The "TEA"

Ok....the tea. Where do I begin? I guess I will start by saying that Dr. Zoll did warn me that it will be bitter and will not taste very good. He said that he does have patients that by the end of the first month taking it they said they don't mind the taste anymore. I was prepared for bitter, not pleasant to the palate...I was not prepared for the most vile thing I have ever put in my mouth!!! Ew! There just really are no words for how gross it is. I wish I could give out shots of it to everyone so that you can truly taste my pain with me.

I got the tea and on my designated start date got all prepared to take it. I warmed it up by placing it in hot water for 5 minutes. I put it in a cute little tea cup. My first reaction was that it looked "think" and smelled rancid. I kept trying to figure out what "herbs" I was smelling. I thought, no biggie, it's like 6 oz., I can do this. Oh my word...first sip (and I did take a tiny sip to start) was nasty. I took another tiny sip....just as gross. I thought well we better get on with this or I'll never get it all down. I took a huge drink....at this point my throat closed up on me and the tea went no where...just sat in my mouth, making my eyes water and burn and making me want to vomit. I finally swallowed but it immediately started coming back up. Lord only knows how I got that cup down. I gagged after every swallow. Now I like to think I'm a fairly intelligent person but why I didn't think to simply down it in one breath is beyond me. I was seriously wondering how I was going to get this down twice a day for 30 days.

The second attempt at drinking the tea was no better. I started plugging my nose for the swallow, but as soon as you breathe you taste it so that was really a stupid plan. The third time I took it, I thought...I'm going to take my time. I made a bath, lit some candles, got my book and some water and took my tea to the bath. I thought I would just sit there and relax and sip my tea.

Again, not smart idea. Relaxing did nothing for the taste...I gagged after every sip....Craig is laughing from the other room because he can hear me violently gagging while I "relax" in the tub. On the third sip, I proceeded to vomit into the tub....GROSS. I couldn't get out fast enough but it didn't matter, I now smelled like vomit. So far this tea is WINNING and I am a huge loser!

Thanks to all of my wonderful FB friends I was given several things to "try" to help me get the tea down. I used all of them....coated my mouth with peanut butter, followed with crackers, chocolate, chewed Big Red gum first. Yes they helped me get it down but I finally realized that for me, the gagging became mental. The only way I was assured to get it all down and keep it down was to shoot it. So thank you Erica for pushing me and making me try it because that is how I am now onto day 22 of my tea. I heat it up, plug my nose, drink it in one breath and chase it with water before I breathe again. Yes it still is the most vile thing ever and no I will not be one of those women who tells Dr. Zoll that I didn't mind it so much by the end, but at least I get it down and it stays down and shooting makes it like pulling off a bandaid....quick but certainly not painless.

I take the tea twice a day, DHEA, CO Q10, melatonin, Renshenfengwangjiang (ginseng and royal jelly in a honey base...mixed with water...it's not bad) and it's a chore....BUT, if it works, then it will all be worth it AND I'll have great stories for my child about what I did for him or her (or both...lol). In case anyone is interested in what exactly is in my tea, I posted the ingredients below!

Liquid decoction: Herbal formula

Wu Zhu 5 g

Dang Qui 10 g

Chuan Xiong 10 g

Bai Shao 10 g

Tu Si Zi 10

Bi Ji Tian 10

Ren Shen 10 g

Gui Zhi 10 g

E Jiao 10 g

Mu Dan Pi 10 g

Shen Jiang 15 g

Gan Cao 6 g

Ban Xiao 10 g

Mu Dan Pi 10 g