Treatment of Lyme Disease

Is Samento - cats claw - helpful for Lyme Disease?

[JackieCalifornia]

I have found it quite helpful.  Whether it 'cures' Lyme, I don't know, and doubt that it does, but I'm not medically trained.

I have gone off the cats claw a few times and my symptoms came back, so I'd have to say that it works for me.

Another possibility is astragalus, which is an immune-system-supporting herb, so I read.

My current MD is a believer in whatever works, and suggested that I stop the cats claw but stay on the astragalus ... I did, and got worse pretty quickly.  So I'm back on both of them at this point.

There is a difference of opinion on whether cats claw should be 'TOA-free' or not.  I don't understand the arguments, but you might check out the issue.  I think I read somewhere that Samento is a brand name for cats claw that has certain chemicals (TOA, or tetracyclic alkaloids) removed.

[LymePositive]

I used cat's claw (TOA free) along with antibiotics for my son when he was first diagnosed.  After 5 months on antibiotics + cat's claw he was symptom free for 3 years.  But then, two years ago he had a flare up and the cat's claw + antibiotics were not enough.  We went to another doctor who recommended antibiotics + vitamin D + hyperbaric oxygen.  Most lyme patients are vitamin d deficient by the way.  The hyperbaric oxygen therapy was what brought my son back from being in so much pain he could not get up off the couch (imagine an 8 year old in that much pain!!), to being, in his words "on fire at gym today".  When my son was first sick and taking cat's claw I would sometimes take some too but I would get pain in my wrists and elbows.  I now know that I was herxing.  I recently tested positive for lyme myself.  In short, cat's claw on its own is not enough to wipe out a lyme infection, but it is very helpful.  Vitamin D is important as well.  Hyperbaric oxygen has been the most powerful tool we've found so far.