Living with HIV
is a journey that millions of people around the world are living with on a
daily basis.
It is NO longer
a DEATH SENTENCE; however it is STILL a LIFE SENTENCE.
06/11/2017
__________________________________________________________________________________
Learning about Natural Supplements to
help your body fight back from all the medication’s that comes your way while
living with HIV. I know that previous statement is a lot to take in, but one
must take their health into their own hands because MOST Doctors will NOT teach
you or even tell you about Natural Supplements.
I have been learning from talking with
other people who have been living with HIV for years about the different things
that go wrong with your body and how they have managed to treat the symptoms.
Let me start with my first experience
with Natural Supplements.
After several years of being on HIV
treatment and having HIV different organs have started to feel the effects of
being bombarded with inflammation and highly toxic medication to fight the HIV
disease.
 |
| Your Doctors need to know ALL the medications you take even over-the-counter and supplements |
The first thing that started going wrong
with me personally was my liver enzymes. Come to find out of course I am not
the only one this has happened too. My AST/ALT numbers were skyrocketing and of
course causing damage to my liver. When I asked my HIV Specialist what I could
do she basically told me that it just happens with the HIV medication and it
would be monitored. This was the answer that set me on my journey to learn
about Natural Supplements. I was told by a dear friend whose mother is a Master
Herbalist what to take for my liver. So I got online researched and bought Milk
Thistle. At my next visit to my HIV Specialist, which had been 4 months, my
liver enzymes were back to normal. The HIV Specialist told me as a matter of
fact to QUIT taking the Milk Thistle because it was a WASTE of MONEY. REALLY!?!
Was this person NOT looking at the same test RESULTS that I was looking at!?! I
left her office that day angry and more determined than before to take MY
HEALTH INTO MY HANDS. I fired that Doctor and found a NEW HIV Specialist that
actually believes in being PROACTIVE instead of REACTIVE to damage from TOXIC
MEDICATIONS.
I have been blessed with a great TEAM of
Doctors to handle all the things that have gone wrong in the last 8 years. It
has taken time, prayer and research to put my TEAM of DOCTORS together, but it
has been so worth having to fire several Doctors along the way.
Yes, I do take a lot of MEDICATION that
is “FDA Approved”; however I am now also taking Natural Supplements that
PROTECT my body from DAMAGE that comes along with “FDA Approved” drugs.
Note – It is VERY IMPORTANT that you do
your research and TALK to your DOCTORS when starting any Natural Supplements. You
have to make sure that there are NO DRUG interactions that could actually do
more damage than help you. All I can say is RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH and
have FACTS when you talk to your Doctors, because MOST of them are being
PROGRAMMED by DRUG Company Representatives pushing their “latest” drugs on the
Doctors.
Another thing I have learned in this
journey is to do everything you can to get the NATURAL HEALING from the FOODS
that you consume. What you put in your body has a major impact on how you feel
and the outcome of any diagnosis.
I QUIT SMOKING and QUIT DRINKING
ALCOHOL, two things that I actually enjoyed; when I found out I was HIV
POSITIVE. I determined early on that my HEALTH was more important than things I
enjoyed that were actually harmful even to a person NOT living with HIV.
I also changed the way I eat. Of course
I still have food that I know is bad for me at times but even that is getting
less and less. I am still learning what I can and cannot eat now that my
Adrenal Glands are failing. More on that below.
 |
| Natural Supplements are God's Natural Cures for so many diseases |
Here is the list of Natural Supplements
that work for me:
Vitamins/Supplements
- Jarro-Dophilus Probiotic (Jarrow Formulas) {B. longum B536, L. acidophilus La-14, B. lactis Bl-04, L. rhamnosus R0011, L. casel R0215, L. plantarum R1012, Inulin-FOS(FructoOligoSaccharides 210mg) (2 capsule 1x a day) - Digestive and Intestinal Health
- Alive! Men’50 (1x a day) –
Make sure my body gets Vitamins and nutrients
- Fish Oil/Vit. D-3
(1200mg/2000iu 1x a day) – High cholesterol/Osteopenia
- Red Yeast Rice + Co-Q10 (Jarrows Formulas) (1200mg/100mg
1x a day) Cardiovascular Health
- B-Right Complex (Jarrows Formulas) (1x a day) energy
- Milk Thistle Extract (Puritan’s Pride)
(1000mg x2 1x a day) liver
- Vitamin D3 (Jarrows Formulas)
(10,000 IU1x a day) to bring my vitamin D levels back up which is depleted by HIV and Medication. Sunlight is the best source but sometimes we just need more. I started out with 5,000iu's and to go up to 10,000iu's. My numbers are now back where they need to be and my PCP told me to keep doing what I am doing because it is working...
- Zinc (Jarrows Formulas)
(15mg zinc and 1 mg copper 1x a day) Immune Support and Antioxidant Protection
- Hyaluronic Acid (Jarrows Formulas) (100mg 1x a day) Osteoarthritis in back/knees
- JarroSil (Jarrows Formulas) {Zinc 1mg,
Silicon 4mg, Boron .5mg} (10 drops in water once a day) Bone Health
- Acetyl L-Carnitine (Jarrow Formulas)
(500mg 2x a day) – helps with the depression and Neuropathy.
- Coconut Oil (Jarrow Formulas) (1000mg x1 a day) - regulate blood pressure and
cholesterol levels
- Aloe Vera Gels (Now)
(100mg x1 a day) – Digestive Health
- Insositol (Jarrow Formulas)
(750mg x1 a day) – Liver Function
- Curcumin95 (Jarrow Formulas)
(500mg x1 a day) – Antioxidant, Detoxification and Liver Protection, Joint
Health
- Vitamin C (Jarrow Formulas) (C 500mg, Calcium 50mg, Bioflavonoid 200mg x1
a day) – Antioxidant/Immune Support
- PomeGuard (Jarrow Formulas) (Pomegranate Extract 425mg x1 a day) – Heart
Health/Antioxidant
- Raw Adrenal Glandular (Swanson Premium) (Raw Adrenal
Tissue {bovine} 350mg x1 a day) – Adrenal Support
- Melatonin (Swanson Ultra) (10mg x1 at night) – Helps with insomnia
I am still learning and will continue to
educate myself so I can help others who are on their journey living with HIV.
The most recent malfunction is my
adrenal glands are now starting to fail. I have been told by my Doctors that
there is NOTHING that can be done, except WAIT till they are bad enough to
remove. That is NOT an acceptable answer. I have been researching so I will
know the dietary changes I need to make along with what I can do NATURALLY to
help.
I have ordered Adrenal Optimizer from
Jarrow Formulas. While I wait for it to come in I have started taking Raw
Adrenal Glandular to start on my journey to RECOVER and HEAL my Adrenal’s so I
can once again PROVE to the Doctors that Natural Supplements work and GOD makes
NO mistake with HIS HEALING Substances. God made is always so much better than
Man Made…
Let me just say that I had to FIRE my Cardiologist that I had been going to for years. I know he was doing what he thought was best for me; however he was NOT taking care of the newest issue I was having that is still actually making my life miserable. I have had HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE for 8 years now and on medication to keep it under control. However, for the last 8 months it has been off the chain and we have not been able to control it. The last office visit I had with him earlier this year he told me to QUIT taking my blood pressure medicines. He also made a comment about finding a new Doctor if I was not going to do what my HIV Specialist told to do. I will go into more detail on that below. Those words stuck so I decided that day that he was NOT going to address the issue any further so it was time to MOVE ON and find a NEW Cardiologist.
I made an appointment with a NEW
Cardiologist that next week. After just one visit the NEW Doctor put me through
a series of blood work and urine tests. This is when we discovered that my ADRENAL
GLANDS were the issue with my blood pressure. I am now taking 4 medications for
my blood pressure and still not under control. I have researched and found out
that I will deal with this issue as long as my Adrenal’s are not functioning
properly. At least the NEW Cardiologist has gotten to the ROOT of the Problem
now I can work to correct it. My Endocrinologist will keep track of the Adrenal’s.
He has already been monitoring my Thyroid for several years. That will be the
next issue I have to work on. It seems when it rains it pours.
A few months back my HIV Specialist
decided she wanted me to start a NEW HIV medication that she has ALL her other
patients on. I had already done my research and was NOT too thrilled about
having to change ALL my medications to accommodate a NEW MEDICATION. I did
however go to my Primary Care and Cardiologist {at the time} to talk to them
like she asked me too. That is when the Cardiologist yelled at me and told me
HE was the Doctor and I should let him make decisions about my health and If I
did NOT want to listen to my HIV Specialist I should find a NEW Doctor. I fired
him that day!!! I have since had a follow up with my HIV Specialist who NOW
agrees with me {her decision of course} not to switch HIV medications at this
time because of all the other health issues and medication changes I have gone
through, because the NEW MEDICATION would interact with other NEW
MEDICATIONS. Currently my CD4 Count is
2640, I am undetectable and my CD4% is 55. There is absolutely NO REASON to
change medications at this time. I am so glad “she determined” that it is not a
good thing to change. I know she is worried about my kidneys and bones because
of the decline from the ingredients in the HIV medication. Neither of which is
very bad at this time so really why change a good thing.
 |
| Remember you HIRE the DOCTORS so put together a TEAM you TRUST!!! |
Just to let you know this is a list of
my MEDICAL TEAM:
- PCP
- HIV
Specialist – I am now on
my 3rd HIV Specialist. You have to find the right fit when putting
your team of Healthcare Providers together.
- Cardiologist – I am on my 2nd Cardiologist and hopefully
the last because He is great.
- Endocrinologist
- Neurologist – On my 2nd Neurologist because my first
one moved out of state.
- Gastroenterologist
- Otolaryngologist
– I am now with my 3rd Otolaryngologist who is wonderful.
- Dermatologist – I am now with my 2nd Dermatologist and she is
great.
I quit seeing the Psychiatrist because
the medications they had me on made me very aggressive. We went through a lot
of different medications in a few years time. I finally said enough and took
myself off the medications cold turkey. I DO NOT recommend anyone ever take
themselves off medication like that cold turkey. The withdrawals were horrific.
I also lost my counselor because he moved on from the clinic I was going too.
After being off medication for several years for depression and anxiety I
talked to my PCP about a medication I had researched that did NOT interact with
my HIV Medication so we started on it almost a year ago. It has been fantastic
and I am so calm now.
I know sometimes a “Christians” we are
told by other “Christians” you should just trust GOD to help you. I believe GOD
has put good counselors out there to help you when you just need that person
you can talk to who will not pass judgments on you and just listen…
With HIV it is very difficult to control
what happens in your head because of the effects of the disease and medication
on your neurological and chemical changes that happen. Sometimes we need medications to control all that
turmoil.
I do believe that God has something
Natural for everything that happens to these bodies. I also believe He gives scientist the
knowledge to make medications to help with problems. Yes, I wish I could take
only Natural Supplements; however I know realistically it is just NOT feasible
all the time for things that go wrong.
In closing I would like to leave you
with a few suggestions for better health living with HIV:
- Assemble a good
team of Doctors that you TRUST.
- Keep
a positive outlook on life.
- Eat
healthy and exercise.
- TAKE
YOUR HIV MEDICATION EVERYDAY.
- Research
everything Doctors want you to take.
- Research
and have a plan to talk to your Doctors about when starting Natural
Supplements.
- TALK
to other people who have been on this JOURNEY living with HIV for years.
- For me
personally having a RELATIONSHIP with GOD has kept me motivated.
It is my prayer that everyone who is
going through this JOURNEY living with HIV find PEACE in knowing that this is
NOW a life journey NOT a DEATH SENTENCE.
Blessings and Peace,
Rainbow Pastor David
Follow me here:
Twitter - @RainbowPastor
Facebook – Rainbow Pastor David
My HIV Team – Rainbow Pastor David
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.