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Tuesday, June 21, 2016

A Guide To Begin Shrinking Fibroids While You 'Watch and Wait'

                                                    
 
  

      Hearing from a Doctor that you have something wrong with your body is sufficiently distressing. However, for a majority of women who receive the words "uterine fibroids" as their diagnosis, they are clueless as to the what the heck they are, let alone how they developed, and how to get rid of them. Oddly enough, I am surprised by the alarming amount of women that suffer with fibroids and the lack of newsworthy information that one may hear about the subject.
I hadn't heard about fibroids until I was diagnosed. None of the elder females in the family ever referenced it as 'something to expect' as I got older. In essence, many of us females don't have 'Uterine Fibroids' listed in our life's playbook, as opposed to childbirth and Menopause. Conveniently, the occurrence of fibroids comes smack dab in the middle between the birthing years and the cessation of menstruation. How fun!

     Although it is difficult to account for the exact number of women that currently suffer from uterine fibroids in the U.S., the amount of hysterectomy procedures performed can prove as an indicator. According to the Fibroid Registry, .."(..These symptoms are the most common indication for hysterectomy in the United States, accounting for 30-40 percent of all hysterectomies, or 150-200,000 hysterectomies annually.3 At least 34,000 myomectomies—surgical procedures in which only the fibroids are removed—are performed annually (data obtained from the NIS online query system)."  It is most unfortunate that so many of these hysterectomies are performed, when in fact, many well renown medical professionals have professed that not all hysterectomies are necessary. In other words, a hysterectomy is not the only solution to getting rid of uterine fibroids. There are other less invasive surgical procedures, as well as non-surgical, holistic strategies for treatment, however the jury is still out on how thorough  Gynecologists are(overall) in informing their female patients with fibroids of other options besides a hysterectomy for fibroids.

                                      
       The ORACLE Protocol© for Shrinking Fibroids

     After speaking with many women across various Social Media sites over the last four years, there are a high percentage that have echoed the following consistent complaints after being diagnosed with uterine fibroids, or once they have been told to 'Watch and Wait' with asymptomatic fibroids:

Complaint - "My Gynecologist(s)......."

1. ....said the only thing I could do to get rid of the fibroids was to have a hysterectomy.

2. ...didn't explain much about the fibroids, or why I might have them. He/She just said that I was"at   that age".

3....wasn't to keen on my getting a second opinion (but wasn't adverse to the idea, either).

4. ....didn't ask me about my diet, lifestyle, stress factors, any other possible medications I may be taking, didn't seem to take much time/interest in me.

5. ...didn't ask me about hereditary factors (if my Mother or other close relative had fibroids).

6. ....was very quick to recommend a hysterectomy.

7. .....did not mention other minimally-invasive procedures for which I may be a good candidate.

8. .....did not endorse my interest in seeing a TCM/Ayurvedic/Integrative/Naturopathic/Holistic Practitioner.

9. .....did not do any testing with hormones, thyroid/adrenal glands, iodine levels, Vit D3 levels, etc.

10. ....could not suggest anything 'natural' to do to assuage/eliminate fibroids.


The listed complaints above do not reflect the behavior of all Gynecologists when the medical situation/diagnosis involves uterine fibroids, and come from a considerable percentage of women based on their shared experience.


      After I was diagnosed with fibroids, I also shared some of the same complaints above. Extremely heavy periods and an increasing belly is what prompted me to go to the Gynecologist. I thank God that I had no pain! After hearing the fast-talk into a hysterectomy (due to the large size, 16 cm), my head starting spinning with the medications she mentioned I had to start taking, then the time off I needed from work, then the cost, I was a wreck when I left the office, and just sat in my car shivering out of fear of surgery, and pissed that she couldn't suggest any other method of treatment.
(After seeing two other Gynecologists, one six months later, the other eight months later, having been told the same as the first and the push for a hysterectomy, I was more pissed than anything; I saw the same pattern with three different Doctors!

     I made a personal decision to do the 'Watch and Wait' method (Expectant Management Therapy), and going au naturel  with strategies to heal. I strongly believed that I could find and implement means that would heal my body.  Personal research and education, trial and error, using myself as a human guinea pig to test the effects of certain supplements and herbs, and listening and sharing fibroid experiences with a lot of wonderful women prompted me to begin this blog, and share. Over time, I discovered that I was working in a pattern with all of the things I was doing to heal my body. The pattern resulted in The ORACLE Protocol©.

      The ORACLE Protocol© highlights 14 aspects that need to be addressed so that healing of fibroids can begin. When opting to heal without surgery for uterine fibroids, it may take some time, as well as  treading through a variety of paths while on the Fibroid Healing Journey.  However, a woman must deal the trade-offs made with every healing option considered, in  addition to doing some things differently than what one may have been accustomed.


 (See progressive shrinking of my fibroids here)
 
                  The ORACLE Protocol©

14 Comprehensive and Effective Steps to Begin Healing Uterine Fibroids During Expectant Management/Watch and Wait Therapy                       

                                     
Guide Outline:
                                                                
  • Observe - Be aware of changes/symptoms you experience.
  • Opinion - Talk to more than one Doctor, explore Holistic/Naturopathic/Ayurvedic Practitioners
  • Record -   Maintain a diary of symptoms/ailments, and changes that you notice over time.
  • Research - Find out all you can about Fibroids and treatment options.
  • Ask Questions - Harass (if need be) your Medical Professional(s) about Fibroids
  • Affirm - Don't allow Fibroids to get you down - know that you can heal, remind yourself daily
  • Act - Try natural remedies (first) for at least thirty days to see if changes/shrinkage occurs
  • Consult - Talk with other women who have had successes with Fibroids, other Doctors
  • Listen - Get in tune with your body, and give it what it craves (certain foods, exercise, etc.)
  • Learn - Identify what works for you, your schedule, your lifestyle that is best for you
  • Laugh - Always take time to enjoy yourself and others, laugh as much as possible.
  • Eat well - Discover how you should eat to promote healing from within
  • Exercise - Stimulate your circulation and your body parts with routine movement
  • Exhale - Do deep breathing exercises throughout the day
  • Express - Do what you want to do, and what you do best - take control, release creative energy



     The Oracle Protocol© is not an 'overwhelming' guide book, but it is detailed with important information and options that Women who do the 'Watch and Wait' therapy for uterine fibroids should know, to begin healing/shrinking fibroids naturally. Unfortunately, in many cases, Gynecologists don't share this information. Instead, they steer us towards a hysterectomy, or other surgical procedure that only temporarily alleviates the fibroids. When they grow back, we are subjected to a repeated discomfort of having a second or third surgical procedure.


      I encourage every woman with non-threatening fibroid symptoms to try the Oracle Protocol© before deciding to have surgery. As one may begin to see results from natural efforts, surgery becomes unnecessary.
 
 
 
 
    Happy Health!
 
         K

Sunday, April 17, 2016

The 'Watch and Wait' Method For Large Fibroids DOES Work....with ACTION.


       This blog post is written to offer a  counter-perspective to another Blogger's post I had come across while doing some research on Expectant Management (the 'Watch and Wait' therapy) of uterine fibroids.  The article is  written under the title 'The 'Watch and Wait' Method For Large Fibroids Doesn't Work' by a female who eventually opted to have a procedure done to relieve her of  fibroids and extreme symptoms.  In all fairness, she did the 'Watch and Wait' Method for some time after being first diagnosed, but didn't experience any positive effects on her fibroids - as a matter of fact, symptoms got worse, and the fibroids continued to grow.  In addition, she had done research and talked with other Doctors/Medical Professionals before making her decision to have an  LAAM minimally invasive fibroid removal technique.

     As Females with Fibroids, we all have similar, but different and unique journeys we course through as we seek out ways to improve the symptoms from these 'manifestations' (fibroids) that evolve and attach to our power source, the uterus.

 My journey was similar, but different from the woman cited above, and I did the 'Watch and Wait' Method to shrink large fibroids - it worked for me by being proactive....take a look:




       This picture was taken a few weeks after being diagnosed with Uterine Fibroids in 3/2011.  Heavy menstrual flow, as well as an increasingly swelling abdomen is what led me to the Gynecologist's office.  I was told to have a hysterectomy almost immediately (due to the size), but wasn't given any other options to consider.  Before consenting to such a drastic procedure, I went home and did some intense research. The total mass measurement of my fibroids was 16cm, the size of a 4-month fetus.
           




  This photo was taken in 10/2011 after deciding to explore the option of Acupuncture. My body was receptive to the therapy within the first two weeks, and I continued weekly sessions for 18+ months.
 You can see that my belly is not as far over the elastic of my underwear. With the Acupuncture, results of decreasing the large fibroids were evident.


     This photo was taken in 10/2013. By this time I was in the 18th month of having Acupuncture. It was convenient, affordable and effective for me. Results were very gradual, but you can notice the continued reduction of the fibroid mass. 





      This picture shows the results after almost 2.5 years (end of 2013 - beginning of 2014) of trying to shrink my fibroids. At the time of this picture, I had just recovered from a bad cold. For about a week, I consumed nothing but herbal teas, water and fruit juices. I added this photo because I noticed the fibroid mass beginning to get softer. Although I lost about 10-12 pounds, there was rapid reduction in size of the fibroid at this time.



     This picture was taken on February 25, 2015. My fibroid masses have disappeared on the left side, and the one on the right (view of photo) has diminished from the navel area outward. However, the mass is still detectable by touch, although much smaller, and a little "pouch" is right at the top of the lip of the tights. I have also gained  about 10 to 12 needed pounds (both fat and muscle) around the hips, thigh and buttocks area. 


  

 This picture was taken the day of this post, 4/2016. Shot from the right side to show a steadier decrease in the remaining mass on the right side, my lower abdomen is beginning to align with minimal protrusion. I also lost a bit of the weight that I had gained since the beginning of the year due to emotional pain and stress suffered after loss of my dear Mother on March 27, 2016. In spite of it, the fibroid mass continued it's gradual decrease. I continued to drink tons of water (many times with lemon), and only ate once a day. Within the last week have I jumped back to eating two complete and balanced meals during the day, while including mixed fruit  or a tossed salad (with or without mixed nuts) in the late evenings.
 
  
 
 
This pic was taken this morning after working out. Over the last five months, I have amped up my workout routine to include yoga and using essential oils in aromatherapy (frankincense). In addition, to break up the remaining fibroid(s) that give me the little bulge in my lower abdomen, I have implemented using castor oil packs for 45 minutes before going to bed (three days on, three days off, begun on 9/11), and doing uterine massages in the morning before breakfast. 
 

The results I've experienced show that over time, "the 'Watch and Wait' method for large fibroids does work. However, once more, I had to be proactive to see results. What my fellow Blogger may have missed with not getting results  may include a few things:

1. She may not have sought out, researched or tried additional natural alternatives from Holistic/Naturopathic Professionals (as opposed to solely working from the advice of her Medical Doctor).

2. Due to her ever-increasing symptoms, pain and growth of her fibroids, she was open to an allopathic* means of getting rid of her fibroids.

3. 'Patience is a virtue' - her patience may have run out.

4. She (or her Doctor) were obviously not aware of the Oracle Protocol for Shrinking Fibroids©.


*Western Medicine - A system in which medical doctors and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists) treat symptoms and diseases using drugs, radiation, or surgery. Also called allopathic medicine, biomedicine, conventional medicine, mainstream medicine, and orthodox medicine.


      What I have learned while going through my Fibroid journey, is that there are many paths that one treads to get to the prize - shrinking, then eliminating the fibroids.  Also, every woman has to find which paths work. Sometimes she has to change directions, go back to a path fore-travelled, and/or  jump back and forth between two or more paths, simultaneously.  Just as Doctors have difficulty figuring out why women get uterine fibroids in the first place, the strategies to heal them are just as difficult to determine.  However, a hysterectomy is not the only option for uterine fibroids. If a Gynecologist tells you that, seek another opinion, and tell him/her to check out my proof!

      There is no 'one size fits all' remedy that can be applied to all women. Unfortunately, if you want to heal yourself of uterine fibroids naturally, you may have to include several options over a period of time to see results. As my situation with fibroids only included initial discomfort (excessively heavy periods and distending abdomen), the lack of pain greatly influenced my decision to resort to natural alternatives instead of having a highly suggestive resolve offered  by three different Gynecologists during a two-year period  to have a hysterectomy.  I just couldn't believe there was nothing I could do to rectify my uterine fibroids without having surgery. I'm so glad I followed my uterus!!  It led me to figuring out how to listen to it, and give it what it needed. When we establish a relationship with our bodies/body parts, we become attuned to a certain vibrational level that puts our brains and bodies in sync with the principles of healing - it takes practice, and patience.


      Although I have been on my Fibroid Shrinking Journey for about 5 years, I have had success without having a hysterectomy, or other invasive procedures. The strategy I used/use is what is known as the Oracle Protocol for Shrinking Fibroids©, which incorporates sound practices with diet, exercise, stress relief, spiritual nourishment, herbal/vitamin supplemental assistance, and maintaining a positive attitude. All of the aspects of the Oracle Protocol contribute to, and promote hormonal balance** (over time), which is the "golden" key to shrinking/dissolving uterine fibroids.

**estrogen dominance

     It is unfortunate that when a woman is doing Expectant Management for uterine fibroids, the course of (in)action is to just 'watch and wait', and do nothing else. Doctors don't offer any suggestions about what can be done during this time period that can help the situation. Women, in essence continue on their same life-style schedules with no alterations, and the fibroids may bring about worse symptoms, and/or an increase in size. The Oracle Protocol for Shrinking Fibroids© addresses healthy, natural strategies that can be implemented to bring about improvement.  Personally, I believe it should be included as a complement to Expectant Management of fibroids, instead of just watching and waiting. The protocol promotes ACTION, based on what causes fibroid formation:
  1. Estrogen dominance
  2. Internal toxicity
  3. High Stress (physical, psychological, emotional)
  4. Hereditary factors
  5. Imbalanced diet
  6. Smoking/alcohol/drug use
  7. .....in addition to several other secondary factors        
 
 
Re-phrase of title: 

With the Oracle Protocol©, the 'Watch and Wait' method for large fibroids DOES work, as a result of ACTION.

                   I watched, I waited, and I ACTED to shrink my uterine fibroids.   



!!!!!!!! P S: There are certainly times that surgery is needed for uterine fibroids. Please seek as much medical feedback about your diagnosis from a variety of Health Professionals before making a decision to have surgery.  The latest consensus within the last 10+ years from many Doctors has been that thousands of hysterectomies performed yearly in the U. S. due to uterine fibroids are NOT needed - make sure yours is absolutely, unequivocally a necessity, depending on your symptoms, risks of a compromised uterus/Uterine Cancer, and current quality of life.


**Check out the outline/steps for the Oracle Protocol© here.


Happy Health!


K