Welcome to General Chat - GAW Community Area
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The more I research medicinal herbs online the more I'm convinced of lies from big gov and big pharma.
Research any herb and the warnings advise to speak with your doctor before taking. I've always been perplexed by this because my doctors don't have a clue about herbs. I've got one doctor that grew up in India that has recommended two herbs. I always tell her herbs I'm using and she's not educated in them. How can a doctor advise you on something they aren't knowledgeable about?
When reading about herbs online the most populated websites are government studies, universities and places like WebMD. There years ago I could do a search on any herb those sites would populate but also several herb store sites or sites by certified trained herbalist would also be plentiful in the search. These sites would even populate on Google. I use Yandex now and still get flooded with government, university and large hospital sites. Bottom line I need books to ditch the filtered web.
Read about any herb online and you are advised to stop all herbs before surgery. Stupid me before being awake thought this was because they wanted you safe and didn't know the herbs. Now I'm thinking it's just another fear tactic. Yes, some herbs interact negatively with pharmaceutical drugs but most don't. I know St John's wort interacts with around 300 medications. Sure it might be lies. However I know from experience when taking st John's wort estrogen replacement was less effective. I don't take chances with certain herbs if on antibiotics or scheduled for surgery.
We know herbal medicine was the true medicine for all time until the early 1900s when Rockefeller was instrumental in taking herbal medicine education out of medical school and pharmaceuticals replaced herbs or God's medicine. Now herbal medicine is called alternative medicine and for decades it was bought hook line and sinker. The audacity of it all is we have people from birth to the elderly brainwashed pharma is the only way. A perfect example; yesterday my in laws gathered for breakfast for my nieces birthday. They go to CFA weekly so they know the staff. An elderly lady that's been there at least twenty years was talking to us a lot. She's a very kind woman and felt comfortable asking us what's good for leg cramps. My mil retired nurse says muscle relaxer. My daughter a nurse but awake, and finally coming around to natural medicine, says magnesium. I said magnesium as well and gave a summary of different types of magnesium supplements and mag oil or butter that is helpful. Also said drink water and OJ might help. I think she didn't hear muscle relaxer suggestion. I also told her to go the local health food store for advice on magnesium. If she was younger and tech savvy I would have given info on what to order. She grinned and said he's my friend (owner of store). Hopefully she gets help and learns a life lesson on natural medicine.
Rant over, just frustrated because I feel like I'm flying blind trying to figure out herbs, supplements etc. But I'll perceive even if I buy things that don't work. I'll keep fighting because I know it's better than getting on an RX to cover up the symptoms. Just wish I figured all this out at 25 instead of 56. I'm convinced years of pain medication has done damage to my body. At least I'm on the other side of that.
Don’t get frustrated, never too old to learn. I’m 58 and only about 8years ago did I really start digging into herbs, supplement and essential oils. I’ve been blessed and not been sick much in my life. It was when my doctor started trying to convince me that I had high blood pressure and I was pre diabetic that I said heck no to her pills. I was goi g through menopause at the time. That brought it’s own problems. So today I am a walking supplement store. Recently I got my 81 year old mama off of Lyrica. It took a month to get that crap out of her system. Her doctor about freaked out when we told him what we did. He said to me “coming off of that is like coming off heroin, has to be done slowly”. When I started researching all the things that could go wrong with the Lyrica I insisted that she come off. I said to her please trust me. She feels great now with no pain. She lost 10 pounds in a month and know her arthritic knee does not hurt nearly as much as it did. She was originally put on it for Fibromyalgia about 20 years ago. She makes jokes about all her pills that pops everyday but at least I know they are not slowly killing her.
Good for you! I've been into essential oils and herbal tea about eight years. The past five years I've been researching herbs and over the past three years I rely heavily on herbs (tinctures, tea and capsules). Supplements (minerals, amino acids and vitamins) I'm still learning. It's sad we live in a world with information at our fingertips yet it takes so much studying on supplements because of information overload and everyone is an "expert". I used to have a link explaining what each vitamin, mineral etc did for the body. This was years before Covid and so much helpful information has been scrubbed off the net. I probably need a book. Fibromyalgia was my first chronic pain diagnosis and now I've got at least five more chronic pain conditions. Not long ago I read Fibromyalgia/chronic pain was a trash can diagnosis. If they can't figure out the source of it they dump us in the chronic condition section. It's most likely viral or some type of undiagnosed bacterial. Personally I think it's multiple factors from synthetic toxins in the environment, food, house/office (carpet, walls, furniture etc). I'm a tree hugging hippie but I do believe modern manufacturing is making us sick. Some clothing, bedding etc reeks of chemicals when it's new.
I'm thankful you could help your mom. I took cymbalta for almost three years and finally realized it was hurting me instead of helping me. I had horrible hallucinations coming off of it. Took lyrica about three days and my ankles were three times normal size. Back then I was so desperate for pain relief I blindly took anything they offered. Didn't have a clue about plant medicine. The doctor put my granddad on Lyric and he had the swelling also. His legs hurt really bad because they took veins out of legs for open heart surgery about 1991. He didn't stay on lyrica a week. He normally didn't take advice well but for some reason he listened to me about the lyrica.
I was on BP medication for about three years and stopped cold turkey. Now my BP is normal probably from all the herbs I take regularly.
Your mom is funny (pill popping). I used to say I was taking my daily cocktail when I took the RX now my cocktail is very different. When I used to go on vacation my medication filled up a gallon ziplock bag. Not anymore!
Edit: I'm dealing with post menopause trying to find what works for me. I've been off and on estrogen since 2009. I thought I found something that works working and it hasn't been in stock for a month. Figured out it was the liver pill supplement that was helping the hot flashes. I have been taking beef liver several months and stopped thinking it's not doing anything. After two weeks hot flashes & other symptoms (TMI😉) with a vengeance! Back on liver pills about four days and I'm so much better.
I’m glad you’re feeling better. See it’s sad that while we are busy raising kids, working, taking kids to activities and being involved with church and our families the government is trying to slowly kill us. It’s all by design, because we are so distracted that we neglect ourselves doing for everyone else. The Covid hoax made me start digging and reading like never before. Since I was forced to stay home to work I took it to my advantage. It’s been a struggle to keep my mouth shut about all these alternative blessings. When people would start talking about sickness I would just start blurting out what they be should do, and they would turn me off, so now I just smile and listen when they talk. I wait for them to ask me a question and then I bust down that door and start talking. I’ve had to learn to just wait and listen. Now when it comes to my Mama she don’t have a choice. I just want the whole world to wake up to true health care without destroying ourselves with the prescriptions they pass onto us. Now I’m not totally against taking a prescription for a short time if needed but not to become so dependent on it that you can’t let yourself live without it.
Good post. The few older docs who become more alternative in approach (mostly because they get disgusted over the years by the lack of efficacy of big pharma) are called eccentric or kooks by peers because they steer away from standardized or allopathic medicine. Sad.
I've yet to meet a doctor steering away from big pharma. I learned a long time ago to stay away from the doctors only giving out named brand. Although some prescribe way less RX. I keep my primary care doctor for blood work and occasional antibiotic needs. Mainly because it's impossible to walk into an urgent care setting. My daughter works at the local clinic and the walk clinic refused to see her (and others). Before lunch they said they were full. Last time I went to walk I waited there hours for antibiotics. Five years ago you might be there 45 minutes. She got the doctor she works for to run a culture. He just shook his head when she said they wouldn't see her.
It took almost a lifetime, but in my 60's I finally found a doctor who prescribes more supplements than pharmaceuticals. She was at the Health Center I had been going to for years, and left to start her own practice. After suffering for years with doctors treating my symptoms with pills that did nothing, she identified the chronic problems, advised some otc anti histamines and two pharmacueticals, Singular and Tramadol, low dose, and a LOT of supplements. My inflammatory pain stopped, brain fog, stopped. I do know that a lot of people will not take things which are not covered by their insurance, they do not want to pay out of pocket. They have no problem with new car payments, going out to dinner, buying clothes that are top line outdoor and hiking wear, remodeling their homes and huge credit card bills, but swoon and yell that a supplements may come to a couple of 100 bucks a month, or will not eat whole foods because its too expensive, as they line up at the MacDonalds drive thru in their 30,000 dollar trucks.
You hit the nail on the head talking about priorities. I've always said I'd rather pay upfront on clean food and natural medicine than pay doctors and hospitals. That's the brainwashing factor at its best. And after the past three years people still believe the doctors and big pharma. I've seen some comments here from people living outside of USA talking about the pharmaceutical commercials. Pharma commercials barely exist outside of America. That tells us all we need to know.
Be careful with Tramadol. I took it so long my body was rejecting it and basically all pain or anti inflammatory medication. Over the past two years I'm off everything except I do get twenty tordal every three months. Also get tordal injections occasionally and that helps better than anything including natural medicine. I was prescribed tramadol after one surgery in March and oxytocin after the other surgery (had two in one week). I've never hurt like this and that's after 25 years of pain. I took one tramadol and it didn't help the pain from surgery or chronic pain. Next day took oxy and that didn't help. I'm thankful my body is rejecting pharmaceuticals. Up till last year I was still getting tizanadine (muscle relaxer). Last time I took one my legs felt numb and just weird. I still can't believe how much I took for twenty years. In one way I regret the meds but another way I don't because I was very active with horrible pain. For five years I went to at least one concert a month standing for hours in the pit (at stage). The standing started about 3-4 PM in line and I didn't sit till midnight on the way home. Over all I know they have damaged me in the long run and I've got to rebuild my health. Not impossible but a mountain worth climbing. Those concert years were valuable time spent with my daughter so no regrets!
what are the anti histamines?
I've been on Atarax since I was nine, almost fifty years. I have dermographism (hives from too much release of histamine in the blood). By accident I discovered St John's Wort helps the itching, nerve pain and prevents sun poison & fever blisters (same virus). I rarely take Atarax now but need something occasionally for allergies. Dimetapp is the only thing that helps. If I'd get smart and change my diet I'd see considerable improvement!
Many people find relief with Turmeric Curcumin (it needs pepper of something like ginger to work). It doesn't help me at all. I keep some available for detox in case I'm around sick people. Ginger is also good but I like ginger tea. Research mushrooms and and Adaptogens you might find something helpful.
https://www.superfoodevolution.com/what-are-adaptogens.html
I was prescribed Tramadol in 2008, and it did work, I have not increased the dose since then, and only needed the oxy for 10 days after a hip replacement. I do not believe I can ever stop taking it, I tried. I have no cartlidge left, bone on bone all through thanks to the Babesia bacteria from Lyme. It is 50mg in morning and at night, when I tried to get off of it, the pain in my bones came back. I cannot take NSAID's (Advil, etc). I took them all the time due to deep sciatica, and eventually it led to stomach and gut issues. The antihistamines I take are Allegra, Pepcid AC, and Singular, which is a prescription. After years of NSAIDS and Lyme, I developed something called Mast Cell Reactive Syndrome, ended up in Anaphylaxis from it last February, almost died, because I did not think the antihistamines my doc was recommending was consequential, because I did not want anymore over the counter stuff. Well, I was wrong. I changed my diet, stopped with fermented foods, stopped with gluten altogether, basically just ate chicken, rice, cut out tomatos, mayo, etc. After 6 months, I can now enjoy some tomato based sauces (fresh), and my pain from inflammations, those traveling nerve pains, has come to a halt. I prepped with so much canned food, I have to start eating some of it, last night I had canned spinach and it was fine. Canned foods are high in histamines, the longer a food is kept, canned or pouched, it develops histamines, but I was fine, I also take something called "Super Digestive Enzymes" from Life Extension. which helps when I eat some "iffy" foods. NAC every single day since 2015 saved me from respiratory anaphylaxis, I had full body hives and vomiting, but no throat closures, thanks to NAC. Doc prescribed an epi pen, but I have yet to use it as long as I follow the protocol and diet. I am not super paranoid about mold like everyone seems to be, I clean with peroxide and borax, and have air filters throughout the house and I seem fine. I figure as human beings we have been living with molds since time began for us, so there is no eliminating it, we just have to take care that our immune functions so they do not turn on us. Which is why vaccines screw everything up, that and constantly killing off the good bacteria, disinfecting everything, etc, I figure if you were raised up since the 50's we are all compromised in the immune department. Luckily, natural health has been a "hobby" of mine since a friend gave me a book called "Back to Eden" by Jethro Klaus in 1974.
Glad to hear you have a plan that's working for you have a plan that works for you. We are all different and have to find the right groove. I was asking about antihistamine in case it was natural medicine. I've tried all those you mentioned. So far St. John's wort is working and I've got a backup for Atarax if needed. I have NSAID RX and I rarely take it, only in extreme emergencies. My herbal medicine cabinet helps with inflammation a lot. Thanks for the tip on the book.