Can Alternative Medicine Replace Surgery?

Amanda’s upcoming surgery questions our resolve to exclusively focus on alternative medicine.

This is a third update to our previous posts, Healing from an Ovarian Cyst Naturally, and 35 Days Pain-Free (the second update).  I’m sorry to say that the alternative medicine approach did not work for me in the long run – it eliminated my symptoms, and increased my overall health and ability, but did not shrink or cure the large complex cyst on my left ovary.  My follow-up ultrasound revealed that the cyst still hovered around 9cm in size, not getting much bigger or smaller since it was discovered in April 2012.

So, with fear and reservations, we began the process of seeking a laparoscopy from the surgeon I had been referred to at Women’s Cancer Care.  My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, January 15th at 9:00am at Washington Regional Hospital in Fayetteville.  Discovering the cost of this procedure (astronomical for us) led us to seek insurance.  Of course, I don’t qualify for insurance because I have a pre-existing condition.  After receiving the rejection from Blue Cross / Blue Shield, I applied for the Federal Pre-Existing Insurance plan, known also as CHIP, PCIP, or TakeCare Arkansas, under True Blue Advantage.  I was accepted and we now have coverage in this program for 2013.

We still hold mixed feelings about the nature of insurance, the kind of care received in mainstream medicine, and its ideas of using harmful pharmaceuticals to eliminate symptoms or disease while causing new symptoms and disease.  It also fails to see health holistically, as a product not only of genetics and medical history, but also any dietary and lifestyle habits a person has, as well as environmental toxins they’re exposed to, and their unique imbalances (hormonal, nutritional, etc).  Yet…positive thinking, supplements, herbal teas, exercise, diet and lifestyle changes did not make my giant cyst go away.

I’m not sure what to expect from surgery – I know the procedure itself puts me at a health disadvantage and at risk for things the cyst itself would not do – but I’m optimistic because of my age (27) and the great level of health I’ve experienced recently.  We don’t know if it’s cancer, or benign, or endometriosis, or attached to other organs.  And yet really the only thing I want to know is: can I still put trust in the alternative medicine community?  Is it all just a hoax?  Or maybe it’s like Santa Claus, and only the really good people get alternative medicine to heal them, thoroughly and undeniably.

At this point I’m not sure what actions to take as an adult.  I’ve grown up in the Western medical system and had quite an unhealthy childhood in it.  Living outside that medical system has produced much healthier results, but not completely.  Not enough where I could say, Yeah, at Ripples all we need is an herb garden and plenty of organic food and exercise.