Essential Oils?

[Fidelia]

I have had some health issues for years. I think that it has to do with leaky gut, tired adrenals, liver overload, thyroid and lymphatic drainage and has resulted in several autoimmune conditions.

Before going on thyroid meds, would like to see what I can do with diet, exercise and anything else to affect the numbers and how I feel as thyroid meds are not a magic bullet, don't deal with the root cause, and have side effects like osteoporosis and hair loss.

I have friends who rave about essential oils and I I also have seen them avoid both anti depressants and antibiotics by using them. I am still skeptical, but think it stands to reason that different plants have useful properties. I also feel that a lot of western medicines serve as a bandaid but don't address what started the problem. I've kind of exhausted the help I can get from our medical system. However, I do worry thst the higher quality oils are a bit of a scan price wise and this is a bit of a fad.

Does anyone have experience with this? What is your opinion?

 

[á´…eparted]

As a chemist, it's my duty to point out that medications are not a bad thing, and avoiding them for fear of side effects is not always a worthwhile aim. If you take a medication, and it proves to give unwanted side effects, you can stop taking it and that's that. I assume you have, but I would also talk to a doctor about sorting this out. If they are saying try thyroid medication for having symptoms of thyroid problems, then the sensible thing to do is try medication and see if it alleviates the problem.

Your best case would to talk to a lisencsned dietician and see what they have to say about this to aid in your physical ailments if you want to go the essential oil route.

Much of this sounds in the same vein of homeopathy, which is something I can't condone.

 

[Norrsken]

I definitely agree with [MENTION=20829]Hard[/MENTION], go see a dietitian or a nutritionist after you get a proper diagnosis from a physician first. While I am growing wild over the natural organic lifestyle, I do understand that there still is a lot of merit to the medical community, and a lot of doctors are getting hit over the head unfairly by the new wave of gluten-free vegan flower children and that just needs to end.

 

[highlander]

[MENTION=7111]fidelia[/MENTION] are you under stress?

 

[Fidelia]

Here's the deal. I've been to countless specialists for a very long time. I have celiac disease and Reynaud's. I test normal for thyroid but have every symptom of low thyroid out there plus a strong family history. This province won't do further thyroid tests if theTSH isn't out of whack. I went out of province to see an endocrinologist as the waiting list here is five years. He said he figured that it was low thyroid despite the test judging from the antibody count and my symptoms.

He gave me a prescription. However, he cautioned me that going on meds even as a trial means my body will quit producing the thyroid hormones on their own that they are now and encouraged me to research it for myself to feel sure. I am certainly not suggesting just following hokey stuff but with many friends and family members actively involved in the medical system, I am very aware that it is the patient's job to inform themselves and advocate for themselves and that often drs are less informed than the people they are treating as they do not always have time to do the same kind of research.

I really trust and respect the endocrinologist. He cautioned me that in almost all cases, osteoporosis does develop with use of thyroid meds for 20 years. I'm young enough I'd like to stave it off unless it is necessary. I also have researched and interviewed many people on the meds and have observed that it neither fixes the underlying autoimmunity issues, not does it just fix the symptoms. There is need for constant adjustment.

I have been sick for over ten years and am looking into any avenues that will lighten the load, as my ability to even work is hanging in the balance. Despite having gotten many blood tests and seen many specialists, the whole picture is not being addressed. I am not interested in most alternative therapies due to expense and lack of regulation. However, I don't think researching possibilities while I pursue addition medical info like t3 and t4 testing can harm me.

I already have been prevented from taking thyroid meds for over 15 years so a few months is not going to change anything.

 

[Fidelia]

[MENTION=8936]highlander[/MENTION] Tons. I'm working on that too. Pretty much every area of my life is causing stress and I realized I often ignore how low my emotional tank (and physical energy) is till I'm totally out of gas. I've got places to talk but at some point am pretty much cried dry and discussing the things that are frustrating or disappointing isn't enough to give relief. I need more that replenishes the reserves.

I'm working to carve out more time to exercise, develop skills, pursue friendships that are stimulating and reciprocal and pay more attention to building in spiritual disciplines as well.

 

[highlander]

Tons. I'm working on that too. Pretty much every area of my life is causing stress and I realized I often ignore how low my emotional tank (and physical energy) is till I'm totally out of gas. I've got places to talk but at some point am pretty much cried dry and discussing the things that are frustrating or disappointing isn't enough to give relief. I need more that replenishes the reserves.

I'm working to carve out more time to exercise, develop skills, pursue friendships that are stimulating and reciprocal and pay more attention to building in spiritual disciplines as well.

What do you think is causing the stress in your life?

 

[highlander]

I do know someone who swears by essential oils but am personally skeptical. If I were you, I think the side effects of the medication you are talking about would cause me to seriously question what I would want to do. Maybe what I would try to do is to seek to reduce the stress in my life and change my diet. This is an off the cuff answer though and I'm not really educated on your conditions.

 

[kyuuei]

An interesting conundrum here. I'd definitely be in the boat of avoiding the thyroid medications for now. You're right, the TSH will stop being produced in your body, and if it's technically there in enough quantity right now it could be that you aren't taking in enough.. (i.e. the parts of your cells that receive the hormone are not taking as much as is available) and in which case, as of right now, flooding your body with more COULD help.. but you'd really have to guard against osteoporosis, particularly if that runs in the family as well. It's possible to guard against, but it takes dedication.. weight lifting, and taking in adequate a-d-k-c + general physical activity.

Certain medicines can impede absorption as well.. antiacids with aluminum, calcium, and iron supplements are all common female supplements that can impede absorption of levo as well.

EO's will not help with this unfortunately. Maybe feeling uplifting via a good smell, but honestly you don't need EOs for that, a cheap candle or perfume will do the trick just the same. People have had success with less invasive things like light therapy.. I'd also check to see if you're getting enough iodine (most of the time people are but you never know)..

The reality is, almost anything touted to cure many things almost certainly cures nothing. I'm not going to say I don't believe in the mental aspect of feeling helped with things.. but medicine is medicine. Any EO is not going to help what you've got going on. And EOs tend to sometimes interfere with real medication as well, which people don't even realize when using them. I'd pass on the EO craze right now.

 

[Tellenbach]

Try a naturopath.

I recently read a book called "Medical Medium" that claims leaky gut is actually excess ammonia from eating too much protein and the solution is a glass of fresh celery juice a day and cutting down proteins to 1 serving/day. No idea if it'll work, but if all else fails, it's worth a shot.

 

[Fidelia]

This next while I don't have work, so I've decided it is a good time to start paying attention to building new habits. I eat pretty clean but under stress drink coke and I realize that it's time to say goodbye to that habit. So after school is done next week I'll have a bit of emotional wherewithal to get on that track. Circulation and lymph stuff seems to be an issue and I have very serious edema, cellulite (almost overnight), steady weight gain even when eating carefully, swollen vocal chords from edema etc. Chronic inflammation, skin breakouts (never had acne in the past). So I have a rebounder, am doing dry skin brushing, epsom salts baths, and lots of walking. During summer I will add stretching and weights.

As to sources of stress:
Family, career, constant pain from sprained ankle and back injury, student in an abusive home, nieces and nephews that are not being parented and who will end up with us but only after its too late to do much, dad who appears to be declining mentally but sees no problem, extended family relationships, shifts that make my back up ways of making a living obsolete, car accident, and more....

 

[ceecee]

I know it sounds nuts - but fecal transplant? Your leaky gut/Colitis/IBS...this seems to help more than any meds, kind of amazing. I know they have medical trials for fecal transplants and autoimmune conditions as well.

 

[Fidelia]

I would kill for that but it's not available anywhere that I know of. I took too many antibiotics during university. Makes a difference for weight control too.

 

[Thalassa]

Have you tried to stop eating processed food and animal products, or at least decrease them dramatically and only consume organic eggs, for example?

 

[Fidelia]

I eat very little processed food. We get farm eggs that are organic. I dislike meat but am short on b12 due to malabsorption so must eat some. I drink a lot of bone broth. I don't drink milk. I juice a lot of vegetables.

 

[ceecee]

I would kill for that but it's not available anywhere that I know of. I took too many antibiotics during university. Makes a difference for weight control too.

I think you are in Canada, yes? I know the treatments are currently only used for c-diff but the studies are so compelling for other areas of disease. Maybe clinical trials?

Fecal Therapy - Crohn's and Colitis Canada

 

[Fidelia]

Yes I am! I'll investigate further!

 

[MisterNi]

[MENTION=7111]fidelia[/MENTION] Wait, are you sure you don't have IBD? You have a lot of the same symptoms I do when I have a Crohn's flareup but I control flareups with... don't judge me with alcohol and cortico roids if alcohol isn't working anymore.

Also, essential oils are great in aiding digestion but probably not a solution to a leaky gut; works great with frequent constipation though, I also agree with ceecee that a stool bacterial transplant would work wonders; same with taking probiotics or eating something fermented like yogurt and cheeses.

 

[Fidelia]

I'm eating sauerkraut and kefir and yoghurt. Also bone broth and okra. Cutting down on sugar.

My guts don't feel like ibd. Much better since going off gluten.

I wouldn't consider essential oils for leaky gut but I wondered if it could aid slow thyroid and fatigue.

 

[MisterNi]

Yes, some blends do aid with a slow thyroid which leads to a constant general sense of fatigue. You should give it a shot, might work for you.