Published 7-12-08
“Dear Pharmacist,
I have a vaginal fibroid that is about the size of an egg. It’s attached at the opening of the vagina and is very painful. What can I take that is natural to help shrink it?”
–CA Orlando, Florida
Answer: Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that more often appear in the breast, uterus or ovaries. One thing is clear about fibroids, they need estrogen to grow and if you reduce the amount of estrogen in the body, they retreat. This is why menopausal women seem to trade in their fibroids for hot flashes.
Some fibroids grow to the size of a grapefruit. Hysterectomies are sometimes performed as ‘treatment.’ It’s understandable in certain serious cases when the fibroids cause extreme pain or cancer is involved, but I think it’s barbaric that doctors used to do routine hysterectomies to remove fibroids even if you had no symptoms. Besides surgery doesn’t fix the hormonal imbalance that caused it in the first place. Hysterectomies rank up there with other ridiculous procedures that were once popular, like bloodletting, routine tonsillectomies and lobotomies! So ladies, before you get talked into going under the knife, at least try some of the following supplements.
Serrapeptase: This is an enzyme that eats cysts for food. I think it is amazing for inflammatory conditions and it should shrink your fibroids with continued use. Sold widely online and in health food stores.
Myomin: A blend of Chinese herbs was developed by an Oriental naturopath, Dr. Chi. The supplement limits estrogen production, acting sort of like an “aromatase inhibitor” similarly to stronger prescription drugs (Aromasin, Evista and Tamoxifen).
Sold online at www.energeticnutrition.com
This supplement will you reduce estrogen load and when fibroids don’t get the estrogen they need, bloating might occur, especially right before your period and for a few days into your cycle. So it appears that your fibroid condition is worsening. Bloating should subside midway through your cycle. A colored discharge may also occur for a few months as the fibroids slowly dissolve and exit the body.
I3C or DIM: This supplement is extracted from broccoli, cauliflower and other cruciferous veggies. It helps reduce estrogen in the body so the same warnings exist for this supplement as for Myomin.
Evening Primrose Oil: It’s extracted from the seeds of a wildflower and provides you with gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This can help relieve painful menstrual cycles, endometriosis and fibroid tumors too!
Diet: No more fried food, dairy or meat because these may fuel the growth of fibroids. Eat more salads and fruits. Drink juices that are red and fresh, like pure pomegranate, grape or cranberry juice.
Medicine: Wean off your birth control or hormone replacement drugs (with your doctor’s blessings) because these forms of estrogen fuel fibroid growth.
Suzy Cohen, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years and believes the best approach to chronic illness is a combination of natural medicine and conventional. She founded her own dietary supplement company specializing in custom-formulas, some of which have patents. With a special focus on functional medicine, thyroid health and drug nutrient depletion, Suzy is the author of several related books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, Diabetes Without Drugs, and a nationally syndicated column.
