First Let's Eliminate all the Doctors

[Back Again]

That subject line is normally about lawyers, and a four-letter word is used instead of eliminate.

I had an AFib attack in February with severe tachycardia (heart beating more than 150 beats a minute) so I let my guard down to get it under control. I had two heart doctors who said I had no choice but to take the medication they prescribed in order to slow my heart rate. They also insisted I take two blood pressure medications. I usually take no medication for anything.

But my blood pressure kept going up and on Oct 8 it was 185/116. Heart rate 69. Time for the emergency room, the doctors said. No, I told them, it is time for me to reduce my blood pressure naturally. It won't work, they told me. But I know that Western doctors receive essentially no training about nutrition and how it affects the human body. Medical school is to train them to dispense drugs. As many drugs as possible.

So on Oct 12 I put myself on a pure plant-based diet. I have eaten nothing but fresh vegetables and fruit and whole grains and legumes and nuts and seeds. At the same time I began to wean myself off the beta blocker and the diuretic. Six days later on Oct 18 I was completely off the medication and my blood pressure was 94/69. Heart rate 63. On Oct 20 my blood pressure was 79/65. Heart rate 48. Blood pressure readings have remained in that range, even dropping to 76/59 with heart rate of 56.

I keep a written log of every blood pressure and heart rate reading. I also take pictures of them with my iPhone. Someone needs to train the doctors about how nutrition affects blood pressure and heart rate. But they won't use the information to help their patients because it is not within the standard of care. They will just continue to kill them with poison drugs.

Its a shame. But it will continue like this as long as the drug cartel controls the medical school curriculum. But Ping knows I am right and she supports my decision.

[Barfus]

Similar thing happened to me. Went to my usual in-network corporate family physician doctor a few years ago for my rushed 8 minute physical + bloodwork. Cholesterol came back high and he immediately suggested prescribing statins.

I went to another physician who I see on and off. This physician is cash-only but I got a 30-minute appointment with him for a second opinion + bloodwork + 10 minute follow up call (for $170). He spent 15 minutes asking me about diet, lifestyle, stress, my work etc. He suggested that I lose 25lbs through smaller portions, substantially cut back the amount of beer I drink, and walk an hour every day. 3 months later my cholesterol was much, much better and a year later it's now "normal".

Some days I really hate what medicine has become in the US.

[randy w]

Be careful with the beta blockers and the blood pressure. I took beta blockers for 20 years to control my blood pressure. In May, 2019, they took me off them because of kidney damage, and "venus insufficiency in the lower extremities". Circulation was restored, but I didn't improve. In January, I had a couple of "I've fallen and can't get up" incidents. I was hospitalized, and flat on my back for 3 months. They found a lumbar infection, for which they sliced me open, sprayed some WD-40 and Lysol in there, and banged on things with a little ball pien hammer (just kidding, but I did have surgery). I'm still in a wheel chair, but getting around MUCH better now.

The timing and length of time it's taking to recover suggests to me that it was a form of Guillain-Barré syndrome, induced by the beta blockers. The doctors here don't have any further suggestions, other than to take it to Beijing or Guangzhou, where they might have better diagnostic equipment.

I'm content to just let it heal. The length of time and steadiness of the recovery seems to suggest that it'll be a full recovery, even though it's taking a LOT longer than I would have thought.

I'm at a disadvantage here, since everyone ELSE speaks in Chinese.

Anyway, I'm glad no one here is telling me I have "no choice", but I think you need to keep an eye on your circulation.

[Barfus]

Be careful with the beta blockers and the blood pressure. I took beta blockers for 20 years to control my blood pressure. In May, 2019, they took me off them because of kidney damage, and "venus insufficiency in the lower extremities". Circulation was restored, but I didn't improve. In January, I had a couple of "I've fallen and can't get up" incidents. I was hospitalized, and flat on my back for 3 months. They found a lumbar infection, for which they sliced me open, sprayed some WD-40 and Lysol in there, and banged on things with a little ball pien hammer (just kidding, but I did have surgery). I'm still in a wheel chair, but getting around MUCH better now.

The timing and length of time it's taking to recover suggests to me that it was a form of Guillain-Barré syndrome, induced by the beta blockers. The doctors here don't have any further suggestions, other than to take it to Beijing or Guangzhou, where they might have better diagnostic equipment.

I'm content to just let it heal. The length of time and steadiness of the recovery seems to suggest that it'll be a full recovery, even though it's taking a LOT longer than I would have thought.

I'm at a disadvantage here, since everyone ELSE speaks in Chinese.

Anyway, I'm glad no one here is telling me I have "no choice", but I think you need to keep an eye on your circulation.

Could you take a quick trip to the US (once covid finally blows over) to get a second opinion here?

[DocMartin817]

good information
Thanks
Marty

[randy w]

Be careful with the beta blockers and the blood pressure. I took beta blockers for 20 years to control my blood pressure. In May, 2019, they took me off them because of kidney damage, and "venus insufficiency in the lower extremities". Circulation was restored, but I didn't improve. In January, I had a couple of "I've fallen and can't get up" incidents. I was hospitalized, and flat on my back for 3 months. They found a lumbar infection, for which they sliced me open, sprayed some WD-40 and Lysol in there, and banged on things with a little ball pien hammer (just kidding, but I did have surgery). I'm still in a wheel chair, but getting around MUCH better now.

The timing and length of time it's taking to recover suggests to me that it was a form of Guillain-Barré syndrome, induced by the beta blockers. The doctors here don't have any further suggestions, other than to take it to Beijing or Guangzhou, where they might have better diagnostic equipment.

I'm content to just let it heal. The length of time and steadiness of the recovery seems to suggest that it'll be a full recovery, even though it's taking a LOT longer than I would have thought.

I'm at a disadvantage here, since everyone ELSE speaks in Chinese.

Anyway, I'm glad no one here is telling me I have "no choice", but I think you need to keep an eye on your circulation.

Could you take a quick trip to the US (once covid finally blows over) to get a second opinion here?

No - I'm confident that taking me off beta blockers was the cure. I'm still on long term anti-biotics for the infection, so that is covered as well.

I'm not interested in being tested for spinal surgery, dementia, MS, Parkinson's disease, etc., etc. I believe I'm healing, albeit slowly.

The best medical advice for my condition seems to be things like "Eat more broccoli and less salt. Lie down with your feet slightly elevated." So I don't think I'd be better off in the US, except possibly for long term therapy.

The real advantage, though, in going to the US would be that I would talk to the doctors directly, rather than through a translator (my wife). But I'm satisfied with how that has worked out.

[Back Again]

They forgot to use duct tape, Randy. Surely that would have helped.

They also prescribe calcium channel blockers, which are even more dangerous than beta blockers. But there are a few medical doctors who will tell you that magnesium is the body's natural calcium channel blocker. It does exactly what the body needs to control the calcium and has no side effects except diarrhea if you take too much too quickly, but I found two magnesium supplements that don't cause diarrhea and I take 1.500 mg daily in order to restore my magnesium levels, because at our age, about 80% of us have very low magnesium levels and that causes many problems in our bodies.

You might check out the website of Carolyn Dean, M.D. because there is a lot of information about how magnesium heals the body. She is a recognized leader in the field about magnesium. I don't use her magnesium supplements because I found one I like better. Made by Jigsaw in an 8 hour extended relief capsule and at a far better price that Dean's foul tasting liquid supplement. I stagger the doses throughout the day to help avoid the laxative effect.

There is also plenty of anecdotal evidence that a plant-based diet will restore your kidney function, even for people who had reached the dialysis stage of kidney failure.

Good to hear you went down a better road, Barfus. Statins are also killer drugs and cholesterol is easy to control naturally, as are all diseases of affluence. We can either kill ourselves with the food we eat, or we can heal ourselves with the food we eat. The choice is ours. Everything I learned was from medical doctors who use nutrition and not drugs to heal the body and I know it works because I used my own body as a way of testing their advice. They have written books about it and have lots of great information on their websites. Joel Fuhrman, John McDougall, and Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. are leaders in this field and their medical credentials are impressive.

[amberjack1234]

Good to hear all of this. I may try some myself.