Posted by bulldog2 on January 24, 2009, at 14:06:22
In reply to Re: Liver enzymes elevated due to Nardil --- Help?, posted by egg on January 23, 2009, at 21:02:43
> > There are a couple of things you could try. I took milk thistle (helps protect the liver against drugs) and for a while also took L-methionine (also protects the liver). I have heard that N-acetylcysteine also protects the liver but have never actually used that one since it's only available in health food places and not all of them at that. It's harder to find. But if you start on the milk thistle and L-Methionine, that should help.
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> Thanks for your response, 4WD. Have been working with a homeopath for about a month now and she believes she can get my readings down and/or get me off Nardil completely. I trust her -- and I trust the group she works with. She's an MD who chose homeopathy based on a few things (which she's alluded to but hasn't detailed). I've know about the milk thistle for awhile now -- but not about N-acetylcysteine or L-Methionine. Will pass this onto her when I see her on Friday. I am taking a few other things and having lymphatic drainage (got me some seriously swollen lymph nodes -- but this is nothing new).
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> A sort-of aside: I scheduled myself for the "liver doc's" blood tests on Monday. I think it might be best ti reschedule for next Saturday, since I have an appt with my homeopath the day before. Will pass this by my homeopathic doc via email and see what she says.
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> RE: Nardil's success (and my obvious concern). This was truly a miracle for me, given a horrible prognosis. Lots of details, too many to cite here, but certainly well known to all of us who lived with multiple PAs running and ruining our lives each day.
>
> Life has not been smooth sailing, by any means. I lost friends during the two-year period pre-Nardil(heck -- who wants to be around someone who's world is so very small), gained compassion for others in a new way and continue to do some advocacy / volunteer work, had to go through a few useless shrinks until I found one who was open-minded enough to worth with me -- and I've lived through Nardil's outsourcing (and what I believe has compromised its integrity). All batches are not the same, and that's been the case since about 2003. Working closely with one pharmacist, returning particularly offensive smelling bottles -- that's what it's taken me to keep going. I need to take entire days off, which I spend in bed, but have been able to keep such information away from those who would judge me for doing so. Stress and lack of sleep -- those days in bed are necessary. (I consider this "honoring the Sabbath" -- which is how I explain it to others ...)
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> I'm open to alternatives, as there is a good chance that so many years on this med has hurt my liver. Who knows? I ate an entire jar of peanut butter and a bag of dried fruit prior to my first blood tests, which was what got me passed onto the liver doc. The liver doc doesn't believe that what I ingested compromised the outcome, but I believe it did.
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> I have been experiencing weird headaches / neckaches for some time, and might have had a hypertensive reaction last Fall. It's difficult to tell, since I only had one full blown hypertensive reaction -- and that was within a year of taking Nardil. It landed me in the ER.
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> I've worked for many years at a computer, so head and neckaches could be a result of that.
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> I sense that Nardil worked immediately for me given a few things: the integrity of the manufacturer in the 1980s and my body's need for the stuff. Life has not been kind since then. I've often had to skirt around things and make excuses (i.e., e.g., being late for work, due to a sleep disorder that Nardil definitely makes worse). That I've been able to make rationale decisions through some very stressful situations (a fire that wiped out most of what I owned, being the primary caregiver during a parent's death) -- I mean, I feel so grateful.
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> I have never taken Nardil for granted and have feared "this day" ever since it first worked within 24 hours. I have no desire to get on a plane, I avoid escalators that are extremely steep and elevators that are open. I also can't drive over high extension bridges. Significantly open space evoke inexplicable fear in me and I end up with hysterical paralysis. I can live with these limitations.
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> My life isn't too terrific right now. A long-term friendship is ending and my job (not work) is a bit too political and much too stressful. If I can get through this I'm certainly going to look into a position that enables me to combine my advocacy work with what I'm paid to do professionally. I feel a bit more hopeful than I did yesterday, however.
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> Seeing a homeopath at this point is so odd -- I mean, I tried alternative treatments before I let go became willing to do anything to get rid of the PAs that were running and ruining my life.
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> Hope the above helps. Let me know if you want to exchange email. Have dealt a lot with the sleep problems and doubt that I'll ever be able to leave them behind completely -- and yet, I've found some tools.
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> Am necessarily editing the above as I need to be careful given my current job. I need this gig to pay for all this alternative stuff!I'm not big on alternative medicine. I've spend a fortune on treatments that didn't work. See if sam-e and nac work. Get them from a health food store. Don't eat before your blood test and do a liver retest. If you google the internet there are probably liver flush formulas. Read up on diet and the liver and see if there are foods that are hard on the liver.
poster:bulldog2
thread:825419
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090104/msgs/875839.html