scared help: is it clever for me to come off my medication for a hormonal imbalance cold turkey? - Help.com

What exactly is the name of the medicine?

Then there’s no way of knowing. The doctor could be wrong or your parents could be wrong. Doctor’s live off of treating people, for example they might earn money off the medicine or doctor visits, while your parents might care more about you. But your parents may not have the same medical expertise. So there’s no real way of knowing.

If you find out the name of the medicine it would be really easy to look up and not worry about.

You need to tell us the medication, or else any advice we give you is kind of useless.

It’s Chinese herbal stuff not stuff given by a medically trained doctor and they NEVER tell you what is in it. Could be dandelion tea mixed with nettles for all you know. It’s a load of herbs and probably really expensive to maintain. I’ve tried Chinese herbs for my problems and they didn’t work for me and they were very expensive so I stopped. They kept telling me you will get better. I did after suregery.

I wouldn’t be too worried about it. Go to your doctor re the hormone thing. You can regulate via diet or via tablets. No need for this.

It is never a good idea to come off of any medication cold turkey. What is the name of what you were taking? Don’t you have any idea at all?

Before I go to any alternative doctors/practictioners I like to be diagnosed by a medical doctor. Were you diagnosed by a medical doctor for your ‘hormonal’ imbalance? Have you tried Western medicines for this?

mysteriousmystery wrote:
*Bi Wan Gan Wan

Every site I saw on the net (I browsed a few) said this is something to defeat the symptoms of hayfever or allergy-based rhinitis — which makes some sense, to have an herbal remedy to allergies, since such allergies are often caused by “herbs” (plants”), so it’s like a vaccine goes against viruses. Nowhere in there is any indication that this helps with hormone balances or that tapering off would be helpful. The only relevant advice on that I saw said it’s supposed to be a short term thing in the first place. Maybe it would help you to do some reading yourself. I’m not saying your doctor is wrong, but you have to be first and foremost responsible for your own health in this life, so it can pay to learn things.

Anonymous wrote:
It’s Chinese herbal stuff not stuff given by a medically trained doctor and they NEVER tell you what is in it. Could be dandelion tea mixed with nettles for all you know. It’s a load of herbs and probably really expensive to maintain. I’ve tried Chinese herbs for my problems and they didn’t work for me and they were very expensive so I stopped. They kept telling me you will get better. I did after suregery.

I wouldn’t be too worried about it. Go to your doctor re the hormone thing. You can regulate via diet or via tablets. No need for this.

Anonymous, Doctors of Oriental Medicine are highly trained, and many of them come from a long line of doctors in their own family, using medicines (herbs) that have been in the repertory for thousands of years. In addition, Chinese herbs are not expensive – and certainly not in comparison to most Western medicine. Besides that, they are safe. Herbs work. They work with the body, not against it. And such doctors treat the body as a whole, not just giving pills to trick the body or to suppress symptoms. I have found them very effective when I have taken them.

mysteriousmystery wrote:
thats what i think…. they claim that its having a placebo effect on me and that i cant be on it forever..

I don’t think any good Chinese Doctor would expect you to be on an herbal formula “forever.” The goal is to get you well.

It is better not to take hormones. Especially artificial synthetic ones.

Muffsy: There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking synthetic hormones. While it’s popular in advertising to claim that ‘natural’ is better for you this isn’t always the case.

OP: I’d say since this was a herbal remedy and not prescribed, I don’t see a problem in you discontinuing taking it. I am also curious like an above poster as to whether or not you have been diagnosed with a hormonal imbalance. If you have, you should be seeking proper hormone therapy rather than paying for Chinese herbal remedies that aren’t proven to be effective. Just my 2 cents :)

☯Minerva☯ wrote:
Muffsy: There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking synthetic hormones. While it’s popular in advertising to claim that ‘natural’ is better for you this isn’t always the case.

How do you know?

☯Minerva☯ wrote:
OP: I’d say since this was a herbal remedy and not prescribed, I don’t see a problem in you discontinuing taking it. I am also curious like an above poster as to whether or not you have been diagnosed with a hormonal imbalance. If you have, you should be seeking proper hormone therapy rather than paying for Chinese herbal remedies that aren’t proven to be effective. Just my 2 cents :)

Chinese herbal remedies ARE prescribed.

Chinese herbal remedies ARE proven effective.

Just my 4 cents …

Also, Mysterious Mystery … since Oriental Medicine uses herbs to nudge the body to change, rather than overriding the body, I think that stopping abruptly is okay … you’ll just revert to your previous state. As opposed to stopping some Western drugs abruptly, which can throw you into a difficult situation physically & mentally. But really, why not inquire of your Chinese doctor?

For the record in the UK the costs of seeing and getting Chinese medicines is around £30 a week which is around $45.00 (US).

If the ranter has been medically prescribed as having a hormonal imbalance there could be serious consequences which could result in having to have major surgery. How do I know, because I know someone with an hormonal imbalance getting ready for major surgery. Serious conditions MUST be monitored by Western medically trained doctors who are regulated by the State.

If the ranter has period pains or gets PMT, that’s considered minor/common. If however it is self limiting i.e. she can not get out of her bed, she is likely to murder someone, there are many Western medical remedies that work and will be available to her, if it is deemed that serious by Western medicine.

I think actually that YOU are the “ranter.”

But to the poster, I agree with Anonymous that there’s a difference between major & minor hormonal imbalances, and it is a good idea to seek the opinion of a Western doctor also. Or at least a diagnosis.

I disagree that there’s necessarily any difference between “Western” and “Oriental” medicine, and that one would be natural and safe. For example, the Wikipedia article on Ma Huang states that has been an important Chinese medicine for 5000 years. Efedra, we sold it in various forms at a place I worked, and I got more scared comments about that than any other product, because it is dangerous and habit-forming. Even if a doctor with a lot of wisdom prescribes it, it has strong effects on the body that can’t be denied. Some of those effects include quickly solving certain health issues, but with a longer term cost.

Muffsy wrote:
I think actually that YOU are the “ranter.”

They aren’t.

To the OP: If you wish to come off any medication, it is best to talk to the prescribing physician and take their advice on how to come off of it. Most doctors will usually give you a titration schedule to help you wean yourself off the medication.

I definitely agree about Ephedra. I took 1/2 of a pill someone gave me once, and my heart started beating really fast. I doubt that an Oriental doctor would give it in a strong dose, or without accompanying herbs. I was glad that “something” told me to break the pill in half.

This is from a previous rant.
http://help.com/post/531901-im-feelin…
today i went to see my Chinese doctor about my Chinese herbal medicine that i was taking to help with my depression, anxiety, stress etc. (a hormonal balance thing).

You really NEED counselling more than anything. I think you should go to your doctor and talk to them about your issues with depression, anxiety and stress and try to get medical support. These issues are not necessary hormonal i.e. internal factors there may be external factors that are also affecting you such as how other people behave and how you react to it. The support you need may not be medicine i.e. tablets, teas etc it may be in the form of counselling to help you think through issues effectively with your friends, family etc. You can get better and you need a way to get better that is sustainable and not reliant upon anybody. I think you need counselling to get you there. Please check this out and soon.

[quote Anonymous]This is from a previous rant.
http://help.com/post/531901-im-feelin…

This is what I meant, Daft Puck. Anonymous is referring to the OP as a ranter. I don’t see anything here that could be called “ranting.” I haven’t read her other post ..

Muffsy wrote:
[quote Anonymous]This is from a previous rant.
http://help.com/post/531901-im-feelin…

This is what I meant, Daft Puck. Anonymous is referring to the OP as a ranter. I don’t see anything here that could be called “ranting.” I haven’t read her other post ..

What’s the difference between an OP and a ranter?

“Ranter” is derogatory.

Muffsy wrote:
“Ranter” is derogatory.

Is it? I thought, it referred to the person making the post.

Dear MysteriousMystery, or OP

This is from a previous post

http://help.com/post/531901-im-feelin…

today i went to see my Chinese doctor about my Chinese herbal medicine that i was taking to help with my depression, anxiety, stress etc. (a hormonal balance thing).

You really NEED counselling more than anything. I think you should go to your doctor and talk to them about your issues with depression, anxiety and stress and try to get medical support. These issues are not necessary hormonal i.e. internal factors there may be external factors that are also affecting you such as how other people behave and how you react to it. The support you need may not be medicine i.e. tablets, teas etc it may be in the form of counselling to help you think through issues effectively with your friends, family etc. You can get better and you need a way to get better that is sustainable and not reliant upon anybody. I think you need counselling to get you there. Please check this out and soon.

Try exercises like Tai Chi, Pilates and Yoga, great for stress, for PMS and for uplifting you. Also look at getting help with diet, certain foods are to be avoided near your periods such as chocolate.

Coming off the medication gradually will give your body more of a chance to normalise itself effectively, and you will experience less withdrawal effects. Quitting cold turkey may be quicker in the long run, but if this medicine does have a real effect on you, it is likely to be a lot more unpleasant. Listen to your doctor, he’s spent however many years of his life training for a reason!

mysteriousmystery wrote:
avoid chocolate? i usually like to eat chocolate to help me feel better. why us chocolate bad… my pmt has been slightly more relaxed i think since ive been taking vitamin B and cod liver oil supplements…. before it was really bad as in scary bad

It’s best to avoid neat chocolate before your periods as it aggravates PMS. You can get your choco fixes by eating things like chocolate mouse or chocolate drinks but eating neat chocolate before your period is supposed to aggravate PMS. The advice is to go for starch based carbohydrates such as rice, pasta and avoid high sugar based carbs during the 4 days before your due. Try eating pasta and rice dishes and avoiding neat chocolate before your next period and see if it makes a difference. And of course it goes without saying, eat your veg and fruit…. You can eat chocolate but avoid it 4 days before your next period to bring down the PMS symptoms. Works for me.