Hernia Solutions - before and after surgery
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 2:03 pm
My website is: GoNaturalHealing.com - - - - - - PLEASE SAVE THIS
I am an affiliate for Amazon and I would very much appreciate it, if you would place your Amazon orders from the Amazon banner on my site. Click on the Amazon banner and it goes to your Amazon page with all your usual information. You can order anything and the earnings help support my site - so far, not much, so PLEASE HELP.
This is in answer to request for info on treating Hernia on May 24, 2018.
The first part explains how I dealt with problems caused by the inguinal hernia along with my long standing IBS before I had surgery.
The second part explains my experience after Hernia surgery with Mesh in May, 2018. That was actually the 2nd hernia surgery, the 1st one was a few years earlier and there was a recurrence. This time the same doctor installed a larger mesh, so, hopefully I am covered for good.
I did not have much difficulty recovering from the 1st surgery which was robotic. My methods were about the same then as now. But I do not know how anyone could go thru this without my knowledge of natural healing and Homeopathy. The 2nd surgery was done from the outside (not robotic) and now 6 months out I am still dealing with the effects and struggling a bit.
For example, last evening I had a very poor appetite and only ate a light soup. I just didn't seem to want any kind of food. Then I was experiencing throbbing pain in my left chest and down my left arm - not good. I took a dose of Kali Carb 30x and several more doses in water about 15 minutes apart - it is for this kind of pain and also for threatened heart failure. I have never had any heart problems, but I honestly though, this could be it - maybe I should be going to the Emergency. The Kali Carb helped a little, but still in some pain.
Then I toke one dose of Phosphorus 1M - It is sometimes a good fit for me, tall, slender, somewhat fit mentals, with anxiety about heart, pain in chest and fit rectal and stool symptoms. Helped a little. Few doses of Graphitis 30c usually helps me with elimination - helped a little.
Finally decided this looks like Cantharis, took 30x and more doses in water - for violent inflammations in the whole gastro-intestinal canal, acute bladder irritation (which I believe is caused by the mesh), including pain in chest and antidote to vinegar. I had had some apple cider vinegar with honey and pomegranate juice for SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) the day before - it cured that but apparently set me up for this inflammation problem. Bingo, Cantharis is restoring normalacy. I did have a dose of Natrum Sulph 30x and a dose of Argentum Nitricum 12c.
And then I ate very well and am eliminating well (always a challenge for me) and got my energy back and feel very much relieved. The chest pains were caused by bottled up gas, imagine that.
Hernia
Apparently due to the hernia, I seemed to have lots of symptoms – likely due to Ileocecal Valve Syndrome (IVS) which may be the cause of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Candida. I used to think it was Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) with alternating constipation and diarrhea, but maybe the IVS and SIBO is a better explanation.
SIBO is an acronym for “Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth” - an excess of bacteria in the small intestine. Bacteria naturally occurs throughout the digestive tract. But in a healthy person, the small intestine has fairly low levels of bacteria. Bacteria should be confined to the colon.
The small intestine is the longest section of the digestive tract. Here the food intermingles with digestive juices, and the nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. If there is SIBO, mal-absorption of nutrients, especially fat-soluble vitamins and iron can become a problem.
If there is good balance, the bacteria in the small intestine and colon helps digest foods. The body then absorbs essential nutrients.
However, when bad bacteria invade, and takes over the small intestine, we will likely have poor nutrient absorption of SIBO, and symptoms commonly associated with IBS. The bad bacteria can even back up into the stomach causing indigestion with pain and burning and possibly nausea and vomiting. Damage to the stomach lining is likely, and, if left unchecked, ulceration may result.
With SIBO, the food passing through the small intestine encounters the bad bacterial overgrowth. The bacterium of the SIBO actually eats some of the foods and nutrients needed by the body. So, now we lose some nutrition. And, as bad as that is, these bad bacteria also discharge their waste, not good. There is the source of unpleasant symptoms, including gas, bloating, pain and burning.
Treating SIBO with antibiotics may be temporarily helpful, but there is high relapse rate, not to mention serious side effects. This is a chronic condition, and antibiotic treatment will likely result in worsening and /or other chronic conditions.
SIBO can be cured, but it takes lots of patience, perseverance, change in diet and lifestyle. SIBO needs a healing diet and some foods should be avoided until the gut flora is restored to normal balance. We will know when we reach that normal balance, because we will feel well..
Common symptoms of SIBO and IBS include:
Nausea Bloating Vomiting Diarrhea and/or constipation – ya, can be both at the same time. Malnutrition Weight loss Joint pain Fatigue Rashes Acne Depression
In order to get an elimination with my sluggish colon, I have to go to great lengths and, at the same time I have to protect the stomach – the stomach is the seat of one’s power. I eat a lot and, if I don’t go every day, my stomach will not feel right. I can’t afford to let that happen.
Ya, but sometimes the stomach gets affected anyway, either from being over-acid, or too much fruit or other conditions.
Over acid – usually caused by too little stomach acid to properly digest the food in the stomach. The food is retained in the stomach for too long and begins to ferment. More stomach acid is eventually secreted, but by now the mucous lining of stomach and duodenum becomes eroded a gastritis or duodenitis is developing. Also see article over-acid.
This has been a long-standing condition and may have gotten worse with the hernia.
I have difficulty maintaining good acid-alkaline balance. Years ago, I used to avoid citrus or anything acid, but that would leave me open to liver congestion and give me severe headaches. Then I discovered that I could gradually add lemon or lime back into my diet and the natural decongestant effect would resolve most of my congestion and headaches. I have done quite well mostly with lime on my salad and limade to drink. A friend was always having congestion problems, and would go for Chinese herbal treatments. But the Chinese herbs were so strong that she would be sick for days. I finally got her to stop over-cooking her vegetables and to have some citrus fruits and drinks, which she had been avoiding. Now she is fine.
However, I do have a tendency to over-do things, and so it is with the lime. When I have had too much citrus:
Phosphoricum Acidum 12c is helpful. Sometimes on going to sleep at night or on trying to wake up in the morning, I get a feeling of a common acid debility, which produces a nervous exhaustion. My symptoms will match most, but not all, of the symptoms listed for Phosphoricum Acidum in the Homeopathic Materia Medica: first mental debility with difficult concentration, and later physical, stomach symptoms from sour food and drink, crave juicy things, thirst for cold milk, distension and fermentation in bowels, apathetic, indifferent, thinking difficulty, confused, could have headache, pain in eyes, back, limbs, aching in umbilical area, loud rumbling, distension with fermentation, painless loose stools, anxious about frequent urination, weakness in chest, great debility, sleepy, chilly or slightly hot, worse exertion. For me the key sometimes is slight itching between fingers or on hand or rumbling after lime drink with no thirst (with thirst, the remedy would likely be Arsenicum 30c - or Arsenicum 30 may follow well, anyway)
These are symptoms of Phosphoricum Acidum 12c . I take 12c potency, several doses in water for this condition - bears repetition. I find that I can effectively treat this condition while I sleep or as I am waking up.
Amazon identifies this as "Homeopathic Medicine for Concentration", also for "premature grey or falling hair", but it is for so much more - and offers potency's of 6c, 9c, 12c, 30c, 200c, 1M.
You can see many positive Amazon customer reviews for Phosphoricum Acidum 30c for ADD. Quotes from reviews: "I feel more focused then I ever have! I admit I was skeptical and figured it wouldn't work, but I was wrong!" 5 stars. "I have ADD and this remedy has calmed the chaos every time." 5 stars.
Remedies for irritable bowel and constipation are described elsewhere on this site. However, I feel that there are some remedies that are particularly pertinent to my hernia problems and worth mentioning here.
Remedies I used during Hernia condition: Plumbum Metalicum 30c:
For general sclerotic conditions, progressive muscular atrophy affecting mainly extensor muscles, reduced number of red corpuscles, constrictive sensation in internal organs, depression, delirium alternating with colic, hair dry, optic neuritis, central scotoma, gums swollen, blue lines at margin of gums, contraction in esophagus/stomach, gastralgia, colic, abdominal wall feels drawn by string to spine, intussusception, strangulated hernia, obstructed flatus with intense colic, stools hard, lumpy, black, with urging and spasm of anus, impacted, chronic interstitial nephritis, tenesmus, dry skin, dilated veins, hands/feet cold.
Causticum 30c:
Chronic rheumatic, arthritic and paralytic affections, tearing & drawing pains in muscular and fibrous tissues, contracted tendons, burning, rawness, soreness. intenesly sympathetic, jaw pain, vision impaired by film, middle ear catarrh, re-echo in ear, ear wax, stuffy nose, acid dyspepsia, soft , small, narrow stool, impacted, cough with raw soreness of chest, warts, drowsy, nocturnal sleeplessness. Complementary: Carbo Veg, Petroselinum.
I frequently derive great benefit from taking Plumbum and Causticum together - I put both in a small bottle of water, shake and sip several times. Many symptoms including my vision, elimination and impacted stool are greatly helped.
Complementary to Causticum: Carbo Vegetabilis 30x (vegetable charcoal): Indigestion - spicy food or other, I chew KyoGreens tablets first with water, then take Carbo Veg. Frequently Needed - Tablets best - not diluted, repeatable. SIMPLEST FOOD DISTRESSES, belching, fullness, stomach pain, burning, digestion slow, flatulent colic, hot, bad-smelling flatus, sleepiness, maybe cough, cold below knees, cold feet. Lowered energy - low arterial tension - finger-tips indent on pressure. Imperfect oxidation, sluggishness, chronicity, never recovered from effects of previous illness, blood stagnates, bacteria grows, icy coldness, debilitated, patient may be almost lifeless, wants air. Complementary to Carbo Veg: Kali Carbonicum, Drosera
Kali Carbonicium 30x or 30c (Not used, if fever):
Sharp, cutting or stinging pains, sweat, backache, weakness, hypothyroidism, tendency to bloat with water in tissues, irritable, sensitive, dry hair, eyelid swollen, stuffed nose, crusty, sour belching, nausea, anxiety felt in stomach, feels full of water, epigastric pain to back, old chronic liver troubles, large difficult stools with hemorhoids, cough with stitching pains, heart symptoms, weakness in small of back, pain from hip to knee or in knee, skin burns,
B-12 Injections:
Most helpful are my B-12 injections which I self-administer every week to 10 days. The doctors tell me that I have already high levels of B-12 on tests, but without the injections I become unable to digest effectively and lose my appetite. Without it nothing else works. So, I insist on having a prescription for the injectable. I’ve done this for 40 years, ever since an old former, army doctor prescribed it for me, and I could see how greatly effective it was. I also do take the sub-lingual and it helps a little, too. The more effective sub-lingual is Jarrow Methylcobalamin + Methylfolate , and that is what I use, as opposed to the usually used cyanocobalamin. B-12 is the largest and most structurally complicated vitamin, includes the physically, rare element, cobalt. It is involved in the metabolism of every cell of the human body, in DNA synthesis, and in both fatty and amino acid metabolism. It is critical for function of the nervous system and production of red blood cells. I do not eat a lot of animal products, main source of B-12, and may also have impaired absorption, so that may explain my considerable need for B-12.
Chronic Disease Treatment
Hahnemann says that chronic diseases need special treatment:
Symptoms of the Group must be considered, not just the individual. Deviates from Homeopathic Law of Similars. Not all chronic patients have all symptoms. Some symptoms may be hidden, but still there.
“Chronic diseases arise from dynamic (active) infection by a chronic miasm” – Samuel Hahnemann
Miasm is a bodily force that creates predisposition to certain illnesses - our susceptibility. Long before modern science identified genetically-linked diseases, Hahnemann noted that some families developed certain illnesses, illnesses that were related to each other. Even if family members did not have same diseases exactly, their illnesses shared similar characteristics and patterns.
We now know that miasms are caused by certain illnesses that impact the genes with a marker for susceptibility that is passed down through the generations. All humanity and animals are affected by one or more miasms, which can be either active or dormant. Healthy lifestyle tends to keep the miasms dormant, unhealthy encourages miasmic activity.
Samuel Hahnemann, MD, the founder of Homeopathy, identified psora as oldest, most widespread non-venereal miasm in humanity - and pattern for all other miasms. He taught the constitutional nature of skin diseases and that topical drug treatment causes suppression syndrome, which drives the disease inward, rather than driving the disease out and off the body.
Miasms are infectious diseases of common cause with similar symptoms that give a group similar susceptibility. Chronic miasms affect health of people worldwide. Hahnemann recognized psora, syphilis and sycosis (fig wart disease, papilloma virus) as chronic miasms prevalent in Europe at the time. We can use his method for building a group portrait of the chronic miasms, the basis for finding anti-miasmic remedies that are similar to the entire process of the disease.
Homeopaths accept Hahnemann’s miasms —psora, syphilis, and sycosis.. Others are the tubercular and cancer miasms, and ringworm, rabies, and possibly others. Miasms are named for diseases but have a loose relationship to those diseases.
Dr. Hahnemann noted psora as one of oldest diseases. He said psora originated by ancestral suppression of leprosy, resulting in scabies and other itchy ills. All diseases stem from psora.
In Greek, psora means “scabies,” a contagious infection of itch mite. When skin eruption appears, infective agent has spread to whole organism. The eruptions are just the final evidence of the established internal disease.
Psora miasm surface effect is “the intolerable itch”.. There can be no itch without it. But it really is deficiency of primary routes of elimination and that is the cause all types of skin conditions - scaly eruptions, dirty, dry and itchy. The body’s response to the psora miasm is to push out toxins to the skin and other surfaces. If suppressed topically, it will lead to the manifestation of a serious internal ailment. Psora miasm may also block means of treatment of chronic diseases..
Homeopathy to treat chronic diseases and remove block
Sulphur – an anti-psoric remedy, treats chronic psoric conditions (and may be used in finishing acute conditions). In every chronic disease lays a fundamental pathological factor. Unless the root cause of the disease is treated, it will never be cured.
When the body is trying to heal itself of a chronic condition, it may become stuck and need some help. The symptoms it presents indicates the kind of help it needs. The centrifugal force of this remedy brings out diseases buried deep in body to periphery, to the skin and orifices.
When Sulphur is needed, the symptoms will be irritability, depressed, may be thin, weak, ebullitions of heat, dry, burning, itching, scaly, red skin and orifices, worse scratching and washing, pruritis, eruptions, chronic dryness in nose, burning in soles and palms at night, flashes of heat, sweats, stomach acidity or sinking, thirst or water may fill, colic, sluggish bowel or morning diarrhea, piles or hemorrhoids, painful urination, sudden urge, great quantity, colorless, breathing difficulties, catnap sleep, offensive discharges and breath.. Worse standing, warmth in bed, better dry, warm weather. I occasionally take Sulphur 200x, one dose, not too frequent, best given at night, sip water after 10 minutes. In torpid eruptions, 6x or 6c.
Complementary to Sulphur: Aloe – Aids re-establishing stability in body after much dosing. Suits weary, aged, phlegmatic, dissatisfied, internal and external feeling of heat, dryness and crusts in nose, no appetite, abdomen full, heavy, hot, bloated, portal congestion, gas distress in lower bowel, after stool - soreness, pain & burning in rectum & anus, insecure - gas or stool may come. Rectal symptoms determine choice. Also complementary to Sulphur: Psorinum, anti-miasmatic nosode can follow as equilibrium of the vital force is reinstated & condition improves.
Psorinum - Treats all chronic, Psora diseases. Psorinum is anti-miasmatic, made from fluid of scabies vesicle. Deep acting remedy relieves complications & pathologies of the psoric miasm: toxins are not eliminated. Toxins of metabolism & ingested toxins like food additives, chemical fertilizers, tobacco, drugs, vaccines, heavy metals, and microorganisms like bacteria, viruses and parasites - all cause auto-intoxication.
Indications for needing Psorinum: Extreme sensitiveness to cold, always wants warm clothing, debility, weakness, damage to cell-eating phagocytes of the innate immune system after acute illness - causes lack of reaction with well-chosen remedies failing to act, melancholia, despair, religious, chronic headaches, chronic ophthalmia, tongue and gums ulcerated, nose dry, stopped, post nasal drip, ears itch, tonsils swell, swallow hurts, quinsy, hungry middle of night, dark, smelly stool or constipation, breathing difficulties with pain, hay-fever, weak joints, eruptions on scalp, bends of joints, around fingernails, pustule or vesicle or crusty, intolerable itch prevents sleep, offensive discharges and sweats. Worse coffee, Psorinum not effective if using coffee, worse cold air or draft. Better warmth. Potency 200x, 200c and higher, not too frequent, may take 9 days to act..
Complementary: Sulphur
Ten characteristics of the Psora Miasm, a predisposition or tendency to abnormality:
May have intense pruritus, aggravated by heat.
Affection of extra-cellular origin.
“Hypo” functional pathologies - (hypo tension, hypoplasia, etc) & atrophic conditions.
Ineffective or poor elimination of toxins.
Various pathologies caused by suppression.
Secretions of bad oder.
Appetite abnormal, may tend to gain weight.
Lack of energy and strength, a desire to lie down.
9. Affections of the digestive tract.
10.Predisposition to parasites. Intestinal parasites favor cutaneous fungus.
Other Homeopathic Remedies for Chronic Conditions
Graphites – (Graphite) Also anti-psoric, more active in stout, fair persons with skin phase of internal disorders and constipation (chilly and costive). Eradicates tendency to erysipelas: infection from bacteria entering skin through cuts or sores, skin swells and becomes red, warm and tender. Helps absorb scar tissue. Sad from music. Sick headache. Sore, dry, burning, fissures on scalp, eyelids, ears, nose, face, tongue, fingers, rectum, anus. Dryness of inner ear, Stomach upset, hot drinks disagree, constrictive pain in stomach, gastralia, nauseous feeling in abdomen, incarcerated flatulence, very fetid gas preceded by colic, inguinal swollen, croaking, constipation, large, difficult, mucus, burning hemorrhoids, or diarrhea, very fetid. Turbid urine, female problems, male problems or could be herpetic. Aversion to sex, constriction of chest, pain with cough, hoarse, pain in nape, shoulders, back, limbs. Nails, thick, black, rough, inflamed, brittle, crumbling, deformed. Eruptions, wens, infection on skin. 30c potency – works well in water and sip frequently. Complementary to Graphites: Argentum Nit 30c follows well. Also Causticum 30c, Hepar Sulph Calc 6c or 30c, Lycopodium 30c, Arsenicum Alb 30c, Tuberculinum 1M.
My Ileocecal seems to have a tendency to stay open after stool – allowing contamination of the small bowel.
Plumbum
I was diagnosed with a recurrent inguinal hernia. I had the robotic (laproscopic) surgery with the mesh several years ago and I was fine until another one popped out nearby the original location recently. I thought I was in fairly good shape, I exercise every day, although I am 80. This time I am going to consult a good physical therapist that I know – he is Japanese, and he knows herbal and nutritional remedies. Maybe he will know what I should be doing – I will report back.
Before this surgery I seemed to have lots of symptoms – apparently due to Ileocecal Valve Syndrome (IVS) which may be the cause of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Candida – My Ileocecal seems to have a tendency to stay open after stool – allowing contamination of the small bowel. I will elaborate.
AFTER HERNIA SURGERY WITH MESH
Since the surgery on Monday May 21, 2018, I seem to be much better from the symptoms of SIBO and Candida, but that improvement may be due to antibiotics and pain meds they put in my IV during surgery. I have not taken any antibiotics or pain medications myself since the surgery. It is now 4 days later.
(Updating- It is now 3 weeks since the hernia operation and the reprieve from SIBO and Candida seems to be lasting fairly well.)
Having some problem with sluggish colon on the left side near the surgery. Last night I had lots of apple cider to get a good BM, which I did. But it caused some symptoms, probably because the apple cider may not have been the best idea (see below):
Took China 30c – Stomach gas, belching, worse fruit. Bloated, colic, debility from discharge, appetite loss, post-operative gas pain, slow digestion, abnormal irritability or sensitivity-helped. Also had darting stomach pain. I did not, but some could have vomiting or hiccough with chill. Complementary: Ferrum Met, Calc-Phos.
Then Carbo Veg 30x (few doses nurse up recuperative power). Went for a walk and took Arsenicum 30c – helped some more, but still rumbling in gut. What I need now is Homeopathic Aloe Soc. 30x to aid in re-establishing physiological equilibrium after much dosing, where disease and drug symptoms are mixed. Dissatisfied and angry about himself, alternating with lumbago. Dull headache, aversion to meat, abdomen feels full, heavy, hot bloated, much gas pressing downwards, sense of insecurity in rectum, not sure if gas or stool will come, burning. Several doses of Aloe in water worked well for me.
I usually drink some limeade with some EmergenC in it to keep my liver decongested, but since the surgery, that seems to be too acid and is causing me more sticking pain in the area. So, the next day I got Santa Cruz organic white grape juice, non-GMO – soothing white grape juice enabled a better elimination with very little irritation. Also papaya juice would be helpful for the inflammation - https://draxe.com/papaya/. Papaya’s digestive enzyme called papain improves digestion and helps the body detox, but it also helps the body to heal wounds, reduce inflammation, purify blood, and more.
Elimination is always difficult for me due to my IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) with constipation. My system will almost never eliminate easily. The abdominal surgery is a major complication for me. So, pardon me, if I have to be a little graphic. The only way I can eliminate is to first deal Homeopathically with whichever failure mode I am experiencing today.
Arnica, Staphysagria and Hypericum are the 3 remedies I depend on for pain of any surgery. Sometimes the complementary remedies indicated are also helpful.
Homeopathic Remedies I used:
Main Pain Remedies
Arnica 30c – pain, trauma of surgery – I take and also put in water, shake and sip frequently.. Staphysagria 30c –severe abdominal operation pain, colic, urinary pain, constipation, backache. - - Complement: Causticum 30c - Urinary retention after operation, burning, rawness, soreness, - - impacted stool, surgery pain on cough, jaw pain from chewing. - - Colocynthis 30c – Irritable, Abdominal spasm bends double, colic from cheese.
Hypericum 30c – Nerve pain of operations, neuritis, nausea, sacral pressure, hemorrhoids.
Additional Remedies After Surgery
I sometimes need the following remedies, but after the abdominal surgery these are critical:
Plumbum Met 30x – Depressed, gastralgia, constipation, severe colic, strangulated hernia.
Colchicum 30x – Nausea, food smell disgusts, vomiting, distension, burning or cold in stomach.
Natrum Sulph 30x – Head/neck, hot/ache, nose dry, thirst f/cold, bilious, acid, gas, involuntary - - stool, great fecal size, bile in copious urine, dislike speaking, music saddens.
- - Complement: Arsenicum 30x – Irritable exhaustion & stomach, restless, eyes water, dislike - - food/vinegar, ill effects vegetables/fruit, ptomaine poisoning. - - Thuja 30c – Genito-urinary inflammation, pain/burning, flatulence/distension, - - exhausted/emaciated, scrotal perspiration, no appetite, insomnia..
- - Muriaticum Acid 30c – Not complementary, but indicated that it follows Nat Sulph very well - - - for bluish-red swelling of genitals/scrotum.
Cantharis 30x – Bladder irritation from hernia surgery - violent gastro-intestinal inflammation, - - raw/burning, urging/burning/tenesmus, scrotal/genital sweat/sore/ burning.
- - Complement: Camphora 30x – Urine burns, strangury, retention w/full bladder after surgery.
Cinchona Off. 30c – Debility from exhausting discharges, too much fruit, antidotes mercury.
Carbo Veg 30x – Simplest food distresses, flatulent colic, distended, Coldness, press indents skin.
Graphitis
Argentum Nitricum
Rhus Toxicondren
Kali Bichromicum
Sympthytum
Ornithogallium
Three main problems after my hernia surgery:
1) Bladder irritation and gastro-intestinal inflammation – Thuja and then Cantharis, both repeatedly.
2) Swelling with bluish-redness on genitals – Muriaticum Acid is helping.
(Getting in tub of hot water w/Epsom salts for about 15 minutes every other day is helpful for 1 and 2)
3) Overcoming my sluggish colon to get good elimination.
Then I usually need to eat some fruit – I like to start with eating a tablespoon each of dried cranberries, blueberries, coconut, then maybe a dried prune or two, then a piece of dried or fresh mango. Then, if I am experiencing much dryness of the stool, I find that I can help this condition greatly by eating a piece of fresh quince or quince preserves. Quince is known to moisturize the colon. I usually can find fresh quince at ethnic markets.
Apple sauce, organic, or fresh apple
Went back to the same doctor and he decided to go repair from the outside, but still use a mesh.
Chuck Solomon chucksolomon@yahoo.com
I am an affiliate for Amazon and I would very much appreciate it, if you would place your Amazon orders from the Amazon banner on my site. Click on the Amazon banner and it goes to your Amazon page with all your usual information. You can order anything and the earnings help support my site - so far, not much, so PLEASE HELP.
This is in answer to request for info on treating Hernia on May 24, 2018.
The first part explains how I dealt with problems caused by the inguinal hernia along with my long standing IBS before I had surgery.
The second part explains my experience after Hernia surgery with Mesh in May, 2018. That was actually the 2nd hernia surgery, the 1st one was a few years earlier and there was a recurrence. This time the same doctor installed a larger mesh, so, hopefully I am covered for good.
I did not have much difficulty recovering from the 1st surgery which was robotic. My methods were about the same then as now. But I do not know how anyone could go thru this without my knowledge of natural healing and Homeopathy. The 2nd surgery was done from the outside (not robotic) and now 6 months out I am still dealing with the effects and struggling a bit.
For example, last evening I had a very poor appetite and only ate a light soup. I just didn't seem to want any kind of food. Then I was experiencing throbbing pain in my left chest and down my left arm - not good. I took a dose of Kali Carb 30x and several more doses in water about 15 minutes apart - it is for this kind of pain and also for threatened heart failure. I have never had any heart problems, but I honestly though, this could be it - maybe I should be going to the Emergency. The Kali Carb helped a little, but still in some pain.
Then I toke one dose of Phosphorus 1M - It is sometimes a good fit for me, tall, slender, somewhat fit mentals, with anxiety about heart, pain in chest and fit rectal and stool symptoms. Helped a little. Few doses of Graphitis 30c usually helps me with elimination - helped a little.
Finally decided this looks like Cantharis, took 30x and more doses in water - for violent inflammations in the whole gastro-intestinal canal, acute bladder irritation (which I believe is caused by the mesh), including pain in chest and antidote to vinegar. I had had some apple cider vinegar with honey and pomegranate juice for SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) the day before - it cured that but apparently set me up for this inflammation problem. Bingo, Cantharis is restoring normalacy. I did have a dose of Natrum Sulph 30x and a dose of Argentum Nitricum 12c.
And then I ate very well and am eliminating well (always a challenge for me) and got my energy back and feel very much relieved. The chest pains were caused by bottled up gas, imagine that.
Hernia
Apparently due to the hernia, I seemed to have lots of symptoms – likely due to Ileocecal Valve Syndrome (IVS) which may be the cause of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Candida. I used to think it was Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) with alternating constipation and diarrhea, but maybe the IVS and SIBO is a better explanation.
SIBO is an acronym for “Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth” - an excess of bacteria in the small intestine. Bacteria naturally occurs throughout the digestive tract. But in a healthy person, the small intestine has fairly low levels of bacteria. Bacteria should be confined to the colon.
The small intestine is the longest section of the digestive tract. Here the food intermingles with digestive juices, and the nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. If there is SIBO, mal-absorption of nutrients, especially fat-soluble vitamins and iron can become a problem.
If there is good balance, the bacteria in the small intestine and colon helps digest foods. The body then absorbs essential nutrients.
However, when bad bacteria invade, and takes over the small intestine, we will likely have poor nutrient absorption of SIBO, and symptoms commonly associated with IBS. The bad bacteria can even back up into the stomach causing indigestion with pain and burning and possibly nausea and vomiting. Damage to the stomach lining is likely, and, if left unchecked, ulceration may result.
With SIBO, the food passing through the small intestine encounters the bad bacterial overgrowth. The bacterium of the SIBO actually eats some of the foods and nutrients needed by the body. So, now we lose some nutrition. And, as bad as that is, these bad bacteria also discharge their waste, not good. There is the source of unpleasant symptoms, including gas, bloating, pain and burning.
Treating SIBO with antibiotics may be temporarily helpful, but there is high relapse rate, not to mention serious side effects. This is a chronic condition, and antibiotic treatment will likely result in worsening and /or other chronic conditions.
SIBO can be cured, but it takes lots of patience, perseverance, change in diet and lifestyle. SIBO needs a healing diet and some foods should be avoided until the gut flora is restored to normal balance. We will know when we reach that normal balance, because we will feel well..
Common symptoms of SIBO and IBS include:
Nausea Bloating Vomiting Diarrhea and/or constipation – ya, can be both at the same time. Malnutrition Weight loss Joint pain Fatigue Rashes Acne Depression
In order to get an elimination with my sluggish colon, I have to go to great lengths and, at the same time I have to protect the stomach – the stomach is the seat of one’s power. I eat a lot and, if I don’t go every day, my stomach will not feel right. I can’t afford to let that happen.
Ya, but sometimes the stomach gets affected anyway, either from being over-acid, or too much fruit or other conditions.
Over acid – usually caused by too little stomach acid to properly digest the food in the stomach. The food is retained in the stomach for too long and begins to ferment. More stomach acid is eventually secreted, but by now the mucous lining of stomach and duodenum becomes eroded a gastritis or duodenitis is developing. Also see article over-acid.
This has been a long-standing condition and may have gotten worse with the hernia.
I have difficulty maintaining good acid-alkaline balance. Years ago, I used to avoid citrus or anything acid, but that would leave me open to liver congestion and give me severe headaches. Then I discovered that I could gradually add lemon or lime back into my diet and the natural decongestant effect would resolve most of my congestion and headaches. I have done quite well mostly with lime on my salad and limade to drink. A friend was always having congestion problems, and would go for Chinese herbal treatments. But the Chinese herbs were so strong that she would be sick for days. I finally got her to stop over-cooking her vegetables and to have some citrus fruits and drinks, which she had been avoiding. Now she is fine.
However, I do have a tendency to over-do things, and so it is with the lime. When I have had too much citrus:
Phosphoricum Acidum 12c is helpful. Sometimes on going to sleep at night or on trying to wake up in the morning, I get a feeling of a common acid debility, which produces a nervous exhaustion. My symptoms will match most, but not all, of the symptoms listed for Phosphoricum Acidum in the Homeopathic Materia Medica: first mental debility with difficult concentration, and later physical, stomach symptoms from sour food and drink, crave juicy things, thirst for cold milk, distension and fermentation in bowels, apathetic, indifferent, thinking difficulty, confused, could have headache, pain in eyes, back, limbs, aching in umbilical area, loud rumbling, distension with fermentation, painless loose stools, anxious about frequent urination, weakness in chest, great debility, sleepy, chilly or slightly hot, worse exertion. For me the key sometimes is slight itching between fingers or on hand or rumbling after lime drink with no thirst (with thirst, the remedy would likely be Arsenicum 30c - or Arsenicum 30 may follow well, anyway)
These are symptoms of Phosphoricum Acidum 12c . I take 12c potency, several doses in water for this condition - bears repetition. I find that I can effectively treat this condition while I sleep or as I am waking up.
Amazon identifies this as "Homeopathic Medicine for Concentration", also for "premature grey or falling hair", but it is for so much more - and offers potency's of 6c, 9c, 12c, 30c, 200c, 1M.
You can see many positive Amazon customer reviews for Phosphoricum Acidum 30c for ADD. Quotes from reviews: "I feel more focused then I ever have! I admit I was skeptical and figured it wouldn't work, but I was wrong!" 5 stars. "I have ADD and this remedy has calmed the chaos every time." 5 stars.
Remedies for irritable bowel and constipation are described elsewhere on this site. However, I feel that there are some remedies that are particularly pertinent to my hernia problems and worth mentioning here.
Remedies I used during Hernia condition: Plumbum Metalicum 30c:
For general sclerotic conditions, progressive muscular atrophy affecting mainly extensor muscles, reduced number of red corpuscles, constrictive sensation in internal organs, depression, delirium alternating with colic, hair dry, optic neuritis, central scotoma, gums swollen, blue lines at margin of gums, contraction in esophagus/stomach, gastralgia, colic, abdominal wall feels drawn by string to spine, intussusception, strangulated hernia, obstructed flatus with intense colic, stools hard, lumpy, black, with urging and spasm of anus, impacted, chronic interstitial nephritis, tenesmus, dry skin, dilated veins, hands/feet cold.
Causticum 30c:
Chronic rheumatic, arthritic and paralytic affections, tearing & drawing pains in muscular and fibrous tissues, contracted tendons, burning, rawness, soreness. intenesly sympathetic, jaw pain, vision impaired by film, middle ear catarrh, re-echo in ear, ear wax, stuffy nose, acid dyspepsia, soft , small, narrow stool, impacted, cough with raw soreness of chest, warts, drowsy, nocturnal sleeplessness. Complementary: Carbo Veg, Petroselinum.
I frequently derive great benefit from taking Plumbum and Causticum together - I put both in a small bottle of water, shake and sip several times. Many symptoms including my vision, elimination and impacted stool are greatly helped.
Complementary to Causticum: Carbo Vegetabilis 30x (vegetable charcoal): Indigestion - spicy food or other, I chew KyoGreens tablets first with water, then take Carbo Veg. Frequently Needed - Tablets best - not diluted, repeatable. SIMPLEST FOOD DISTRESSES, belching, fullness, stomach pain, burning, digestion slow, flatulent colic, hot, bad-smelling flatus, sleepiness, maybe cough, cold below knees, cold feet. Lowered energy - low arterial tension - finger-tips indent on pressure. Imperfect oxidation, sluggishness, chronicity, never recovered from effects of previous illness, blood stagnates, bacteria grows, icy coldness, debilitated, patient may be almost lifeless, wants air. Complementary to Carbo Veg: Kali Carbonicum, Drosera
Kali Carbonicium 30x or 30c (Not used, if fever):
Sharp, cutting or stinging pains, sweat, backache, weakness, hypothyroidism, tendency to bloat with water in tissues, irritable, sensitive, dry hair, eyelid swollen, stuffed nose, crusty, sour belching, nausea, anxiety felt in stomach, feels full of water, epigastric pain to back, old chronic liver troubles, large difficult stools with hemorhoids, cough with stitching pains, heart symptoms, weakness in small of back, pain from hip to knee or in knee, skin burns,
B-12 Injections:
Most helpful are my B-12 injections which I self-administer every week to 10 days. The doctors tell me that I have already high levels of B-12 on tests, but without the injections I become unable to digest effectively and lose my appetite. Without it nothing else works. So, I insist on having a prescription for the injectable. I’ve done this for 40 years, ever since an old former, army doctor prescribed it for me, and I could see how greatly effective it was. I also do take the sub-lingual and it helps a little, too. The more effective sub-lingual is Jarrow Methylcobalamin + Methylfolate , and that is what I use, as opposed to the usually used cyanocobalamin. B-12 is the largest and most structurally complicated vitamin, includes the physically, rare element, cobalt. It is involved in the metabolism of every cell of the human body, in DNA synthesis, and in both fatty and amino acid metabolism. It is critical for function of the nervous system and production of red blood cells. I do not eat a lot of animal products, main source of B-12, and may also have impaired absorption, so that may explain my considerable need for B-12.
Chronic Disease Treatment
Hahnemann says that chronic diseases need special treatment:
Symptoms of the Group must be considered, not just the individual. Deviates from Homeopathic Law of Similars. Not all chronic patients have all symptoms. Some symptoms may be hidden, but still there.
“Chronic diseases arise from dynamic (active) infection by a chronic miasm” – Samuel Hahnemann
Miasm is a bodily force that creates predisposition to certain illnesses - our susceptibility. Long before modern science identified genetically-linked diseases, Hahnemann noted that some families developed certain illnesses, illnesses that were related to each other. Even if family members did not have same diseases exactly, their illnesses shared similar characteristics and patterns.
We now know that miasms are caused by certain illnesses that impact the genes with a marker for susceptibility that is passed down through the generations. All humanity and animals are affected by one or more miasms, which can be either active or dormant. Healthy lifestyle tends to keep the miasms dormant, unhealthy encourages miasmic activity.
Samuel Hahnemann, MD, the founder of Homeopathy, identified psora as oldest, most widespread non-venereal miasm in humanity - and pattern for all other miasms. He taught the constitutional nature of skin diseases and that topical drug treatment causes suppression syndrome, which drives the disease inward, rather than driving the disease out and off the body.
Miasms are infectious diseases of common cause with similar symptoms that give a group similar susceptibility. Chronic miasms affect health of people worldwide. Hahnemann recognized psora, syphilis and sycosis (fig wart disease, papilloma virus) as chronic miasms prevalent in Europe at the time. We can use his method for building a group portrait of the chronic miasms, the basis for finding anti-miasmic remedies that are similar to the entire process of the disease.
Homeopaths accept Hahnemann’s miasms —psora, syphilis, and sycosis.. Others are the tubercular and cancer miasms, and ringworm, rabies, and possibly others. Miasms are named for diseases but have a loose relationship to those diseases.
Dr. Hahnemann noted psora as one of oldest diseases. He said psora originated by ancestral suppression of leprosy, resulting in scabies and other itchy ills. All diseases stem from psora.
In Greek, psora means “scabies,” a contagious infection of itch mite. When skin eruption appears, infective agent has spread to whole organism. The eruptions are just the final evidence of the established internal disease.
Psora miasm surface effect is “the intolerable itch”.. There can be no itch without it. But it really is deficiency of primary routes of elimination and that is the cause all types of skin conditions - scaly eruptions, dirty, dry and itchy. The body’s response to the psora miasm is to push out toxins to the skin and other surfaces. If suppressed topically, it will lead to the manifestation of a serious internal ailment. Psora miasm may also block means of treatment of chronic diseases..
Homeopathy to treat chronic diseases and remove block
Sulphur – an anti-psoric remedy, treats chronic psoric conditions (and may be used in finishing acute conditions). In every chronic disease lays a fundamental pathological factor. Unless the root cause of the disease is treated, it will never be cured.
When the body is trying to heal itself of a chronic condition, it may become stuck and need some help. The symptoms it presents indicates the kind of help it needs. The centrifugal force of this remedy brings out diseases buried deep in body to periphery, to the skin and orifices.
When Sulphur is needed, the symptoms will be irritability, depressed, may be thin, weak, ebullitions of heat, dry, burning, itching, scaly, red skin and orifices, worse scratching and washing, pruritis, eruptions, chronic dryness in nose, burning in soles and palms at night, flashes of heat, sweats, stomach acidity or sinking, thirst or water may fill, colic, sluggish bowel or morning diarrhea, piles or hemorrhoids, painful urination, sudden urge, great quantity, colorless, breathing difficulties, catnap sleep, offensive discharges and breath.. Worse standing, warmth in bed, better dry, warm weather. I occasionally take Sulphur 200x, one dose, not too frequent, best given at night, sip water after 10 minutes. In torpid eruptions, 6x or 6c.
Complementary to Sulphur: Aloe – Aids re-establishing stability in body after much dosing. Suits weary, aged, phlegmatic, dissatisfied, internal and external feeling of heat, dryness and crusts in nose, no appetite, abdomen full, heavy, hot, bloated, portal congestion, gas distress in lower bowel, after stool - soreness, pain & burning in rectum & anus, insecure - gas or stool may come. Rectal symptoms determine choice. Also complementary to Sulphur: Psorinum, anti-miasmatic nosode can follow as equilibrium of the vital force is reinstated & condition improves.
Psorinum - Treats all chronic, Psora diseases. Psorinum is anti-miasmatic, made from fluid of scabies vesicle. Deep acting remedy relieves complications & pathologies of the psoric miasm: toxins are not eliminated. Toxins of metabolism & ingested toxins like food additives, chemical fertilizers, tobacco, drugs, vaccines, heavy metals, and microorganisms like bacteria, viruses and parasites - all cause auto-intoxication.
Indications for needing Psorinum: Extreme sensitiveness to cold, always wants warm clothing, debility, weakness, damage to cell-eating phagocytes of the innate immune system after acute illness - causes lack of reaction with well-chosen remedies failing to act, melancholia, despair, religious, chronic headaches, chronic ophthalmia, tongue and gums ulcerated, nose dry, stopped, post nasal drip, ears itch, tonsils swell, swallow hurts, quinsy, hungry middle of night, dark, smelly stool or constipation, breathing difficulties with pain, hay-fever, weak joints, eruptions on scalp, bends of joints, around fingernails, pustule or vesicle or crusty, intolerable itch prevents sleep, offensive discharges and sweats. Worse coffee, Psorinum not effective if using coffee, worse cold air or draft. Better warmth. Potency 200x, 200c and higher, not too frequent, may take 9 days to act..
Complementary: Sulphur
Ten characteristics of the Psora Miasm, a predisposition or tendency to abnormality:
May have intense pruritus, aggravated by heat.
Affection of extra-cellular origin.
“Hypo” functional pathologies - (hypo tension, hypoplasia, etc) & atrophic conditions.
Ineffective or poor elimination of toxins.
Various pathologies caused by suppression.
Secretions of bad oder.
Appetite abnormal, may tend to gain weight.
Lack of energy and strength, a desire to lie down.
9. Affections of the digestive tract.
10.Predisposition to parasites. Intestinal parasites favor cutaneous fungus.
Other Homeopathic Remedies for Chronic Conditions
Graphites – (Graphite) Also anti-psoric, more active in stout, fair persons with skin phase of internal disorders and constipation (chilly and costive). Eradicates tendency to erysipelas: infection from bacteria entering skin through cuts or sores, skin swells and becomes red, warm and tender. Helps absorb scar tissue. Sad from music. Sick headache. Sore, dry, burning, fissures on scalp, eyelids, ears, nose, face, tongue, fingers, rectum, anus. Dryness of inner ear, Stomach upset, hot drinks disagree, constrictive pain in stomach, gastralia, nauseous feeling in abdomen, incarcerated flatulence, very fetid gas preceded by colic, inguinal swollen, croaking, constipation, large, difficult, mucus, burning hemorrhoids, or diarrhea, very fetid. Turbid urine, female problems, male problems or could be herpetic. Aversion to sex, constriction of chest, pain with cough, hoarse, pain in nape, shoulders, back, limbs. Nails, thick, black, rough, inflamed, brittle, crumbling, deformed. Eruptions, wens, infection on skin. 30c potency – works well in water and sip frequently. Complementary to Graphites: Argentum Nit 30c follows well. Also Causticum 30c, Hepar Sulph Calc 6c or 30c, Lycopodium 30c, Arsenicum Alb 30c, Tuberculinum 1M.
My Ileocecal seems to have a tendency to stay open after stool – allowing contamination of the small bowel.
Plumbum
I was diagnosed with a recurrent inguinal hernia. I had the robotic (laproscopic) surgery with the mesh several years ago and I was fine until another one popped out nearby the original location recently. I thought I was in fairly good shape, I exercise every day, although I am 80. This time I am going to consult a good physical therapist that I know – he is Japanese, and he knows herbal and nutritional remedies. Maybe he will know what I should be doing – I will report back.
Before this surgery I seemed to have lots of symptoms – apparently due to Ileocecal Valve Syndrome (IVS) which may be the cause of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Candida – My Ileocecal seems to have a tendency to stay open after stool – allowing contamination of the small bowel. I will elaborate.
AFTER HERNIA SURGERY WITH MESH
Since the surgery on Monday May 21, 2018, I seem to be much better from the symptoms of SIBO and Candida, but that improvement may be due to antibiotics and pain meds they put in my IV during surgery. I have not taken any antibiotics or pain medications myself since the surgery. It is now 4 days later.
(Updating- It is now 3 weeks since the hernia operation and the reprieve from SIBO and Candida seems to be lasting fairly well.)
Having some problem with sluggish colon on the left side near the surgery. Last night I had lots of apple cider to get a good BM, which I did. But it caused some symptoms, probably because the apple cider may not have been the best idea (see below):
Took China 30c – Stomach gas, belching, worse fruit. Bloated, colic, debility from discharge, appetite loss, post-operative gas pain, slow digestion, abnormal irritability or sensitivity-helped. Also had darting stomach pain. I did not, but some could have vomiting or hiccough with chill. Complementary: Ferrum Met, Calc-Phos.
Then Carbo Veg 30x (few doses nurse up recuperative power). Went for a walk and took Arsenicum 30c – helped some more, but still rumbling in gut. What I need now is Homeopathic Aloe Soc. 30x to aid in re-establishing physiological equilibrium after much dosing, where disease and drug symptoms are mixed. Dissatisfied and angry about himself, alternating with lumbago. Dull headache, aversion to meat, abdomen feels full, heavy, hot bloated, much gas pressing downwards, sense of insecurity in rectum, not sure if gas or stool will come, burning. Several doses of Aloe in water worked well for me.
I usually drink some limeade with some EmergenC in it to keep my liver decongested, but since the surgery, that seems to be too acid and is causing me more sticking pain in the area. So, the next day I got Santa Cruz organic white grape juice, non-GMO – soothing white grape juice enabled a better elimination with very little irritation. Also papaya juice would be helpful for the inflammation - https://draxe.com/papaya/. Papaya’s digestive enzyme called papain improves digestion and helps the body detox, but it also helps the body to heal wounds, reduce inflammation, purify blood, and more.
Elimination is always difficult for me due to my IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) with constipation. My system will almost never eliminate easily. The abdominal surgery is a major complication for me. So, pardon me, if I have to be a little graphic. The only way I can eliminate is to first deal Homeopathically with whichever failure mode I am experiencing today.
Arnica, Staphysagria and Hypericum are the 3 remedies I depend on for pain of any surgery. Sometimes the complementary remedies indicated are also helpful.
Homeopathic Remedies I used:
Main Pain Remedies
Arnica 30c – pain, trauma of surgery – I take and also put in water, shake and sip frequently.. Staphysagria 30c –severe abdominal operation pain, colic, urinary pain, constipation, backache. - - Complement: Causticum 30c - Urinary retention after operation, burning, rawness, soreness, - - impacted stool, surgery pain on cough, jaw pain from chewing. - - Colocynthis 30c – Irritable, Abdominal spasm bends double, colic from cheese.
Hypericum 30c – Nerve pain of operations, neuritis, nausea, sacral pressure, hemorrhoids.
Additional Remedies After Surgery
I sometimes need the following remedies, but after the abdominal surgery these are critical:
Plumbum Met 30x – Depressed, gastralgia, constipation, severe colic, strangulated hernia.
Colchicum 30x – Nausea, food smell disgusts, vomiting, distension, burning or cold in stomach.
Natrum Sulph 30x – Head/neck, hot/ache, nose dry, thirst f/cold, bilious, acid, gas, involuntary - - stool, great fecal size, bile in copious urine, dislike speaking, music saddens.
- - Complement: Arsenicum 30x – Irritable exhaustion & stomach, restless, eyes water, dislike - - food/vinegar, ill effects vegetables/fruit, ptomaine poisoning. - - Thuja 30c – Genito-urinary inflammation, pain/burning, flatulence/distension, - - exhausted/emaciated, scrotal perspiration, no appetite, insomnia..
- - Muriaticum Acid 30c – Not complementary, but indicated that it follows Nat Sulph very well - - - for bluish-red swelling of genitals/scrotum.
Cantharis 30x – Bladder irritation from hernia surgery - violent gastro-intestinal inflammation, - - raw/burning, urging/burning/tenesmus, scrotal/genital sweat/sore/ burning.
- - Complement: Camphora 30x – Urine burns, strangury, retention w/full bladder after surgery.
Cinchona Off. 30c – Debility from exhausting discharges, too much fruit, antidotes mercury.
Carbo Veg 30x – Simplest food distresses, flatulent colic, distended, Coldness, press indents skin.
Graphitis
Argentum Nitricum
Rhus Toxicondren
Kali Bichromicum
Sympthytum
Ornithogallium
Three main problems after my hernia surgery:
1) Bladder irritation and gastro-intestinal inflammation – Thuja and then Cantharis, both repeatedly.
2) Swelling with bluish-redness on genitals – Muriaticum Acid is helping.
(Getting in tub of hot water w/Epsom salts for about 15 minutes every other day is helpful for 1 and 2)
3) Overcoming my sluggish colon to get good elimination.
Then I usually need to eat some fruit – I like to start with eating a tablespoon each of dried cranberries, blueberries, coconut, then maybe a dried prune or two, then a piece of dried or fresh mango. Then, if I am experiencing much dryness of the stool, I find that I can help this condition greatly by eating a piece of fresh quince or quince preserves. Quince is known to moisturize the colon. I usually can find fresh quince at ethnic markets.
Apple sauce, organic, or fresh apple
Went back to the same doctor and he decided to go repair from the outside, but still use a mesh.
Chuck Solomon chucksolomon@yahoo.com