70 y.o. woman with persistent diarrhea & other heat symptoms

Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.

I’m generally leery of the term “detox”. While it can be argued that there is such a thing, I think the concept is largely overstated when you look at how the body actually functions. But, to provide help to you I would ask you to clarify what your previous practitioner was doing to “detox” you?

There should rarely, if ever, be a process of “worse before it gets better” - this, I feel is an excuse for someone providing the wrong treatment to you.

At 72 it is extremely unlikely that you have what we would call a full-heat or excess condition - it is more likely given your history as described, your age, and other factors that you are either blood deficient and/or yin deficient. Treatment that would clear full heat would very likely make you worse and that might have been what was happening before.

I would suggest you find a practitioner in your area - ideally one who practices Chinese herbal medicine and tuina (Chinese medical massage) along with acupuncture - it’s an admitted bias of mine, but I feel those folks on average are better rounded practitioners.

Comment by Archived User

Hello Chad, thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. I am so very glad to read what you say about blood/yin deficiency as opposed to heat and yes, I have been diagnosed with that before. The acupuncturist I was seeing most recently was, I believe, quite skilled as he was able to make significant progress with my husband who had collapse of chi. and I may well be incorrect with my belief he was detoxing me … please forgive my preconceptions! We moved shortly after I developed diarrhea.

We are now in Enterprise, AL where very little is known about alternative modalities, let alone acupuncture/herbs. I looked up your location and you’re too far for us to go, I’m sorry to say. But your saying I am blood and/or yin deficient tells me, at lest, not to clear heat (!) and to spend time building myself up. Just this morning my husband and I considered that the cause of my diarrhea may be my change over the past 2 years from totally uptight/negative/depressed/constipated to relaxed and happy … my intestines need tonifying as well. I’m cutting out everything irritating and doing my best in an area that has very little good medical help.

So THANK YOU for your reply. I ill go about this entirely differently as a result of your kind advice.