My Journey - Part II

.... I had considered seeing a Naturopathic Doctor for awhile but a few years prior, their presence was very limited in the DFW area. I started to do some research again and found that the number of NDs in the metroplex had suddenly multiplied.

I had some experience in my past with what I call holistic practitioners. They are not necessarily doctors or educated in conventional medicine, but they approach health from a holistic view, and start at a basic level to determine the underlying causes of symptoms. Previously, I was able to use their guidance to help correct my immune function. NDs generally have the same philosophies but they are trained and have a 4-year doctorate degree.
 
I narrowed my search down and spoke to one of the local NDs. The main downfall to using a ND is that they are not covered under health insurance...so all costs are out of pocket, but thankfully, this ND was reasonable compared to most. The good thing about her was that she was very thorough so she took all of my medical records and tests, prior to our appointment and was able to get a good idea of what regimen to prescribe. Prior to seeing her, I went to an Endocrinologist to get a battery of tests. That was definitely a good move because I found out about my Vitamin D deficiency which is something most people of color are deficient in (that's a separate post ;-)..and the ND was able to better understand what my hormone levels looked like.

In between me finding out about the fibroids and seeing the ND, I found a ton of information on the internet about them. All the different kinds, what potentially causes them, and how they are treated. I found multiple sources saying that excess estrogen (and progesterone) causes them to grow but nothing really definitive as to why they develop in the first place.

As I delved into what the cause might be, I asked my mom about her history because I knew she had a hysterectomy after I was born, and after she had a miscarriage. She tried to describe her reproductive ailments, which she had alot of, but I'm not sure they were fibroids. However, she was very young (21) when she had me and when she had her hysterectomy so I imagine if she had them, they were not noticeable at that point in her life. With all her medical history, part of me also started to think there was a genetic factor to them developing too.

So back to the ND...At my first appointment she focused on several things that would not necessarily shrink the current fibroids but that would keep them from growing and that would potentially keep more from developing. The main thing was a liver cleanse. Our liver is what detoxifies our systems and rids our bodies of excess hormones (ie estrogen). That extra estrogen floating around  that our liver can not cleanse out, can wreck havoc on our systems, especially if there has been estrogen dominance/hormonal imbalance for years. And there are so many sources of estrogen - meats, dairy, hair products, food containers, etc...not to mention the other pollutants that tend to disrupt our normal hormonal functions.

To aid my liver detox she prescribed a blend of supplements, as well a a special diet that excluded refined sugars, wheat, caffeine, and dairy...basically anything that might taste good! The diet focused on veggies, beans/legumes, fruits, & whole grains. It actually had some pretty tasty recipes that I will have to share in another post.
 
To aid the cleanse, I also had to do 3-4 hours of cardio a week, and there were two more supplements, plus a tea that I was to take.
I have to confess I am poorly disciplined when it comes to "diets" so I think I only stuck with the dietary restrictions for 2 weeks, but I continued on with the supplements and saw alot of improvements in my symptoms. Over the next year, I did not see a doctor to actually see what the fibroids were doing.
 
I found a new OB/GYN and scheduled an appointment. On my second appointment, I saw the stenographer who I was very thankful for..she actually talked to me and told me what she saw!

(Check back for Part III, coming soon....)

P.S. If you have any question about the specific supplements I was prescribed or any questions about the details of the regimen I was on, feel free to post a comment or send me a message.