Alternative Surgery Blog » Endometriosis

Herbal Therapy for Menopausal Symptoms

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:03:01 +0000

Many women are trying to avoid traditional drug therapy when treating menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, depression, sleeplessness, and dry vagina. Hormone replacement therapy with either synthetic or bio-identical hormones can significantly reduce these symptoms however are not without side effects. IF you have female diseases that are reliant upon estrogen like Fibroid tumors, Endometriosis and Adenomyosis these replacement therapies can and will fuel your disease process. There are a few herbs on the market that can be effective at mitigating the above symptoms…..pine bark (pycnogenol), black cohosh, and St. Johns wart have shown some effectiveness. Herbs are not without side effects so check with your doctor prior to taking them…..but they may be an effective alternative to traditional hormone treatments.

Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy in Women

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:39:24 +0000

We recently had a patient in the office who was diagnosed and treated 10 years ago for fibroid tumors and endometriosis. She had experienced early menopausal symptoms of hot flashes and mood swings. At that time her naturopath recommended a bio-identical estrogen supplement. She was told that hormone therapy would NOT have an effect on any possible remaining fibroids. Sadly, this is not true. She now has a 7cm fibroid producing serious low back pain. IF you have any female disorder that requires estrogen to proliferate: fibroids, endometriosis, or adenomyosis, you run the risk of recurrent disease once you begin hormone supplementation.

Hysterectomy Side Effects

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:10:03 +0000

As we approach the end of this decade, I am sad to report we are still performing almost 700,000 hysterectomies annually; 500,000 are for non-cancerous diseases like Fibroid Tumors, Endometriosis, and Adenomyosis. Many side effects associated with hysterectomy are irreversible and/or negative like: bladder incontinence, constipation, hormone imbalance and sexual dysfunction-no desire or feeling, as well as emotional and psychological damage. If you are interested in a holistic medical approach and want to keep your organs, please do your research. Our practice as been offering women a laser surgical holistic alternative to hysterectomy for over 15 years. Do not agree to a surgery unless you know it is right for you…..

Endometriomas and their Symptoms

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:49:01 +0000

Endometriomas are pelvic masses or cysts that arise from the ovary. They are often blood filled and have a thick dark chocolate consistency, hence their name “chocolate cyst.” They are made up of abberent endometrial cells that bleed during the monthly cycle, as a result of hormone changes. These cysts are often seen in conjunction with surrounding endometriosis. If left untreated they can become quite large and engulf or overtake the ovary. Symptoms include pelvic pain, and painful periods. Surgery for removal is the treatment of choice.

Alternative Therapies for Womens Health

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:46:18 +0000

This past week in the LA Times there was an article in the Health Section regarding the increased reliance upon alternative therapies ie accupuncture, herbs, supplements, massage therapies etc. These therapies can be excellent for treating many ancillary symptoms but often do not get to the core problem behind the diagnosis. Always keep in mind, treating the root of the problem is the best way to go. Many women call our office with symptoms of heavy bleeding, painful periods, back pain who have been offered medications and/or therapies that do not address the reason for the symptoms….(ie fibroids, adenomyosis or endometriosis. ) Remember, seek out the solution that has the best outcome for your diagnosis, not just the symptoms….and dont delay treatment.

Dietary effects on Fibroid Tumors

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:52:26 +0000

We have many women come to office asking if there is an association between what they eat and the symptoms related to their fibroids. The answer is absolutely!! Sadly, many of our foods are processed with the use of hormones to enhance growth. These hormones are directly absorbed into the body and become an additive to the already cycling hormones in your system. Any female disorder, Fibroids, Adenomyosis, Endometriosis and Ovarian cysts will respond to added estrogen. In order to reduce the side effects, limit your diet to all organically grown foods, and avoid caffeine, chocolate and soy products.

Soy Products effect on Womens Health

admin — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:27:24 +0000

Soy products, like soybeans, soy milk, soy cheese, tofu, are all excellent sources of healthy plant protein. It is often recommended for women experiencing menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, dry vagina to consume soy to mitigate the symptoms. This is because soy imitates the hormone estrogen at the cellular receptor sites. The body feels better as it thinks its receiving an estrogen supply. Consequently, if you have any disease that is hormone dependent like endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroid tumors….these conditions can get worse as soy is consumed. We recommend women avoid soy products if they have been diagnosed with any of the above diseases.

Diagnosing with CA 125

admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:50:15 +0000

This is a blood test often used for diagnosing ovarian cancer. However, because it is a “tumor marker” it can detect other abnormal tumor cells in the body. False positive results are common. We routinely see abnormal elevations when patients are diagnosed with Fibroid tumors, adenomyosis and endometriosis. If you get a result outside the normal range, this does not mean you have cancer…ask your Doctor about the outcome of other diagnostic tests performed.

Preserving your Female Organs and Preventing Hysterectomy

admin — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:27:41 +0000

Traditional medicine has routinely rcommended removal of the uterus, hysterectomy, for uterine and ovarian malignancy, however physicians also advocate hysterectomy for benign diseases like fibroids, adenomyosis, and endometriosis. Recent studies (LA Times article, published August 10, 2009 entitled “Staying Fertile after Cancer”) on Stage 1 ovarian cancer patients have found that preserving the uterus and unaffected ovary have the same 5 year survival rates as removing all organs. If medicine is changing to reduce hysterectomies for certain cancers, lets hope they will eventually see the need to prevent hysterectomy for benign diseases as well.

Supplements and Herbal Therapies

admin — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:55:03 +0000

Many of our patients try supplements and herbal formulas prior to seeking a medical consultation. Although these therapies can help reduce symptoms temporarily, they will become ineffective over time as the disease spreads. Supplements and herbal formulas are not regulated by the FDA and therefore quality, strength and dosage cannot be guaranteed. Delaying appropriate treatment can sometimes be detrimental. Fibroid tumors, adenomyosis and endometriosis all require surgery is remove the disease…treating symptoms does nothing to treat the condition or the tumors. Using these alternative therapies, after surgery , may be helpful in preventing recurrence, but should not be the only source of treatment. Consult your physician and do some research about what is the best course of treatment for your disease.