Home remedies for GM?

[brendy1115]

I was diagnosed with granuloma mastitis after three months of two ultrasounds, a needle aspiration and two biopsies.  I'm taking two antibiotics and nothing for the pain.  My breast is very red and painful, I've been hearing about the Calcium enzonite clay is this okay for a breast that's inflamed and red???  Also I want to change my diet as well anything that will help me, I'm only 28.  I'm frankly tired of these antibiotics and have had a loss of appetite and I just really hate that it's taking over my life, I can't even enjoy my three year old anymore. Please any suggestions?

[OnemoreVancouver]

Hi Kuulei,

I was taking turmeric in capsules and also now buy fresh turmeric root and grate it like ginger into most of my meals.

[kuulei04]

Hey everyone!  It's been a while since I posted anything.  I normally check the forum from my phone and its a little bit of a pain to reply through my phone.  Anyhow,  here I am.. 8 months in and I feel great. At the 4 month mark I decided to see a naturopath doctor.  She had me follow the paleo diet, gave me probiotics, and some L Glutamine powder to help heal my gut, and lastly curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric - a natural anti inflammatory).  I think the key here is the diet, avoiding foods that cause inflammation AND another key is getting your supplements from a reliable source, not just the health food store.  The supplements that I take are very costly, my curcumin is $45 for 40 capsules and I take 2 per day.  You know the saying, you get what you pay for.  Well as soon as I started taking this particular brand of curcumin, my headaches went away instantly so I know it works.  

At the 6 month mark I noticed that I was no longer feeling pain in my breast and I had to rejoice for feeling "normal again"  I decided to start acupuncture as well and I love it.  For the first month I went once a week and after that its best to go every 2 weeks, then eventually monthly.  The acupuncturist told me that there are certain points they do for breast abscesses.  I have no doubt this has helped me heal as well.

At the 7 month mark, my last abscess really developed and opened, it wasn't really in a new area though.  I have had 3 tiny abscesses near my biopsy site and this was the last one to finally open, so it had been there for a while.

Now in the 8th month, I also added Frankincense doTerra oil to my daily regimine and I have to say the results are AMAZING.  I take pictures of my breast whenever I can remember with my iPhone.  then I make a side by side collage to compare and I can literally see changes in just days!  Frankinscense was the best gifts ever given to Jesus, its an anti inflammatory, and it replaces your body with GOOD white blood cells (which we know that the mass in our breast is our white blood cells attacking our own tissue). I will make a separate post just about the oil.

I know that I am on my way to healing, I feel great and I hope this information helps someone!

[Sush560]

Brendy, I am really excited! My aunt's homepathy has started working in 24 hours! See my post with homepathy, its a miracle...

[Sush560]

Firstly antibiotics won't work unless you do a culture and find something specific while looking for specific organism. Secondly I survived 5 months of string antibiotics because of probioics, which are amazing and safe. I had 4 capsules of bio- kult everyday, which prevented all side effects of antibiotics. They have 14 strains of friendly bacteria. Also I am following a diet prescribed by my homeopath aunt, of cucumber, courgettes, various gourds, egg and fish and pears and sweet apple only. This helps keep the inflammation down. 4 litres of water. But of course this is a homeopathic diet, so not sure if it's appropriate for everyone. I hear aloe era and pomegranate is good.

[Amy669]

I also take curcumin supplements.  I took them, along with ginger supplements when I was heeling myself in 2011.  You asked about the clay.  I think it is a wonderful alternative to prednisone and methotrexate, which seemed to help while I was taking them, but when I slowly went off them, the disease returned.  When I started using the clay, my disease had been around for awhile.  I had lumps and one still-oozing opening where a cyst had ruptured.  But the worst part was the sudden searing and stabbing pain.  It caused me to scream and drop things because it came on so suddenly.  The clay seemed to have an immediate affect on the nature of the pain.  This was why I stuck with "my program."  I didn't know I would heal - I only knew the pain seemed to be getting less.  I wore this clay for all of 2011 (all the time) and I am still using it in 2013 (every other night). I would definitely try it on a red swollen breast.  It only has a drying effect on the skin if you leave it on too long (you know it's too long if your skin starts to itch around the edge of the poultice). The coolness and wetness are very soothing.

[Veronica36]

THANKS SO MUCH! I started 3 days ago! I will let you know!

[kuulei04]

Hi Veronica, another forum user told me to do 1/2 tsp turmeric with 1/2 cup warm water.  So I normally warm up my water for 30 seconds, then add the turmeric.  I think I read somewhere that the turmeric needs to be warmed/heated in order to work.  I'm drinking this plus taking 1200 mg a day of turmeric capsules.  I really would love for it to go away before 1 year. Anyhow, try it out and keep in touch.  Ler me know if it works for you!  Take care!

[Veronica36]

Hi! I started taking Tumeric (powder)..how many teaspoons can you take per day? do you know? they say that 600mg per day is ok, but not sure how many teaspoons or tablespoons are....Help ! please! LOL
How are you doing?
Thanks!
Vero

[kuulei04]

I can't say I recommend steroids or that you should try it.  I took steroids for Erythema Nodosum on my legs back in February and it helped my breast at the same time.  As soon as I started to taper my dosage, my breast started to get worse again.   And the side effects I was having while on them put me through a roller coaster of emotions.  I had bad anxiety, a cough for no reason, constipation, all kinds of stuff.  And I know it's from the steroids because after I stopped taking it, those things stopped happening to me.

I was against steroids and only wanted to heal naturally.  I stopped get incisions for my abscesses with the surgeon (just let them open on their own), changed my diet, and started taking turmeric.  But then I ended up getting a biopsy done to finally confirm my GM.  Because the "trauma" (tiny incision and poking) I think it aggravated my mass and it got worse from there.  It was starting to improve with the turmeric, but because it was getting bad from the biopsy and I had new abscesses (by my biopsy site) I thought I would try what the doctor prescribed, a 12 day steroid.  The last time I took steroids, I was on it for about 6 weeks. I'm happy with my improvement, I feel like it was a really bad and it was spreading to the other side of my breast too.  The only thing I'm worried about is if it will come back once I get off the steroids.  But right before I stop my burst I plan to resume my turmeric.  

Also you may want to ask your doctor what the side effects are of long term steroids.  I know some things are, weight gain/weight loss, anxiety, constipation, appetite, can make your face round, etc. To me, it's not worth going through it, because if you read case studies on GM they all say they treated the patient with steroids and it returned.

I only did this short treatment because I wanted to calm mine down. I know, it's so annoying dealing with a breast like this and I really want to feel normal again and not have to wear breast pads under my bra, wear normal bras.  Some days it hurts, some days I'm oozing fluid from 5 different little holes that opened, some days it itches.  I just try to say to myself everyday that I'll get better soon, I tell myself to just have a good day and be thankful for the day I was given and just love and appreciate my family.  

Also try to remember that if this is an autoimmune disease, stress is a big role too.  Stress can cause your immune system to go into hyper activity and that's how we get an autoimmune disease.  I personally am still working on this one because I have to work part time and I'm finishing my last semester in college, plus I have 2 toddlers and I have this big lifestyle change due to GM.  

I think we may be with GM for a year or so but I'm really hoping it will go away sooner. Stay positive and keep going on the right track, you'll be ok. Have a great day!

[brendy1115]

I don't have another appointment with my doctor until May 30th, the mass is definitely hard now and lumpy almost next to my nipple. I think I'll probably just wait and see what happens between now and may 30th, I will mention the steroids and see what they say, I also didn't want to try steroids but if you say they are working for you then I might just want to try it out.  

You know it doesn't feel that way it just started getting harder and harder everyday.  I did however get little shooting pains in certain areas of my breast but not where my hard mass is now. It is barely getting a little painful and it ***** since I'm still healing from my surgical incision that is still oozing a bit.

[kuulei04]

Hey Brendy, I started to get a new mass on the same breast, different side too.  I have been with this disease for 4 months too.  Sounds like we are on a somewhat similar timeline.  Mine started on Christmas Eve.

I went to our local urgent care to check out possible blood clots (false) and the doctor who saw me that day was concerned about why we haven't cut out the mass.  I told him cause it just comes back.  He offered me a 12 day dose of steroids.  I have been trying to fight this naturally but because my new abscesses and a new mass forming, I decided to try it.  I'm hoping it won't be as bad with side effects since its just 12 days.  So far it's making my masses smaller after 3 days.  We'll see if this "steroid burst" helps or if it comes back when I'm done.  

After I'm done I plan to go back to my natural healing again.  I really didnt want to do the steroids long term because of the side effects and toxicity.

Brendy, regarding your new mass that's starting... Did it feel like a bunch of tiny needles poking your skin when you touched the area?  Mine did and it was so painful!

[brendy1115]

I can't help it but just when you think things are going better they aren't, I suppose I'm getting another hard mass on my same breast just different side.  I've only had this for almost 4 months, I guess I'm just hoping for the best and hope that it really does go away in 14 months or so...

I am drinking Green Tea because they said it helps with inflammation.  

[kuulei04]

Hi Brendy,  

Well I can't say I'm a whole lot better.  I almost feel like I have this really bad case.  After my biopsy, I've gotten more abscesses.  I'm taking turmeric capsules, but I think I might just start drinking the turmeric again too.  I'm not taking steroids which fights the inflammation, so I need to really fight this disease!  It sounds to me like everyone takes at least 12-14 months to clear.  Well if that's how long its gonna take for me too, well I CAN'T WAIT!  My more recent wounds are still open and they were cut 7 weeks ago  =\

Green tea is supposed to fight inflammation as well.  Just try to stay positive and think positive, we will get through this!

[brendy1115]

Hello you know I've quite most things but I just need to have some carbohydrates to remain full. so I eat wheat thin bread or cereal. I did stop eating dairy, caffeine, sugar, meat (chicken, pork, beef) I still eat turkey and fish.  It's been hard because I miss eating food but for now I have no choice since my diet change is playing a big part on how my breast is.  What is ginseng tea?  Does that help you with inflammation?

[brendy1115]

My wound is still healing but it seems like forever to close.  Sometimes I get worried that it might not close and have to get stitches but I figure I don't want them near my boob when it's getting better.  In some ways I just feel that it all might come back again, it's just really scary especially when your doctors dont really know about this disease.

How are you doing?

[sandyns]

I just posted. I take tumeric, but also drink ginseng tea.  I have given up wheat, dairy, meat, soy, caffeinine and sugar - anything that messes with our hormones basically.

[kuulei04]

That is great to hear!!! I still have a hard mass, lumps and abscesses.  My skin does get dry often and peels but mine, and yours too,  is probably just dead skin.  After all it's gone through, the skin dies, we get new skin often anyway right?

I think you should still use the gauze if its open and oozing.  With wounds, of any kind, I always hear that it's good to keep it clean and dry.

My breasts are still oozing here and there and I have several abscesses, so I wear a nursing pad rather than taping gauze to my breast because the tape just irritates my skin after awhile.

Glad to hear things are going good!  Take care of YOU

[brendy1115]

Hi thanks for getting back to me! You know after reviewing a lot of other women sharing their stories and the diet changes they have made, I started trying it and you know what it's been working my swelling went down i don't really have hard lumps as big as they were, my breast feels a little softer.  The redness is subsiding but the redness feels like kind of very dry skin now, has that happened to you?  Also it turns out that the reason my blister burst is because my incision where some of my stitches were was opened so I have a small little hole that was oozing watery blood.  I've been changing my dressing throughout the day for a few days, it's hardly coming out now but it's still oozing a bit.  Should i continue with the gauze until my wound is fully healed?  I'm not saying I'm 100% cured but I have noticed the difference since I changed my diet to anti-inflammatory and I do use tumeric with my meals.  

[kuulei04]

Hi again!  I've learned that trauma to the breast causes it to get irritated, inflamed and more abscesses. I recently had a biopsy done to get my GM diagnosed.  Within the few days following my biopsy, I noticed my breast became sore, inflammation grew and spread, and it was really red around my "purple" abscess areas.  I got scared at first and worried about how I'd cure this inflammation without the steroids.  I stopped taking all my medication 2 weeks prior. So I started drinking turmeric (found on the spice isle at grocery store), with warm water.  1/2 coffee cup of water, with 1/2 tsp turmeric.  I drink that once or twice a day and take turmeric capsules.  The capsules, I found its best to get the one with 95% curcumin, since that's the active ingredient of turmeric.  Try researching this, turmeric.  Another girl on this forum told me she does this (drink turmeric) once a day and her GM is gone.  Her name is Paree.  Also I saw my naturopath doctor and she has me doing "hydrotherapy". I do a warm compress for 3 minutes, cold compress for 30 seconds, repeat this 3 times.  End with one more warm compress.  I do this once a day but if I can do it twice or 3 times a day, even better!  For the warm compress I wet a washcloth and put it in a ziploc then in the microwave for a few seconds.  For the cold compress I wet another washcloth, put it in a ziplock and put it in the freezer. Since doing these 2 remedies I've noticed great results in reducing my inflammation and pain.  Also take daily vitamins.  I'll let you know more later, I have to head to work.  Hope this helps!