Alternative treatments

I looked in my area ( northwest suburbs of Chicago) for a naturopath or homeopath. There are some and I called. To see them is very expensive plus any tests or remedies is extra. The first visit takes 2-3 hours and costs from $250- 470. I don’t think everybody can afford it so it’s good to hear from you and think how what you use might help. However I would not take anything without telling the doctor. When I was taking rifabutin my liver was baaad and taking any herbal/ natural supplements affects liver. So I would say be careful because what works for one person might not work for another one. But please share the natural meds ideas; it gives support and hope. Our life is not easy

Hi Irenea8,

I get the formula from my acupuncturist, but I might be able to find out what company he orders from and if they sell to the public if you like.

Purge Sticky Stuff is made by Chinese Modular Solutions. I haven't tried it. I have tried Clear Phlegm by Health Concerns, which does seem to help. About $25 for 90 capsules. Er chen wan and wen dan tang are other TCM formulas for phlegm congestion. Best to work with a Chinese herbalist, if possible, or your doctor.

I took a look at both Clear Phlegm and Purge Sticky Stuff. Most of the herbs are fairly benign, but if you have allergies, make sure none of the plants are those you react to.
The preparations do include licorice root. Anyone with heart disease or kidney disease must be very careful not to use too much of this, so it is important to find out how much is in each dose.
Sue

@sueinmn how helpful did you find these preparations in helping to expel the gunk? Where did you purchase them — through an acupuncture practitioner?

I don't use them. I had an excellent Oriental Medicine doctor who was also an acupuncturist. Unfortunately, she and her husband returned to his family home in Asia.
But, she told me to avoid most multi-ingredient herbal medicines because I have allergies. Under her supervision I tried a couple, and had reactions to both.

I'm going to add one more caveat - I always encourage buying supplements whose labs submit to outside review. My acupuncturist was concerned that many of the herbs used in Oriental medicine in the US come from unknown sources overseas, even those that may be mixed in the US. She was concerned about purity, and even whether the advertised herbs were indeed included. Please note that there is no indication, on the labels or the web sites, that these supplements have been submitted for any independent testing. In my experience, this is typical of Oriental herbal preparations. So I would only buy from a practitioner I trust, one who vets their sources.

As for me, I am sticking to my Mucinex & NAC taken with lots of water, with a side of Breathe Easy herbal tea.
Sue

I have found a wonderful book on Amazon called "Optimizing Your Alternative Healthcare - Etiquette and Pro Tips For Consumers by Andrej Peterka" It is a fast read but full of great information when trying to find a alternative healthcare provider - acupuncture, chiropractor, herbalist, massage therapist, etc. Great information to digest. It can be hard to find a good practitioner and this kind of demystifies the process.

Mullein, a western herb, might be another option for mucus thinning. Here's a Cleveland Clinic article about mullein.

I just looked up the Breath Easy tea if it is the same one and the first ingredient is licorice! Then eucalyptus. Can you consume eucalyptus internally? I agree one should make sure the source is pure and also understand that natural remedies can and do produce side effects. I know some people who got lead and heavy metal poisoning from herbal remedies from India.

I agree Sue. I am a retired acupuncturist/herbologist. Chinese herbs can be incredibly helpful under the right circumstances. It is difficult to source pure herbs these days and I would definitely not buy them on line. For folks taking western meds it is tricky. Herb/drug interactions can happen suddenly and without warning. Liver damage is often silent in the beginning. If you are on the big three it is a definite NO to herbs. If not on big three or too many other western meds I would seek out a very experienced chinese medicine practitioner. Don't try to be your own doctor - western or eastern.