blood test results and change in supplements

Went to my BioSet practitioner today, and got some blood test results back.

First of all, my Day 3 FSH is only 9, and my Day 3 Estradiol is only 28.  Yippee!  The FSH is actually a little lower than a year and a half ago, when it was 9.6, and it’s been a long time since we did the Estradiol but I think it was about the same last time.  So this is good justification that I am not crazy to think that I can still potentially have a baby with my own eggs.

My DHEA is fine at 139 (normal is 25-220). Some fertility centers have older women take very high quantities of DHEA to help with egg quality, but a small dose (5 mg every other day) seems to be keeping me in the good zone just fine. In the winter I had switched DHEA to a more absorbable kind and it messed up my period timing, which makes me think that I don’t need any more than I’m taking.

The other two things on my test were for Candida antibodies, which were really high (it should be under .8 and I am 1.7), and for Ferritin, which is better than last year (20 vs 10) but still a little low. My BioSet practioner thinks that the Candida is blocking absorption, which is why I need to take so many supplements (with all the iron I take my Ferritin really ought to be higher).  She also thinks that the Candida and the dampness it causes in my body is a significant contributing factor to the fibroids, and that it will be hard to get rid of them until I get rid of the Candida. She is giving me some new stuff to fight the Candida, and when I’m in Japan (leaving on a one month trip next week) I need to eat as little sweets, fruit, and rice as possible (won’t be easy!).  When I'm back, she would like me to continue with the Body Ecology Diet and/or the Specific Carbohydrate Diet as much as possible.

On the topic of Candida, found these interesting articles about Candida and TCM
this one talks about it being a spleen issue, and suggests eating daikon radish
this one talks about fibroids, and the importance of a low carbohydrate diet
this one talks about liver connection, and includes B supplementation as something to do (see below)

Even though I have been taking various things to address the Candida, it hasn't been enough.  Fortunately my practioner suggested something new, a kind of homeopathic" vaccine" against Candida, called Candida Albicans Series Therapy from Deseret Biologicals.  She has just started using it recently and has had excellent results with it.  She also is upping certain of my B's -- Riboflavin (one tablet from Whole Foods daily), and a special blend called P5P (50 mg daily) because she says the Candida is eating them all up and I need more.

I am also going to be adding three herbal infusions, recommended by the Mayan abdominal massage practitioner that I saw.  She has studied with Susan Weed, and this is one of her things.  This page explains how to make them.  The three herbs I will be using are nettle, mugwort, and oat straw.  This page talks about using nettle infusions for fibroids.  Mugwort, as described here, is used in Ayurveda for congealed cold conditions of the lower abdomen, like fibroids.  Oatstraw is not traditionally used for fibroids per se, but is a good overall strengthener it seems (see info here).  The practitioner says that she hopes that eventually the infusions can replace some of the supplements I am taking.

Also, the fermented cod liver oil checked out well (see discussion in prior post), will do one teaspoon per day.  (Cod liver oil really helped this woman with fibroids, by the way)

Also, based on reminder about it from blog reader Ginae in the past couple of days, looked at the Pau D'Arco and it checked out well on the BioSet.  No time to order the tincture, instead am getting the tea and since I will be eating out a lot during my trip I am going to carry the teabags in my purse.  Pau D'Arco is helpful for both fibroids and Candida, so two birds with one stone on this.  Thanks again Ginae!

Meanwhile, still taking a lot of stuff, but have cut back a bit fortunately.  Here is the current list.

Hortenses's Female Formula. 1/4 of a dropper per day  -- for cleaning out the uterus
Kanchanar Guggulu. A traditional Ayurvedic herb. -- it helps thyroid and lymph and dissolves kapha accumulations in the body.  Note:  The Banyan brand was not a good match for me, so I am sticking with the more difficult to obtain Organek brand.  Fortunately I am down to just 2 tabs per day.
Inositol (600 mg 3 times per day) -- for liver
BioSet brand enzymes -- Lymph/Immune and Nose & Throat (two of the lymph and one of the nose, twice a day)
Essiac tea -- since I am traveling, taking in capsule form now, three per day -- for detoxification and tumor shrinkage
Healthforce Nutritionals VitaMineral Green and Vitamineral Earth, 1.5 tablespoons of each per day --detoxing and superfood
1.5 tablespoons of hemp seeds once a day -- fiber and protein and healthy fats
Vitalzym 3 capsules twice a day (although waiting for the next shipment) -- systemic enzyme to dissolve fibrin
1 nattokinase twice a day -- systemic enzyme to dissolve fibrin
3 Inferfase Plus twice a day -- enzymes primarily for candida
Tegreen green tea extract, 2 per day -- antioxidant and fibroid fighter
Solaray dandelion, 1 per day -- detoxification
X-FLM antioxidant supplement, 1 per day -- antioxidant
Vital Immunity supplement, 3 per day (includes broccoli seed concentrate, milk thistle, Indole 3-Carbinol, and DIM so it's great for dealing with excess estrogen)
Standard Process Calcium Lactate 4 per day -- bone health and mineral
pure encapsulations NAC 900 mg 1 per day -- detoxification
COQ10 150 mg per day -- cell vitality
Calcium d-glucarate 2 per day -- good for dealing with excess estrogen
Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega, 2 per day -- good fats
Biotics Research Aqueous Chromium, 2 drops per day -- trace mineral
Biotics Research Bio-D-Mulsion, 1 drop per day -- Vitamin D
NOW Red Mineral Algae, one per day -- Calcium, Vitamin D, trace minerals
Thorne Siliphos, 2 per day -- liver support
Thorne Methyl-Guard, 1 per day -- special B vitamins needed because of my MTHFR status
Whole Foods Chelated Zinc (also includes copper), 1 per day -- mineral
Florastor, one per day -- probiotic
FOS, one per day -- prebiotic
Pure encapsulations DHEA, 5 mg one every other day -- egg quality
Whole Foods Vitamin C with Bioflavonoids, 3 per day -- detox, antioxidant support
Priority One Magnesium Orotate, 2 per day -- mineral
Priority One Calcium Orotate, 2 per day -- mineral
Juice Plus Vineyard Blend, 2 per day -- general nutrition and bioflavonoids, esp folate
Pure encapsulations Phosphatidylcholine, 4 per day -- fat metabolism
Theramedix DGX, 3 per day -- digestion support
Pure encapsulations Black Currant Seed oil, 2 per day -- good fats
Pure encapsulations Ultra Nutrient, 2 per day --general multivitamin and mineral
Metagenics Hemagenics, 2 per day -- blood support/iron
Folgard iron supplement, 2 per day -- iron