I snuck out to the computer while our oldest son is visiting. I even bought a cappichino (sp?) and found a fountain outside and just sat and listened to the sound of the water until a storm with lightening ran me back inside!! 22 days here today. He is grumpy so I guess that means he is better THANK GOD!!!! Love y'all. Betty

Hi Lilli22 I UNDERSTAND. If you have not had your heart tested with an echocardiogram, I would consider that on my high priority list. This way you will rule out any heart disease. (Remember: Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Now that I have scared the daylights out of you, take a deep breath and keep reading. I KNOW what it feels like to suddenly out of the blue start having irregular heartbeats. April 11 2007 my world, as I knew it, came crashing down, when early one morning I stood up from my desk, climbed the stairs and when I reached the top I could not breath, my heart was pounding in my ears,my thigh muscles were quivering and I was near fainting. I am a retired nurse. I calmly found my blood pressure cuff and noted that both B/P and Heart Rate was rapidly accelerating. I called the rescue squad. Long story short, I was sent to a cardiologist where they proceeded to do a 24 hour holter monitor test. Diagnosis: non-specific tachycardia (rapid heart rate) that is "not to be concerned with." August 2007, I found myself back in the ER with the exact same symptons. This time my cardiologist ran the Echo. My heart is in fine working condition. While laying there having the test, I had a nice conversation with the technician who is about 47 and a very healthy runner. She told me she too has non-specific tachycardia and her heart will race up to 177 beats when she is sitting still and then will immediately drop back down to her normal resting heart rate. She works in the cardiology department and there is no reason for her racing heart, other than the theory that has yet to be "proven" by what appears to be an ignorant medical research society. That theory? Estrogen flucuation. If you go to reputable websites you can read this theory.. irregular heartbeats are connected to estrogen flucuation..there is just no proof. As far as your herbal usage I think it is wonderful that you are open to other means of treatment, however I have found that sometimes the very herbs we take can have a negative effect. By taking so many one would never know which one could have that effect. I do know from speaking with other ladies that Don Quai has negative side effects for some. I also know from personal experience that taking yam extract natural progesterone can have a negative side effect too. What I am saying is: I believe if I wasn't sure an herb was working I would want to know which ones were and how would you go about finding that out? By eliminating one at a time..just a suggestion. But first I would have that echo..just another suggestion and then if your tests are fine..perhaps you might need your thyroid medication adjusted. My mother had thyroid disease and she had to have her medication adjusted many times over her lifetime. That little "butterfly" at your throat can make ones heart flip flop unmercifully.It is such a powerful mechanism that is so readily overlooked by the medical profession. Now for what I do..sometimes I am like my name "serenely frantic" meaning I may look calm on the outside but on the inside I am going batty with the racing heart...but now that I know it is "the change" and I know that I am not going to die...I exercise..eat right...dropped my coffee to a small cup in the a.m., stay away from simple carbs, colas, negative people, anything containing stimulants, (over the counter cough, cold, or even prescription drugs) I also take time for me. It is a MUST as it appears that irregular heart beats are the norm for a lot of peri and post menopausal women. Now it appears that you are an educated researcher and advocate for yourself, so please make sure you have a doctor who takes you seriously. If they do not then it is time to move on. Hope this has been of some help and that I was not too blunt.

Here's an old woodsman's trick. With only a few exceptions, insect and plant toxins are peptide chains, and therefore are acidic. To combat an acid, use a base, and the easiest and quickest base, which is on hand in every household, is plain old ammonia (lemon ammonia if you prefer the smell). Just dampen a paper towel and apply ammonia to the bite or sting or what have you, and the itch will disappear quickly. This works wonders for bites of mosquitoes, ants, spiders, etc., and for stinging plants such as nettles. It will help prevent poison ivy if you apply it to the skin immediately after contact with that plant (but do NOT use it after blisters have formed). For a double whammy, mix ammonia with a bit of baking soda (also a base) and apply the paste.

jewel, I'm glad that you had a successful recovery. The NIH page I linked summarizes the findings of formal studies, what is and isn't known. In this particular case, it suggests that evidence of effectiveness is inadequate or lacking. With your experience and that of others, there's no way to know what might have happened to you without ingesting this substance. Would your healing have been the same? Would it have been quicker? Was there some effect from the tea you normally drink? You see what I mean, all the extraneous factors are properly managed in studies so that results are focused and understandable. The experience of one or even several people isn't useful. I'm happy for you, but I find an NIH assessment of "no demonstrated benefit" more persuasive. And unsurprising, the real stories for so many supplements people recommend are similar.