Treatment Options

No two Lyme patients need the same treatment, so trial and error is key.

The softest treatment that is effective is best, though sometimes you need to throw the kitchen sink at it.

Please utilize a LLMD (Lyme Literate Medical Doctor) to help you filter through the best options.

ALLOPATHIC/TRADITIONAL:

1. Doxycycline (or similar antibiotic) - Commonly the first line of defense (amoxicillin can also be used) for acute cases. Recently our local urgent care has begun giving one dose as a treatment for a tick bite. I have not seen any research to support such a small amount. Most research suggests a minimum of 10 days to 4 weeks. Longer if the symptoms have become chronic.

2.  IV Rocephin – 1-2x/daily intravenous infusion, with the delivery of intramuscular injections if IVs are unavailable. They are used primarily for Neurological Lyme symptoms. 

3. Disulfiram – Well-researched and found to help numerous patients. It requires complete abstinence from all alcohol products. However, it can come with a host of side effects, and some are permanent. Disulfiram Facebook groups exist for patients to share their experiences and questions.

4. Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) - a prescription medication traditionally used to treat Malaria, Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and Lupus; it is one of the medications in the Horowitz protocol. Regularly discussed in Lyme circles as something LLMDs prescribe for challenging cases.

5. Ivermectin -  a "wonder drug" - right up there with penicillin and aspirin. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3043740/
Shown in 2019 research to be an excellent inhibitor of Babesiosis (a common co-infection), both in vitro and in vivo, many folks purport to feel wonderful while using it.

6. Horowitz protocol – continually being updated through preer-reviewed studies. Most familiar with his 2020 Double-Dose-Dapsone protocol. With multiple antibiotic/anti-parasitic medications and a host of supporting medications and supplements, it reports an incredibly high success rate for remission for Chronic Lyme sufferers. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33105645/
The most recent research he conducted suggests that pulsing Dapsone - instead of ramping it up continuously for sixty days - can get the same results with fewer side effects. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35884166/

7. SOT, rebranded Q-REstrain. Utilizing a "lock and key" technology, RGCC out of Greece traets specific strains of Lyme and coinfections individually. Some find this incredibly beneficial, as it posits to KILL the organism.

HERBAL/HOLISTIC

1. Buhner protocol - check out his book Healing Lyme by Stephen Harrod Buhner. His core protocol includes Andrographis, Cat's Claw, Japanese Knotwood (all shown to increase your immune system while killing borrelia bacteria)

2. Cowden protocol - The Cowden Support Program (CSP) is a monthly protocol that uses 14 NutraMedix products on a rotational basis. Shown in a six month study to help 70% of patients.

3. Dr. Rawl's protocol -
When Lyme disease and fibromyalgia disrupted his career at age 45, he was forced into the world of herbal and alternative medicine. He has since restored his health—and has a passion to help others do the same.

There are many others, some more affordable than others. Speak to your doctor about their favorite.

OTHERS:

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) - floods a person's body with 100 percent oxygen at increased pressure levels. This elevated oxygen level in the body kills the bacteria and helps the body heal from the infection.
 Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation Therapy (UVBI) - exposes the blood to light to heighten the body's immune response and to kill infections.
Hydrogen Peroxide & High-dose Intravenous Vitamin C  - additional oxidation therapies working on the same premise as HBOT and UVBI. Increase oxygen in the body, and Borrelia burgdorferi cannot survive in an oxygen-rich environment.
Induced Native Phage Therapy (INPT) - A 2021 study explains that INPT purposefully manipulates the expression of the Borrelia DNA killing the bacteria in their tracks, with little to no harm to surrounding tissues. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34873551/
Thymosin Alpha 1 Peptide Therapy - Peptide therapy is a fast-growing area of medicine based on repairing and restoring damaged cells and tissues. Thymosin Alpha 1 has long been recognized for modifying, enhancing, and restoring immune function. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7747025/
 Stem cell therapy - In theory, due to the damage Lyme disease does to the body at the cellular level, this therapy could help heal injured nerves, brain function and thinking, damaged immune systems, injured joints and muscles, impaired hormonal systems, and more. The research is out there, but the results are still not in. The memoir  This is How I Save My Life by Amy Scher details her Lyme journey through stem cell infusion. 
Rife machines - This technology produces low-energy waves or radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. Using TENS pads or stainless steel tubes, the Rife machine delivers low-energy electrical energy, usually through your hands or feet. Research supports it might work. Cancer, in particular, has been shown to stop growing when particular frequencies are used.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3845545/

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Treatment Options

​OTHERS:

​

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) - floods a person's body with 100 percent oxygen at increased pressure levels. This elevated oxygen level in the body kills the bacteria and helps the body heal from the infection.

​

Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation Therapy (UVBI) - exposes the blood to light to heighten the body's immune response and to kill infections.

​

Hydrogen Peroxide & High-dose Intravenous Vitamin C - additional oxidation therapies working on the same premise as HBOT and UVBI. Increase oxygen in the body, and Borrelia burgdorferi cannot survive in an oxygen-rich environment.

​

Induced Native Phage Therapy (INPT) - A 2021 study explains that INPT purposefully manipulates the expression of the Borrelia DNA killing the bacteria in their tracks, with little to no harm to surrounding tissues. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34873551/

​

Thymosin Alpha 1 Peptide Therapy - Peptide therapy is a fast-growing area of medicine based on repairing and restoring damaged cells and tissues. Thymosin Alpha 1 has long been recognized for modifying, enhancing, and restoring immune function. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7747025/

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OTHERS:

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) - floods a person's body with 100 percent oxygen at increased pressure levels. This elevated oxygen level in the body kills the bacteria and helps the body heal from the infection.

 Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation Therapy (UVBI) - exposes the blood to light to heighten the body's immune response and to kill infections.

Hydrogen Peroxide & High-dose Intravenous Vitamin C  - additional oxidation therapies working on the same premise as HBOT and UVBI. Increase oxygen in the body, and Borrelia burgdorferi cannot survive in an oxygen-rich environment.

Induced Native Phage Therapy (INPT) - A 2021 study explains that INPT purposefully manipulates the expression of the Borrelia DNA killing the bacteria in their tracks, with little to no harm to surrounding tissues. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34873551/