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Old Wed Jul 18, 2012, 01:25 AM
Lisa V Lisa V is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Waimanalo, Hawaii
Posts: 401
Quote:
Originally Posted by NLJabbari View Post
Hi, I haven't posted in a while, but do come by to see what's new...I've heard or rather know of only one person w AA who has done well using an alternative method instead of (ATG/cyclosporine). I believe her name is Marla Brown...I'm not sure if she visits this forum though. BTW, If I recall correctly--I think her method only involved juicing though. She did get supportive care via transfusions for quite a while till things turned around for her.
I was thinking of Marla too, Norma. She is the only person I can think of who has had measurable success using alternative methods, and it wasn't easy. I can't recall if she tried any herbal medications, tonics, shark oil etc. It seems to me it was mostly diet and lifestyle, and she was (and presumably still is) extremely disciplined about it. She was transfusion dependant for quite a while too, during which time she had some bad reactions to certain donors' blood products, and built up quite an iron overload. Her platelets actually got down to zero at one point, and she said she could actually sit and watch the bruises appear on her skin without her doing anything to prompt them! If I recall correctly, it seems like it may have been a couple of years before she started to see improvements. The whole process would probably have scared most people into going the conventional medical route, but her feeling was that she'd rather die than take immune suppressants.

My own feeling is that if you feel that strongly about it, then it's your choice to make, but if you aren't prepared to dedicate yourself to it completely, it may not be the best course for you. I don't know of anyone who just took some natural remedy and had things miraculously turn around for them. Marla did her research and became extremely knowledgeable about nutrition, AA and all of the available treatment options. She wouldn't take something unless there was a sound medical basis for it, and basically was willing to use herself as a guinea pig. I wish she still had her website up and running. I don't like speaking for her, and I don't think she'd like it much either.
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-Lisa, husband Ken age 60 dx SAA 7/04, dx hypo MDS 1/06 w/finding of trisomy 8; 2 ATGs, partial remission, still using cyclosporine

Last edited by Lisa V : Fri Jul 27, 2012 at 06:47 PM. Reason: thread moved to appropriate section
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