So I decided that I would like to try to eliminate the hot flash issue. I have been taking a very low very low dosage of a drug called effexor to help reduce them, but decided why not try the referral to "the witch doctor".
M friend K recommended her after having gone to see several professionals about her problems to which she pinpointed a sensitivity to gluten and allergy to dairy fairly quickly that others couldn't diagnose. So I decided that I had nothing to loose.
Apparently she only takes calls on Wednesday morning between 8-10am which is when I have a weekly meeting scheduled. So trying to book an appointment was challenging at best. I finally got an appointment and wrote down the directions. Now I am directionally challenged at best and given the fact it was dark at 5pm added some extra challenge to driving out to an area I had never been. I googled it a couple of times and got land marks from some people and felt good about where I was going. That is until I realized that the land marks I had could only be seen in daylight. You would think a lake would be visible...except when there are no street lights.
I finally find the street and there is only one house which I cannot find a number for so I walk up to the front of the house. Hmmm no porch light on, so I take a step closer and realize my foot is tangled on something..a dog lead....ok that could have been bad. I ring the door bell and wait. A woman answers the door..H? Yes.
She turned around and mumbled something and pointed to a room which she turned on a the light in and then mumbled something else that sounded like she was finishing dinner. So I assumed I was to wait in the lite room. I looked around to a variety of organized chaos and wondered what I had gotten myself into. After what was only a few minutes (but felt like an eternity) she came back to the room and said "ok" and turned and went down another hallway and into another room. I followed blindly. I enter a room which had a wall of pills, a massage table, two chairs and an electric stand alone fireplace. "Where should I sit?" She mumbled something so I just sat in the most comfortable chair of the two.
She was busy getting a pen and paper so I was able to get a good look at her. I place her about 55-60, about 4'9", with a bob and lots of layered clothing but looked normal. No gnarly nose or black hat in site. She asked me a variety of medical questions and was really only interested in current things as opposed to long ago issues.
She asked me to stand with my right foot and left arm out. She then gently pushed on the end of my hand.. Then she asked me to put out the opposite hand and foot; which she pushed on as well. She then looked at me and said (clearly) "Do you run into a lot of things?" ahhh ...yes. "You are out of balance"...ok? Apparently when I walk my left arm and leg want to go together as opposed to my left leg and right arm...funny I have never noticed this. So my body is trying to spin in a circle. Hmm makes sense and I have lots of bruises to show for my running into things..I just took it as me being me. (I did randomly fall down once while just standing stillish while others climbed down a hill)
She asked me to lay on her table and put her hand under my head. I closed my eyes while she gently moved her fingers around. I felt like my brain cells were swirling. She then went to my feet and pushed them down. Asked me to stand up and repeat the same procedure as before. "There" she said quite satisfied. "That's fixed"..??? all I felt was dizzy.
I laid back down on the table and she asked my to put my arms straight up with my palms facing out and my hands touching. As she put bottles of pills on my stomach I was to try to keep my hands together. Easy right? Not so much. Some pills she couldn't pull my hands apart and others, no matter how hard I tried she did it easily. By the end there was a whole trove of boxes and bottles on my stomach.
I sat up and she asked if I used canola oil? Odd question but yes I used it last night to make popcorn but use olive oil on a regular basis. She wanted me to switch to coconut oil, eat kale and take the variety of vitamins laying before me. Basically they are fish oil, magnesium, an estrogen boosting supplement and rhodilia. Ok I could do this. I paid and then got up. She made no movement from her chair. I am thinking we are done but she makes no movement.
Instead she starts patting a dog and telling me about her kenneling services. I put on my jacket and asked "What now"? Take the vitamins for a month then come back and see me. I am not to stop taking my current drug or vitamins. I then start to leave and she doesn't follow. I come across a closed dog gate which was not there before. I attempt to open it but I am not sure how it works. So I go back and ask her. She tells me about a hidden lever but stays patting the dog and makes no attempt to come help me or see me to the door. I do manage to get out and back to my car. Ok I just paid a lot of money for a whole lot of weird!
Follow up: The vitamins have reduced my hot flashes to 1-2 a day from 3-5. I have noticed my right arm swings when I move my left leg and vice versa. I am not sure if this is new or now I notice it. My husband says it is new.
I have gone back to see H one more time and have another appointment scheduled for January as she has begun working on other issues I have..chronic nasal drip. The second time was not as odd as the first time, except she answered the door in her jammies and held the boxes up to my face as opposed to my stomach but lets see how this progresses before I pass judgment as for now things seem to be working so I guess her potions are worth it!
