Has anyone tried Cats Claw (Samento) for Lyme Disease?

[SherryinOrlando]

Hi, has anyone tried Cat's Claw (Samento) for Lyme disease? I have not been diagnosed yet, but I have been hospitalized 5 times in the past 9 months and the doctors have done everything from an MS workup to testing me for autoimmune diseases, etc, with no confirmed diagnosis. I am starting to believe I have Lyme Disease and I went ahead and had blood drawn today for a Western Blot and ELISA tests, but from everything I've heard, it's not reliable. Here is my list of symptoms, started first with visual problems in March 08, then getting progressively worse. I have ordered liquid Samento online, and I plan to start taking it tomorrow on my own, since I have no doctors willing to even consider Lyme seriously. Can someone please look at the symptoms list and let me know if it sounds like Lyme? Also, what dosage of Samento should I be taking and for how long?

Nonspecific White Matter Lesions in Brain (MRI)
Empty Sella (MRI)
Twitching of facial and other muscles throughout body
Stiff and painful neck
Jaw pain and stiffness
Slight runny nose
Excessive saliva (corners of mouth and pools in mouth at night)
Nose bleeds – 3,4 times in past month
Increased floating spots, stars, flashes
Oversensitivity to light
Flashing lights/Peripheral waves/phantom images in corner of eyes
Swollen optic nerves – since March ‘08
Dark veil in front of eyes when changing positions from sitting to standing
Buzzing in ears
Ringing in ears
Severe Constipation
Bone pain, joint pain
Wrist pain like carpal tunnel
Stiffness of joints, back, neck
Pain in knees
Pain in soles of feet
Muscle pain or cramps
Shortness of breath, can't get full/satisfying breath
Chest pain, rib soreness
Heart palpitations
Hand and internal tremors – body tremors worse when laying down, hand tremors off and on throughout the day
Burning or stabbing sensations in the body
Weakness
Pressure in the head
Tingling, pins-n-needles in legs, worse in right leg
Increased motion sickness
Lightheadedness, dizziness
Disorientation (getting or feeling lost), brainfog
Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Forgetfulness
Confusion, difficulty in thinking
Difficulty with concentration
Going to the wrong place
Stammering speech sometimes
Extreme fatigue
Swollen glands/lymph nodes – parotid gland hyperplasia
Symptoms move around
Pain moves to different body parts

Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

[wonko]

My first stage of treatment (before starting antibiotics) was samento.  I take a liquid form that says "TOA-Free" on the bottle.  The brand name is "NutraMedix."  

I can tell you the instructions I was given.

My Lyme doctor told me to dilute drops of the samento in filtered water.  I was to start by taking only 1/2 a drop (dilute 1 drop in a few ounces, drink half, discard the rest) Then, I was to slowly increase, by one drop a day, until I was taking 15 drops in the AM and PM.

I admit to being impatient, so I increased by two drops a day, that way I took the same number of drops in the AM and PM, which was also easier to remember.

The reason he suggested a vary gradual increase is because some people get a very strong Herx reaction.  That is, as the antibacterial properties of the samento go to work, the die-off of bacteria in your system can make you feel very sick.

I was very skeptical, but I did have a reaction to samento.  Several days into treatment, I did get more sick, followed by days of lessened symptoms.

I don't think the samenot alone can cure Lyme and co-infections.  My LLMD takes the approach of stripping away the disease in layers.  Samento was the first layer, I am now on antibiotics.

I do think that your symptoms combined with a lack of a concrete diagnosis are suggestive of Lyme and co infections.  I'm glad you are being tested.  Are you seeing a Lyme Literate doctor?

Please let us know if you have more questions.

[SherryinOrlando]

Thanks for your response. How long did you take Samento before going on antibiotics and how long have you had Lyme? Has your LLMD provided any kind of timeframe that it takes for the treatments to work? I am not seeing a Lyme Literate doctor since there are none in my area. I live in Orlando, FL.

[patsy10]

Welcome to the forum.  I have the exact same Samento that wonko mentioned and the instructions she gave for taking it were the same.  I only took it for a few days then was started on antibiotics.  So I don't really know how effective it is.  I have read some very promising articles on it and it seems to be quite effective for lyme treatment.  I'll see if I can find any of the articles.

Treatment varies from person to person.  It can be a few weeks, months or up to a year or more.  It's hard get good treatment without a llmd.

Your symptoms sound very much like many of mine and other who have posted them here.

What did the doctor say the white matter lesions were?  Did you have a spinal tap?

[patsy10]

Here is an article I found which I think is excellent.

http://www.vrp.com/articles.aspx?ProdID=art1370&zTYPE=2

[wonko]

I actually still take it, though not everyday now.  I started it 2 weeks prior to antibiotics, which on the calender for me was in late Nov.  This is what my LLMD directed.  I was tempted to just start the antibiotics, but I took his advice and did the samento for two weeks first.  I'm a bit stronger than some of his other patients, but I guess some people are so sick that they can't handle starting both at the same time.

If you did get a spinal tap, did they test your CSF for Lyme?  I had this done.  (The primary reason for the tap was to test for MS, since I also had brain lesions.)  My CSF was negative for both MS and Lyme.  My LLMD told me that spinal fluid is not that reliable for Lyme testing, while the neurologist who ordered the test said that is was.  Just curious if you went through this, as well.

[JackieCalifornia]

About herbal treatment:  

I have a book (through Amazon, and other places too I'm sure) titled "Healing Lyme -- Natural Healing and Prevention of Lyme Borreliosis and Its Coinfections" by Stephen Harold Buhner.

It is very detailed and discusses herbal treatments in a thoughtful way -- the author appears steeped in the subject and it does not read as someone just popping off with whatever they heard down at the health store.

I haven't tried any of the herbs etc. because it's the kind of book that I have to read and absorb before trying anything.  But if any of you are serious about going the herbal route, here's a good start.

If I go herbal, I will talk with my dr first to be sure the herbs won't conflict with the antibiotics I'm on:  after all, herbs are nature's medicines, and to my body, it all looks like chemicals no matter where I bought it.

[JackieCalifornia]

Sherry:  I googled 'LLMD Orlando' and got a bunch of hits, most of which don't lead to anything, but here is a name off a list of people's favorite Lyme MDs, found on a chat site similar to this one:

"Dr. Kirti Kalidas (MD;ND) The Center for Integrative Medicine in Orlando Florida. You must file your own insurance."

It's a relatively recent posting, but I don't know any more than that.

Best wishes --

[PlateletGal]

David A. Jernigan, Ph.D., has written several books on lyme disease. He successfully treated his own lyme disease with herbal-homeopathic formulas. He has two lyme formulas that he sells (no prescription necessary) and I know at least one of them, Borrologen, has cats claw listed as an ingredient. I'm not sure about the Lymogen, because it is a new formula and not listed on his website yet.

I am currently on this treatment for CFS and having amazing results. I also could have the lyme bacteria because I was bitten by a tick only a couple of years ago.

Here is a link to Dr. Jernigan's website.... click on "e-Store" for additional information on his formulas. I HIGHLY recommend !

http://www.hansacenter.com/