Chinese Herbs on sale on ICA website

**Indy** · 07-04-2005, 01:58 PM

Has anyone tried these? I'm surprised not to see anyone writing about these herbs formulated for IC. Dr. Christine Whitmore has said they have a 65% success rate.

**Katrina** · 07-04-2005, 03:21 PM

I don't see any herbs for sale at ICA. On this page http://www.ichelp.com/store/shop.cgi...e=Topic03.html I see a book that talks about chinese herb treatment. There are herbs for sale at ICN and we do talk about them and many of have tried them. Is that what you mean? http://icnshop.com/cgi-bin/ustorekee...ernatives.html
I have a book by Catherine M. ****** called along the healing path...revoring from intersitital cystitis...she talks a lot about herbs in her book....a lot of what she talks about are hard on most ICers. Do you know what herbs you are talking about?

**Indy** · 07-04-2005, 04:24 PM

Hi.

If you do a search on www.ichelp.org under chinese herbs, a special interstitial cystitis formulation of teas and capsules comes up. It is recommended by Dr. Christina Whitmore. I have spoken to them and looked up each of the herbs. They are supposed to be a kidney tonic and there are other properties. They claim a high success rate.

**massagedoula** · 07-04-2005, 06:26 PM

I saw them too, they are called intercyst, right? I never tried them, but I know someone who tried them for a month and she said that it helped her.

(Intercyst is a defunct website that used to offer IC support. It's not a product that I'm aware of..... - Jill O.)

***Julie B*** · 07-16-2005, 02:57 PM

I don't see anything for sale on ICN, but I do see google ads on the side of the pages.......those are paid ads that ICA does not have control over (if they sign up for Google Ads to be placed on their site.) That is exactly why I do NOT have google ads on my website because I was afraid that products represented could be dangerous or contradicted in real IC treatments....

***icnmgrjill*** · 07-16-2005, 06:11 PM

You may be referring to an herbal formula from a company called "Green Healing" or something similar. I must confess that I was shocked to first see them exhibit at an ICA conference several years ago making what I believed to be extremely outrageous claims about their product and IC. I have NEVER talked with anyone who had success with this formula.... rather have had many complaints about many types of chinese herbal formulas that have caused intense bladder irritation... including a good friend of mine who ended up in the hospital with agony type pain after one chinese herbalist mixed a formula for her.

Honestly, it's your body and only you can decide what is right for you. That said, I'd sure like to talk with other patients who had success before paying lots of money for it. Remember. on the Oxford Scale for Evidence Based Medicine... an "F" Score... which is the least reliable information with which to make a medical decision... is information obtained from a company that has an incentive to sell you something. It's always important to remember that they need to sell product to stay in business... and that can sway any companies promotional and marketing materials.

Jill

**Indy** · 07-17-2005, 05:05 AM

I am still wondering why Dr. Christine Whitmore, an ICA founder, participated in their formulation and I called her office and they said they had a good success rate. This isn't just a google ad, it's off the ICA alternative approaches with copies of a presentation done in 1997.

I am skeptical too, but wondering why no one talkes about this.

**massagedoula** · 07-17-2005, 06:28 AM

I did say that they are called intercyst because I was going on what the one person that I know told me. After she told me that it helped her (a while ago this was) I went to the ICA website and I searched and found a link to the website. The blend is called "Green Healing Herbs" and yes, it is sponsored by a MD, Dr. Whitmore, in conjunction with this chinese herbalist. The website looks very old, but the person I know who tried these herbs (which she told me are called intercyst!) Ordered them off the site about 1.5 years ago.

I don't know anyone else who has ever taken them and that is the only time until this thread that I ever heard of this. I chose instantly not to take them because I have heard so many stories about chinese herbs flaring up IC. Also they say that they work by detoxing and healing the liver, and I don't think that the liver is my problem, its the bladder! (And the muscles down there) but still, I wanted to know about this blend, because I aways want to know about alternative treatments for IC.

But, they are not just an advertisment on the ICA, they have whole articles and everything about Dr. Whitmore and this product....

**Indy** · 07-17-2005, 03:47 PM

I agree, the website is outdated. I spoke to them and ordered for 3 months. I took them today. I think they should help with IBS too since they have the herb Rhubarb. I looked up each herb. I still can't understand why they haven't gotten more attention.

I will let you all know.

**massagedoula** · 07-17-2005, 04:56 PM

I found a related thread from you in 2004. You said that you were going to try them at that time...did you ever do it or is this your first time?

**Indy** · 07-20-2005, 05:47 PM

I tried them for less than one month and then stopped. I was on too many things to sort out how each was affecting me.

I have now been on them 3 days. I want to try for a few months as long as I don't feel worse.