HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

TCM - traditional Chinese medicine - anyone?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 1/8/2011 10:43 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone tried this? How was your experience?

I asked my local CCFA chapter for a recommendation for natural treatment, been seeing Dr. Chen for ~1mo now
http://naturalmedicinedirect.com/

I spoke to a few who went to him. all positive to report. One girl I met in the lobby was in bad shape 1 year ago, Crohn's'. Now a year later, she is 100% off western medication!!! That's my goal as well.

Diet is strict, I'm home a lot, and need to brew the funky teas to drink 3x/day. I DO feel better, have more energy, though I do find myself going to the bathroom more often, especially in the AM(may be related to the morning caffeine I do daily. darn addiction).
Posted 1/9/2011 12:57 AM (GMT 0)
What tea is it? I have been pounding Green Tea (Caffeine free) and Roiboos Tea lately and have been doing great. The Chinese invented Pasta so how can they be wrong?
Posted 1/10/2011 5:11 AM (GMT 0)
well since it's Chinese, I drink the tea with my chopsticks. i kid. i kid

I don't know the exact ingredients. He did a Meridian test, looked at my tongue, and asked me a few questions(how i feel, energy, gas? smelly? #BM, urgency, etc..).. Except for the Meridian test, this is our conversation every 1-2 weeks where he changes the herbs based on this Q&A.

The tea is ~15 herbal ingredients. when I emailed the characters to Chinese friends they were unable to directly translate, just herbs. Now that I have the English equivalent , I agree, it's just herbs. Weird looking herbs..click here to view the tea:


VIEW IMAGE
Posted 1/10/2011 7:17 AM (GMT 0)
If the alternative methods I've been using didn't work, then I would try traditional Chinese medicine. My mother has Hepatitis C. Doctors told her she had about a year to live. That was nine years ago, and she is still alive and kicking today, all due to traditional Chinese medicine.

There are some herbs that can have bad side effects. So I would also check everything beforehand.
Posted 1/10/2011 7:17 PM (GMT 0)
yeah...I'd never take anything that I didn't know what it was...especially herbal and in a concoction such as you're taking..meaning MANY different ones.

Not that they don't have the ability to have you feel better.....but herbs are still "medicine" and drugs.

q
Posted 1/10/2011 9:16 PM (GMT 0)
subdued - What alternative methods have you used good or bad?

quincy - Thanks for the input, I'm no expert in western or eastern medicine/drugs/herbs. I thoroughly researched both my western and eastern doctor, they are the experts, not myself, so I trust. They'd trust my opinion in other fields.

To to best of my ability to read their handwriting and with the help of google auto-fill, this is what I am taking currently. Note no quantities are listed so I wouldn't try this on your own

radix bupleuri
rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae
radix paeoniae alba
poriaherba menthae
herba menthae
radix angelicae sinensis
radix saussureae
fructus crataegi
fructus aurantii
rhizoma phragmitis
pericarpium citri reticulatae
Herba Patriniae Seu Thlaspi
caulis sargentodoxa???
radix glycyrrhizae
Semen Armeniacae Amarum
Posted 1/11/2011 9:34 AM (GMT 0)
so with your research what do you deduce from the prescription of what it's supposed to help with?

q
Posted 1/11/2011 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
as I mentioned in the first post:
>I spoke to a few who went to him. all positive to report. One girl I met in the lobby was in bad shape 1 year ago, Crohn's'. Now a year later, she is 100% off western medication!!! >That's my goal as well.

what a great story.
Posted 1/11/2011 6:28 PM (GMT 0)
beachlife, I hope you keep us up to date on your progress and results. I am always interested in alternative treatments. I think traditional Chinese Medicine is a valid option; it has been around for thousands of years.
Posted 1/11/2011 6:28 PM (GMT 0)
That's not what I asked you..

q
Posted 1/11/2011 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
As long as it's working it's working. Whether it's the placebo affect or not, it doesn't matter as long as the side effects aren't harmful (mind you, not much can equal the side effects listed for imuran, remicade et al). I have added a Black Tea derivative to my current tea's and all is good. I might want to go get a full blood work test though If i were you to see if anything is out of whack with this treatment. If not, keep it going.
Posted 1/12/2011 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
I have been seeing someone who practices TCM for about the last 2.5 months.  So far, I am pretty pleased.  She is very interested to hear all my symptoms, asks good questions, ordered a stool test to check for pathogens (which came back positive for 2).  I am taking some herbal remedies to clear out the pathogens.  She also offered a lot of advice and counseling on diet which my GI pretty much dismissed as "it doesn't matter what you eat if you have UC, food doesn't affect it..."  To that I say "HA HA HA!")  So I'm still pretty new with the TCM approach, but so far it's working for me.  I have my next appointment tomorrow and actually looking forward to it (which I could never say visiitng my GI).

 

Posted 1/15/2011 2:15 AM (GMT 0)

beeswax said...
beachlife, I hope you keep us up to date on your progress and results. I am always interested in alternative treatments. I think traditional Chinese Medicine is a valid option; it has been around for thousands of years.

Thanks. I feel the same way. I decided to start a blog with the treatment. I wasn't able to find one myself, so I'll be the guinea pig. I wrote about my first two visits so far(not much to report up to today, except, still going....)
Here: lifewithcolitis.blogspot.com/

zucchini said...
I have been seeing someone who practices TCM for about the last 2.5 months. So far, I am pretty pleased. She is very interested to hear all my symptoms, asks good questions, ordered a stool test to check for pathogens (which came back positive for 2). I am taking some herbal remedies to clear out the pathogens. She also offered a lot of advice and counseling on diet which my GI pretty much dismissed as "it doesn't matter what you eat if you have UC, food doesn't affect it..." To that I say "HA HA HA!") So I'm still pretty new with the TCM approach, but so far it's working for me. I have my next appointment tomorrow and actually looking forward to it (which I could never say visiitng my GI).

Glad to hear it zucchini! I haven't done stool tests since my last flare with my GI. Do you know which herbs you are taking? They may give you the list if you ask. Hope your visit went well. Would also be good to know what your diet consists of. I eat a lot of beans/vegetables/proteins/carbs/water no meat. Maybe a silly question, but how bad is a pathogen? I would have thought we(those lucky to have UC) would have pathogens normally??

baconeggsyum said...
As long as it's working it's working. Whether it's the placebo affect or not, it doesn't matter as long as the side effects aren't harmful (mind you, not much can equal the side effects listed for imuran, remicade et al). I have added a Black Tea derivative to my current tea's and all is good. I might want to go get a full blood work test though If i were you to see if anything is out of whack with this treatment. If not, keep it going.

Totally Agree! Though I'd like to think I'm not paying for a placebo. But you're right, if I am, so what, it works. I've been fortunate to never need anything other than a 5-ASA Mesalamine or Prednisone. No experience with imuran or remicade. How does the black tea treat you? Any caffeine makes me go #2 BM pretty much asap. Good idea on the blood test, I'll see if he can order that next visit

Thanks for reading guys. Here's hoping we _ALL_ stay in remission forever
Posted 1/15/2011 7:53 PM (GMT 0)
I am trying to eat an all natural sort-of "back to the basics" diet.  I have the cookbook called "Nourishing Traditions" and have been using that a lot for ideas.  I have a few fermented foods that I like, and I prepare everything from scratch.  This process definitely gives me more kitchen time, but I enjoy cooking and trying new foods.  I eat lots of gently cooked veggies, plenty of fruit, fish maybe once/week, and chicken once or twice/week.  Beans once or twice/week, always presoaked for 24 hours.  Lots of eggs.  I eat a little bit of dairy in the form of yogurt or kefir and a little bit of raw cheddar cheese.  I eat very few grains (rice or quinoa mostly, and only a few times/week).  No gluten.  I was doing the Specific Carbohydrate Diet where I didn't eat any grains at all, so having a few times a week is no big deal and helps my meals feel more balanced sometimes.

What herbs am I taking?  It seems easier to tell you which herbs I'm not taking at the moment.  I have so many different herbs I really don't want to list them all. 

Basically we first did a stool sample/GI panel.  The negative things discovered were an unknown pathogen as well as C. diff and H. pylori.  So my TCM person devised this plan: phase 1 is basically to take a variety of herbal preparations to kill the bad bacteria.  Then phase 2 will be to repopulate with some new probiotics while at the same time working to repair/restore/revitalize my gut and make it super healthy.

I can never know for sure what's happening inside me because I can't see any of it happening.  But I can tell you that during the last couple of months since I have gone the TCM route, there has been obvious improvement.  That's my story and I'm sticking with it.  :)

 

Posted 1/16/2011 6:54 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't have any luck with TCM. I am Chinese myself, living in Canada. I tried TCM for my UC with 2 different licensed TCM practitioners. Neither of them could help me with my disease.
I eventually found cure in surgery. By the way, I took TCM supplements after my surgery and I had a speedy recovery.
Posted 1/17/2011 5:36 PM (GMT 0)

burnabygirl said...
I didn't have any luck with TCM. I am Chinese myself, living in Canada. I tried TCM for my UC with 2 different licensed TCM practitioners. Neither of them could help me with my disease.
I eventually found cure in surgery. By the way, I took TCM supplements after my surgery and I had a speedy recovery.

wow, sorry to hear that. But glad surgery cured you. curious, if you're cured, why still on the forum. Glad you're here. Do you remember what your diet consisted of with the TCM? Seems my TCM has a general colitis diet he recommends, which does seem to be working for me. how long did you give the TCM a try for? Everyone is different, glad surgery worked for you burnabygirl

zucchini said...
I am trying to eat an all natural sort-of "back to the basics" diet. I have the cookbook called "Nourishing Traditions" and have been using that a lot for ideas. I have a few fermented foods that I like, and I prepare everything from scratch. This process definitely gives me more kitchen time, but I enjoy cooking and trying new foods. I eat lots of gently cooked veggies, plenty of fruit, fish maybe once/week, and chicken once or twice/week. Beans once or twice/week, always presoaked for 24 hours. Lots of eggs. I eat a little bit of dairy in the form of yogurt or kefir and a little bit of raw cheddar cheese. I eat very few grains (rice or quinoa mostly, and only a few times/week). No gluten. I was doing the Specific Carbohydrate Diet where I didn't eat any grains at all, so having a few times a week is no big deal and helps my meals feel more balanced sometimes.

What herbs am I taking? It seems easier to tell you which herbs I'm not taking at the moment. I have so many different herbs I really don't want to list them all.

Basically we first did a stool sample/GI panel. The negative things discovered were an unknown pathogen as well as C. diff and H. pylori. So my TCM person devised this plan: phase 1 is basically to take a variety of herbal preparations to kill the bad bacteria. Then phase 2 will be to repopulate with some new probiotics while at the same time working to repair/restore/revitalize my gut and make it super healthy.

I can never know for sure what's happening inside me because I can't see any of it happening. But I can tell you that during the last couple of months since I have gone the TCM route, there has been obvious improvement. That's my story and I'm sticking with it. :)

zucchini - I'm amazed your TCM is allowing you to eat even a little bit of dairy. And even more amazed it doesn't give you pain. So you are following the book for recipes(thanks btw!), and this agrees with the TCM's recommendations? Great!

As of last week this is my list of herbs. We'll see if it changes today. My cough is subsiding so maybe.
radix bupleuri
rhizoma atractylodis macrocephalae
radix paeoniae alba
poriaherba menthae
herba menthae
radix angelicae sinensis
radix saussureae
fructus crataegi
fructus aurantii
rhizoma phragmitis
pericarpium citri reticulatae
Herba Patriniae Seu Thlaspi
caulis sargentodoxa???
radix glycyrrhizae
Semen Armeniacae Amarum

Headed out of town for a few days for work. Let's see how I can do this diet/tea's on the road...
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply