[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Oh, Rhonda. You are so my kind of person. Yes, surviving our chosen medical professionals and our self-medicating (though cheered on by my nut onc).

Totally with you on the gluten thing. It doesn't feel like a fit for me. Bread and pasta are essential to my life. I don't overdo, but I too am not going there. (Did do carb free for a yr -- Atkins, lost a tiny bit of weight, cooked more than I ever wanted to and just had to stop the insanity.)

'Lizbeth, I too am wondering why my iodine levels weren't checked. And a lot more. New endo guy (recommended by cardiologist, says he's brilliant and loves to talk -- sounds like a match to me!) is supposedly very thorough. He won't jump to do surgery, my cardio guy says.

I would never have taken Arginine or Tyrosine in yrs past. But when I ordered my Perfusia, which nut onc had recommended, the apothecary said they don't make it anymore and what it actually was was Arginine, so nut onc is now recommending that. And my EF is up to 65% vs 50%. Plus I feel great. Heart healthy. EKG, ECHO for small peri-cardial effusion (a forever gift from Taxotere), BP spot on. Even my pulse has lowered, which for me is a good thing.

And Tyrosine was a small part of a supplement holistic lady gave me for stomach, which I stopped cause it wasn't helping my IBS, but I searched the ingredients cause even when I didn't sleep well, I felt as if I had the next day. I traced it back to the Tyrosine and sure enough, it is a great pick me up to start the day and has something in it that ignores your lack of sleep. My dghtr, w/2 young kids, is always exhausted so I recommended this to her, and she loves it. It helps.

WHAT IS ACETYLCHOLINE? I will google. Or goggle as I prefer to say/type...

I too have a shopping bag full of rejected supplements that my body or my reading dissuaded me from taking. I may consider them some time in the future. Some I just outright throw in the garbage. I don't let myself get caught up in $$$ wasted as I used to. If it isn't good for your body, pass it on to another who likes it and gets along with it, or toss it, guilt-free. YOU DESERVE THAT.

My nut onc's suggestions are longer than my list. I cut some out. I don't need it all. But I do need all I am taking. And it is a job. A serious chore, swallowing all that twice a day.

I too took nut onc's advice re halving dosage rather than taking all at once. Simpler but not better.

I buy only CAPSULES. Tablets just don't go down as easily, or at all for that matter.

I do consequently consume about 10 glasses of water a day, which is good. I am well hydrated, flushing out the toxins...

I use NADA (Enada) for memory, focus, concentration. (My Mom had Alzheimers from mid 70s...) And it gives me energy.

Tried a supplement with a modicum of niacin (which I'd always avoided due to my 27 yrs of constant flushing/hot flashing -- which is like your trapped in your own skin, ON FIRE and can't breathe). That supplement was for my belly issues and I WAS DRIPPING FROM THE TOP OF MY HEAD TO MY WAIST, HAD THE WORST HEADACHE IN THE WORLD (and I never get headaches!!!), FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO PASS OUT, HAD TO LAY DOWN/COLLAPSE MIDDAY ON BED.

I returned that supplement and now have added to my meds/supplements list for docs a warning that I cannot tolerate anything with niacin in it.

More to respond to, but I'll stop for now.

Am going to see a 4th dog. 1 yr old 5 lb maltese who has lived in a bathroom all its life and has no name. Others are willing to adopt it, but I am just going to give him a hug and some loving. I seem to have to. We don't want a 4th dog. I am not on crack. But, I am conflicted...

So, later, my friends...