Guest guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Fiddlesticks had good results from it, I think. Also for jet lag! I bought it, but did not use it, because my doc asked me not to. Not because he thought it did bad things, but just because he did not know about it, or its side effects. Bromelain is another health-food type aid that's supposed to decrease swelling. It's derived from pineapples, we're told, and so if you'd like, you can drink pineapple juice, which for my money is a better remedy than swallowing any pill! C, > Has anyone " on the other side " used Arnica or other homeopathic > remedies before/after surgery to alleviate bruising and help speed > the healing process? I personally bruise like a banana and can use > all the help I can get! > > Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 I did not use arnica but I did use bromelain. I had fairly minimal bruising and it went away quickly. Of course, I am having a fairytale-type recovery all 'round. I've had minimal swelling (and Manual Lymphatic Drainage made it go away super-fast), minimal pain (manageable with tylenol & ibuprofen, which I didn't need anymore by the 4-week mark), minimal weight loss (5 lbs and it was back on by the 2-week mark). I've also had a quick return to exercise (well, swimming so far, but I'm doing a lot of it), mostly-normal sensation, and eating " normal " food (I was only banded & splinted and I get to take them off at mealtimes). I realize that I am super-lucky. I feel a little abashed sometimes about saying, " this worked superwell for me! " because not everyone is having as easy a time of it as I am and I worry that some people who are having more difficulty may just get ticked off by my Pollyanna-ish posts. But even so, I really do think that bromelain helped mitigate the bruising, at least somewhat. MLD (and the daily exercises my MLD practitioner taught me) have helped a lot too. Hope that helps, Rhonda > > Has anyone " on the other side " used Arnica or other homeopathic > > remedies before/after surgery to alleviate bruising and help speed > > the healing process? I personally bruise like a banana and can use > > all the help I can get! > > > > Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 I did not use arnica but I did use bromelain. I had fairly minimal bruising and it went away quickly. Of course, I am having a fairytale-type recovery all 'round. I've had minimal swelling (and Manual Lymphatic Drainage made it go away super-fast), minimal pain (manageable with tylenol & ibuprofen, which I didn't need anymore by the 4-week mark), minimal weight loss (5 lbs and it was back on by the 2-week mark). I've also had a quick return to exercise (well, swimming so far, but I'm doing a lot of it), mostly-normal sensation, and eating " normal " food (I was only banded & splinted and I get to take them off at mealtimes). I realize that I am super-lucky. I feel a little abashed sometimes about saying, " this worked superwell for me! " because not everyone is having as easy a time of it as I am and I worry that some people who are having more difficulty may just get ticked off by my Pollyanna-ish posts. But even so, I really do think that bromelain helped mitigate the bruising, at least somewhat. MLD (and the daily exercises my MLD practitioner taught me) have helped a lot too. Hope that helps, Rhonda > > Has anyone " on the other side " used Arnica or other homeopathic > > remedies before/after surgery to alleviate bruising and help speed > > the healing process? I personally bruise like a banana and can use > > all the help I can get! > > > > Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Thanks for the input Rhonda and . Cammie mentioned that Bromelain is also known as Pineapple juice! I'll try that too. I found a MLD therapist in my neighborhood, that I will look into before/after the surgery. Some folks on this board have mentioned that they too had good results w/MLD! I want to do every " extra " possible to quicken the recovery process. I am also a swimmer. How long did you have to wait, and did you have to keep your head out of the water for any reason??? Congrats on your " fairy tale " recovery - I pray that I am as lucky as you! Debs > > > Has anyone " on the other side " used Arnica or other homeopathic > > > remedies before/after surgery to alleviate bruising and help > speed > > > the healing process? I personally bruise like a banana and can > use > > > all the help I can get! > > > > > > Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Thanks for the input Rhonda and . Cammie mentioned that Bromelain is also known as Pineapple juice! I'll try that too. I found a MLD therapist in my neighborhood, that I will look into before/after the surgery. Some folks on this board have mentioned that they too had good results w/MLD! I want to do every " extra " possible to quicken the recovery process. I am also a swimmer. How long did you have to wait, and did you have to keep your head out of the water for any reason??? Congrats on your " fairy tale " recovery - I pray that I am as lucky as you! Debs > > > Has anyone " on the other side " used Arnica or other homeopathic > > > remedies before/after surgery to alleviate bruising and help > speed > > > the healing process? I personally bruise like a banana and can > use > > > all the help I can get! > > > > > > Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Hey Debs, Originally he said I could swim at 4 to 6 weeks, but at the 2-week mark I'd already regained my lost weight and was way farther along in healing than he'd expected (yay MLD!) so my surgeon said to give it another week and then he'd clear me for swimming, elliptical machine, or stationary bike (but not Spinning class. For that he wanted me to wait until I was 8 weeks post-op because the high heart rates involved in some of the more intense classes can cause bleeding from the wound sites). He said I would not have to keep my head out of water (not that I could swim that way--front crawl is almost all I do). He said not to expect my fitness levels to be what they had been pre-surgery, since I'd been sitting idle for 3 weeks, so when I went back in I took it easy--I intended to only do 1000yds but felt so good that I did 2000 (after which I was way more tired than usual). Within a week I was back up to my usual 3000-3500 yds, four times a week. How far do you swim? My only complaint about swimming post-op is that I'm still banded with latex elastic bands, and the chlorine degrades the elastics within an hour or so--and I'm used to opening my mouth fairly wide when I take a breath, so I've broken a few elastics toward the end of some of my workouts. I'm not sure whether it's bad for my jaw to be banded on one side and not the other, even for only 20 minutes or so, so I try to double-band before I get in the pool, just for insurance's sake. If I may pick a small nit--bromelain is not the same as pineapple juice, though pineapple juice does contain bromelain. I used capsules that I got at my local health food co-op. Rhonda > > > > Has anyone " on the other side " used Arnica or other > homeopathic > > > > remedies before/after surgery to alleviate bruising and help > > speed > > > > the healing process? I personally bruise like a banana and > can > > use > > > > all the help I can get! > > > > > > > > Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Hey Debs, Originally he said I could swim at 4 to 6 weeks, but at the 2-week mark I'd already regained my lost weight and was way farther along in healing than he'd expected (yay MLD!) so my surgeon said to give it another week and then he'd clear me for swimming, elliptical machine, or stationary bike (but not Spinning class. For that he wanted me to wait until I was 8 weeks post-op because the high heart rates involved in some of the more intense classes can cause bleeding from the wound sites). He said I would not have to keep my head out of water (not that I could swim that way--front crawl is almost all I do). He said not to expect my fitness levels to be what they had been pre-surgery, since I'd been sitting idle for 3 weeks, so when I went back in I took it easy--I intended to only do 1000yds but felt so good that I did 2000 (after which I was way more tired than usual). Within a week I was back up to my usual 3000-3500 yds, four times a week. How far do you swim? My only complaint about swimming post-op is that I'm still banded with latex elastic bands, and the chlorine degrades the elastics within an hour or so--and I'm used to opening my mouth fairly wide when I take a breath, so I've broken a few elastics toward the end of some of my workouts. I'm not sure whether it's bad for my jaw to be banded on one side and not the other, even for only 20 minutes or so, so I try to double-band before I get in the pool, just for insurance's sake. If I may pick a small nit--bromelain is not the same as pineapple juice, though pineapple juice does contain bromelain. I used capsules that I got at my local health food co-op. Rhonda > > > > Has anyone " on the other side " used Arnica or other > homeopathic > > > > remedies before/after surgery to alleviate bruising and help > > speed > > > > the healing process? I personally bruise like a banana and > can > > use > > > > all the help I can get! > > > > > > > > Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Hey Debs, Originally he said I could swim at 4 to 6 weeks, but at the 2-week mark I'd already regained my lost weight and was way farther along in healing than he'd expected (yay MLD!) so my surgeon said to give it another week and then he'd clear me for swimming, elliptical machine, or stationary bike (but not Spinning class. For that he wanted me to wait until I was 8 weeks post-op because the high heart rates involved in some of the more intense classes can cause bleeding from the wound sites). He said I would not have to keep my head out of water (not that I could swim that way--front crawl is almost all I do). He said not to expect my fitness levels to be what they had been pre-surgery, since I'd been sitting idle for 3 weeks, so when I went back in I took it easy--I intended to only do 1000yds but felt so good that I did 2000 (after which I was way more tired than usual). Within a week I was back up to my usual 3000-3500 yds, four times a week. How far do you swim? My only complaint about swimming post-op is that I'm still banded with latex elastic bands, and the chlorine degrades the elastics within an hour or so--and I'm used to opening my mouth fairly wide when I take a breath, so I've broken a few elastics toward the end of some of my workouts. I'm not sure whether it's bad for my jaw to be banded on one side and not the other, even for only 20 minutes or so, so I try to double-band before I get in the pool, just for insurance's sake. If I may pick a small nit--bromelain is not the same as pineapple juice, though pineapple juice does contain bromelain. I used capsules that I got at my local health food co-op. Rhonda > > > > Has anyone " on the other side " used Arnica or other > homeopathic > > > > remedies before/after surgery to alleviate bruising and help > > speed > > > > the healing process? I personally bruise like a banana and > can > > use > > > > all the help I can get! > > > > > > > > Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Hi Debs, I consulted with a registered homeopath and took a variety of remedies immediately pre and post-op. I would recommend the same, to search out somebody experienced. Homeopathic remedies are now available in the pharmacy section of our local grocery store, but it's best to have someone guide you in what to take, when to take it, and for how long. I have also used arnica recently for jet-lag on a trip to Ireland, again under the guidance of my homeopath. Hope that helps, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Hi Debs, I consulted with a registered homeopath and took a variety of remedies immediately pre and post-op. I would recommend the same, to search out somebody experienced. Homeopathic remedies are now available in the pharmacy section of our local grocery store, but it's best to have someone guide you in what to take, when to take it, and for how long. I have also used arnica recently for jet-lag on a trip to Ireland, again under the guidance of my homeopath. Hope that helps, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Hi Debs, I consulted with a registered homeopath and took a variety of remedies immediately pre and post-op. I would recommend the same, to search out somebody experienced. Homeopathic remedies are now available in the pharmacy section of our local grocery store, but it's best to have someone guide you in what to take, when to take it, and for how long. I have also used arnica recently for jet-lag on a trip to Ireland, again under the guidance of my homeopath. Hope that helps, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2003 Report Share Posted July 18, 2003 Hey Rhonda, You are obviously much more athletic that I. I merely swim recreationally in our pool at home - as does our dog. ;-) I can't even imagine how far 1000 yards is, yet alone 3000... except maybe 10-30 football fields! yikes! How could you swim at all being banded shut? I don't think I'd be able to get enough air and would panic! Oh well, I guess I'll play one that by ear. You are truly the " recovery idol " on this site! Be well, Debs > > > > > Has anyone " on the other side " used Arnica or other > > homeopathic > > > > > remedies before/after surgery to alleviate bruising and help > > > speed > > > > > the healing process? I personally bruise like a banana and > > can > > > use > > > > > all the help I can get! > > > > > > > > > > Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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