Antibiotics for the first time in a decade?

How it happened, how it's going, how I'm avoiding a system meltdown

I haven’t taken antibiotics in over 10 years— probably pushing 15, aside from a couple of days during surgical procedures.

Not because I’m some purist who thinks modern medicine is evil—but because I’ve worked really fucking hard to build a body that doesn’t need them.

I’ve spent years healing my gut, optimizing my immune system, learning what my body needs at a cellular level. I’ve invested thousands upon thousands of dollars and countless hours into understanding my DNA, my detox pathways, my hormone metabolism. I’ve built a business around helping other people do the same thing.

So when I say I’m on antibiotics right now, you should know: this wasn’t a quick decision, but a gal’s gotta do what a gal’s gotta do sometimes. And this MARCoNS infection has been utterly MIS (btw, I wrote an article about it a few weeks back if you’re not familiar with what it is)… And it’s a bitch to clear.

Nutshell = It’s a biofilm-forming staph infection that lives in your sinuses and wreaks absolute havoc on your immune system, your gut, your energy—basically everything. It’s resistant to most antibiotics, which is why you often have to pull out the “big guns” to clear it. Cipro (or something equally nuclear) is often the only option.

Ciprofloxacin has some pretty gnarly risks of people developing nerve or tendon damage, oddly. When my doctor suggested it, I’ll be honest—I cringed. I know what they do to your gut microbiome. I know the risks with fluoroquinolones specifically: mitochondrial damage, tendon ruptures, complete microbiome destruction, magnesium depletion. I’ve seen clients struggle to rebuild after antibiotic courses that wrecked their systems.

But here’s the thing: sometimes you need modern medicine. Sometimes the holistic approach isn’t enough. Sometimes you have to make peace with the fact that you can do everything “right” and still need pharmaceutical intervention.

So I said yes to giving it a slow-and-controlled, mindful shot.

I decided that I’d take in one dose at a time and monitor closely, with all the support imaginable. I’m not just popping pills and hoping for the best. I’m going in with a strategy—because that’s what I do. And I figured if I’m going through this, I might as well share what I’m doing to protect my gut, my mitochondria, and my sanity in the process.

Happy to report: I completed one full week without ANY major side effects! By the end of the week I was feeling about 80% better… so today I called to discuss next steps (I *really* don’t want to backslide on the progress) and got a refill for another week. Insert cringeface. Ughh.

However— since week one was so non-eventful and largely feels productive, I’m focused on positively clearing this infection out of my system, once and for all.

Since I’m going through it, I figured I might as well share with you what I’m doing to keep myself as safe and strong as possible.

Here’s my protocol:

I’m taking it easy. Like, really easy. No intense workouts, no pushing through, no heroics. Cipro increases your risk of tendon rupture—especially your Achilles—and I’m not about to blow out a tendon because I couldn’t skip leg day. So it’s gentle walks, stretching, maybe some yoga if I feel like it. That’s it.

I’m also continuing my peptide therapy. Specifically, BPC-157 and TB-500. If you’re not familiar with these, BPC-157 is incredible for gut lining integrity and tissue repair—it’s basically like giving your gut a protective shield while the antibiotic scorches the earth. TB-500 supports systemic healing, tissue regeneration, and reduces inflammation. These are non-negotiable for me right now. My gut and connective tissue need all the support they can get.

I’m ramping up my drainage support with CellCore products. When you’re taking something as harsh as Cipro, your liver and lymphatic system are working overtime to process it. Think of drainage like opening all the exit doors before you start clearing out the trash. Your detox pathways need to be open, or you’re just recirculating toxins. So I’m making sure my body can actually move this stuff out.

I’m avoiding alcohol. Obviously. My liver doesn’t need extra work right now, and alcohol plus antibiotics is a disaster for your gut. Not worth it, even for one glass of wine. In fact, I’m working so overtime on hydrating and electrolytes that it’s pretty annoying going to the loo every 45 minutes - hour.

Finally, I’m prioritizing sleep like my life depends on it. Because honestly, right now it kind of does. Your body heals when you sleep. Antibiotics are incredibly stressful on your system—physically, metabolically, mitochondrially. I need deep, restorative rest. So I’m keeping my sleep hygiene tight: cool room, dark, consistent schedule, all the basics.

Here’s what I’m NOT doing:

I’m not taking probiotics during the antibiotic cycle. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out: the antibiotic is going to kill them anyway. It’s a waste of money and honestly, a waste of probiotics. I’ll wait until I’m done with the Cipro, and then I’ll rebuild with high-dose, multi-strain probiotics, spore-based strains, fermented foods, all of it. But right now? I’m focused on damage control, not rebuilding. That comes after.

The DNA piece:

This is where understanding my genetics really matters. I know my detox pathways—I have MTHFR variants, COMT variants, GST variants that impact how I process toxins and medications. I’m not just guessing at what support I need; I’m supplementing based on my actual genetic vulnerabilities. I know I need extra methylation support. I know my mitochondria are more sensitive to damage. I know my body doesn’t detox as efficiently as someone without these variants.

This is exactly why I’m so careful with drainage right now. This is why I’m continuing peptides. This is why I’m not just white-knuckling it and hoping I bounce back quickly.

The emotional reality:

I’m not going to lie—it’s super frustrating. It’s frustrating to need antibiotics after spending a decade avoiding them. It’s frustrating to know that even with all the biohacking, all the optimization, all the expertise—I still got sick enough to need pharmaceutical intervention. I’ve been battling this for months, and my next options include $$$$ insufflation machines that I really don’t want to deal with.

But I’m also not too proud to use modern medicine when I need it. And I think that’s an important distinction. I’m not anti-antibiotic. I’m anti-unnecessary intervention. This one? It’s necessary. And it’s working. And I feel shockingly fine.

I can honor my body and everything I’ve built, and still acknowledge that sometimes you need help from modern medicine. Those two things aren’t mutually exclusive.

What I’m watching for:

I’m paying close attention to how my body responds. Gut symptoms—bloating, changes in digestion, anything that feels off. Energy levels and whether I’m crashing mid-day. Sleep quality (is my HRV tanking? Is my resting heart rate spiking?). Any tendon or joint pain. Mood shifts, anxiety, brain fog.

I’m not powering through or waiting for things to get bad before I adjust. I’m tracking in real time and being proactive.

The bigger lesson:

You don’t have to choose between holistic wellness and modern medicine. Sometimes you need both. And the difference between someone who crashes after antibiotics and someone who navigates it strategically? A plan.

You don’t just take antibiotics and hope for the best. You go in with support. You protect what you’ve built. You mitigate damage where you can. And then you rebuild intentionally.

That’s what bio-individual wellness actually looks like. Not perfection. Not never needing intervention. But knowing your body well enough to support it through whatever it needs.

I’ll keep you posted on how this goes. And if you want to know the exact peptide protocols I’m using—dosing, timing, how BPC-157 and TB-500 actually work for gut protection and tissue repair—I have something up my sleeve for you here, launching soon!

For now, I’m just focused on getting through this without wrecking everything I’ve spent years building. And truly— I think I’m going to be fine. Better than I’ve been in months.