I would definitely mention the heartburn, even if minimal. You're right. These things can mean something in eastern medicine that we would have no idea about. All in all it sounds like possibly some good news for you, and not any bad news, which on the sum of things is good!
(Things are pretty dire here at the moment. Feeling pretty down and without viable options left. Doctor visits are pretty pointless at this point as we're at a standstill with one another. )

I hope everything is ok with you because I have not see your posting for this week!

Just checking to see how our Tanya's doing :D ,
Any noticeable positive changes yet ? How are you feeling overall about the process?
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers,
angel

Hi,
Thanks for asking.
Well I am a wee bit better every day. So, so far so good.
Sometimes he changes the herbs up, but I don't notice any side effects.
Some days the office is busy and i have to wait for a half hour or more. But some days, like today, I walk right in.
I am still reserving judgment. I will think about it more next Thursday. Today it has been a week and the optimal length of treatment is 2 weeks (what I paid for). They said if it takes longer than that, they will not charge extra.
The doctor's name is Dr. Zhang (pronounced 'Jawng' with the J almost sounding like an 'sh'). I am probably totally messing up the pronunciation, but he seems fine with that.
I will post again if anything changes.
Hope you guys are doing better!
-Tanya

a wee bit better every day is good news! So so glad to hear it... I understand about reserving judgment, but I'm still celebrating for you anyway.

Well I finished the worst days of my period, which thankfully, is back to 'normal' since the nifedipine. Still really heavy for 3 days
I felt worse for a couple days there, but today I seem to be back to healing again.
It is hard to converse with Dr. Zhang, as he seems to understand more english than he can speak. But after stumbling along for a bit he explained that he thinks the reason I am still sore, is because of the scar from where I had the sentinel removed in Nov.2010 is pulling on the fissure. He says usually at this point in healing the person doesn't feel the fissure much except for BMs. He says the scar is making the fissure heal more slowly and feel more sore. He suggests walking as little as possible. So when I do have to walk, I am walking like an old lady... slowly and short strides. Trying to move my pelvis as little as possible. He says that it will heal regardless and is more healed than when I first went to the clinic. I find it hard to tell to be honest, but still can't bring myself to look. It does hurt a lot less when he pulls at things to try and get a good look.
I can have the scar removed somehow using more secret herbs and spices (just kidding, herbs only). Another $600. He says I can think about it, but the fissure will heal anyways. And eventually he will give me the herb salves to apply myself.
Tomorrow is the last day of the 2 weeks, so I guess I need to decide tonight if I should get the scar treated. It seems to me kinda 'in for a penny, in for a pound'. But $600 + tax is a fair bit and it will have to come out of our savings just like the initial cost did.
It would be another 10 days of going there everyday... I think I will go for it, but not sure how to break it to my hubby who is a bit sceptical of this all.
I really hope this works, or I will be pretty pissed off!!!!
So that's that for now.
-Tanya

Tanya...
I was just about to log in and ask how you were doing and was glad to see an update from you. Navigating around the alternatives when you are essentially blazing a new trail, at least on this board , it is especially challenging to be in your shoes and make decisions that require an investment of both time and finances. If your inclination is leaning toward going for the additional treatment, is this an indication that you do feel like you've made some progress, or is it more based on the doctor feeling you are more healed than when you first went in to see him? After tomorrow is your treatment something you continue with at home or do you keep going back to the clinic?
I find looking down there to not be very useful anyway. I try and try with a mirror and have never been able to actually see anything, and my doctor tells me my fissures are pretty severe.
Anyway, thanks for the update. I'm still hoping for the best possible healing outcome for you and that this treatment will have been all worth it.

Thanks for all the reports. I am glad that you are doing much better now. I am looking forward on your future report. What it matter is not only now. Mybe few months from now. Wish you all the best!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Tanya,
So glad to hear from you
I do find it encouraging that you feel it to be less irritating as the doc is checking around down there at this point, versus in the beginning....
I know that taking on an addt'l expense isn't what you anticipated...and for a treatment that you may be on your own with, I mean no one you can relate to first-hand, kinda sucks...but if I may offer you my opinion, if you have developed a trust with your doctor, it seems to make sense about the scar interferring with healing time, and you've come this far...if you can swing it dollar wise...I think it sounds reasonable to go ahead with the new herbs to help things move along here.
Whatever route you take...I do hope this treatment proves to be successful for .
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers
Angel

Thanks so much for the good wishes! I was so stressed last night I hardly slept but like always, once the decision (for good of bad) is made, I breath a sigh of relief.
I wouldn't say I am 'much' better. I have high hopes I guess.
I did pay the rest of the money, so $1600 + tax now.
No doubt less than a CRS charges, but more painful as I have to pay it, not insurance.
I guess I didn't understand at first that to shrink the sentinel/skin tag was what they were calling a scar. I don't know, maybe the scar is part of the sentinel.
Anyways, I think for true healing I need to do something about it as it gets swollen and makes my life a misery. So that starts on Monday and may be more irritating than the stuff he uses now, which is pretty innocuous.
I am to keep going daily for the regular fissure herbs til the new stuff starts. Then I believe it will be another 10 days.
So. Cross yer fingers.
I have not told my husband I paid the other $600. He is a worse skeptic than me. Not that he has much faith in western medicine either! :)
So it better work!
-Tanya