3 months post-antibiotics and I'm only just now feeling like I've getting back to something close to my baseline.
Immediately after my foot surgery, which required heavy antibiotics in the tropical Bali, I began developing severe bloating, reflux at times, loss of appetite, a sluggish bowel, and constipation - the usual symptoms of poor bowel health. It was a shock to drop into this state after the long period of good health I was having on my antiviral detox. I have since had my first outbreak of cold sores on my lips, just in the middle of my practical work at my Herbal Medicine College - of course the most apt timing - when I'm stressed! So I haven't beaten them, but 6 months without an outbreak is quite an improvement from the fortnightly occurrence it was. I missed the whole final phase of my detox due to the surgery, and the pressing focus required to heal my gut health.
I'm now taking monolauric acid in the form of Monolaurin, and a product with Slippery Elm & probiotics called EnteroCare (highly recommended!). Ulmus rubra is my kind of plant medicine, perfect for the gut issues I mentioned earlier. Being a mucilage it is unto itself a prebiotic, which is the food for good gut bacteria. It has a demulcent action and is soothing on the mucous membrane of our entire digestive tract from the mouth down (great for sore throats). This gives it an anti-inflammatory action, just to name a few of its uses. As well as that I'm back on the essential oils, which work great on the cold sore wounds themselves it seems especially to dry them out rather than keep them wet with the Zovirax cream. Just got to get the dose right or the oregano oil burns! Here’s to reculturing my microbiome.
So antibiotics - they definitely have their place, in that I still have a foot thankfully, but not to be overused or underestimated.
Antibiotics are hard core! But Slippery Elm saves the day!