As I mentioned in previous posts, I’ve decided to try a less-conventional route to treating my Lyme disease (and other various issues!) I have felt very drawn to essential oils and after a lot of research and discussion with people using e.o.’s themselves I think I’ve found a protocol I feel really good about. I’m feeling super excited, and super optimistic.
I ordered the oils through doTERRA. Their oils are extremely high-quality and unique because they are safe for internal use. I also ordered a few of doTERRA’s supportive supplements. Unfortunately, some contain less than ideal ingredients such as carrageenan (linked to stomach cancer and all sorts of other terrible things), polysorbate 80 (a preservative), soy and yeast…. which I only discovered after receiving them…majorly bummed (and confused, come on doTERRA!) Luckily those supplements aren’t majorly needed players in my protocol so I am going to return them and forge ahead with what I feel is safe for me to take (aka free of sketchy ingredients!)
For the next two weeks my protocol will consist of the following:
David Hill Protocol-
3 drops of each of the following essential oils in a gel-cap 2x per day (thyme and oregano are the most important)
- oregano
- thyme
- cassia
- cinnamon
- clove
And 1-3 drops of the following under tongue 2x per day
- Frankincense
- Melissa
- Patchouli
In addition I’ll be taking the following which are all also doTERRA products:
- Terrazyme (Digestive Enzymes)
- Lemon Oil in water
- Zendocrine caps and zendocrine oil (to help with detox)
- Digest Zen oil blend (to help with digestion)
- Slim & Sassy oil blend (overall support)
I will also be using the following doTERRA oils aromatically (in a diffuser) and topically (on skin) to help with mood
- Citrus bliss, Balance, Elevation AM
- Lavender, Vetiver, Serenity PM
- Deep Blue for body aches and joint pain
In addition I will continue taking the following supplements
- Magnesium (Natural Calm Brand)
- Dessicated Beef Liver (from grass-fed cows)
- Collagen (Great Lakes Brand)
- Detox powder (charcoal and herbal blend)
- Methylated B-vitamins
- L-tryptophan and melatonin (as needed for mood and sleep support)
- Probiotics
- Fermented Cod Liver Oil & Krill Oil
- Bee Pollen/Propolis
- Essiac Tea (3 oz 1-3x a day)
- Adrenal Complex
- Red Root (for lymphatic support)
- Fat specific digestive enzymes
- Turmeric/ginger (for inflammation)
- Celandine (for gallbladder support)
- Milk thistle (for liver support)
- L-glutamine (to help heal gut lining)
After 2 weeks on this protocol I will take two weeks off of the antibiotic essential oils but maintain the rest of my supplement regimen.
Then I will start on a new essential oil antibiotic protocol- 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off, etc, rotating essential oil protocols.
So far I have taken two capsules of the antibiotic oils- one last night and one this morning- I wonder if I started too strong as today I was pretty knocked out- I completely passed out on my sister’s bed in the middle of the day and slept through tons of noise. Feeling sore and pain in various areas and messing up my words. Just talked to an old friend and kept messing up what I was trying to say (using the wrong words, spacing out, mispronouncing things)
I think I also might be dealing with yeast issues. I reintroduced apple cider vinegar and the next day felt like my insides were all twisted up and have been itchy all over… not fun…:(
Regardless, I’m super excited about these oils and my protocol and will be updating as I go!!! And, as always, am trying my hardest to stay hopeful 🙂
More info on how essential oils can help tackle Lyme disease
My Lyme Journey 
Good luck! Looking forward to hearing how it goes!
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Thank you! I saw on your profile that you have used essential oils in addition to other treatments- how has your experience been?
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I never used it as antibiotics knowing that I have lyme – I tried it for Giardia for a month only, so I can’t comment on that. I’ve used them for the symptoms like muscle pain and insomnia to mixed effects, but havent buckled down longer than a few weeks with them to see if there are lasting impacts. Ive been ramping up to try again this week after reading your post!
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In saying that, I’ve only known I’ve had Lyme for 2 months. I will try a more antibiotic like attack when the actual antibiotic herx has calmed down – that’s one of the reasons I really want to know how you go!
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Hey Jess, I’ve only known that I have Lyme for 3 months, even though I’ve been sick for years now- so I’m right there with you. This isn’t entirely new to me, since my sister had chronic lyme disease as well. I just personally feel, based on what I saw my sister go through, my own intuition, and all I’ve read-that essential oils are the way to go for me- esp when you consider that ones like oregano and thyme are just as powerful as conventional antibiotics but do not do extreme damage your body. Also, apparently oils such as cassia and cinnamon have the ability to shut down the communication pathways between the bacteria and a lot of these oils can break down biofilms as well. So we will see!!! I was doing an herbal protocol these last two months, and today is only day 3 of my new protocol with essential oils, so time will tell!!!!
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Yeah my doctor and naturopath talked me into the antibiotics, but am dedinitely going to investigate this in a month or two in addition. That’s really good to know about the cinnamon and cassia, I hadnt heard that! I may implement that now. Good luck, looking forward to the updates!
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Would you mind telling us how much your oil order costs?
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Hi Jane, so the cost will vary a bit depending on if you order them through, say, Amazon or directly from Doterra. There also are different options to join Doterra and get discounts on the oils, and since I know a woman who works for the company and who is using the oils herself for Lyme, that is what I did. I now have an account where I can help others to order the oils, so if you are interested let me know and I can send you links and info about how to get discounts.
But, without the discount here is a rough estimate of the cost to do the Dr Hill Protocol…it is FAR less than any conventional treatment would be and also even less than my herbal treatment protocol was-
Oregano: $32.00
Thyme: $36.67
Cassia: $25.33
Cinnamon: $28
Clove: $18.67
The above oils are the ones you would need to be taking 3 drops of 2x per day and are the main part of the protocol, the other oils I mentioned in the post (such as slim & sassy, frankincense etc) are for extra support but not necessary. The supplements I am taking such as terrazyme and zendocrine are pretty reasonably priced as well. If you are interested in ordering them and trying it let me know, I can help you or connect you with the woman I know. You can also check out the products online at their site (these are the non-discounted prices) http://shop.doterra.com/
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Also-these bottles last awhile so you definitely get at least a few rounds of 2-week treatments out of them which is nice.
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I really hope the oils work well for you!! I’ve only briefly looked into EO’s but it’s one of many things written on my list of “treatments to try next if I’m still not getting better.” I love that you’re listening to your intuition and following a natural approach. That’s SO important, especially when there are hundreds of treatments to choose from, many of which are toxic or damaging. (Even though it went against everything I knew in my gut, I was pressured into taking antibiotics after I got diagnosed. After two months, I stopped, but a big part of me thinks I would probably be further in my healing by now if I avoided them.) Anyway, good luck! Keep us updated about your experience with them!
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Hey Lindsey! I really have such a good feeling about the oils. I just know my own body and antibiotics would wreck me, so I need other options. I’m learning that there are a lot of people doing far better after using essential oils, many of whom did not get better with antibiotics or kept relapsing and needed other options. And there is SO much said for going with your intuition and trusting yourself- I truly do believe that body knows how to heal itself, it just needs help! I will keep you posted, so far so good!!!! 🙂
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I ordered a couple of DoTerra products but like you, flinched when I realized some of the ingredients. I found a local herb and essential oil shop that carries organic oils, and have been switching over. Plus they are so much cheaper than DoTerra! We have found that EOs help, which is a wonderful thing!
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Hey there 🙂 So far all of Doterra’s essential oils are killer- really powerful, pure, organic and safe to take internally (which is not the case with most brands)- my issue was with their supplements- a lot of them seemed awesome but then they had fillers like corn starch..I just can’t go there. Do you use the oils you have found internally, or just externally? Do you mind me asking what brand they are? I do use a few other blends by different brands that are cheaper, but only feel safe using Doterra for internal oils so far…
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I have researched Doterra, and there are still ingredients in some of them that make it so they are not 100% organic, which makes me nervous to ingest too many of them. The “Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade” that is on the bottle is something that Doterra coined to make it seem organic. I’m really on the fence about this company, and have a few of their products but don’t plan on continuing once the products are used up.
I have been using some of the Veriditas Botanicals and Oshadhi essential oils and am happy with the fact that they are organic. I have been working with the long-time owner of an essential oil and herb shop and she has been very helpful in learning what to look for in essential oils.
Like everything, we all have to do what we feel comfortable with. 🙂
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I’ve recently come across some info about their oils that is less than ideal, but is hard to know who to believe. Have you ever used Young Living? I’m considering switching over once I have used up all my Doterra stuff…
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The people that now run doTerra used to be with Young Living. Any of the pyramid scheme companies have one thing in mind above all others… making money.
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Yes- that is what I read- I also read something saying that the artificial flavoring vanillin had been found in doterra’s peppermint oil, which concerns me. I still feel okay about the oils, but will probably make the switch- I’m concerned to use non-reputable brands such as the ones at the herb shop near me internally though….
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Would you tell me which doTerra suppliments you did not think where healthy for you? Even if you just need to email me privately please? I’ve had Lyme disease for over 6 weeks now. And I had severe symptoms.
Thank you
Rachelsinfo15@gmail.com
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Hi Rachel- sorry to be commenting back so late. I just took issue with a few of the preservatives and the carrageenan that doTERRA adds to their supplements- if you stick to just the oils those don’t have the additives
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Hi, Kris ~
Someone recently sent the link to this post and I had a good chuckle at how much my views have changed about oils. Shortly after this post and our conversation via comments here, I ended up working closely with my Lyme doc and went on the doTERRA oils to help with treatment. I used a different protocol than you, but ended up in remission.
You haven’t written on your blog in a long while now, but I wanted to see how you are doing… I read about your trip to South America. Sounds intense – I commend you for fighting for your health!
Drop me a line sometime. I still blog a bit, but am on Instagram and you can always email.
Hugs,
Amanda
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Oh wow- sorry, yes I fell off it with writing on here because I just felt like it wasn’t really serving a purpose to blabber on about being sick!!! 😀 Also had a period of health and was very active and wanted to do all I could to not focus on anything lyme related. But, now I’ve definitely come back to what feels like square one illness wise 😦 What protocol did you follow with the oils, and for how long?
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I did a customized protocol through my Lyme doctor. That treatment resonated well with my body, so I felt better in a relatively short amount of time considering I was in a bad spot with Lyme for 18+ years. I do health coaching for people with Lyme now… dahlholistichealth.com …
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Just wanted to share a post about doterra that I read “I’ve spent over a year doing intensive research on essential oils in an attempt to uncover some definitive answers to the questions I had. First and foremost, is there really a difference in quality & purity among essential oil brands & is it really worth spending the extra money for DoTERRA products? After about six months, I finally discovered indisputable evidence:
There are only a handful of essential oil distilleries in the world. ALL essential oil companies get their oils from the same sources. No one oversees the process or can verify the purity. Then, after they arrive at the individual essential oil packaging & distributors, we have no way of knowing if there is any further dilution or tampering of any kind. The only way around this process is for a company to source their own essential oils, set up their own distilleries & oversee the entire process. To the best of my knowledge, there are only two companies that do this. Of the two, I chose DoTERRA because they source the plants used for the oils in the individual native environments. As a botanist & horticulturist for almost 20 years, I know firsthand that this is essential in maintaining the therapeutic integrity of the plants. DoTERRA is the only choice for me & my loved ones. Period.”
Food for thought. Wondering how ur trial went. I see this thread was from a while back. What was the outcome?
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Good to know! I typically alternate between doterra and young living for oils now…. There’s just so much information flying everywhere these days about oils. I felt better after the essential oil protocol, but eventually symptoms came back….
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