Self-Treatment for Illnesses: Be careful

I am to blame for this as well. I believe we all are - especially given the easy access we have to over-the-counter medications, the desire to help our peers, the desire to seem knowledgeable and the sincere desire to save money in this horrid situation of our current healthcare system.

Yet yesterday in clinic made my eyes wide with understanding the importance of seeking advice from a trained, caring and knowledgeable physician.

Patient yesterday came in complaining of bloody stools, vomiting mucous and longterm parasite infections. Longterm meaning for 11 years plus. How did she know she had parasites? Her naturopathic doctor did muscle testing and she tested 'positive' for them. What kind of crap is that? I love natural medicine and am going to become a naturopathic physician as well but come on. Let's use lab tests, proper history taking, physical exams and medical equipment. Not muscle testing. It is naturopathic doctors [ND's] like these that give the rest of us ND's a bad name.

So that same doctor prescribed some nasty parasite killer which is recommended to be used only for 10 days maximum. The patient continued it for 3 months, self-prescribed colonics every week and did some month long fasts. Hardcore.

She saw us yesterday in despair. She still feels horrid even after she has purged and killed parasites. I bet.

She completely overburdened her liver with the prescription based anti-parasitic that she got somehow. She also poisoned herself by using potent anti-microbials such as wormwood and black walnut for months on end. Constant weekly purging of the bowels with colonics flushes out good and bad bacteria and creates an atonic bowel over time.

Her body has responded by producing voluminous amounts of mucous. So much in fact that she is vomiting handfuls of mucous each day. Why is her body producing so much? To protect what's left of her intestinal wall from the damage caused by her received and self-prescribed treatments.

It is a wonder she was even walking.

Why did she do all this self-medicating?

• numerous doctors failed to hear her out and determine what the true cause of her issue was.
  
• desperate in wanting to regain health.
• low income
• did not receive professional information from a qualified alternative physician.
• sought advice from friends and the internet about parasite killing
  

The good news is that she will improve with our treatments. It took only 1 hour for us to determine the proper course of action for her.

It has taken her 20+ years of self-medicating, inattentive physicians and a ton of money.

If you feel you are not being listened to by your physician - you have every right to seek another.

Doctors are not gods. Doctors are human with medical training. That's it. Find one who has the right medical training for your situation.

If your current doctor does not have the knowledge to improve your health, there is another who does. Believe me on this. Some physician out there knows and understands what you are going through. It may not be easy to find them. Yet not looking or trying to find them will not get you anywhere either.

Self-medicating will put you in this patient's shoes. And they are not fun shoes.

Massive internal hemmorhoids, bloody painful stools, full body rashes, likely fully inflammed colon, vomiting mucous each day and depressed. While your symptoms may be different than hers, I trust that they will not be fun.

Do not self-medicate in despair. Try to find a caring and effective physician. They are out there.

If you are in despair and have tried 'everything', you are more than welcome to email me a question. I cannot and will not give you treatment advice but I may provide information and point you in the right direction.

I wish you well.

Be safe.

In health,
Ben