Hello again,

I think this would be a very worthwhile study & I will see whether any of the support group members would be interested in doing this and sharing the results.

Personally, I am already seeing a homeopath and, although I still do have a very enlarged polycystic liver, one thing I have noticed is that the liver seems to be softening and becoming more comfortable for me. Three months ago it was extremely hard and resistant to touch, plus rather painful at times (after eating a large meal when the full stomach pushes the liver upwards against the lower ribs, when inhaling sharply and also premenstrually). So, although I obviously cannot proclaim that I am cured, I do feel that this is a rather interesting and encouraging result. And I fully intend to continue with this as a longer term strategy to stay healthy.

Since PKD-related problems often only emerge in a person's 40s or 50s, I find it very difficult to accept that genes alone determine the course of this disease. The so-called "second hit" theory seems more convincing - i.e. the gun is loaded, genetically speaking, but it takes some other factor(s) to pull the trigger. In any case the spirit of acceptance does not come easily to me, perhaps because in my own case there is no family history of this disorder, the mutation having apparently begun with me. And I only discovered I had PKD AFTER having my two sons, so I may already have passed on this legacy.

For more detailed information on PKD, the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation's website at www.pkdcure.org is useful.

The problem I face personally (in common with many other PKD patients) is that even with millions of dollars research money the elusive "cure" always seems to remain five years in the future. So if there are inexpensive and simple ways of maintaining or even improving health that we could employ here and now then these have got to be worth pursuing.

With best wishes