I Can Talk to the Internal Organs-Chapter 118 - 96: Now You’re Scared?

Lu’s Clinic.

As Lu Jiu opened the door, everyone waited with their number tickets in hand.

Rong Jisheng didn’t have a ticket, but since he was an emergency case, he could be treated specially.

In such situations, many patients were particularly accommodating.

"What did the hospital doctors say?" Lu Jiu asked.

"They said something about my ejection fraction being too low, only 33% or so, and they mentioned my left ventricle is enlarged and thickened, with significantly weakened left heart function. The doctor said if this fraction drops below 35%, there’s a risk of sudden death, and advised me to stay in the hospital for observation. Dr. Lu, you must help me!" Rong Jisheng was genuinely scared now.

"Don’t worry, since you already know your situation, you should be able to trust me now, right?" Lu Jiu said.

"I trust you. I absolutely trust you," Rong Jisheng nodded repeatedly.

Lu Jiu didn’t use any instruments; just with a few fingers, he could tell that Rong’s heart was in bad shape. How could Rong doubt such ability?

"Before prescribing medication, I want to ask you a few questions," Lu Jiu said.

"Go ahead," Rong Jisheng replied.

"Are you still taking Oseltamivir?" Lu Jiu asked.

"No, I’m not," Rong Jisheng answered.

"You should never take that medicine again. Even if you catch the flu next time and feel terribly uncomfortable, don’t take it for too long, and especially stop immediately if you experience side effects," Lu Jiu said.

"Is my heart problem because of this medicine?" Rong Jisheng frowned.

"Not entirely. Before taking this medicine, your cardiopulmonary function was already weak. That’s why my second question is: you don’t exercise at all, do you?" Lu Jiu asked.

"Uh... Not really..." Rong Jisheng answered.

"Once you hit forty, your energy isn’t what it used to be, and your body’s functions start to decline. If you don’t exercise to enhance your Yang Qi, your physique will undoubtedly worsen. Most diseases are caused by obesity because it indicates spleen deficiency. Spleen deficiency causes dampness accumulation, and once formed, the phlegm can block where it accumulates. A blocked body leads to illness."

"I see you’re in your forties or fifties, and your body is significantly overweight. If this continues, your Five Viscera will collectively degenerate. Trying to slim down then will be nearly impossible. There’s a saying you might have heard: ’A slender old age is priceless.’ Weight loss requires the heart to work hard, but as we age, the heart can’t beat too fast. Yet, if it doesn’t beat fast, the body doesn’t produce enough heat, and your weight won’t drop, creating a vicious cycle. Do you understand?"

"Regardless of whether you’re currently experiencing heart failure, I recommend some exercise. Not like the young, sweating profusely, which is unnecessary and unsuitable for you. Just walk regularly and tap or massage your body a few hundred times. Combine this habit with my treatment, and restoring your heart function isn’t difficult. However, whether it can recover depends on your willingness. If you go home and do nothing I say, as the doctor warned, you might unexpectedly drop dead, too fast for any ambulance to save."

In the early stages of heart failure, it’s mostly due to cardiopulmonary Qi deficiency. The best way to tonify Qi is to get the body moving.

All medications, whether they claim to replenish blood or Qi, deplete your Qi upon entering the body.

It’s like borrowing money. If you’re broke, you can borrow from the bank, but you need collateral first. Who lends without security?

When you move, it’s different. You’re earning your own money. After earning, borrowing from the bank becomes stress-free, allowing you to accumulate enough capital to expand your gains.

So, for Lu Jiu, treating illness always comes with a condition.

It’s better to teach someone to fish than just give a fish!

First, the patient needs to change their lifestyle, then discuss treatment. Otherwise, treatment alone is just a band-aid solution. Cure once, and it’ll likely relapse.

"Dr. Lu, can I really exercise with my current condition? If my heart beats too fast, I..." Rong Jisheng was fearful, walking cautiously on the way, afraid of any sudden fall while walking and not getting up.

Are you scared now?

Lu Jiu sighed, "Are you worried about your heart beating too fast from just walking?"

Rong Jisheng said, "I already feel my heartbeat is a bit fast now."

Lu Jiu, "..."

This left Lu Jiu speechless.

With your Heart Fire state, if it really started pounding, it might be struggling its last.

Clearly, Rong Jisheng’s anxiety was his imagination playing tricks.

"Then adjust yourself. This is beyond my capability. Wait a moment, I’ll get your prescription," said Lu Jiu.

The overall treatment principle for heart failure is to tonify Qi, warm Yang, promote circulation, and balance fluid metabolism.

In early heart failure, the main issues are cardiopulmonary Qi deficiency, especially internal heart Qi deficiency with few symptoms. The Vitality Restoration Decoction is generally used to nourish the heart and lungs and assist heart blood flow. If the patient experiences fatigue and limb swelling, Fangji Astragalus Decoction can be added to augment Qi and drain fluids.

In mid-stage, Qi deficiency becomes severe, affecting blood transport, causing stasis difficult to remove and hindering Yin-blood production. This results in Qi and Yin deficiency with blood stasis blockage. At this point, the Shengmai Powder is used, adjusted to the patient’s condition.

If progressed to late stage, symptoms of severe Qi and Yang deficiency, increased blood stasis, external blood leakage, and water flooding occur, the Zhenwu Decoction with adjustments is warranted.

Hence, if it’s early-stage heart failure, it’s not difficult for Lu Jiu.

The difficult part lies in whether Rong Jisheng changes his lifestyle, which is crucial for curing the disease.

Ginseng, Astragalus, licorice, cinnamon.

The Vitality Restoration Decoction is a simple formula with only four ingredients, but its effects are substantial.

In the 2012 Beihe TCM journal, it was clearly stated that Vitality Restoration Decoction combined with conventional Western treatment of coronary heart disease-induced heart failure in 57 patients compared to 56 patients with only Western treatment, using heart failure control and heart function improvement as efficacy evaluation criteria.

Results: The treatment group showed significant improvement in 15 cases, effective in 35 cases, ineffective in 6 cases, and worsening in 1 case, resulting in an effectiveness rate of 87.72%.

This achievement clearly demonstrates the significant efficacy of Vitality Restoration Decoction in treating heart failure patients.

"Here, take this medicine home and add a small slice of ginger to boil, turning three bowls of water into one, and drink it after meals," Lu Jiu handed the prepared medicine to Rong Jisheng.

Rong Jisheng looked at the small bag of herbs, feeling it was too little, "Dr. Lu, can you prescribe more doses? This isn’t enough to drink."

Lu Jiu explained, "There are three doses in total. One dose lasts a day, so three days are enough. What are you thinking?"

One dose per day.

Rong Jisheng initially thought one dose was for one drink.

"Oh, so it’s about dividing the decoction from three bowls of water into three drinks, right?" Rong Jisheng asked.

Lu Jiu patiently explained, "It’s about cooking it three times, not splitting it into three drinks. For instance, today you can boil it once when you return, then again after dinner. After drinking twice, today is done. Skip the third drink. Tomorrow, brew it in the morning, at noon, and again in the evening. If you’re busy or forget, once or twice is fine. Each dose is for one day, throw it away the next day, no strict frequency required. But you must drink, even if just once; do you understand?"

"Oh oh, understood," Rong Jisheng replied.