I have been seeing so many lyme patients expressing a need for help due to developing interstitial cystitis, which is especially painful and difficult to deal with. I know because I have had it for many years. It comes and it goes just as most lyme symptoms or complications do. However for some of us the distinct pain in the bladder and urethra can last for months and be extremely debilitating. It also prevents you from having a normal sex life, ouch.

Because of the limited help that western medicine can give to IC patients, I once again turned to my herbal allies for relief. While I prefer to work with natural medicine, let me be clear, in no way do I think allopathic or western medicine is useless. Many times we do need that 10 day script of antibiotics to bring relief. But, when the problem becomes chronic, I usually find a way that does not harm my body in the long run. So I began my research (phase 1) several years ago into remedies for bladder pain and how to prevent/cure infections because it started to become so severe for me. This pain has to be one of the worst types I have dealt with in 14 years of walking the strange and scary path of lyme disease.

This took a great deal of research, then experimentation, then failure, repeat. Until finally I found just the right combination of modalities, and one herb specifically that has been a total miracle in dealing with the nightmare of IC. And now I want to share with you what I have found, to save you the time and money, and more importantly , the pain. After several years of experimentation, the following formula is what I came to..and it not only works, but it works wonders.

Lyme IC formula: 

Can be used by people with only IC.

Marshmallow Root, she is the star of the IC relief protocol! She is inexpensive, and beautifully harmless. You must obtain true marshmallow root, dry, from an herbal store either in your area or online. I use Herbally Grounded here in Las Vegas. But they buy their herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs online, so I assume you can get bulk marshmallow from them. Please do not even try to buy capsules or supplements with marshmallow, they will not do the trick and will be a waste of your time and money. You need the true bulk plain herb. Here is a picture for your reference.

Get 32 ounce glass mason jars. Marshmallow has an affinity for the bladder. It is mucilaginous meaning it produces a slimy beneficial and protective coating for your tissues, especially the bladder. It has been used to heal IC, but is somehow not truly popular. It also does not give a herxheimer reaction, that many herbs can give because most of them have some sort of antimicrobial properties and that can effect the lyme. This herb can be taken by someone with lyme with no problems with die off. However, you must be sure to drink a lot of water cause it can make you feel a little dehydrated when used regularly. So drink your water.

Marshmallow root cold water infusion (preferable method, though you can make a tea if in a hurry. The cold water infusion is superior for marshmallow because it pulls the mucilage more than the starch with cold water. The tea pulls more starch, which is not necessarily bad, but the less starch/sugars the better when dealing with lyme and yeast.

Marshmallow Root Cold Water Infusion Recipe:

32 0z glass mason jar

1 cup of marshmallow root

fill jar to rim with room temperature purified water

leave sit for 4-10 hours

strain

Refrigerate in glass jar

Drink as needed

Begin drinking 1- 4 glasses of marshmallow infusion daily for 2 weeks or until you are pain free. Once you have established it’s presence in your system you can go down to about 1 glass a day, for a time. Then use as needed when you feel a flare coming on, or one cup daily for 6 months for long term healing of the bladder lining.

For me, this herb works nearly instantly, relieves the pain in the bladder lining as well as the distinctly painful urethra razor blade feeling, you know what I’m talkin about if you have read this far.

D-Mannose, VERY IMPORTANT Step:

Upon flare or infection, begin 1 full teaspoon in 8 ounces of water EVERY HOUR! I have found D-Mannose to help a great deal and is one of the most important elements in my arsenal. Have it on hand at all times. Take every hour until flare is completely gone, along with the other elements of this protocol. Then, take at least one or two teaspoons a day in water for many months, maybe for a year or more during healing.

My latest addition is Homeopathy, and this is what is really working for me. However, the Marshmallow and D-Mannose are KEY to successfully becoming symptom free.

Homeopathic protocol:

(This is how I apply the Banerji Protocol for Cystitis)

Medorrhinum 200c – 2x Daily

Cantharis 200c – alternate with Medorrhinum 2 doses Daily (an hour apart)

Staphysagria 200c- One dose Every 3 Days

Once you are symptom free, continue with one dose of each daily for 2 months beyond that point. 

A Note about my Journey with Homeopathy:

Earlier in this blog I mention the use of antibiotics. I am going to leave the earlier part there for those who may actually need to use them. However, for me, STOPPING antibiotics for infection was part of my journey to really healing. Summer of 2016 I began studying and using homeopathy and have not need 1 antibiotic since thanks to homeopathic remedies. I highly encourage IC sufferers to get urinalysis test strips and have them on hand along with ALL the other components in this formula. Being prepared is the only way to avoid antibiotics. Since last summer, I have healed 3 separate flare ups of my IC, that were infections, with the above protocol. I used the test strips (I bought a bottle of 100, 10 parameter test strips from Amazon) to see if I had infections, and to monitor as I used the homeopathic remedies to make sure I was actually clearing up. Now, my bladder is healing because I am not using antibiotics, I believe they are part of what causes IC. My IC started with multiple ongoing infections, treated with (usually macrobid), but they kept coming back, then I had pain all the time. It was only once I began using homeopathy FOR the bladder infections that I really began to heal. I am currently symptom free with an occasional flare, which I then treat with the above protocol.

If you would like additional help with your healing process, you can email me @ carpedium11@yahoo.com. If you use this protocol and are successful in your healing, I give this knowledge freely, but I do ask that in return you share your success with me. I am pursuing homeopathy professionally and would like to know if this formula actually helps others! Many blessings in your healing.

An Additional Step:

For the ladies with more difficult cases, I have used this remedy, try a yogurt plus acidophilus vaginal insert:

Buy Bulgarian Plain Yogurt, or any other live active plain (zero sugar) yogurt with live cultures. We aren’t talkin about Yoplait here people.

Get your acidophilus powder

Put about 3 Tbsps of yogurt in a cup, combine with a teaspoon of acidophilus powder. Let sit until room temp with a paper towel over it.

Get needleless syringes from your local pharmacy

Once the yogurt combo is room temp (about 30 minutes), use syringe to suck up the mixture, insert into vagina. Try to do this at night so you can sleep with it and then shower in the am. This can work wonders for a case that is persistent after antibiotic use. Or if your case is just severe, add this piece to the above protocol. This helps to repopulate the beneficial bacteria in the vagina and can help with yeast which is sometimes part of the IC equation.

Dealing with Pain While You Heal

Kratom– I have used this during flares very successfully to bring relief. While you are applying the protocol, you can and should find ways to get relief. Kratom was an affordable, reliable, natural herb that would immediately or within 5-10 minutes bring relief. This is so important for your state of mind because the burning pain in the bladder often creates a great deal of anxiety. Kratom is currently legal in the US. I use 1/4 teaspoon in about 6 ounces hot water, drink the ground herb along with it. You can use more as you find how it effects you, but start with a very small amount, otherwise you may have a bad experience and not find the benefits of this plant.

Baking Soda– A bit of baking soda in water often alleviated the intense burning for me when I needed it.

Alkaline Water– When I would have a flare, I would often run and get a few gallons of alkalized water. They carry it at your local grocery store. This works in a similar way to the baking soda. I really feel it helped me during tough times.

Cannabis– Oil and smoke can both help for relief if cannabis doesn’t bring on anxiety for you. Something to consider. I use it for many symptoms and it is a very helpful ally.

Coffee and Tea substitutes:

You can order ground chickory root and use it just like instant coffee. But if you are having symptoms and have not eliminated coffee, tea, alcohol, or soda you need to. These are known triggers and should be eliminated along with food sensitivities.

 

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If you would like a personal consult about your situation I offer them for 45.00. You can email me at carpedium11@yahoo.com to schedule.