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Articles on this site reflect the
experiences of my wife, Angie. The info below is the result
of my interviewing her, and then posting the interview with the
corresponding resources and links on this site. We hope this helps
you conduct your own research on your unique path to wellness.
Please enjoy! Daniel The following
are things that caused problems for Angie. These are her
experiences only, and we are not prescribing, or treating or saying
not to take any of the following items. Make your own educated
choices!
Cortisol/Hydracortisone for adrenal
insufficiency:
"I'd like to share that years ago I was put on 20 mg
of hydracortisone in 4 divided doses a day. This was supposed to be
the physiologic dose that would be safe and healthy. I felt better
than I had in years. Except that if I sneezed, the vessels in my eyes
burst and I'd get blood spots. I was bruising easily and had other
signs of excess cortisol.
When all my other docs found out that I had been put on this, they
went bullistic, including my alternative docs. By this time, it was 2
months in or so, and my body had become entirely dependant. My own
adrenals had already started producing less because I was
supplementing, and they had shrunk. After consulting with all my docs
and researching, I felt I had to get off it. My eyes were at risk, and
I felt that if it was really a physiologic dose for me, I wouldn't
have been having these problems.
I was told if I wanted to use maybe 10-15 mg every other day, that
would supplement my adrenals without provoking them to make less. By
having an off day, they would be forced to keep producing, and not
shrink.
It took 2 years and some horrible, horrible withdrawal. Every time I
dropped my dose by 1/4 mg, my body went into true adrenal
insufficiency for around 2-3 weeks or so. I can't tell you how
miserable that was. It was hell.
Finally, I ended up at 3 mg a day, and could not go down any further.
At this dose I don't seem to have any problems from the cortisol. I
really wish I had been administered this differently - maybe a week or
two ever day, then every other day on a small dose. I wish I had also
investigated natural ways of helping the adrenals. Why my alternative
doctor did not suggest this I don't know.
I believe that if a person tests positive for true adrenal
insufficiency that is not borderline, but clearly bad, then this
treatment may be necessary and appropriate. I think I was just
borderline, and a different approach would have been right for me. Be
careful with this! It's not harmless unless your body really needs it
and you don't over supplement."
Angie
Tagamet: Cimetidine
After reading that Tagamet could improve the immune
system, she began taking prescription strength 300 mg per day. This is
1/3 of the dose used in the studies she saw. She had been
taking Zantac (Ranitidine) and switched to Tagamet. Her hair
began to fall out heavily.
It took a few months to figure out what was causing
this, as Tagament was not an obvious cause for this. Within about 1
week of stopping the medication, the hair loss began to slow, and
stopped maybe a month to 6 weeks later. It then began to grow back.
She is now taking prescription strength Zantac
(Ranitidine), as part of her gut healing protocol, and is doing fine
with that.
Vitamin C & Cranberry extract:
I had a bladder infection and had been told to take
large quantities of Vitamin C along with cranberry juice extract to
acidify the bladder. This was supposed to cause bacteria to detach and
leave the bladder.
The acid caused intense burning of my bladder.
I had always had problems with frequent urination, but from this I
developed interstitial cystitis. I was scorched and I've never been
the same since then. The bladder was agony and anyone who has had this
problem can tell you it's overwhelming.
I now take smaller amounts of vitamin C, but I use
buffered C or Ester-C. I even
tend to take the Ester-C with alkaline things such as calcium to
ensure that I will not use too much acid. .
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