In my experience herbs on their own also work very well. the ground version does just fine (because most people's digestion is not working well), consumed like instant coffee (boiling water poured on top). They work slower than meds but their toxicity does not burden the body if used in the right amounts. You have to use them for a longer time (it is not just a few days or weeks) especially if your condition is very bad. How long did it take you to get sick? At least the same amount of time to heal.