RLS: I disagree, Connie. :)

[Guest guest]

Aw, Geez, Connie!!! I'm so frustrated! I have to pack and head down

to Tucson to be with Mom, so I don't have time to respond in detail to

all the comments in your letter...which, of course, I'd be sure to do

privately. But just for the public record, I disagree with a LOT of

what you wrote.

I totally agree with your intent, but not with the appropriateness of

saying it all in a " support " group, and definitely not with all the

reasoning.

BUT....that's philosophy.

I think Dr. Levin's plan was right (even though he often failed to

follow his own advice): Only comment on someone's therapy methods

when they asks your opinion or when it's life or health threatening.

Otherwise, support the people, keep quiet, or ask them if they're

interested in your opinion privately.

SUPPORT is a key word.

Suffice it to say that both sides of the therapy issue have positive

and negative points and we, in this group, will never win the battle

of which is right or wrong. I know you are not taking sides, but are

just concerned about crazy ideas that can be costly financially or in

terms of health. I enjoy discussing the pros and cons of each

therapy, but I don't enjoy general put downs of one idea over another.

Maybe the idea won't work, but maybe it will lead to better

understanding and to an even better remedy. If it's not dangerous,

let's not do anything to discourage people from trying it and doing

their own research.

I've seen a lot of people " try " a lot of therapies, including a lot of

prescription meds, but I wouldn't say they all gave it the same effort

or started their trial with the same set of variables. Two people can

try ANY therapy and get different results, based on HOW they applied

it, what their own health was, and how long they stuck with it, etc.

So even if you've tried all the things I use or try to use, it doesn't

mean I won't get results where you might have felt you just threw away

your time and money. I know you know this and agree, because you and

I have had LONG productive discussions in private and seem to

understand each other. But, I also know you are just terribly worried

and concerned about others blowing their money, getting into dangerous

situation, or building up false hopes, and you'd love to spare them

the pain or trouble. As I said, your intent is wonderful. You're a

caring, concerned, and willing to be involved intelligent woman. But

take it from the daughter of an overprotective loving nurturing Jewish

mother, sometimes all that concern, warning, and desire to protect,

can get in the way of someone feeling good about themselves and

reaching out to discover things on their own. And sometimes, when

they reach out in the very same areas where the parents found nothing,

they find something the parents missed....maybe just because times

have changed. THere are several things I've wanted to warn my 22 year

old " I can do it myself " son about, lately. But I've had to ask

myself whether it's dangerous to let him fly on his own, and whether

there's a chance he just might discover something in the process.

Sometimes, he's surprised me, and we've all come away winners. And

sometimes, I could say " I told you so, " and shout it LOUDLY!!! But

even then, I try to be quiet, because I know that the most important

thing is that now HE knows, and it didn't really hurt him too badly to

learn it on his own. ALWAYS, if it's dangerous, speak up, ALWAYS. I

sure plan to, and I'm counting on you to speak up, too.

Well, time to hit the road, again.

Sincerely,

==

Jill Gunzel, 47, Arizona

For nonprescription RLS therapies,

see my website at http://www.netzone.com/~gunzel/rls.html