Patient 23

Be sure and read the last entry that points out that the label has changed and regrettably has my recommendation to use it.

Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000

Sincerely, Janet

To: jack
Date: Tue, 30 May 2000

Hi Jack:

I was diagnosed with an anal fissure 5 years ago. I tried all kinds of home remedies on and off for 5 years with little or no results Prep. H did nothing, sometimes it even made the problem worse. Only those of us who have had this malady know the extreme pain that goes along with it.

Finally in April I found your site and read what Patient 23 said about Dr. Christophers BF&C ointment. It is the only thing that I have tried that works. I have been using the BF&C ointment for 1 month and I finally feel like a normal person.

Thank you for posting this site. I hope this E-mail helps some one out there who, like me had given up hope.

Brad

To: jack
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000

HI JACK,

I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING A FISSURE AND "ROIDS" SINCE FEBRUARY WHEN MY DR. TOLD ME I HAD A FISSURE. HAD NEVER HEARD OF THEM. I USED THE NITRO FORMULA FROM THE WEB, I HAD A DOCTOR THAT WOULD MAKE IT UP FOR ME. BUT I FOUND THIS PATIENT 23'S ACCOUNT OF THE BF&C CREAM FROM DR. CHRISTOPHER. I CALLED AND ORDERED SOME AND IN ONE DAY I FELT SO MUCH BETTER. I DON'T KNOW WHY OR HOW BUT MY BUM IS REALLY STARTING TO FEEL NORMAL. PLEASE TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THIS WHEN ALL ELSE HAS FAILED OR START WITH THIS. THE TELE # IS THE HERB CONNECTION 1-888-235-3265.

THANK YOU,
SHARON

To: jack
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000

Jack, in Jan. of this year I was diagnosed with breast cancer. In Feb. I started my 8 sessions of chemotherapy. After my second treatment I development an anal fissure that caused the most extreme pain.

I went to a colon-rectal Dr. that gave me a prescription for a ointment that was very expensive and didn't help. I also got a prescription for suppositories that didn't help either. After every treatment ( one every three weeks) they would get worse and sometimes I thought it was worse than the chemo.

I went back to the same Dr. a month later and he said the only thing he could do was to operate, but because of my blood not being good enough from the chemo I would have to wait until my chemo was over. That would be six weeks later. I found your website on anal fissures and got my Dr. to give me a prescription for nitroglycerin ointment that people were using. I tried two tubes of that but it didn't help either.

I spent most of my days sitting in the bathtub or laying in bed with a heating pad I was at my last resort when I read about Patient 23 who tried the BF&C ointment from Dr. Christopher at the school of Natural Healing in Springville, Utah.

I ordered a jar and tried it , After two jars and about six weeks of using that and baths everyday I am finally feeling relief, and think I am on my way to recovery. You don't know how great it feels and I only have one more chemo treatment at the end of the month.

I want to thank you for this website on anal fissures and finding this BF&C ointment. I hope this will help others with these fissures that cause such pain.

Sincerely, Priscilla

Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000
Request for help

Thanks,
Jack

Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 18:14:58 EDT
Subject: BF&C Cream

It is olive oil,wheat germ oil, white oak bark, comfrey root, mullein leaves, black walnut leaves, marshmellow root, wormwood herb, lobelia herb, scullcap herb, gravel root and beeswax. I am reading it off the label. you can talk to Dr. Christopher's son David at the Natural School of Healing at 1-800-453-1406. I spoke with him. His father was a Dr. and now he has (the son) this. I don't know why but it does soothe.

Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2000 20:55:45 +0200
Subject: BF&C

Paco, Spain

For details write to Kathryn at: "Herbs First" < herbsherbsfirst.com> She's pretty knowledgeable about herbs and now an e-mail friend of mine.

Then, to find all about the ingredients go to:
 
http://herbsfirst.com/NewsLetters/0798bfc1998.html

I copy here some relevant information about the ingredients:

This group of herbs has in it various herbs that have, each of them, their own job to do, as follows:

Gravel Root: is a natural solvent for inorganic minerals such as calcium and other unwanted inorganic accepted but not assimilable substances. Dead inorganic calcium is accepted into the body but cannot be assimilated. No mineral can be assimilated into the human body unless it has gone through the process of osmosis through plant life (herbs). When an inorganic mineral is accepted into the body it is accumulative and continues to build up. This build-up can cause arthritis, rheumatism, kidney stones, gall stones, hardening of the arteries, cataracts, etc. This "building up" process must be reversed, so here we have an herb such as gravel root that will act as a solvent that will leach off dead inorganic calcium and other minerals in the same state. However, it will not have any influence on live organic minerals that can be assimilated directly into cell structure through the &quo t;delivery-system" of the blood stream. A true solvent, such as solvent herbs or steam distilled water acts as a magnet. The magnet will pick up dead inorganic iron and other metals but will not pick up wood, paper or higher vibrating materials. The solvent herbs or distilled water will pick up and leach off dead inorganic minerals, but will not vibrate to live organic minerals that have gone through plant life and can be assimilated into the body's cell structure. Dead, inorganic calcium is the type of material we want to get rid of, because this type of calcium can do us only harm. Some people panic--"What can I do to replace the calcium being leached out?" If you replace what you have just leached out it would be like cleaning out a garbage pail, and then replacing it with more of the same! Instead of doing this, let's replace the dead calcium by putting in a good organic usable calcium. To do this we have included into this formula Oak Bark, an astringent which is also high in live, assimilable calcium. Oak bark not only supplies good calcium but acts as an astringent that firms up the system while feeding the cells.

Marshmallow: which is extremely high in "live" assimilable protein for muscle rebuilding, and yet has another advantage--rather unique in a single herb. This plant, marshmallow, has the ability of being anti-gangrenous. We have used marshmallow a number of times to save patients from amputation of an arm or leg because of gangrene condition. This "blessing from heaven"--marshmallow-has cleared up the condition and saved many from losing parts of their body.

Mullein: is included in the healing group of herbs because it is a special food for the glandular system. Unless the glands of the body are working properly, a healing cannot be complete. We have used three parts of mullein and one part of lobelia in many severe cases of gland malfunction. This is also a great aid for thyroid, swollen glands in various other parts of the body, mastitis when the breast is swollen way out of proportion. We have cleared this condition with this mullein-lobelia combination overnight. We use it externally as fomentation and also orally in tea, tablets or capsules. It has been used for injured testicles, swollen ovaries, etc., etc., with amazing success.

Lobelia: the herb of many uses. It is antispasmodic--a catalyst for having the power to unite the other herbs in working efficiently and does so quickly! This herb is a nervine, and an anti-infection herb as well.

Wormwood: is an herb that relieves the body of pain in various areas but its other job is to destroy and remove parasites and worms from the body, as the balance of the herbal composition causes such a healthy condition of the cell structures that these scavengers (garbage men) are not required any more and are escorted out of the system with the wormwood.

Scullcap: is an herb of nervine type that aids the spinal cord to be healthy and in a condition to deliver the messages from the motor-nerves to the whole body. Without efficient nerve response the body parts--glands, muscles, etc., cannot do their job.

Black Walnut Bark: or leaves: is an herbal aid, not too well known. It has many values, but one of the main ones we use it is for its power to overcome fungus in the body. Walnut is high in potassium, calcium, iron, and many other much needed foods that are required for rebuilding worn-out organs in the body.

Comfrey leaf or root: The final herbal aid we include in this great rebuilding fomentation is comfrey. This herb is a very efficient cell-proliferant. It is a food that makes the good cells grow rapidly, making such a healthy condition in the area that the weak and dead cells are evicted and replaced with new highly vibrating life. Comfrey is high in calcium, stops hemorrhaging, and is in the neighborhood of "twenty percent protein." This is a live whole (unprocessed) protein that can be readily assimilated into the cell structure for fast healing.

Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2000 14:43:42 -0700
Subject: BF
From: "Herbs First" herbsherbsfirst.com

Here is the information on the BF&C ointment.
http://herbsfirst.com/NewsLetters/0798bfc1998.html
http://herbsfirst.com/discriptions/bfc.html Best Regards,
Kathryn Mechling
http://www.herbsfirst.com

Subject: BFand C ointnment
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 22:54:02 -0700

I contacted the Herbs First/Dr. Christopher people with my observation/complaint about the BFand C ointment. They recommend removing a quantity of the ointment and melting it over the stove (not in the microwave) in a glass or metal receptacle, then adding more olive oil to soften it. They said they are adding more olive oil to their recipe, but until that happens (so what's the hold up--not enough olives?), this is what people should do.

By the way, I had excellent results with Kondremul--one teaspoon each night, along with more fiber in my diet. Works like a charm and no more fissure.

Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2001
Request for help

Thanks,
Jack

Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2001

I bought BF&C ointment from 2 places.

I ordered one jar from herbsfirst.com and it was fine. The consistency of the ointment was like vaseline maybe a little thicker.

I ordered more from vitanet.com (less expensive) and it came with a very hard top layer or crust. Once you remove or break up the crust it does have a good consistency. I guess this crust forms from settling and the contents of the jar have to be stirred up again.

Thanks again for all your help.

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 23:07:23 -0600

Dear "Jack",

I wanted to send you a heartfelt thank you for the help your web site provided. Without your web site, I would still be in vast amounts of pain and would have ended up having surgery, not realizing there were other alternatives to what the doctor prescribed.

It seems the best I can do to thank you is to share my story with you for your web site. I hope it helps someone else like you helped me. Please feel free to publish it on the site without personal or identifying details:

"I had hemorrhoids for years, and it always seemed odd to me that I had them to begin with, because I didn't really have any of the problems commonly listed as causes for hemorrhoids. That meant that there was little I could do to prevent them, but I was always able to control them with Preparation H cream and suppositories. However, in October, I noticed they were much worse, and I was experiencing significant increase in pain, itching, and bleeding. I couldn't imagine what could cause the hemorrhoids to get so much worse so quickly, but going to the bathroom became a nightmare, as it felt like I was passing glass. I couldn't believe how painful it was! I could feel the pain coming up through my body, and I would be sitting at work in agony, trying to pay attention to my project or a meeting, and ignore the excruciating stabs of pain. I would shift positions, hoping to help alleviate some of the pain, but nothing made a difference. When I went home for Thanksgiving, I drove sitting on a pillow in the car, but even that didn't help much. Back at home one day late in November, I went to the bathroom and when I stood up, noticed that the water in the toilet bowl was bright red. That's when I called the doctor.

I went to a family physician (a new doctor, since I recently moved to the area), who looked around using an analscope (I know now that they're not supposed to do that when you're experiencing pain like that). To my surprise, she diagnosed me with a rectal fissure and recommended that I continue to try Preparation H cream and suppositories, eat more fiber, and visit a surgeon. I decided I didn't want to visit the surgeon, so I didn't make the appointment and decided to go it alone for awhile. After a week, I could see that I wasn't going to get better, so I scheduled the appointment immediately with the surgeon.

When I met with the surgeon, who specialized in colon and rectal surgery, she examined me without instruments (telling me that when there's a fissure, you're not supposed to use instruments to examine, because that can aggravate the condition) and said we could try a few things for a couple of weeks, and if they didn't work, we would need to do surgery. Obviously, I was anxious to try whatever she recommended before surgery, given that she mentioned (casually!) that a consequence of the surgery might be a long term lack of bowel control. She recommended taking a stool softener, using a dibucaine ointment after bowel movements to help the pain, and using Nifedipine (which had to be made at a compounding pharmacy) to minimize rectal spasms.

After two weeks, this wasn't helping at all. The stool softeners helped make bowel movements less traumatic...a little... but I was still bleeding and in constant pain. After being woken up with severe pain in the middle of the night, and having trouble getting back to sleep (neither aspirin nor visualizing the pain away were working!) I called and spoke with the surgeon again, and said, "Isn't there anything else I can do to get some relief?" She said, "Yes. Surgery." Given that I was going home again for Christmas within a week or so, I would have needed to put off any surgical procedures until after Christmas. I realized that the potential consequences of surgery were significant enough to me that I wanted to make sure I had tried every option before undergoing the procedure that could cause a loss of control. I searched the Internet to see if I couldn't find anything else to provide any kind of relief from the pain.

I found Jack's web site and learned about the BF&C. I called a local health food store, and they had some in. I bought that (it's now called Nature's Way Bone Flesh & Cartilage Herbal Ointment and I paid $9.99 for 2 oz.) and T.N. Dickinson's Witch Hazel Hemorrhoidal Pads with Aloe.

Starting that night, I stopped all of the things the surgeon gave me, except the stool softener. I used the hemorrhoidal pads and the BF&C ointment that night. I also spent the next two days on a liquid diet, thinking it would clean out my system a little and give my rectal area a rest. I drank liquids like V8 Splash, milk, water, chicken broth, and Ensure for two days (enough calories, carbohydrates, and proteins in there to sustain me in a fairly responsible way, though I found that I was a little tired, hungry, and cranky). On the second day, I had a gentle bean and bacon soup for dinner to re-introduce solid food back into my body.

On the second day of using the hemorrohoidal pads and BF&C, the bleeding had stopped, and the pain was subsiding. It's been a week and a half now, and I haven't had any pain or bleeding since, and though I'm a little reluctant to say it's a miracle, I think I'm healed!!! I used the hemorrhoidal pads to cleanse the area, then applied the BF&C generously (using a blob about the size of half of a grape), making sure a little of the BF&C got into the rectal area where the fissure was located. I did this in the morning and at night before bed, and after bowel movements.

I continue to take the stool softeners twice a day, once with breakfast and once with dinner, and use the hemorrhoidal pads and BF&C in the mornings and evenings before bed. This regimen eased the pain within a day, and healed the fissure within about three days. I plan to continue the stool softeners indefinitely, and will continue to use the hemorrhoidal pads and BF&C as needed.

Note: I read that the BF&C comes in different consistencies. Mine had a crust over the top of it, and I was having some trouble getting enough soft ointment out without lumps, so I dumped the entire jarful into a mortar and pestle and got all the lumps out, then put it all back in the jar. It's been a perfect consistency since!"

So, that's my story, Jack. I'll keep you updated and let you know if my symptoms return, or if I remain symptom-free. Again, I want to thank you. You saved me from suffering unlike anything I had ever experienced, and I hope you know how much of a difference you're making. I felt entirely alone with a deeply personal, delicate and sensitive problem...something I couldn't really discuss with anyone, and something for which help was minimal. Thank you, thank you, a million times, thank you.

Date: Wed, 6 Mar 2002 21:25:46 EST
Subject: fissure page

Jack,

I've had my fissure now for about 10 weeks, a relatively short time compared to some on the page. I spent 3 days in the hospital at the onset of this as it was very painful. Like many others on the page my doctor immediately (after only 2 weeks) wanted to do surgery. I finally got serious about my condition after 5 weeks or so when I started searching the web for info and came across you're page. Without getting into a long story, I finally tried the BF&C cream about 3 weeks back and it, along with the right diet has greatly reduced my pain by 75%. I'm not healed by any means but I can deal with this for now. My concern is that I ordered my first jar of the cream from herbs.com, then ordered my second jar straight from Dr Christophers and received it today. It came with a warning about Comfrey, and said it was not to be used as a suppository or on open wounds. Should I be concerned? Has anyone on the page said they ever had a problem after using this product?

Thanks for any help you can give

I reported back to the sender of this message that no one has reported any problems with the BF&C cream. But with this new warning, I do not think I would use it. See the email message from the Herbsfirst company and description below of Comfrey for more information. Jack

Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 18:44:48 -0700
From: "Herbs First"

Concerning the warning label on the BF&C ointment: The FDA is having all the herb companies put a warning label on any product that has comfrey in it. The label says the following:

Warning: External use only. Consuming this product can cause serious liver damage. This product contains Comfrey. Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which may cause serious illness or death. This product should not be taken orally, used as a suppository, or applied to broken skin. For futher information contact the FDA at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov

It is true that there are pyrrolizidine alkaloids in comfrey. Dr. Christopher taught and believed that herbs should be used in their entirety. He believed that the body is able to deal with small amounts of toxins in the herbs when the whole herb is used. Whole herbs are used in the BF&C ointment. No research was done by the FDA concerning the use of whole herbs - only that pyrrolizidine alkaloids alone cause liver damage. I hope that this will help people to understand why the warning was added to the label.

We would recommend that anyone using a product with comfrey in it to also use a liver cleansing product such as Barberry LG.

Here is an additional link to the FDA site concerning the use of comfrey: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-ill.html.  Unfortunately this link does not work any more as of Sept 5, 2009. A helpful reader provided me with this new link listing a bunch of dietary supplements and if they are prohibited from use or not. Here is a link to a July 6, 2001 FDA alert.

I hope that this will help people to understand why the warning was added to the label.

Sincerely,

Herbs First
http://www.herbsfirst.com

From http://webmd.lycos.com/content/article/3187.13541

Latin name: Symphytum officinale
Other names: Ass Ear, Black Root, Blackwort, Boneset, Bruisewort, Consolida, Consound, Gum Plant, Knitbone, Salsify, Slippery Root, Wallwort

Bruises, sprains, and dislocations

Applied in ointment form, Comfrey is considered an effective treatment for blunt injuries. The root portion of Comfrey is also used as a mouthwash and gargle for sore throat and gum disease. Taken internally, the root has also been used as a remedy for stomachache, ulcers, rheumatism, chest congestion, diarrhea, and inflammation in the lining of the lungs; but its effectiveness for these problems is unconfirmed and internal use is not recommended due to the presence of dangerous, cancer-causing compounds.

Comfrey has enjoyed a long-standing reputation for healing wounds and broken bones. Its very name, a corruption of the Latin "con firma," means "grow together." Similarly, the Latin name, "symphytum," is from the Greek "symphyo," meaning "to unite." In the early 20th century, allantoin, an active ingredient in Comfrey, was frequently prescribed as a remedy for wounds and ulcers. There is considerable justification for this reputation. The allantoin in Comfrey stimulates reproduction of cells, thus promoting the formation of new tissue (callus) along the edges of a bone fracture. Other compounds in Comfrey effectively reduce inflammation and swelling. Nevertheless, this herb--particularly the root--also contains toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are known to cause cancer in animals while inflicting damage on the liver. Internal use of any part of the plant is therefore ill-advised; and the root should be avoided entirely.

Do not use preparations containing Comfrey root. Ointments containing Comfrey leaf are considered safe when applied to unbroken skin for limited periods of time.

Limit use of leaf-based Comfrey ointments to no more than 4 weeks.

No interactions have been reported. Special Information If You Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding

Never use any form of Comfrey during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Use only commercially prepared ointments and creams.

In Europe, the German Federal Health Agency limits commercial preparations of Comfrey to amounts that supply no more than 1 microgram of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids per day when taken internally, or 100 micrograms per day when applied to the skin. In the United States, herbal preparations are not routinely monitored for potency, so there's no way to be certain that these limits are met. Follow the manufacturer's directions whenever available. When in doubt, use the ointment as sparingly as possible.

No information on overdosage is available.