Homeopathic or Functional Medicine Treatments

[Pinecone7288]

Before you answer with some major bias, hear me out.

1.) Has anybody had success with a Functional Medicine Doctor in keeping their Chron’s Disease in remission?
2.) Has anybody had the same success with remission with a Homeopathic Doctor?
3.) Has anybody heard of others who have done natural remedies to treat their Chron’s succesfully or unsuccessfully?
4.) Are there any herbs, supplements, or non-drug treatments that have helped you successfully treat your Chron’s?
5.) What are your major reasons for not trusting a F.M.D. Or homeopathic doctor for treating Chron’s? (Give extensive reasons)

I’ve heard of other people on this forum treat their Chron’s Disease with natural herbs & remedies. If their claims are true then maybe there is an alternative to strong drugs for Chron’s treatment. If their claims are false, then we are back to square 1 with respect to mass research of herbs for human IBD treatment.

A good example of why I ask: I plan to visit a alternative/functional medicine doctor today, and they have testimonials of people having their UC (ulcerative colitis) put into remission. So, does anybody on this Chron’s Fourm have information to share? Any objections? (FYI: I have Chron’s)

 

[Delta_hippo]

Acupuncture didn’t help me
Neither did organic diet, steroids, azathioprine, 6mp. Infliximab (remicade) dropped my blood inflammation (crp) from 90 to 2 in one infusion but caused a lot of side effects - feeling weird, fever, massive rash, racing heartbeat and chest pain- so I stopped after 3 doses. Entyvio kept me limping along for a good year or so but never got intestinal inflammation anywhere near normal (briefly dropped to 450 on double dose but back to off the charts at the next test. It’s supposed to be less than 50 in normal folk).
Currently on stelara plus follow the ibd-aid diet mostly but not strictly and also use some herbal tea and supplements suggested on a medical herbalist website (r j whelan) and take vit d and k2 and fish oil and turmeric at night but low dose as I got bad anaemia last year and turmeric can block iron absorption. I also take Quinton isotonic which was recommended to me by a vet and a daily probiotic.
I am still a shadow of my former self but functioning enough to manage the basics - part time work, being a mum. Last intestinal inflammation result was 140 something which is the lowest it’s been since Crohn’s attacked in 2017. I have aggressive rather than mild disease.
My approach is copied from the guy who used to run team sky if you are into cycling at all- if you can find ten things that each make 1% improvement then you’ve got 10% improvement. I don’t know what percentage each thing I do adds but I do everything that might help as I want to be as functional as possible for as long as possible.

 

[Scipio]

I don't begrudge any Crohn's patient relief from his/her disease however they achieve it. If it works, great. So if you want to try supplements and herbs, knock yourself out. But I strongly recommend that you take the supplements in addition to, and not instead of, proven pharmaceutical therapies prescribed by a skilled and experienced GI.

The reason why is that Crohn's damage to your gut is cumulative. You have only a limited amount of time to experiment around with ineffective cures before the damage from repeated Crohn's flares builds up in your gut sufficiently that you suffer a fistula and/or you are forced into surgery to remove a shredded and dying length of bowel. Preserving your gut successfully enough to avoid surgery and fistulae should be a major goal of every Crohn's patient's strategy. But you've got only so many shots at it before really bad things start to happen. So don't waste your shots with thngs that are very unlikely to work.

It takes years of careful experimentation to determine whether a given treatment actually works or not. This is especially true of Crohn's - with its episodic nature it's easy to mistake a normal lull between flares that was going to happen anyway as a positive response to the last pill or diet you tried. With proven medicines, years of research have already been done for you. With herbs, supplements, and other assorted "alternative" approaches you are mostly on your own.

 

[Pinecone7288]

I have spoken to 4 doctors since being diagnosed, 3 of them GI's. I asked them, what if I went to a homeopathic Dr? They both pretty much said, they will end up seeing me down the road when it's really bad. Supplements have helped some people, but they should not be the foundation in your care. I know this forum is very pro-alternative medicine and when you're desperate you want something to help. Anyone who is claiming herbals or supplements worked for them is A.) lying B.) Selling something C.) Never had CD to begin with and/ or was misdiagnosed D.) Had an extremely mild case or E.) Extremely rare and/or lucky. Most of us are not that lucky. It's not worth wasting your money. Go to different GI's and get opinions.

I have spoken to 4 doctors since being diagnosed, 3 of them GI's. I asked them, what if I went to a homeopathic Dr? They both pretty much said, they will end up seeing me down the road when it's really bad. Supplements have helped some people, but they should not be the foundation in your care. I know this forum is very pro-alternative medicine and when you're desperate you want something to help. Anyone who is claiming herbals or supplements worked for them is A.) lying B.) Selling something C.) Never had CD to begin with and/ or was misdiagnosed D.) Had an extremely mild case or E.) Extremely rare and/or lucky. Most of us are not that lucky. It's not worth wasting your money. Go to different GI's and get opinions.

I wouldn’t mind talking to multiple GI doctor’s to get an opinion, but since I have one already, how do I find more to talk to?? I wouldn’t know.

 

[Pinecone7288]

I don't begrudge any Crohn's patient relief from his/her disease however they achieve it. If it works, great. So if you want to try supplements and herbs, knock yourself out. But I strongly recommend that you take the supplements in addition to, and not instead of, proven pharmaceutical therapies prescribed by a skilled and experienced GI.

The reason why is that Crohn's damage to your gut is cumulative. You have only a limited amount of time to experiment around with ineffective cures before the damage from repeated Crohn's flares builds up in your gut sufficiently that you suffer a fistula and/or you are forced into surgery to remove a shredded and dying length of bowel. Preserving your gut successfully enough to avoid surgery and fistulae should be a major goal of every Crohn's patient's strategy. But you've got only so many shots at it before really bad things start to happen. So don't waste your shots with thngs that are very unlikely to work.

It takes years of careful experimentation to determine whether a given treatment actually works or not. This is especially true of Crohn's - with its episodic nature it's easy to mistake a normal lull between flares that was going to happen anyway as a positive response to the last pill or diet you tried. With proven medicines, years of research have already been done for you. With herbs, supplements, and other assorted "alternative" approaches you are mostly on your own.

Gotcha, how much time you think I have before it gets worse? Or is that a question for the GI doc? Or is that a subjective answer? I don’t want to waste my time either.

 

[kiny]

Be careful with herbs, many herbs act as anticoagulant agents, they delay wound healing, which is very dangerous when there is an open intestinal wound.

 

[Scipio]

Gotcha, how much time you think I have before it gets worse? Or is that a question for the GI doc? Or is that a subjective answer? I don’t want to waste my time either.

How much time you have is variable. It depends on how aggressive your particular case of Crohn's is and how long you had it before you got diagnosed. Based on symptoms I'm pretty sure I had Crohn's for at least 10 years and may more than 15 years before it was diagnosed.

 

[Bufford]

I find that both herbals and chemicals such as immunosuppressants work initially but all wear off at some point. The one that helped me most recently is Turmeric, but don't take it long term. Long term use, beyond a year I developed atrial fibrillation of the heart forcing me to quit. Turmeric long term use risks include problems with iron uptake and blood thinning. I still use turmeric when I flare and it helps some, but I go off of it when things calm down. Life style, such as following diet and exercise, along with controlling stress is the best way for me to control symptoms.

 

[Pinecone7288]

I find that both herbals and chemicals such as immunosuppressants work initially but all wear off at some point. The one that helped me most recently is Turmeric, but don't take it long term. Long term use, beyond a year I developed atrial fibrillation of the heart forcing me to quit. Turmeric long term use risks include problems with iron uptake and blood thinning. I still use turmeric when I flare and it helps some, but I go off of it when things calm down. Life style, such as following diet and exercise, along with controlling stress is the best way for me to control symptoms.

I don’t mean to be redundant but do you really believe most herbs eventually wear off? I read your Turmeric example but I am surprised about “natural” herbs eventually becoming “ineffective“. It reminds me of food that no longer works, only herbs are not food of course.

 

[Pinecone7288]

Be careful with herbs, many herbs act as anticoagulant agents, they delay wound healing, which is very dangerous when there is an open intestinal wound.

Can you give an example off of the top of your head? If you know an example it may save time.

 

[my little penguin]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6459456/Study on herbs that may cause bleeding to be worse

 

[Pinecone7288]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6459456/Study on herbs that may cause bleeding to be worse

Bleeding?! I’ll read that article later(life busy atm) thank you MLP.