Skeptical of alternative medicine, I took a leap on Chinese tonics and paid the price - opinion
I found a specialist in Tel Aviv that I’d read good things about. While not a licensed medical doctor, he tests all his tonics in the oncology department at Sheba Medical Center, Israel’s largest.
My medical issues started piling up, leading me to venture into alternative medicine. I particularly turned to Chinese herbs, despite my mixed feelings towards complementary medicine in general. From acupuncture to homeopathy, I've tried various methods, but usually to no avail. Even then, I remained skeptical of integrative specialists.
However, when battling post-CAR-T side effects, I decided to give Chinese tonics another chance. A specialist in Tel Aviv prescribed two concoctions made mostly of mushrooms and berries - Astragalus, cordyceps, reishi, ligustrum, and goji (lycium). They were heavily alcoholic and had an unpleasant taste. Taking them as directed, I didn't notice any effects on my "qi" - life force. But when I visited Hadassah for blood work, my liver enzymes were dangerously high.
I was immediately advised to stop the tonics. The specialist had assured me they wouldn't interact with my medications, but it turned out they did. As a result, I discovered I had gallstones. Upon removal via ERCP, I was treated with multiple rounds of IV antibiotics. While my hospital experience improved compared to previous visits, I was re-hospitalized a month later for a small bowel obstruction.
Despite this, I realized that I'd found a new ally in Western medicine and wouldn't be returning to that Chinese medicine doctor.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written; read the original for the full account.
