Aloe Vera Juice - Safe?

[yellowlilax]

I keep reading the exact opposite information online about it. Some say its great for people with IBS, diarrhea, etc. and some say its the worst for that. Right now, I've had unexplained left side pain that I've been to dozens of drs and holistic doctors in the past 3 months and no one can find anything. I've had every test run imaginable. I have heard that aloe vera juice is soothing and might help. I am willing to try it, but see that it could make things worse. Anyone have personal experience with it?

[StephieJo]

The inside of the leaf is good for your digestive tract, very healing and soothing. It's the outside part of the leaf that will tear it up.

[eatyourbroccoli]

i'd suggest adding a small (SMALL! :D ) bit of aloe vera juice to your smoothies and see if that helps. can you describe where the pain's located?

[Myca]

Oh my goodness, I have experience with it.
About three years ago, I developed pain that started in my substernal area and radiated to under my left shoulder blade. It was roll around on the floor and SCREAM pain. Completely incompacitating. Childbirth through my rib cage.

So to the ER I went and came out with 'Gallbladder' disease. Lortabs did not touch this. Percocet did not touch this. I would take pain killers until I fell asleep and would wake up to waves of agony. The shortest bout lasted three days, the longest three weeks. I thought it was going to kill me.

All the gallbladder tests came back negative. Now I'm getting desperate. I wanted Gallbladder surgery, I wanted a cure.

In the middle of a two week bout, under the influence of 5 Lortabs (this from someone who rarely drank or took any sort of drugs) I decided to take the kids to a movie. On the way there, I stopped at a health food store. When the attacks would hit, I couldn't stand still. By this time, I was diagnosised with ulcers. The lady behind the counter could see I was in bad shape, she said "try Aloe Vera' juice. I would have drank gasoline if I thought it helped. Bought a bottle (they have the nerve to put "Great taste' on it) and drank it.
Twenty minutes later, the spasms stopped, just the soreness left.

Well I didn't believe it was the aloe juice. Had another episode a couple months later. I waited 2 weeks into this, missing work the entire time, completely disabled, before I sent dh after the aloe juice. That time it took a couple of hours.
My final dx was H. Pylori.
Here's what I said...'It can't hurt.
Myca

[Myca]

I drank at least 8 ounces and as much as 16 ounces at the worst of this. The stools do get loose...I could feel it working, it was the most amazing thing. I would never believed it if I had not experienced it.
I was ready to just start taking out organs at this point.
Myca

[Myca]

I drank at least 8 ounces and as much as 16 ounces at the worst of this. The stools do get loose...I could feel it working, it was the most amazing thing. I would never believed it if I had not experienced it.
I was ready to just start taking out organs at this point. The aloe vera was very effective on the spasms but it took more than a couple of ounces.
Myca

[yellowlilax]

i'd suggest adding a small (SMALL! :D ) bit of aloe vera juice to your smoothies and see if that helps. can you describe where the pain's located?
I have no idea if I have multiple things going on or one, but it started with this stabbing/twisting pain in my lower left side (in between my hip bone and pubic bone) and then for a couple of weeks it was a burning pain over the left side of my pubic bone. My period is messed up now too..not having a normal flow (sorry TMI) menstruation, but very light spotting and now 14-25 days apart instead of my like clockwork 31 days. No drs know anything. I've had blood tests, urine tests, enema, MRI, CT scan, stool cultures, pelvic exams...I've done accupressure, massage therapy and am now looking into chiropractic. I'm frustrated to say the least. I've been keeping a food journal, but nothing seems to be screaming "this is what is doing it!" I just started Renew Life brand ultimate flora probiotic, which over the last week I was doing fantastic! Until Saturday and it hit me again... and hasn't stopped :(

[Myca]

So, how is the range of motion in your left leg? Aloe vera is not going to hurt you, but I don't know if it will help you either.
your pain, I'm thinking about it....
the burning may be neuro...
Fever?
Tingling?
Numbness?
Loss of bladder or bowel control?

[spicyfull]

i'd suggest adding a small (SMALL! :D ) bit of aloe vera juice to your smoothies and see if that helps. can you describe where the pain's located?

Nice to "see" you:cool:

[eatyourbroccoli]

you too spicyfull! ;)

OP..how are your bm's? though with the irregular menses it sounds like a potential hormonal problem. is this everyday? cyclical?

maybe look into dong quai

[kaybee]

yep--i was wondering about ulcers too... a few years ago, i would wake up with pains so bad i literally thought i was going to die. every single night. a holistic dr diagonosed me with systemic candida, as well as possible wheat, gluten and alcohol sensitivities. he put me on nystatin, and nothing really helped still. i was convinced i had an ulcer, though he didnt diagnose me with this, and wouldnt, unless he stuck a camera down into my stomach in some sort of out-patient "procedure". no thanks. i finally ended up taking OTC drugs for it, and after a few courses of one of those ulcer meds, the pain went away. im not advocating for the drugs, but at that point i didnt know natural ways to address it. Now, i would do things differently, but it was really empowering to at least figure out what was going on; not knowing or knowing how to fix it was so exasperating. anyway, i dont know that thats what you have, because of the other hormonal symptoms or whatever, but its a possibility. cabbage juice is supposed to help heal ulcers. there are other herbs too that help to coat the stomach, but not sure what. i think i read chia is supposed to be soothing too but not sure. in any case, you could do the aloe and use other foods/supplements that are meant to help heal ulcers and see if it goes away.