1/2 mile, depression, over-all aches in joints.
INITIAL TREATMENT: 6 weeks course of Amoxicillin with Procenicid.
RESULTS: Relieved aches. Depression and fatigue increased. Hip problem the same.
SECOND TREATMENT: Feb. 1991. Alteratives and immune-building herbs, and herbs to address hormonal problems. Tinctures: burdock, chapparal, dandelion, red clover, echinacea, winter savory, usnea, chaste berry, peony root, fo-ti, rehmannia, astragalus, nettles, dong quai combo, Deep Defense by Rainbow Light, and Women's Treasure by Planetary Herbs. Origanum compactum (4% dilution) in olive oil, rubbed on bottom of feet. Picea mariana and Pinus sylvestris (10%) rubbed over kidney area (adrenal boost) [Needs to be stronger: neat (full strength) 5ml each -LG]. Eliminated coffee, partial macrobiotic diet.
RESULTS: September 1991. Improvement in all areas- but still a long way to go.
MARILYN[*] Age 37. Organic Gardener.
INFECTION: 1989. Two separate cases at least 6 months apart, both produced "bullseye" rash.
SYMPTOMS: Aches, depression, off-center, fatigue.
INITIAL TREATMENT: Antibiotics, duration unclear.
HERBAL TREATMENT: 1989. Burdock, dandelion, astragalus, American ginseng, echinacea, osha, and "Deep Defense," given in rotation, about 3 months each formula. Careful with diet.
RESULTS: 1991. Seems good! Has excellent attitude towards healing.
SUSANNA[*] Age 40. Health food store owner.
INFECTION: 10 months prior to diagnosed test.
SYMPTOMS: Memory loss, severe shaking, pain in spine, joint inflammation, vision problems, disorientation, fatigue.
INITIAL TREATMENT: 3 months oral antibiotics - relieved joint pain. 3 months intravenous antibiotics, echinacea and acidophilus - relieved neurological problems and she says "got the bug' but she still "lingered in a bad state."
HERBAL TREATMENT: Chinese herb combination, homeopathic preparation, acupuncture.
RESULTS: Improvement in 6 weeks. Continued treatment 5 months. General energy level only slightly lower than prior to Lyme onset.
Lillian Goodbe, herbalist owns Dancing Herbs in Northern California.
[*]The case names have been changed.
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By Lillian Goodbe
