What's a Castor Oil Pack?

A castor oil pack is a piece of cloth soaked in castor oil that you heat up and place on your belly then cover it with a piece of plastic and then put a heating pad or hot water bottle on top of that. You usually do it for 15-20 minutes once a day, at night before bed most typically. It is supposed to improve blood circulation and increase the white blood cell count locally.

What it definately will do is get you to slow down and relax. Disadvantages are that you end up with an oily belly right before bed and heating it up if you don't have a microwave (which I don't) can be a pain.

My naturopath had me do castor oil packs for a while. I found them to be a pain and they didn't seem to change anything -- my fibroid didn't get smaller, my cycles didn't get more normal, my basel temps stayed where they were -- I'm skeptical.

The book Sex, Lies and the Truth About Uterine Fibroids mentions castor oil packs, and that there aren't any studies showing that they work. There are studies showing they increase white blood cells in the skin area that is treated but nothing more than that. Evidently it is a traditional treatment used in many cultures.

My acu asked me to do them this Spring and I wasn't into it -- I just would use my hot water bottle to apply heat directly to my lower abdomen to keep the blood flow active in the area and left it at that.

Vitex and herb form

After consultation with my acupuncturist, I am taking a liquid vitex (chase berry) extract from Herb Pharm, they are a reputable grower of medicinal herbs in Oregon. We aren't sure if it will work for me, my acupuncturist said it doesn't totally match my pattern in TCM but was okay with a trial.

I've heard that the less processed the herb or vitamins are the better, the best being cooked whole herbs, then liquid and then prepared capsules (unless they are custom prepared for you). I think that as long as they are high quality and agreeing with you though, so that you actually take them regularly is the most important thing.

I know that it is already working for me after less than one day (amazing but true as my breasts aren't hurting any longer) and I'm looking forward to even more benefits over the next few months if I don't get knocked up in the meantime.

You think you have a plan...

When I was younger I thought I would start having children when I was 28 but then that year my partner had his vasectomy reversal. We thought we would wait until I was 30 or so before we'd start trying, then 2000 rolled around and his S/A wasn't good. We stopped using protection and nothing happened, but we weren't ready for it then anyway. Then there was 31, and 32, we'd be ready by then. Well I can't say I really felt ready when we started TTC in 2002, and only later did we find out that my body wasn't really ready yet either -- at the same time I was diagnosed with my fibroid I was told I had bacterial vaginosis. A few weeks later my naturopath told me that not only was I anemic but that I really needed to do something about it. This all in spite of regular cycles -- well at least my pituitary and ovaries still work. Then 2003 was all about research into fibroids and hormones -- and not having surgery and crying after a lot of doctor's appointments. 2004, it started out hopeless, then gradually things started to change. We had treatment planned and then we even got pg on our own -- what a surprise. This second half of the year has been about letting go, grieving, healing, changing, transformation, and recovery.

I'm 34 now and I'll be 35 in six months time. I wonder where 2005 will take me, but I'm sure that I can't possibly predict.

Preparing for surgery with homeopathy/naturopathy

I was directed by my naturopath to take phosphorus c, a homeopathic remedy, prior to having the surgery to help my body with nausea from the anaesthesia.

Homeopathic arnica was advised to help deal with the swelling and bruising. I am supposed to start taking this several days beforehand and several friends swear by it.

She also recommended Rescue Remedy from Bach's Remedies, flower essences, to help deal with the stress prior to the surgery. And Gelsemium 30c, 2 pellets as needed for anticipatory anxiety.

These "meds" are at worst sugar pills and quackery, at best they work wonders. They should not interfere with the procedure or anaesthesia and if you believe they will work then placebo affect or not they will provide you with some relief. I think I'll give them a go since I've got nothing to lose.

I will also be taking Traumogen, a vitamin supplement that helps aid the body with nutrients that aid in healing tissue.

Here are some links about natural medicine and surgery to check out:

Homeopathy and Surgery
http://www.drfeder.com/general-health/healing-surgery.htm

Surgery Recovery Program
http://www.naturodoc.com/library/surgery/surg_recovery.htm

Laparoscopy - how to prepare for your surgery
http://www.endo-resolved.com/laparoscopy_advice.html

Is Arnica montana safe to take after plastic surgery?
http://www.eclecticphysician.com/archive.php?action=Nbr&Nbr=235

Supplements I was on with my Naturopathic Doctor

The six month treatment was the change in diet, rest, reduce stress, start taking vitamins and supplements daily. The vitamins and supplements I was taking (and really you shouldn't take these on your own but only under the care of a naturopathic doctor) are:

* Simplex F (1 tablet 2x daily, all cycle long)
(http://www.standardprocess.com/)

* Spectra 305-P (2 capsules 2x daily post ovulation until start of next period)
(http://www.integrativeinc.com/)

* Lipotrepein (2 capsules 2x daily with meals, this is to help with liver detoxification)
(http://www.thorne.com/)

* Daily multi-vitamin (1 tablet daily, I buy mine at a health food store)

* Folic acid (1 drop in juice, liquid drops which was incidental you could also take tablets)

* Vit. B supplement (I wasn't good about taking this but it is supposed to help with stress, B vitimins tend to upset people's stomach's so be sure to take with meals and not on an empty stomach)

* 500 mg of vitamin C (2x daily, I did chewable tablets)

* Quercetin (this is a bioflavenoid that was discovered at the same time Vitamin C was discovered, it works and an anti-inflamatory and I was taking this for my respiratory allergies -- the activated form works as well as Allegra for me -- amazing)

For assistance finding a naturopath, this web site has links to naturopathic physicians organized by state:
http://www.advancednutrition.org/assist.htm