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RRP

Papilloma
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My sons has Recurrent Respitory Papilloma (virus on the vocal cords). He has been treated with Cidofovir every 6 weeks for the last three years with good results. Now the doses they must give him have been linked to cancer and the doctor will not continue at that level. He wants us to consider high doses of herbs from China that are not FDA approved. Has anyone had any experience to share with this? The alternative is surgery every 4 weeks indefinitely with lower doses of Cidofovir. Help!

Explore topics in this discussion:

Pneumonia Cancer Surgery HPV Malaria Cervical cancer

9 replies

SickOfBeingSick

Hi,

What a bind you are in. I would try the Chinese herbs, if I were in your situation.

I have an immune deficiency and have problems with retroviruses such as your son's papilloma. I read a very rigorous study from a major research institution about an old folk remedy, Vicks Vaporub. They studied the active ingredients, camphor, eucalyptus, menthol and phenol. They discovered that these ingredients (especially camphor) absorb readily through the skin, are non-toxic unless used in very high concentrations, (like putting it on broken skin, mucus membranes or over your entire body) and are potent antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial agents. They even outperformed some pharmaceutical antibiotics. Camphor is a very ancient Chinese remedy.

I started rubbing Vicks or camphor on my chest and throat and my swollen glands and sore chest all but disappear when I use it. I have also gotten rid of warts that I had for years using it.

I am also a fan of Chinese herbal preparations. In 2000 I had chronic pneumonia that the doctors couldn't get rid of. Got so bad I couldn't even walk the few yards between my desk at work and my car. Multiple antibiotics prescribed over many months weren't doing a thing. The pulmonologist was worse than useless.

I went to a Chinese medicine practitioner who was the stepfather of a friend as a last-ditch effort. I didn't think it would help and was very skeptical but I was desperate. He prescribed a number of Chinese herbal preparations and my pneumonia was drastically better within a week.

Chinese herbal medicine has been around for thousands of years for a good reason. Because it works. Better than western herbal medicine, which is a much more recent practice and not as well-developed and is hit-and-miss. It's just not as well accepted in the west, where we place all our trust in the pharmaceutical companies. Pharmaceuticals are great, but Chinese medicine can fill in gaps that western medicine doesn't know how to treat or treats very poorly.

Cathy

Adwyer

Hi
Unfortunately I am of the opposite opinion of the Chinese herbs. I think you should strongly consider surgery to remove as much of the virus infected tissue as aggressively as possible. HPV is dangerous in most forms and carries a gene that converts cells into cancer cells. Please ask the doctors what subtype of HPV your son has this will help you determine it's aggressiveness. This can be life threatening to your son if it converts to tracheal cancer because of its location. The cancer can spread to his brain. I just don't want you to think you can stop a virus with an herb and risk your losing your son. Go ahead and have the surgery. You can try the herbs on what is left of the virus afterward.
It is better to have a son that cannot speak than no son. I wish I could advise better.

Aleck

Papilloma

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I should have clarified that he has had as much of it removed as they can. The Cidofovir has been keeping it pretty clear so he has only had surgeries every 3 months this last year. His type is the one that most often turns to cancer. We are to the point where we need to consider the herbs for what is left over. I'm afraid of the purity and quality of the herbs. I'm also afraid our insurance company will weigh in and force us one way or the other. The surgeries are very expensive (around $4,000 each vs. $100 a month for herbs). He will have another surgery in 2 weeks so the doctor wants our decision by then. You sound knowledgeable about this disease. Do you have a web site with information you can point me to? Thanks again.

Papilloma

Thanks for your reply. Do you have a web site on these herbs? We know absolutely nothing about Chinese herbal medicine. Apparently the type the doctor wants us to consider is used to treat malaria, but he would need higher doses. Do you worry about the quality or purity? How do you get them? Are they over the counter here in the States? Thanks again.

Adwyer

The best site out there for current research in the field is http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed. It will give you the most up to date info on the questions you have. HPV is relentless and in my opinion cannot be cured with herbs. The drugs that are being given currently are designed to slow its reproduction. This is not a cure either. Aggressive surgical removal of the HPV infected tissue is your best option. I would focus my money and effort into paying for the surgeries not on the long shot that an herb will work. Also have you been checked for HPV through a pap smear?

Thanks,
Aleck

Papilloma

Thanks for the information. I'll check it out. I have not been checked for this virus although I do have regualr paps. My understanding is that this is totally different than the HPV associated with cervical cancer?

SickOfBeingSick

Hi,

Just to clarify - I wasn't suggesting the Chinese herbs as a substitute for other treatment but as an important adjunct. No reason not to pursue both at the same time.

Yes, you are correct. Because of lack of regulation, it is very important to buy herbs from a reputable source and to see a skilled, knowledgeable practitioner. There are some unscrupulous people who hang a shingle out who have very little medical training, etc. There are a number of MD's in the US who began their medical practice in China or Asia in Chinese medicine then moved to the US and obtained an MD and medical license to practice medicine here. These doctors should be very reputable and skilled and would be covered by insurance since they are MD's or DO's.

The Chinese herbs that cured my chronic pneumonia were from "Nature's Sunshine", www.naturessunshine.com, 800-223-8225.

Just curious - is it quinine or a quinine derivative that your son's doctor is recommending? I am considering it for my infections right now. There are very small amounts of quinine in tonic water that you can buy at the grocery store. I would check into side effects carefully because it has a fair amount of side effects when used in therapeutic doses.

Chinese herbs in general are over-the-counter, but quinine and it's cousins are prescription only.

Cathy

Papilloma

The doctors referred us to an article that included a regimen of artemisinin and artesunate. One or both are apparently used to treat malaria. They are supposed to have some anti-viral qualities. His voice is not holding up with the weaker dose of Cidofovir. I should add, he is 21 years old and has had it for 3 years. I did see one article on the International RRP website that showed success. Any input?

SickOfBeingSick

Sorry, but I know very little about artemisinin and nothing about artesunate. I hope your doctor is correct and that they help your son.

Best wishes,
Cathy

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