steroids and BVT

[mountainfairy]

I read that steroids and BVT can be dangerous. I have had asthma for almost 40 years and was on corticosteroids for a good portion of that. In the last year or so I was able to cut way back on my dose and then in the last few months have found an herbal treatment that has replaced my inhlaer usage completely till this last week when I got a virus and have been needing to use very small amounts of my inhaler. I started BVT about a week ago and have not noticed any changes yet except possibly some mild loosening of phelgm after stinging but I know it can take time and I have high hopes. As far as corticosteroid use even though it is minimal to none these days should I be concerned and what should I be watching out for? I am taking vitamin C along with stings. Also I've started using a tincture of propolis as well. Should I not use this on the days I sting as I also read using hive products simultaneoulsy while stinging can neutralize and cause and antidote effect?

[Gregory and Susan Fariss]

Mountainfairy,
Your questions about your inhaler/corticosteriods are best addressed by your physician or pharmacist. No one else is qualified to answer these questions. I would take the MD or pharmacist a list of the the chemical components in honeybee venom. As for the questions about using propolis with BVT, apitherapists often recommend using these together.
Susan

[Bee Bliss]

Taking hive products while undergoing BVT is very good! I won't advise you one way or another regarding the steroids. It seems you have just about weaned yourself off of them. We were warned about NSAIDS and BVT.

Check out Beewelltherapy.com for comment about steroids. More on the Internet also.
When starting BVT, you may experience temporarily a punk feeling, or blah, maybe even your digestive system is changed or loose! This is part of the purge and do not worry.
------------------------------

On our sheet from the apitherapist, it states to only use aspirin or Tylenol for aches and pains.
It also states that bee venom and NSAID's (exception is aspirin) DO NOT MIX. NSAIDS includes Ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, etc. Naproxen Sodium which includes Nap rosin, Aleve, etc. If in doubt about a medication, call a pharmacist and ask if it falls in this category. Using these may cause adverse allergic reaction. DO NOT use bee venom while taking these medications. (NSAID is non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug)

Bee venom and BETA blocker DO NOT MIX.

Avoid alcohol 24 hours before and after BVT. Do not use bee venom therapy if Syphilis, Gonorrhea or Tuberculosis is dormant in your body.

Get an epi pen and have Benadryl with you at the times you are stinging.

Do not sting on an empty stomach. Eat something before BVT.

Never, never sting the eyeball or inside the ear.

------------------------------------------------

Swelling from bee stings means your immune system is working.

[mountainfairy]

Thank you for these tips. I looked further into my inhaler and found it is a beta 2 antagonist. My old inhaler was a corticosteroid which I have been off of for awhile and the one I have now is just for attacks which until this most recent cold, I haven't had to use in 2 months. So knowing all that I don't feel concerned. I've started out slowly and cautiously with BVT but have not had any reactions other than the normal redness and some itching. I am up to 4 stings every 2-3 days but have only left the stingers in a few minutes at a time so today I will leave them in longer. I'm wondering if this cold I started getting a few days ago is actually detox symptoms. After stinging today if my cold doesn't continue to improve I will back off a bit. I am waiting for Pat Wagner's book for more guidance but am feeling so hopeful as all the scinence I've read of how BVT works makes perfect sense thatt it would work for asthma! One thing for sure is after the inital soreness goes away I just feel really good after doing it. Must be the endorphins!

[mountainfairy]

Are some places just naturally more sensitive to stings than others or is it a good thing when you find a spot that really hurts? I've been doing lung points and after about 13 stings it does not hurt my chest too bad but today I tried a new lung point on the pad of my hand below my thumb and it was the most painful sting yet. When I used to get accupuncture my accupuncturist said that was a good thing and I thought I read the same about BVT somewhere but I can't remember where. It didn't swell up too much but it bruised a little right after I did it and 6 hours later it is still very tender.

[Bee Bliss]

The stings I took on the palms a little bit past the wrist wrinkle for my carpal tunnel really hurt no matter how much I iced the area first.

Can you share your herbal treatment info with me? Is it a topical application? Also, the mention of lung points is interesting. Is that accupuncture? How did you come across that info? Book?

[mountainfairy]

The herbs I am taking are an herbalife product called Schizandra. Schizandra is an adaptogentic so it works in the body where ever it is needed. I have to take 6 a day in order to experience benefit from it even though the recommended doasge is 3 a day. I have a friend who introduced me to it who was on 4 inhalers and had penumonia 42 times! He is an ex fire chief and was exposed to alot of toxic stuff. He is off all inhalers now but takes 6-9 a day. I've tried other forms/ brands of Schizandra but could not find one that could replace my inhaler like this. Since I've come down with a virus though in the last week I've had to resort to using a little bit of my inhaler. 4 months ago I purchased an air filter and that cut my asthma by about 75%. It appears I am sensitive to probably a mold or fungus in our house. I cut my inhakler usage from daily to about 2-3 times a week. Then when I started Schizandra 2 months ago I got off my inhaler completley and have been able to physically do things I haven't been able to do in a long time.

The lung points are from a basic accupuncture chart. I have one my book Smart Medicine For Healthier Living but it's just a basic chart that shows where all the meridians and accupuncture points are. There are quite a few in the thumb area.