Diabetes Talking

Question:

Before I go talk to a doctor, I’m hoping someone on the newsgroup can help me with something.  I was recommended by a few herbalists whom I trust to use Chaparral in a specific dosage for 30 days, to help treat a specific health concern of mine.  And unfortunately, I’ve had a bout of sickness, lack of exercise, stress, and moving out of state for two months to deal with that has been causing BG issues over the last 2 weeks.  I had it back under decent control all this week (my HgA1c usually is around 6.8 – 7), and began normal exercising again.  In light of all this, I feel that I’m not sure if the Chaparral doses I’ve been taking for the past three days are contributing to these strange BG readings of mine.   Taking my normal insulin doses (they’ve been the same for 9 years), my BG has been staying high and is very hard to get down.  I felt low last night, and had a late dinner around 10pm because my blood sugar was 300 that evening.  This morning despite my low BG the night before and fairly average dinner (about 500 – 600 calories), I woke up again this morning with a BG of 350!  So, took 2 extra R units this morning at 8am, didn’t eat anything until noon, and now at 4pm it was 227, so I took a bit extra R.  At this point, I’m going to have to stop taking the herb and see if I return to normal because this has gotten way out of hand! I am aware of the possibilities and uncertainty related to Chaparral and liver toxicity. For certain reasons, I am without health insurance temporarily, so talking to a doctor about this could be very expensive.  But, treating this health concern of mine is also important to me.  Conventional medicine has only proven less or inadaquately effective.   Thanks to anyone who can provide input!

Response:

Don’t use Chaparral it has known toxins and has been on the no no list for everyone for many years.  That pertains to healthy people not just healthy diabetics. You don’t need to induce and kidney problems nor add any toxins to your liver.  You get plenty of them just eating the normal American diet. Zehede – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Before I go talk to a doctor, I’m hoping someone on the newsgroup can help me with something.  I was recommended by a few herbalists whom I trust to use Chaparral in a specific dosage for 30 days, to help treat a specific health concern of mine.  And unfortunately, I’ve had a bout of sickness, lack of exercise, stress, and moving out of state for two months to deal with that has been causing BG issues over the last 2 weeks.  I had it back under decent control all this week (my HgA1c usually is around 6.8 – 7), and began normal exercising again.  In light of all this, I feel that I’m not sure if the Chaparral doses I’ve been taking for the past three days are contributing to these strange BG readings of mine. Taking my normal insulin doses (they’ve been the same for 9 years), my BG has been staying high and is very hard to get down.  I felt low last night, and had a late dinner around 10pm because my blood sugar was 300 that evening.  This morning despite my low BG the night before and fairly average dinner (about 500 – 600 calories), I woke up again this morning with a BG of 350!  So, took 2 extra R units this morning at 8am, didn’t eat anything until noon, and now at 4pm it was 227, so I took a bit extra R.  At this point, I’m going to have to stop taking the herb and see if I return to normal because this has gotten way out of hand! I am aware of the possibilities and uncertainty related to Chaparral and liver toxicity. For certain reasons, I am without health insurance temporarily, so talking to a doctor about this could be very expensive.  But, treating this health concern of mine is also important to me.  Conventional medicine has only proven less or inadaquately effective. Thanks to anyone who can provide input!

Response:

Don’t use Chaparral it has known toxins and has been on the no no list for everyone for many years.

I am aware of the possibilities for toxicity.  But what one source says, another competes against.  I don’t believe the studies on Chaparral toxicity are complete.  There’s only been six reported cases (according to one article) of liver problems in people taking Chaparall.  Most of these individuals were not taking only chaparral but other substances as well.  Some studies have shown very little to no toxicity, so who knows? I’m more curious if anyone out there has had similar experiences with very erratic BG readings after taking any herbal tinctures or chaparral. You don’t need to induce and kidney problems nor add any toxins to your liver.  You get plenty of them just eating the normal American diet.

Ain’t that the truth! thanks..

Response:

[snip]  I was recommended by a few herbalists whom I trust to

[snip] David, A few reliable shamans I know have told me to avoid the herbalists.  But none of them has poo-pooed the witch doctors.   Hell, for a sawbuck, *I’ll* go into a trance for you.  [Damned, that was commercial, wasn't it?  For peace in the group, I withdraw my offer.]                                     Harvey

Response:

true enough.  i was not intending to start anything.  only posing a question.  thanks for the replies. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – David, A few reliable shamans I know have told me to avoid the herbalists.  But none of them has poo-pooed the witch doctors. Hell, for a sawbuck, *I’ll* go into a trance for you.  [Damned, that was commercial, wasn't it?  For peace in the group, I withdraw my offer.]                                     Harvey

Response: