When To Stop Antibiotics For Lyme Disease & What To Do Next

 In Understanding Lyme

It’s one of the questions I get asked most often. “When do I stop taking antibiotics for Lyme disease treatment… and then what?”

I can’t answer that question for every circumstance, but I can share some guidelines with which I approach that question for my patients. Here are the issues we explore to arrive at an answer to that question:

Are you improving overall? At a plateau? Or declining in your health overall? You want to check in with your over-arching trend since beginning your antibiotic treatment.

For example, you might have periods of Herxing, when your energy is low and old symptoms return, but overall you’re on an upswing that continues to show active improvement over the weeks and months. This is a good sign that the antibiotic regimen you are taking is having good effect and promoting your recovery.

scalesofjustice-lgAlternatively, you may have experienced notable improvements early on in taking the antibiotics, but nothing more has changed in many weeks or even months. This is a sign that it is time for a change of protocol, and perhaps time to give your body a break from the pharmaceuticals.

If you find that your symptoms are worsening without intermittent periods of improvement, or if you are experiencing new symptoms or side-effects from the antibiotics such as diarrhea or liver pain, these are all indications that it’s time for a break from pharmaceutical antibiotics – and quickly.

The best time for antibiotics is at the initial stages of infection, when Lyme Borreliosis is most vulnerable to being killed by antibiotic medications, and before it becomes more entrenched within the body.

pillsoncalendarRoughly, we’re talking within the first 3 months of infection. And yes, it’s best to take 6-8 weeks of antibiotics for a recent / acute infection for the best chances of securing a complete recovery.

After that time of initial infection, it’s more difficult to eradicate with antibiotics alone, and you will need to look beyond antibiotics to establish a cure.

There is the potential for significant harm when pharmaceutical antibiotics are used for a long time, or in people who have weak guts, weak immune systems, or weak detoxification pathways. This describes many people with chronic Lyme disease!

energising-chinese-herbal-puddingI treat many patients who do not wish to take antibiotics due to allergies, sensitivities, or for other reasons. I prescribe Chinese herbal formulas combined with other treatments such as acupuncture, the Rife machine, food as medicine, and specific products to treat your unique symptom picture, stage of infection, and need for supportive measures.

I view these treatments as superior to antibiotics in many ways, because while they may not be as powerful anti-microbially (which can also be an advantage), they are non-toxic, gentler on the body, and they support the immune system, vital organs, and vital energy.

Natural antibiotic and biofilm protocols play a key role in the treatment of Lyme disease from start to finish in the following ways:

#1. To be used in conjunction with pharmaceutical antibiotics to help them work better, while safeguarding the body’s vital organs and energy.

#2. To be used during times when no pharmaceuticals are being taken, because you don’t want to be on antibiotics on an on-going basis without breaks.

#3. Herbal formulas are far more complex chemically than medications, and thus more difficult for stealth bacteria to evade. Well-designed herbal formulas have safeguards built in, so that while killing the infections you also receive proper detox support, immune modulation, anti-inflammatory effects, and other personalized symptom treatment.

#4. Individualized herbal formulas can be designed to address not only Lyme Borreliosis, but also co-infections, and other disease loads that may prevent the eradication of Lyme disease if left unaddressed.

cauliflowerIn the Uprooting Lyme 6-Month Holistic Treatment Program, we spend a full month immersed in learning holistic cleansing practices, which are then carried on consistently throughout the recovery process.

We also spend a full month working through the intricacies of digestive system health, so that for each individual the diet becomes clean and non-inflammatory, and all digestive system weaknesses are addressed.

We also focus on the best ways to support the immune system, reduce inflammation, rejuvenate worn down hormones, and harness emotional and spiritual energies in support of physical healing.

Each of these pieces of the puzzle is relevant for most people with persistent Lyme disease.

You can also check out the 6 Essentials of Holistic Lyme Recovery for more information on what to do when antibiotics are no longer your best option for recovery.


If you are confused about whether to continue antibiotics, go the “natural route,” or something in between, call us at 845-687-6211 or email info@uprootinglyme.com to set up an in-person or virtual holistic Lyme consultation at reasonable rates. We’ll help you navigate your treatment options and co-create a strategic holistic treatment plan that will address whether antibiotics is right for you at this time. It’s best to make an expert-informed decision (we find the best solution for patients in this quandary every day) than try to figure it out on your own, so… Contact us now!

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