what to do when getting off of many allopathic meds at once?

[Guest guest]

I have this really dumb question. My insurance just ran out and I seem

to have no other options than to go off all my medicines because I

cannot afford them nor find assistance to get them. The ones I am

worried about are the calcium channel blocker for the hypertension and

the cholesterol meds. I am worried that my body will go crazy in the

other direction since these medications have suppressed the

hypertension and the cholesterol for so long. I am not asking for

medical advice just plain advice or experiences with such. Believe me

I am going to think long and hard before I try anything. My thought

was to start taking Arjuna for the heart to strengthen it, continue my

bitter herbs for my diabetes and to be very very careful of what I

eat. I have a vata-pitta prakriti and tend toward imbalances in pitta

in the summer and vata the rest of the time. Any discussion of this

will be greatly appreciated. I feel like the drug companies got me

hooked, they could help me get off this stuff, but it doesn't work

that way does it?

Darla

[Guest guest]

hi darla,

 

well, since you have already stopped your meds, i would some along

the lines of the following, as a standard protocol, for hypertension

and excess blood viscosity (hyperlipidemia, or "high cholesterol"):

 

1. guggul (=2.5% guggul sterones), 500 mg thrice daily - reduces ama,

vata and kapha, ensures proper circulation and reduces blood viscosity

 

2. arjuna (bark powder), 2 g 2-3x day - reduces kapha and pitta,

ensures proper circulation, reduces blood viscosity and helps repair

damage to vascular system

 

3. magnesium citrate, 800 mg daily - acts as a natural calcium-

channel blocker

 

4. EPA, 1200 mg daily - naturally lowers blood viscosity, inhibits

vascular inflammation

 

5. in the heat of summer, you might want to avoid the guggul and

prepare a tea of equal parts linden flower, nettle leaf, motherwort

herb and passionflower (1oz herb/quart), which you can then cool and

drink throughout the day to reduce excess heat and lower BP - you

should be able to all these at your local health food store

 

diet-wise, avoid all sweets, sugars, and refined salt, and eat more

lean proteins throughout the day

if vegetarian, eat properly prepared bean dishes with whole grains -

no flours - too heavy and sticky

 

eats lots and lots of above-ground vegetables with every meal if

possible and take 1 tbsp fresh ground flax seed twice daily, mixed

with water

 

avoid all refined oils (crisco, margarine, corn oil etc) and choose

only extra virgin and high quality oils such as olive, sesame,

coconut and ghee

 

exercise every day, 20-30 minutes, minimum

 

peaceful contemplation/meditation 10 minutes a day, minimum, in the

AM and PM

 

best wishes...

Caldecott, Dip. Cl.H, RH(AHG)

Ayurvedic practitioner, Clinical Herbalist

web: http//:www.toddcaldecott.com

email: todd (AT) toddcaldecott (DOT) com

tel: 778.896.8894

fax: 415-376-6736

 

 

On 3-Aug-06, at 7:48 AM, ayurveda wrote:

> I have this really dumb question. My insurance just ran out and I seem

> to have no other options than to go off all my medicines because I

> cannot afford them nor find assistance to get them. The ones I am

> worried about are the calcium channel blocker for the hypertension and

> the cholesterol meds. I am worried that my body will go crazy in the

> other direction since these medications have suppressed the

> hypertension and the cholesterol for so long. I am not asking for

> medical advice just plain advice or experiences with such. Believe me

> I am going to think long and hard before I try anything. My thought

> was to start taking Arjuna for the heart to strengthen it, continue my

> bitter herbs for my diabetes and to be very very careful of what I

> eat. I have a vata-pitta prakriti and tend toward imbalances in pitta

> in the summer and vata the rest of the time. Any discussion of this

> will be greatly appreciated. I feel like the drug companies got me

> hooked, they could help me get off this stuff, but it doesn't work

> that way does it?

> Darla

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Todd. I haven't quite gotten off them yet. I am doing that as I

run out. That sounds like a good and affordable solution. The meds cost

around $800 to $1500 a month and that is just what they were charging

medicaid. I was able to refill the diuretic and noticed that what they

charged me was about $4 higher than the medicaid price. Pfizer said that

they didn't have a protocol for getting off the norvasc, just for titrating

it up to therapeutic levels. That is really scary, implying as it does that

they expect people to be on it for the rest of their lives. I think the drug

companies encourage a lot of this attitude that people can't change their

lifestyles.

 

The doctors tell a person contradictory things for different ailments and a

person can follow them perfectly and still have problems. The cardiac diet

and the diabetic diets are good examples of this. I have noticed through

experience that the lower the carbs, the fresher the vegetables the better

and that the diabetic recommendations here are set a little higher than I

feel good on. The cardiac diet they gave me tells me to avoid cholesterol (I

don't ever get up to 300 mg anyway), avoid fats, and avoid salt. I measure

my blood pressure and I am not salt sensitive, and even get muscle cramps on

the diuretic unless I eat more salt than normal for me. I don't eat a bunch

of fat and try not to eat any artificial foods.

 

My own personal dietary choices are pretty low carb and lately since my

daughter has decided to be vegetarian they have been even better. I noticed

when I was in the hospital getting the stent and they put me on the cardiac

diet that I ate more vegetables and less flour based food at home. Some of

the stuff they tried to serve me I didn't know what was in it--like the

Ensure and jello (well gelatin and sugar, duh).

 

I will do your program; it sounds sensible and I always say I want to

meditate, but haven't been doing it. I know it helps, but sitting still is

torture. That arthritis that the nurse told me she didn't think I have has

been kicking my butt lately. The MRI showed arthritic changes and I really

hate being proved right on that. Maybe the meditation in shavasana rather

than trying to sit would be okay. Exercise sounds reasonable. I love to

move. Sitting or lying still are what hurts. I saw the cardiologist right

before the insurance ran out and he says I can quit the blood thinner when

it runs out. My total cholesterol is 142 and all the fats, triglycerides and

blood pressure are as low as he wanted to get them, so except for my weight

and history I am starting in a good place. I have already tapered off the

antidepressant and can't decide whether to cry or kill something, but even

that seems to be improving. I was so panicked when I wrote to the list.

 

Thanks again,

Darla

 

On 8/3/06, Todd Caldecott <todd (AT) toddcaldecott (DOT) com> wrote:

>

> hi darla,

>

> well, since you have already stopped your meds, i would some along

> the lines of the following, as a standard protocol, for hypertension

> and excess blood viscosity (hyperlipidemia, or "high cholesterol"):

>

> 1. guggul (=2.5% guggul sterones), 500 mg thrice daily - reduces ama,

> vata and kapha, ensures proper circulation and reduces blood viscosity

>

> 2. arjuna (bark powder), 2 g 2-3x day - reduces kapha and pitta,

> ensures proper circulation, reduces blood viscosity and helps repair

> damage to vascular system

>

> 3. magnesium citrate, 800 mg daily - acts as a natural calcium-

> channel blocker

>

> 4. EPA, 1200 mg daily - naturally lowers blood viscosity, inhibits

> vascular inflammation

>

> 5. in the heat of summer, you might want to avoid the guggul and

> prepare a tea of equal parts linden flower, nettle leaf, motherwort

> herb and passionflower (1oz herb/quart), which you can then cool and

> drink throughout the day to reduce excess heat and lower BP - you

> should be able to all these at your local health food store

>

> diet-wise, avoid all sweets, sugars, and refined salt, and eat more

> lean proteins throughout the day

> if vegetarian, eat properly prepared bean dishes with whole grains -

> no flours - too heavy and sticky

>

> eats lots and lots of above-ground vegetables with every meal if

> possible and take 1 tbsp fresh ground flax seed twice daily, mixed

> with water

>

> avoid all refined oils (crisco, margarine, corn oil etc) and choose

> only extra virgin and high quality oils such as olive, sesame,

> coconut and ghee

>

> exercise every day, 20-30 minutes, minimum

>

> peaceful contemplation/meditation 10 minutes a day, minimum, in the

> AM and PM

>

[Guest guest]

>

> I will do your program; it sounds sensible and I always say I want

to

> meditate, but haven't been doing it. I know it helps, but sitting

still is

> torture. That arthritis that the nurse told me she didn't think I

have has

> been kicking my butt lately. The MRI showed arthritic changes and

I really

> hate being proved right on that. Maybe the meditation in shavasana

rather

Darla,

 

It is more difficult to meditate if the breath is not controled.

Take a yoga class to learn to breath. You need to work on long deep

breathing. This is also great for high blood pressure.

 

GB