Re: Liver hemangioma survey. Conducting my own research for a solution.
1) Do you take hot baths? Showers? Mostly showers.
2) Do you drink milk? If so, what kind. (2%, 1% or skimmed) No.
3) When you have the pain, do you place a hot pad or compress on the area? No
4) Have you been (or still taking) Oral Contraceptives? If so, for how long? I took them sporadically--never liked the side effects. ortho novum and lesser contraceptives during my college years and early marriage. Ortho evra patch for about 1 year. Depo privera for about a year. Discontinued 2005.
5) Do you have any problems that you know of with your hormone levels? Yes. I think I am estrogen heavy due to fibroids in uterus that grew to size of grapefruit and now recently a CT scan reveals cavernous hemangioma in liver.
6) Do you smoke? No, never have.
7) Do you eat dairy products? Moderately but have to take a milk digestant when I eat ice cream or any other food high in lactose like cheezy macaroni.
8) Do you put lotion on your face? Only lotions that are part of skin care line.
9) Do you wear make-up? Yes.
10) Do you wear liquid foundation on your face? Yes. A 70% seaweed liquid foundation.
11) What kind of toothpaste do you use? (Colgate, AquaFresh, Crest, Tom's of Maine etc.) Fluoride toothpastes in any of the categories but mostly Crest.
12) Are you male or female? Female
13) How old are you? 48
14) At what age were you diagnosed in having one? How large was it at the initial diagnosis? early 40's. It was about the size of a walnut.
15) How many children have you gave birth to? One
16) Have you been on any type of Hormone Therapy medication? No
17) Do you drink lots of water? Yes for about 2 years now.
18) Would you say your diet was healthy or poor? Diet was poor, heavy in
preservatives and processed foods.
19) Do you eat Soy products or drink Soy Milk? No
20) Do you eat Brocolli and/or Cauliflower? Brocolli on occasion. Do not like cauliflower.
21) Do you use Flaxseed in your foods? No.
22) Do you buy organic produce? No, but am considering it as I don't like the idea of pesticides in my body.
23) Do you exercise? Low-impact and stretching.
24) Have you taken any herbs such as Milk Thistle, Licorice, Don Quei, Evening Primrose or Ginseng? Chasteberry, Mother Wort, Evening Primrose, Red Raspberry - all recommended for reproductive health and alternatives to surgical tx of intrauterine fibroids.
25) If you have pain associated with the hemangioma is there anything that you find makes it worse? (stress, menses, exercise etc.) Just a week ago I had my first flare up. I had severe abdominal pain radiating from the hollow place near the middle of the rib cage. I thought it was associated with my stomach but now I suspect it has to do with hemangioma. In the ER, I had a CT scan of my abdominal area. Just yesterday, I got a letter from Radiology saying the images reveal that I have probable cavernous hemangioma of the liver. They recommend I see my doctor in 6 months and have another CT scan performed.