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Post by JC on Apr 15, 2012 14:25:49 GMT -5
Well poo, I read on the Sensible Health website (which has become my go-to lately) that evening primrose is on the estrogenic herbs list. Here's a quote “My suggestion for women with hormone imbalance is to avoid herbs which have estrogenic activities such as Don Quei, Licorice, Ginseng, Royal Jelly, fennel, hops, anise, clover, flax seed oil and evening primrose oil even though they may make you feel better initially. Estrogen-containing foods such as alfalfa, chick pea, carrot (or beta carotene) can be taken occasionally but not on a regular basis.”  OMG really!?!?? I need to ask Karen too. She's the natural treatment guru. |
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Post by Karen on Apr 15, 2012 14:41:27 GMT -5
I hadn't heard that specifically about evening primrose. The main component in evening primrose is GLA, which is an essential fatty acid, meaning it's something our bodies need. Although evening primrose has a high concentration of GLA, there are other natural supplements that have it as well. Borage oil (also called evening primrose oil) is another one. Correct me if I'm wrong, Jenaya - because they are fat-soluble vitamins, you have to be careful how much you take - taking too much of it could build up in your system.
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Post by loveshoes on Apr 15, 2012 14:42:07 GMT -5
I mentioned this years ago to my gyno and her comment was if I had a dollar for every patient that comes in and tells me they have no sex drive.....seems very common overall either with endo or no endo.
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Post by JC on Apr 15, 2012 15:26:37 GMT -5
Yeah it's common and yet rarely a doctor would take it seriously for a woman. If a man came in complaining about having no sex drive then the doctor would be all over it ordering a million and a half tests and pumping him full of drugs.
Karen, yeah fat soluble vitamins can build up in your system if your body doesn't use it all. I'm so confused. I read a naturopathic book that said evening primerose was a great way to control hormones.
Sigh...
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Post by hellsbells on Apr 15, 2012 16:24:20 GMT -5
But on the other hand the idea of taking these types of products/herbs is that they should naturally suppress (to some extent) your own hormones, thus potentially calming down the imbalance? EPO is used the world over to help with hormone balance, I'm not going to be quick to assume that's incorrect because of one website.
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Post by Karen on Apr 15, 2012 16:45:15 GMT -5
GLA (the main component of EPO) is an essential fatty acid, meaning it's something your body needs but isn't something you can produce on its own. Although I've heard of it helping things like PMS or hot flashes, it's not one that I've seen often touted as balancing hormones. Vitex is more along those lines, though it's more to boost progesterone levels. Here's a summary of GLA: www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/gamma-linolenic-000305.htm |
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Post by hollymarie on Apr 15, 2012 18:52:44 GMT -5
But on the other hand the idea of taking these types of products/herbs is that they should naturally suppress (to some extent) your own hormones, thus potentially calming down the imbalance? EPO is used the world over to help with hormone balance, I'm not going to be quick to assume that's incorrect because of one website. Totally agree...as well, what works for me, may be detrimental to the next. I've had multiple episodes/flare ups the past two years & am always able to determine the cause once I revisit this site and am reminded that too much of these good things don't agree with my bod: dates/figs, ginger, ginseng, citrus, tomatoes, garlic... |
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Post by hollymarie on Apr 15, 2012 18:58:02 GMT -5
OMG really!?!?? I need to ask Karen too. She's the natural treatment guru.
Karen - if you have time, would you mind checking out the Sensible Health.com website & let me know what you think? In particular, #s 4&5. Julia Chang suggests it's all about the liver. I've found much relief with the Coptis/Chinese Bitters protocol...
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Post by Karen on Apr 15, 2012 21:17:21 GMT -5
I don't have much knowledge of the TCM realm of things - there's just SO much to it - but in general, the liver does play an important part in our hormone balance. From what I recall, if the liver is overwhelmed or backed up with a whole bunch of other crap - drugs, foods, etc. - it doesn't filter out the hormones and other toxins and they just keep recirculating instead of being excreted. As we all know, estrogen dominance can fuel endo, and if estrogen isn't being filtered out, well, you can see why there's a lot of info out there about supporting your liver. I think it's pretty impossible to make progress in overall health if the liver is ignored. It's been a while since I read up on that so I may be a bit rusty on the specifics. There's obviously a lot more to it!
The digestion practitioner that I'm seeing actually has me on a digestive enzyme for liver support. I've done a few liver cleanses through the years and I always feel SO much better when I'm done. Problem is, within a few days, things start to slide downhill again. I'm not familiar with your bitters protocol, but if they're for the liver, I can see why they might provide relief. I don't think supporting the liver is a quick fix by any means - it's just part of a comprehensive wellness plan - but it can help the body function more efficiently, which in turn can help the body heal.
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Post by hollymarie on Apr 16, 2012 19:04:52 GMT -5
Thanks for taking the time to respond, Karen. It makes good sense to me. (I asked my Endo specialist about the liver/endo connection at my appointment today & he said something like, "Well, that's the first I've heard of such..." LOL - he's a kick booty surgeon and I luv him, so I'm not going to hold it against him.
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Post by desdisques on May 18, 2012 19:53:14 GMT -5
My lack of sex drive is a huge problem in my relationship! It's a mix of depression meds causing me to have zero desire and endo causing me a lot of pain. My boyfriend and I haven't had real sex in several months. I've been trying new anti-depressants over the past year but find what works the best is taking a very low dose. it keeps me from being "never take a shower never leave the house depressed," but still at least lets me have an orgasm!
My boyfriend is very understanding of the pain but not so much the lack of desire. He feels rejected and insecure. No matter how many times i tell him the causes he still feels the way he feels. It continues to be a problem in the relationship, and i often think life would be easier if i were single. What keeps us together is that we love each other very much and can't live without each other!
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