Antibiotics/herbs/both?

Hello everybody!
I am really confused (and pretty scared haha) about which treatment option to choose, and I was hoping some people out there would be able to give advice as we are all on a similar journey.

I fell sick in 2014. I crashed really, really hard and was bedridden for a year and a half (mainly neurological symptoms and exhaustion). I was "diagnosed" early 2016 and started on Cowden protocol and loads of support supplements. It did help me, although slowly and not fully. I was able to function somewhat with a lot of resting (I was at 50% maybe?).
I relapsed very hard in december 2019, with a bunch of new symptoms (sweating, IC, eyes involvement). I have been bedridden again since. I have slowly tried to add some herbs this year but a lot of them either send me flying so fast or make my bladder flare big time (not to a tolerable level). So far, I have made very little progress, mainly thanks to Myco formula from Raintree, binders, detox and some rifing for detox aswell and Chlamydia P.).
I am not going anywhere like this, and I just found out I have to cut out my CBD too as it is messing bad with my liver.
I had an appointment this week with a LLMD who suspects Babesia, relapsing fever and b. miyamotoi. I know mycoplasma, CPN, EBV, and some lowkey bartonella are also involved, from blood tests and rifing. He wants to put me on a pulsed antibiotics and antimalaria drugs for 4-5 months (biaxin, ceftin and doxy afaik).
I also have an appointment at Dr Rawls' clinic next week.
I just don't know which approach I should take. Can herbs really get me through considering I don't tolerate some crucial ones like JK? (When I add it my bladder is so bad I can't sleep for days). Should I start antibiotics, get a bit steadier then switch to herbs? Will I even get slightly better on antibiotics or just even more miserable, and with an even more messed up immune system?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time

Welcome, Instantmiso!

One thing that jumps out at me is that you don't "tolerate" a lot of things and you have IC - both really common with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). Is that an angle you have explored? I wasn't able to make progress until I addressed MCAS. (For me that included cutting out all high-histamine foods, such as, coincidentally, miso. ) Sometimes we can tolerate much more once our histamine response is stabilized. Neil Nathan's book Toxic is a great resource for those of us who are deemed "complex" or "unusually sensitive."

As Girlie said, people often use a combination of approaches, and people often try more than one route before figuring out what works best for them. I stay away from pharma, personally, but others do find benefit with that approach. I am a big fan of the way Dr. Rawls approaches chronic illness, and would be more inclined to trust his practice's recommendations. That said, if you tend to react to things, then you cannot use his proprietary products, since they are blends, and you'd never know which ingredients you react to, nor could you start with tiny doses. I find the Rawls website very informative, but I have pieced together herbal approaches using Stephen Buhner's website, the Rawls website, and the advice of my LLMDs. Also, frankly, I never made noticeable progress from antimicrobial treatment. The most helpful avenues for me have been treating MCAS and limbic system retraining (DNRS). Supportive supplements, diet, yoga, craniosacral therapy, acupuncture, and other things have been helpful as well. I'm not saying not to bother with antimicrobial treatment, just that it's only a piece of the puzzle.

I definitely understand how hard it is to know what to do next. To some degree, there's no way to know for sure. That's not super reassuring in some ways, but it also means that there's not really a wrong choice. You just have to keep trying.

Thank you everybody for your answers!

Girlie - This is a bit reassuring to me, I have read so many people regret taking ABX that it makes me very nervous. Did they help make some sustainable progress in your experience?
And I have definitely been very reckless during the first part of my treatment. I didn't know much about Lyme at all. I was trying to ignore the problem and pushed myself hard. I don't plan on making the same mistake again if I get there again (finger crossed)!

Saraeli - thank you for the input, I haven't explored this option yet. I just read about it and I can spot quite a few familiar symptoms (hot flashes, skin rashes, nausea, low bp). However is it possible to be affected without having big anaphylactic-like crisis? Did you manage yours excusively with food restrictions? I am already on a very restrictive diet due to IC so, I am rotating with a handful of veggies, grains, and proteins (no miso either here atm haha )


WalkingbyFaith - I have tested positive for babesia, CPN and MP, I am waiting results for RF and lyme. I tested neg for bart, but if I understand properly bartonella tests are especially unreliable? I did have mold exposure a few months before relapsing, so I added chlorella and zeolite this year. Would that be enough or is there other things to add to flush the mold toxins out?
I assumed bart was less active since I am taking houttuynia without issues (one of the only 😅) but babesia herbs all get me on my knees. Is IC very bart- like? My bladder symptoms appeared while treating for a month with artemisia last year.
May I ask if you tried ABX aswell before switching to herbs, or did you opt for herbs right away?

“ but if I understand properly bartonella tests are especially unreliable?“

There seems to be more false negatives with the coinfection testing than lyme.

Thank you Girlie and Saraeli! Having people to guide you in this storm is truly priceless.

Girlie - that gave me the motivation needed to start on the Biaxin 🙂 Day 4 here and hanging in there. Do you mind telling me the symptoms that lingered despite the treatment?
Also, I am trying to come to term with having high-key Bartonella haha. I guess I was just really hoping I didn't.

Saraeli - I purchased the book you suggested on Audible. Thank you so much for the recommendation! It really is a puzzle, and any piece overlooked can keep you from any progress. I am also trying to book an appointment in a clinic treating for MCAS here. I will also adjust my diet and I am taking quercetin. Thanks again!

Yes. Sor far I am 2 months of treatment planned.
1 week Biaxin
5 days off - 5 days Malarone - 5 days off
1 week Ceftin + Fluconazole
Same, break + Malarone
1 week Doxy + Plaquenil

Then he will adjust the treatment and chooses what next depending on my reactions to each meds. He only does pulsed therapies.

I see, thank you girlie! I hope these pass in time aswell