lHallo and questions.

[Guest guest]

> excellent. I couldnt find a way of contacting the author except by

> snail mail - they dont seem to have a web site.

 

You can contact her via email by clicking on the link at the end of

the article:

 

" Harriot Beinfeld is also the author of " Chinese Modular Solutions;

Handbook for Health Professionals " , " , How It Works "

and " Simple Solutions for Stress " . "

 

She can be contacted at Kanherb

 

> It is not possible for me to find another herbalist. He is the

only

> one for hundreds of miles. There are a couple of others that do

> accupuncture, mainly for injuries and aches and pains, but no-one

> else that supplies herbs.

 

Are the acupuncturists in your area trained in TCM and qualified to

do a TCM analysis, including tongue and pulse diagnosis? The first

step may be to get a second diagnosis.

 

> Perhaps I can elaborate a little. When I

> first went to see the herbalist, I was extremely tired, I almost

> couldnt keep my eyes open. I had found a mass in my abdomen, later

> found to be very large fibroids, and I was suffering constipation,

> permanently cold hands and feet, felt the cold terribly ( have all

my

> life). He gave me herbs and I did improve a good deal. The

fibroids

> also grew and this was increasing the constipation. His advice was

> that I needed surgery of some sort (he wanted the surgeons to just

> remove the lumps and leave my uterus - not possible) as TCM classed

> them as stagnant blood and until removed my condition could not

> improve. Throughout all this my periods were normal. I utterly

> refused the hysterctomy for 2 years until I had no choice but to

> proceed. The fibroids were now so large they were putting too much

> pressure on my bowel and had also caused a hernia. I looked about

6

> months pregnant.

 

Did your TCM healer tell you why you had Stagnant Blood? One thing I

stress is to always ask WHY? is something occuring. Trace the

etiology. There are a number of things which can cause Stagnant

Blood. Qi Stagnation (traced by to Liver imbalance) can do it. A

trauma to an area of the body can do it. Cold can do it. Think in

terms of Roots and Branches. In this case, the Stagnant Blood would

be the Branch, the Liver imbalance with Qi Stagnation, the trauma,

the Cold, etc. would be the Root.

 

One thing that caught my eye was the suggestion of long-term Kidney

Yang Deficiency. This is getting into it in more detail than most

texts do, but when there is long-term Kidney Yang Deficiency, there

also tends to be increased susceptibility to External Excess Cold in

addition to the Deficiency Cold (Kidney Yang Deficieny). The Uterus

is one of those Organs that External Excess Cold can invade

directly. Also the Intestines and the Stomach. Cold most definitely

is one of those things that can trigger Blood Stasis. Cold that has

lodged in the Lower Burner can be rather intractable to treat. It's

not enough to just give any old Yang tonic herbs or herbs to Warm the

Interior in many of these cases. Certain Organs and meridians need

to be targeted via herbs and/or acupuncture. IF (and only IF) Cold

was a factor and is still present, you might want to try this

approach. If Cold was a factor and is still present, a Branch was

treated but the Root was not.

 

> Then, about 3 months later, came hot flashes, weight gain etc etc.

> My theory is that my body had by this time used up all available

> progesterone and testosterone stored in my body ( this my be

rubbish

> but what else can I think ) and was now in deficit. I understand

> that surgery and anaesthesia can weaken the body but this doesnt

fit

> in , to my thinking, with the 3 months that I felt good before

> developing these symptoms.

 

Some people react very negatively to surgery and anaesthesia, in

particular histamine-released anaesthesias. In my case I was fine

enough for 6 months following surgery that I moved to a different

city, was working full-time on the third shift in a mill, going to

school full-time in the mornings, and engaged to be married. Then I

came down with mono-induced hepatitis and was never the same again.

 

One concept in healing is that of acquired weaknesses. Acquired

weaknesses include things like surgery, the effects of anaesthesia,

trauma from an accident, malnutrition, the lingering effects from a

virus, etc. A part of the body or the body as a whole has been

weakened by something, and as a result is more vulnerable than it

once was. Pre-existing weaknesses are things that the person is born

with. Like a hereditary medical condition or tendency to a medical

condition or tendency to something like Kidney Yang or Yin

Deficiency, etc.

 

As far as I know no one has done any research on identifying people

who are most at risk from anaesthesia, particularly the histamine-

releasing ones. From my observations (strictly my observations), a

history of symptoms and signs suggestive of Kidney Yang Deficiency

may be a possible red flag. For the MDs and DOs and OMDs on the

list, if you have a client who presents with a history suggestive of

long-term Kidney Yang Deficiency or a tendency to Kidney Yang

Deficiency, you may want to check out the CFIDS Association of

America website for a list of the riskiest and safest anaesthesias to

use. Kidney Yang Deficiency may not be the only red flag when it

comes to susceptibility to CFIDS and/or problems with certain

anaesthesias.

 

BTW, cytomeglovirus (CMV) is the second leading cause of

mononucleosis (glandular fever) and frequently presents with

hepatitis-like symptoms. The tests for hepatitis will be negative;

the test for mono will be positive. Further testing will reveal an

elevated titer to CMV. In my particular case, the surgery appears to

have weakened that area of the body (an acquired weakness), the

lifestyle didn't do my Spleen any good (another acquired weakness due

to missing sleep, overdoing, and diet that was not all that good),

and I came down with mono-induced hepatitis and have never been the

same since.

 

> Unfortunately, I now feel so sick, my body wont tolerate any

western

> medicine medications.

 

I've been to that point. I also was bothered by just about everything

I ate.

 

> The western doctor I see, said my thyroxine

> levels were low and I started thyroxine and he also gave me DHEA

but

> after 2 weeks I felt so bad that I couldnt take them any more.

 

One thing that at least one doctor has noticed is that PWCs (People

With CFIDS) frequently will respond to much lower than normal dosages

of thyroid replacement and prednisone for a very, very short period

of time. They skip the side effects but yet have a turn-around in

health. I've had CFIDS for almost 30 years, and I too have noticed

this repeatedly in my own case over the years. So very brief periods

of treatment with much lower than normal dosages of certain

replacements may be something that the MDs and DOs on the list may

want to research. (In my own case, these times are occuring after I

have started into a partial remission but reach a point where I start

to spiral downward. In my case there have been below normal thyroid

tests accompanied by existing allergies getting worse and me

developing new ones.)

 

> In the last week I have started to ache and have a very sore lower

> back. To stand up after sitting I am like a stiff old person.

 

This is suggestive of possible Blood Deficiency (the pain being worse

after sitting). Back pain, in particular lower back pain, suggests

Kidney Deficiency. Lower back pain and aching knees suggest some

kind of Kidney Deficiency. It can be Kidney Yang, Yin, Qi, and/or

Jing Deficiency.

 

Something else to consider is magnesium deficiency. This too can

result in lower back pain. You may want to reasearch magnesium

deficiency. One of the experts on Mg deficiency is Mildred Seelig,

MD. If the various Kidney tonics aren't relieving the lower back

pain, consider Mg supplementation. It's worked wonders in my case

and that of some other people. Malic acid increases absorption of

Mg; aluminum decreases it. You may want to throw out the Al

cookware. Also, be aware that some soft drink manufacturers do not

line their cans, and tiny amounts of Al can leech out into the soda.

(There are some other things as well, but I don't want to hit you

with too much at this point.)

 

> I

> went to my herbalist and got some herbs and requested that I have

no

> yin herbs. I am retaining more fluid. I am alternately very hot

or

> deeply cold. I am drinking soups with ginger and beef bones in and

> still I ache. This is worrying. I feel as if I am deteriorating.

 

It concerns me that you aren't taking any Yin tonic herbs. Yang

needs Yin, and Yin needs Yang. A priority may need to be finding a

Yin tonic herb (or herbs) you can tolerate. Blood also plays a role

in balancing Yang and Yin, and if there are any Blood Deficiency

problems, it makes it harder to balance the two.

 

Edema can have one or more of several Roots in TCM. You need to go

into detail about the edema. The treatment will be different

depending on which Root underlies the edema and what type of edema it

is.

 

There is a very good book called Fluid Physiology and Pathology in

Traditional by Steven Clavey, Churchill Livingstone

Publishers, ISBN 0-443-04362-0. This is not a beginner's book. But

you appear to have enough knowledge of TCM basics plus a strong need

to know plus a willingness to do the work to wade through it.

 

I would say that another priority is to identify the type(s) of edema

and the Root(s). Your TCM herbalist should be able to tell you.

 

> Would ginseng help me?

 

You have given several symptoms suggestive of CFIDS (ME) and/or

Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Until your DO or MD rules these out, it is

best to stay away from ginseng and substitute codonopsis in any

formulas calling for ginseng. (Do a search for Bob Flaws's scatology

article for more details on why.)

 

> Do you know why I have started to ache so

> much?

 

You may want to do some research on magnesium deficiency.

 

> My herbalist gives me formulas to drain dampness but I dont

> seem to lose any fluid.

 

Why are there Dampness problems. Remember, keep asking why? What is

the Root of the Dampness problems in your case? What type of edema

is it? Yang edema? Yin edema? Wind edema? Skin edema? Righteous

edema? Stone edema? Yellow sweat? Is there Wue fen (Blood

separation)? Shui fen (water separation)?

 

> I have been doing qigong for the last 7 months, 40 minutes every

> morning. Do I need to do more? Would I be better off to do

another

> form of exercise such as light weight training. I walk every

morning.

 

I would say that's enough. I do considerably less Qi Gong than you

do and get good results. One thing you don't want to do is over-tire

your body and weaken your Spleen.

 

> And finally, is there an end to this or is this something I have to

> accept and live with. Perhaps that is the hardest, just accepting

it

> and not chasing around for cures etc. After 2 years of chaos, is

> there light at the end of the tunnel.

 

I had several years of chaos, so yes there is a light at the end of

the tunnel, and it's not an on-coming train. Personally, I wouldn't

just accept it. For one thing, that makes for a bad prognosis.

 

In the process of learning about what ails you and learning what

needs to be done, you will become a much more knowledgeable, wiser,

and able healer than you were before. Yes, I know that is scant

comfort at this point when you're overwhelmed and considering giving

up, but you'll see what I mean as time goes by and things start to

get less chaotic. For the record I would trade all the insight gained

from my own illness in a split second for a " normal " life without

sickness. From now on I want to learn just by observing others and

listening to them. Of course, I'm saying this knowing that people

don't get those kinds of choices. If I really was faced with that

decision, I'm not so sure I would want to give up the insights

gained. Afterall, even healthy people without CFIDS get sick, and

what I have been forced to learn from having CFIDS (and FMS and the

chronic/ recurring mononucleosis) makes me far better at treating a

number of things than I would be without the change in perspective.

 

" Knotty " (complex) problems can be dealt with, and in doing so one

learns a lot about treating things that are not so complex. As I

said, scant comfort now - you're still in the overwhelmed, chaotic

stage - but it will mean something later to you.

 

Victoria