I've put decades of work into learning how to take care of myself - a life long project. I've always had bad reactions to most pharmaceuticals. The worst was when an eager young MD prescribed a drug combining an antihistamine and a decongestant.
He already knew I had an underactive thyroid and was taking synthroid for it. I also told him I'd had bad reactions to the OTC and prescription decongestants and antihistamines I'd already tried but he assured me the drug he was prescribing would clear up my very stuffed sinuses without causing me any harm. I was young and still believed Western medicine was the way to go so I filled the prescription and took it as directed. An hour later, I was on the couch with my heart beating so fast I thought it would explode, my sinuses so dried up it was painful to breathe, my head feeling so heavy I could barely lift it and so enervated I couldn't stand. This was long before the internet or cell phones and our land line was in the kitchen. I was alone in the house and thought my husband would come home and find me dead on the couch.
Here's why he shouldn't have prescribed that drug:
"Decongestants can pose a risk to people living with a thyroid disorder, such as an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
"This is because ingredients like pseudoephedrine can affect the blood vessels throughout the body. Some drugs may interact with your thyroid medication. And while there are many over-the-counter (OTC) drugs available for treating nasal congestion caused by a cold or seasonal flu, some can do more harm than good." What Thyroid Patients Need to Know about Decongestants
My experience was clearly in the more harm than good category.
Over the years, everyone in my family, my patients, friends and pets all have had stories like this. Eventually I understood that I needed to find other, less harmful approaches to healthcare.
The first step was to forego most of what Conventional Medicine has to offer and look into so-called Alternative Medicine modalities, practices people used before our current, super expensive system arrived with its heavy handed chemical pharmaceuticals and their iatrogenic side effects.
Now my main health care providers are all Functional Medicine docs:
Naturopaths and chiropractors who treat the underlying causes of our symptoms with nutritional supplements, acupuncture and dietary modifications and also focus on prevention
Homeopaths who recommend remedies for every physical and mental ailment
Mind/Body yoga teachers like Ellen Saltstonall, my yoga teacher here in NYC since the Friday after 9/11, who has taught me many techniques for fixing things large and small and how to prevent their return.
It was a chiropractor in Chicago who showed me how to fix my sinuses using acupressure points in the mouth. Another chiropractor, in NYC, helped me get over the ghastly C. difficile infection I had in 2010. She also taught me how to prevent another infection.
Veterinary homeopaths have saved the lives of two of my cats. Another homeopath got me over the six weeks of intense diarrhea caused by the Pfizer Covid vaccine. Turns out people who have strong immune systems are sickened by the vaccines.
This little book by Timothy Dooley is an excellent introduction to how homeopathy works. Dr Dooley is an MD , a Naturopath and a trained homeopath.
My acupuncturist treated me with a brilliant acupuncture technique called Running Needles after the two TIAs I had in March 2022 following my 3rd mandatory Covid shot.
Here's a video of a Chinese acupuncturist doing scalp acupuncture on a man who has severe degenerative weakness caused by ALS and needs a wheelchair to get around. I love this short video because it so clearly shows how effective the technique is.
When I fell in Cairo on the first day of my vacation in Egypt and damaged my left knee, I saw an orthopedist to get scans when I got home. They showed I'd torn both the lateral and medial meniscus in that knee. He said I'd need surgery. I said I'd prefer getting a natural treatment called Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) shots to stimulate my stem cells to regrow the damaged tissues. He said he'd heard of it - but I'd still need surgery. I got the PRP shots, did a little PT, used gentle yoga stretches and got myself a functioning knee.
This is how PRP shots work to heal injured tendons, muscles and joints:
When I learned I have an immunoglobulin A (IgA) allergy to gluten, I went gluten-free. It wasn't easy but I've never regretted making the change.
When I started reading about the contamination of our food supply and how it produces low level, chronic inflammation in the body that leads to autoimmune diseases, I began eating organic or non-GMO as much as possible.
In my ongoing search for natural remedies, I've learned a lot about the vitamins and trace minerals the body needs for good health. For example, that having an adequate blood serum level of Vitamin D protects us from a long list of bad stuff like Covid, C. diff, Alzheimer's, neurodegenerative diseases - like the myasthenia gravis that felled my husband and the Parkinson's several of my friends are now dealing with.
I've also looked into other modalities:
Breathing techniques to calm body and mind
Tapping techniques
Vibrational healing - tuning forks, Tibetan singing bowls, humming, chanting
Hang drum music
Plant based products - eg, Bee Propolis nasal spray and Hape Spray to keep my sinuses clear
And I'll continue looking for natural remedies that are helpful without the side effects of chemical pharmaceuticals.
I've written posts on many of these topics - too many to list here. You can find them using the SEARCH box at the top right of the page.
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DISCLAIMER: Nothing on this site is intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
I really liked the comparison of Eastern Medicine with Western Medicine.
Hits some crucial points (like vitamin d) as well as providing a great overview