I am not a scientist or doctor - just a layperson on a healing journey. All modalities have something to add and in my opinion locking onto one only can be downright dangerous and just plain stupid. I want to use this blog to share thoughts on research, healing modalities, stories of healing, and insights. While I am interested in scientific and clinical studies I recognize a couple things -
1 - I am not a scientist and so - I may not get the full depth of the study.
2 - Studies can be skewed, and unless you are a scientist and privy to the full study methodologies and compliance rates and other such details - it can be nearly impossible to discern the validity.
3 - Ultimately, we are all anecdotes. And therefore, our healing process will be as universal and yet individual as our circumstances and make-up.
4 - In the recent past, I would completely dismiss airyfairy sounding things like energy healing up through accupuncture. I just didn't see how a couple needles, or someone laying hands on someone, or whatever - could make a difference. But then I read studies from everything from drumming raising immune function and cytokine levels to accupuncture delivering quantifiable immuno-modulating results. So now - I am much more open, although still suspicious (additionally see 1-3).
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Our vitamin C asthma and allegy protocol
I am writing this post to respond to a comment to a previous post on vitamin C megadosing. Blogger has not allowed me to reply - so while I am figuring that out I wanted to share update and answer question as to what we are using.
This time last year and the year prior my son was on flovent, flonase, and max dose zyrtec to keep the allergy symptoms at bay. His nose was so stuffed that it was completely blocked without the flonase (nasal steroids). This year so far he is on:
AM 15 minutes prior to breakfast - 1 gram of lypospheric vitamin C mixed in about 1 ounce of water/apple juice mix.
Then with lunch or after school through dinner - I take the large capsules of acorbic acid (Thorne with bioflavanoids) and pour into smaller capsules so he can swallow - about 1-2 grams more of vitamin C in approx 250 mg doses about 20 or so minutes apart.
Before bed he takes 1 gram of lypospheric again.
Also, huge shout out to - crystalchild - because it was her blog that turned me onto camel milk. My son also drinks between 150-300 ml of camel milk a day. So these things together have given him pretty clear sinuses and such. I don't necessarily let him play aggressively outside when pollen levels are high - but it has enabled us to drop flonase and zyrtec. We continue flovent.
I am exploring making our own lypospheric vitamin C with ascorbic acid. I have read that sodium ascorbate (which is supposedly the most bioavailable) is not the best for long term use. But that is work in progress.
My response to Janice's question - is here - MRSA and Vitamin C
This time last year and the year prior my son was on flovent, flonase, and max dose zyrtec to keep the allergy symptoms at bay. His nose was so stuffed that it was completely blocked without the flonase (nasal steroids). This year so far he is on:
AM 15 minutes prior to breakfast - 1 gram of lypospheric vitamin C mixed in about 1 ounce of water/apple juice mix.
Then with lunch or after school through dinner - I take the large capsules of acorbic acid (Thorne with bioflavanoids) and pour into smaller capsules so he can swallow - about 1-2 grams more of vitamin C in approx 250 mg doses about 20 or so minutes apart.
Before bed he takes 1 gram of lypospheric again.
Also, huge shout out to - crystalchild - because it was her blog that turned me onto camel milk. My son also drinks between 150-300 ml of camel milk a day. So these things together have given him pretty clear sinuses and such. I don't necessarily let him play aggressively outside when pollen levels are high - but it has enabled us to drop flonase and zyrtec. We continue flovent.
I am exploring making our own lypospheric vitamin C with ascorbic acid. I have read that sodium ascorbate (which is supposedly the most bioavailable) is not the best for long term use. But that is work in progress.
My response to Janice's question - is here - MRSA and Vitamin C
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Mega dosing vitamin C, the flu, asthma, and allergies
So the last week and a half were crazy. My son picked up a flu at school or somewhere - it was a 7 day fever. We went to doctor at the beginning of it to make sure that his lungs were clear of any asthma issue - she checked for strept and said it was just a flu. Well after about 5 days of fever hovering around 100.5 to 101 - it broke on Friday-ish. Bear in mind, I don't give (for the most part) tylenol or any other fever suppressor - for a variety of reasons... not wanting to block his body doing healing work, asthma incidence and severity linked to tylenol usage...
Saturday during the day, his cough was really robust and frequent, then in the night the fever made a reappearance at 102.5. My son slept through a family gathering (only happens with higher fever). I was in a panic somewhat. Because the fever broke and reappeared - along with the present throughout robust rich cough - I was worried.
I decided to try megadosing vitamin C.
I gave him small amounts (starting at about 1am Sunday morning) and building to 1gram doses that totalled around 5-6 grams for the day on Sunday. Throughout the day his energy rose and the cough grew less frequent although robust. Fever back hovering between normal to 100.5 for the day. We continued albuteral - as directed by doc previously every 4-6 hours. Also, I continued dosing the vitamin C - combo of ascorbic acid alternating with sodium ascorbate. I buffered the ascorbic acid with a small dose of calcium. He did not have any loose stools that would indicate that he was reaching bowel tolerance.
Monday temperature back down to normal finally. The cough less frequent even still, and a bit less robust. (continued dosing vitamin C - 5 grams.
Tuesday temperature normal - vitamin C - 5 grams (spread out of course throughout the day). Cough less frequent, less robust. We went for a walk because it was so nice outside and ran into another classmate of his. The classmate (David) had also missed as much school with a 7-8 day fever (his had apparently spiked to 104 and he had gotten a bloody nose his mother said). David was on antibiotics. His mother had given tylenol throughout to break the fever. David also was diagnosed with a flu - but on Saturday was given antibiotics (not because of any diagnosis the mother said, but because the doctor could already tell that she was very very anxious over this flu. I confirmed with her - no strep diagnosis, no sinus or chest infection - just the lingering flu and thus antibiotics). I am not trying to criticize only to draw out an interesting thing - all mothers panic. I too panic and run to the doctor. Shit, I just panic. I panicked Saturday night - and vitamin C was my plan of action. But I have had enough infection now to know that antibiotics are not the panacea that I thought they were when I was younger. And hence, I want options. I want to know that I basically have a plan that can work if western medicine fails me - and it has. Not that there isn't much to value in western medicine, but all good things in their own place, time, and moderation.
Wednesday - back in school - first time in about 10 days. 3 grams of vitamin C
Thursday - 1 gram of vitamin C before school - I plan on giving at least 2 more over course of time between school day finish and bed time.
I post this story because there are a couple of things that I find interesting.
With increased vitamin C
1 - my son's cough has slowly subsided. We are moving towards healing after a really hard flu
2 - his nasal congestion due to pollen levels - too has subsided. In fact, I called doctor on Friday requesting a refill for last year's nasal steroids out of sheer desperation. We are on TCM herbs - but still the nasal congestion was so severe (clear discharge) since pollen blossomed about 2 weeks ago - that at least 1 nostril was completely closed at all times. I also thought that was what contributed to the really robust cough he was having - although the Saturday night's fever clouds my original thoughts. But at this point - the nasal congestion is present, but nothing too severe - like he can breath through his nose in the day and night.
3 - I wonder if with the increased vitamin C we can make it through pollen season on flovent (inhaled steroids) and zyrtec (anti-histamine) alone. And of course TCM herbs.
It's just interesting and got me curious about scurvy and vitamin C. And when I read about levels of ascorbic acid are necessary for the body - I just wonder if one of the keys in this lock of food allergy and asthma isn't - for lack of better term - "sub-clinical scurvy." The turn around that I witnessed on Sunday - really the cough and the fever actually getting down to normal for some part of the day - and then my son actually playing later in the day - was really miraculous. And the only thing we were doing was vitamin C - I didn't get any TCM herbs in him at all.
There are articles and science behind using vitamin C for asthma attacks. Not that I would suggest that - an asthma attack is an instance in my book that warrants the Emergency Room. But, using vitamin C to prevent an asthma attack - that is something I can get behind.
Saturday during the day, his cough was really robust and frequent, then in the night the fever made a reappearance at 102.5. My son slept through a family gathering (only happens with higher fever). I was in a panic somewhat. Because the fever broke and reappeared - along with the present throughout robust rich cough - I was worried.
I decided to try megadosing vitamin C.
I gave him small amounts (starting at about 1am Sunday morning) and building to 1gram doses that totalled around 5-6 grams for the day on Sunday. Throughout the day his energy rose and the cough grew less frequent although robust. Fever back hovering between normal to 100.5 for the day. We continued albuteral - as directed by doc previously every 4-6 hours. Also, I continued dosing the vitamin C - combo of ascorbic acid alternating with sodium ascorbate. I buffered the ascorbic acid with a small dose of calcium. He did not have any loose stools that would indicate that he was reaching bowel tolerance.
Monday temperature back down to normal finally. The cough less frequent even still, and a bit less robust. (continued dosing vitamin C - 5 grams.
Tuesday temperature normal - vitamin C - 5 grams (spread out of course throughout the day). Cough less frequent, less robust. We went for a walk because it was so nice outside and ran into another classmate of his. The classmate (David) had also missed as much school with a 7-8 day fever (his had apparently spiked to 104 and he had gotten a bloody nose his mother said). David was on antibiotics. His mother had given tylenol throughout to break the fever. David also was diagnosed with a flu - but on Saturday was given antibiotics (not because of any diagnosis the mother said, but because the doctor could already tell that she was very very anxious over this flu. I confirmed with her - no strep diagnosis, no sinus or chest infection - just the lingering flu and thus antibiotics). I am not trying to criticize only to draw out an interesting thing - all mothers panic. I too panic and run to the doctor. Shit, I just panic. I panicked Saturday night - and vitamin C was my plan of action. But I have had enough infection now to know that antibiotics are not the panacea that I thought they were when I was younger. And hence, I want options. I want to know that I basically have a plan that can work if western medicine fails me - and it has. Not that there isn't much to value in western medicine, but all good things in their own place, time, and moderation.
Wednesday - back in school - first time in about 10 days. 3 grams of vitamin C
Thursday - 1 gram of vitamin C before school - I plan on giving at least 2 more over course of time between school day finish and bed time.
I post this story because there are a couple of things that I find interesting.
With increased vitamin C
1 - my son's cough has slowly subsided. We are moving towards healing after a really hard flu
2 - his nasal congestion due to pollen levels - too has subsided. In fact, I called doctor on Friday requesting a refill for last year's nasal steroids out of sheer desperation. We are on TCM herbs - but still the nasal congestion was so severe (clear discharge) since pollen blossomed about 2 weeks ago - that at least 1 nostril was completely closed at all times. I also thought that was what contributed to the really robust cough he was having - although the Saturday night's fever clouds my original thoughts. But at this point - the nasal congestion is present, but nothing too severe - like he can breath through his nose in the day and night.
3 - I wonder if with the increased vitamin C we can make it through pollen season on flovent (inhaled steroids) and zyrtec (anti-histamine) alone. And of course TCM herbs.
It's just interesting and got me curious about scurvy and vitamin C. And when I read about levels of ascorbic acid are necessary for the body - I just wonder if one of the keys in this lock of food allergy and asthma isn't - for lack of better term - "sub-clinical scurvy." The turn around that I witnessed on Sunday - really the cough and the fever actually getting down to normal for some part of the day - and then my son actually playing later in the day - was really miraculous. And the only thing we were doing was vitamin C - I didn't get any TCM herbs in him at all.
There are articles and science behind using vitamin C for asthma attacks. Not that I would suggest that - an asthma attack is an instance in my book that warrants the Emergency Room. But, using vitamin C to prevent an asthma attack - that is something I can get behind.
Rosacea? MRSA update -
I wanted to post updates. My face is MUCH better. Much better. In fact people who have seen me over the last months have commented on how my face is a MILLION times better.
I've got a series of photos below:
August (2 months post surgery and post appearance of what I thought was a sebaceous cyst). In this time, the "cyst" burst and spread infection across my face. Shortly after this, I was given augmentin by GP. Then I took it upon myself to see a dermatologist who tested and confirmed her suspicions of MRSA. I was then put on clindamycin.
I was putting all sorts of things to "speed recovery" some of which only burned my face: iodine, garlic, creams... This is October where I decided (not doctors) that I needed to see infectious doctor. It also - while on clindamycin - spread to the left side of my face. The ID prescribed doxycycline. I spent 14 days on doxy.
Here you can see the left side of my face was also affected at this point. There were also more pustules starting to form. This point is still somewhere in the round of doxycycline. But even after doxy, I was left with pretty much what you see minus the pustules.
Around, November I went to see another dermatologist who diagnosed me with Rosacea. I asked - MRSA caused? She did not know because there was nothing to sample - only really red bumpy skin. She sent me home with more doxy with a recommend that I return and plan on spending 3 months at least on doxy. At this point I ended up spending approximately 6 weeks on doxy and about a week or so on augmentin and clyndaycin. I was also somewhat fed up with the prognosis of a 50% chance of reoccurance. I was trying colloidal silver, garlic, tumeric, Phenomenal... with no results.
And in December I experienced a reoccurance - but this time on the bridge of my nose (new place on face). Also you can see the redness remains with budding little pimples/pustules.
I burned it with iodine (which you can see), and then even worst out of sheer desperation - bleach. Totally stupid. I would not do that again. Also, I tried DMSO with one final capsule of doxy (which literally cleared up pustules in 2-3 days, but didn't control new ones).
In January - I began TCM - Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, an acne formula, an herbal paste, and a cream.
Her my face is today.
Current protocol (not totally regular - and I can then feel an itch re-emerge or a new little blemish appear). But for the most part my face is good. I plan on sticking better to protocol - to completely rid face and then be able to be pill free.
1 - 10 Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and 5 Acne caps 2x a day. Herbal paste and blue herbal cream daily
2 - I notice if I take 1-2 grams of lypo-spheric vitamin C
it is huge boost to face
3 - I also notice if I drink at least 8 oz of fresh carrot juice - again huge boost
4 - Avocado seems to cause blemishes to appear. So guac - is always followed by new blemishes or small pustules. Less and less - so I use it as a monthly test to see my own progress. Eat guac and see what next day or two brings - helps me gauge level of how my body is doing.
BZYQT is made up of White atractylodes rhizome, bupleurum root, tangerine peel, jujube fruit, chinese angelica root, liquorice root, dried ginger root, astragalus root, ginseng root, cimicifuga rhizome.
Acne Tea is made up of hedyotis herb, patrinia herb, phiopogon root, rehmannia root, and scrophularia root. Both of these were made into capsules by my TCM.
The topical cream and herbal paste - I do not know what is in them. They only say cream and paste.
My TCM is in New York. If you want her contact info - I can email it to you - please email me at denise@healinghacker.com.
Additionally, and of profound help I was taking 1-2 grams of lypo-C .
And most recently, which seems to have finally cleared up any small remaining blemish issues has been the addition of probiotics - specifically 4 adult scoops of the 6 strain probiotic.
I also routinely - couple times a week - apply aloe to my face. I have some plants that I open up leaves from and slather on before bed. So it's not from a bottle or anything like that.
I can now, over 2 years later eat avocado without blemishes.
I've got a series of photos below:
August (2 months post surgery and post appearance of what I thought was a sebaceous cyst). In this time, the "cyst" burst and spread infection across my face. Shortly after this, I was given augmentin by GP. Then I took it upon myself to see a dermatologist who tested and confirmed her suspicions of MRSA. I was then put on clindamycin.
And in December I experienced a reoccurance - but this time on the bridge of my nose (new place on face). Also you can see the redness remains with budding little pimples/pustules.
In January - I began TCM - Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang, an acne formula, an herbal paste, and a cream.
Her my face is today.
Current protocol (not totally regular - and I can then feel an itch re-emerge or a new little blemish appear). But for the most part my face is good. I plan on sticking better to protocol - to completely rid face and then be able to be pill free.
1 - 10 Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and 5 Acne caps 2x a day. Herbal paste and blue herbal cream daily
2 - I notice if I take 1-2 grams of lypo-spheric vitamin C
it is huge boost to face3 - I also notice if I drink at least 8 oz of fresh carrot juice - again huge boost
4 - Avocado seems to cause blemishes to appear. So guac - is always followed by new blemishes or small pustules. Less and less - so I use it as a monthly test to see my own progress. Eat guac and see what next day or two brings - helps me gauge level of how my body is doing.
Update as of August 22, 2014 - and response to comment below:
I am no longer on the TCM protocol. While on the protocol I was taking Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and Acne Tea.
BZYQT is made up of White atractylodes rhizome, bupleurum root, tangerine peel, jujube fruit, chinese angelica root, liquorice root, dried ginger root, astragalus root, ginseng root, cimicifuga rhizome.
Acne Tea is made up of hedyotis herb, patrinia herb, phiopogon root, rehmannia root, and scrophularia root. Both of these were made into capsules by my TCM.
The topical cream and herbal paste - I do not know what is in them. They only say cream and paste.
My TCM is in New York. If you want her contact info - I can email it to you - please email me at denise@healinghacker.com.
Additionally, and of profound help I was taking 1-2 grams of lypo-C .
And most recently, which seems to have finally cleared up any small remaining blemish issues has been the addition of probiotics - specifically 4 adult scoops of the 6 strain probiotic.
I also routinely - couple times a week - apply aloe to my face. I have some plants that I open up leaves from and slather on before bed. So it's not from a bottle or anything like that.
I can now, over 2 years later eat avocado without blemishes.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Face Status and Protocol
So my face is soooo much better. I actually was a bit panicked because I had to travel last week to Arizona for work for 6 days and was really worried about having an outbreak there. But I didn't. In fact, while in AZ the itching went away. I even ate avocado, something in hindsight I feel has exacerbated and even triggered outbreaks - and remained clean faced.
My son has another little gathering of pimples on his face near mouth and nose - he may be fighting cold. He is on a smaller dose of the TCM herbs - but herbalist suggested I bump him up on the BZYQT. He also is not on the vitamin C that I am taking, nor is he on the carrot juice. I am considering introducing both, but we have been on an introduction for some other foods, so I am hesitant to do everything at once. Plus it seems like he is taking lots of pills - herbs, vitamins - so I am a little reticent to up the herbs. We'll see how things are tomorrow, I may just start some carrot juice with him slowly and see if that helps.
Here is my current protocol
10 capsules of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang - in morning and night
5 capsules of Acne Tea
Washing face morning and night with Neutrogena Acne Face Cream Wash
Using TCM paste on face after shower at night
TCM Blue Cream on face before bed
1-2 grams of vitamin C
8-16 oz of fresh carrot juice
When I returned home, I noticed the itching starting to return - despite the above protocol sans the carrot juice. Today when I added carrot juice back in - the itching was way down as well. It may be the vitamin A.
Here is what my face looks like today.
My son has another little gathering of pimples on his face near mouth and nose - he may be fighting cold. He is on a smaller dose of the TCM herbs - but herbalist suggested I bump him up on the BZYQT. He also is not on the vitamin C that I am taking, nor is he on the carrot juice. I am considering introducing both, but we have been on an introduction for some other foods, so I am hesitant to do everything at once. Plus it seems like he is taking lots of pills - herbs, vitamins - so I am a little reticent to up the herbs. We'll see how things are tomorrow, I may just start some carrot juice with him slowly and see if that helps.
Here is my current protocol
10 capsules of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang - in morning and night
5 capsules of Acne Tea
Washing face morning and night with Neutrogena Acne Face Cream Wash
Using TCM paste on face after shower at night
TCM Blue Cream on face before bed
1-2 grams of vitamin C
8-16 oz of fresh carrot juice
When I returned home, I noticed the itching starting to return - despite the above protocol sans the carrot juice. Today when I added carrot juice back in - the itching was way down as well. It may be the vitamin A.
Here is what my face looks like today.
 |
| Face Center |
 |
| Face Left |
 | |||
| Face Right |
Monday, January 16, 2012
Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and MRSA
I am on day 2 of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. I have for the last week - after running out of the final doxycycline tablet - been using a TCM paste for my face after shower along with an amazingly staining blue herbal cream. My face is looking the best it has looked in six months. The paste and cream combo have cleared the redness and squash pimples better than any cream I have ever been given by an allopathic doctor. I am excited to see how the Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang works. I take 10 capsules 2 x a day along with 5 caps of an herbal remedy called "Acne." My son is taking 1 capsule of the Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang. I will begin introducing the "Acne" capsule in the next week or so as well.
Just for reference, I'm including a photo of my face taken on Sept 6, 2011. This was when it was in the throws of MRSA infection. I was on antibiotics, putting iodine on my face - everything I could think of. 
At this point, the pustules were drained, but the redness was the big thing - the spreading redness that nearly engulfed my face. This image is from nearly 5 months ago. Even after antibiotics the redness remained. I was - as I've stated - referred to a dermatologist who diagnosed me with Rosacea. Whether or not she could definitively say the Rosacea was MRSA caused - I knew it was because I had never hand anything like this prior to the MRSA I got after my ankle surgery.
I am so happy to be getting my normal face back. I am very excited to see what the Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang does internally to speed up my healing - I pray.
 |
| Redness of Rosacea caused by MRSA down significantly |
 |
| This is the left side of my face, which after antibiotics was still red, but now down significantly. Also, the itchiness is diminished. |
 | ||||
| Left side of my face - so much better also. |
At this point, the pustules were drained, but the redness was the big thing - the spreading redness that nearly engulfed my face. This image is from nearly 5 months ago. Even after antibiotics the redness remained. I was - as I've stated - referred to a dermatologist who diagnosed me with Rosacea. Whether or not she could definitively say the Rosacea was MRSA caused - I knew it was because I had never hand anything like this prior to the MRSA I got after my ankle surgery.
I am so happy to be getting my normal face back. I am very excited to see what the Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang does internally to speed up my healing - I pray.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
DMSO and Doxycycline, MRSA? Continued AND Arrival of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang
I have to say, within 2 days of 1x time a day application of the dmso and doxycycline mixture, the redness is down to the point of 2 weeks of oral antibiotics. I did not photograph this - regrettably. But the results are nothing short of amazing. Things I've learned -
1 - I view my body as an experiement
2 - I tend to be unsatisfied with most answers I get from the medical establishment
3 - Finding a pure and reputable form of DMSO is paramount
4 - glass, glass, glass - bottles
5 - this is by no means a cure because another blemish has popped up elsewhere
In the meantime, my order of BU Zhong Yi Qi Tang has arrived along with some Acne Tea herb - both from my TCM practitioner. Let's just say this month's invoice for herbs will be steep.
But I am excited with the arrival of the herbs. My son's face has been totally clear for about 2 weeks. He has a small blemish. We will apply paste at shower time today and I've started him on 1/2 cap BZYQT tea - will build to 2 - according to the TCM doc. I have not been given dosage yet - she is awaiting my doing a blood test to check liver, kidney, and CBC prior to giving me dosage. Her concern is that the 6 weeks of antibiotics is taxing on the body.
1 - I view my body as an experiement
2 - I tend to be unsatisfied with most answers I get from the medical establishment
3 - Finding a pure and reputable form of DMSO is paramount
4 - glass, glass, glass - bottles
5 - this is by no means a cure because another blemish has popped up elsewhere
In the meantime, my order of BU Zhong Yi Qi Tang has arrived along with some Acne Tea herb - both from my TCM practitioner. Let's just say this month's invoice for herbs will be steep.
But I am excited with the arrival of the herbs. My son's face has been totally clear for about 2 weeks. He has a small blemish. We will apply paste at shower time today and I've started him on 1/2 cap BZYQT tea - will build to 2 - according to the TCM doc. I have not been given dosage yet - she is awaiting my doing a blood test to check liver, kidney, and CBC prior to giving me dosage. Her concern is that the 6 weeks of antibiotics is taxing on the body.
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