Misc. from Connie..Attn: Kathy-LONG!

[Guest guest]

I listened to my health radio show today on the subject of alternative

medicine and as usual, I was alternately gratified and appalled.

It's obvious that Europe has done much more research on this subject and that

they have publications telling people about proper dosages, duration of

treatments, possible side effects and interactions with other

medications......etc. etc. ..........whether they are doing enough or not is

yet to be seen. Several good publications are becoming available here also,

and if we could only regulate the production of these substances, we would

really be on our way.

Many interactions and warnings were given in today's show, and just as many

were recommended as probably safe.......if your source is reliable. The main

point that was made in my mind, is still what I have felt all along......that

an herb is a drug is an herb.

As expected, the phones were ringing off of the hook.....some with very

interesting, intelligent questions... and some passing along some pretty dumb

stuff. One thing I heard was a woman recommending the Noni Juice supplement

that is being sold by so many multi-levels sales companies. She wanted to

tell everyone that they should take this substance. The moderator of the show

asked her WHY?????? And she said because " it was absolutely wonderful~!!!!

That it cures cancer and arthritis and a hundred other things....... "

........it was so sad for me to realize that this woman actually felt this way

........her voice was filled with awe for this... (my opinion)... useless

substance. She felt that she actually knew people who had experienced all of

these cures. There really, really, REALLY ARE remissions in life......placebo

effects........that can have nothing at all to do with whatever we are taking

at the time. When something purports to do TOO MANY things, a red flag should

come up. When people just pass along anecdotal evidence instead of exact

information on where, when and how the testing was done.....I just don't

believe that this is valid. I firmly do believe that the best drugs in the

world are the ones that we make in our own brains and bodies......and we DO

make them. Natural relaxants, painkiller endorphins, steroids

even.........healing cells, killer cells.........these are the powers we

should be trying to harness. .Noni juice probably won't hurt most people, but

there are some out there who could possibly have a very bad reaction to it.

Quite often our natural body-made drugs are not enough, and this is the time

to turn to medical science for help. .

I wonder how many people turned on the radio today and heard her wonderful

claim for the miraculous merits of Noni........and perhaps didn't even wait to

hear any more. It sounded as if that was what she had done herself.......and

if she would do it, then so would others.

Bad enough that she is lining the pockets of these groups and giving herself

false hope..........what is more serious here, and the reason why I am sitting

here pounding away at 1 am........is that it is entirely possible that someone

might put off getting proper medical treatment in lieu of taking Noni.

Before anyone reacts........I do realize that most cases will not be this

serious a situation.........but some might. For us to be trying all kinds of

different stuff in an attempt to get relief from RLS is one thing.......but I

would think long and hard before I recommended anyone with serious, life

threatening problems ( as in liver disease ) to try alternative medicine

instead of pursuing traditional medical care. This would be unthinkably

irresponsible.

Kathy........I feel so bad that you have had such problems with your RLS drugs

and that they could possibly have caused other problems for you. I would

very much like to know the names of the medicines in question. Since you have

mentioned that you feel these are definitely the cause, I think it is very

important to pass this information along to others who might be taking the

same thing. I'm sure that many are waiting for you to tell us more about

this.

I know that the group has mentioned several times, the importance of looking

up the drugs we are taking and making sure that our doctors do regular blood

work. I'm not positive here, but I think most medication is metabolized in

our livers, and there is always a danger of either liver or kidney damage when

one takes a drug for a long time. I have never, EVER gotten a prescription

that did not have an enclosure in the package with more information that I

could ever want.......I still check it out for myself. Perhaps I am more

fortunate than I realized in having this information so readily supplied. It

is only common sense to ask the pharmacist at the time you pick up your

medication if there is anything that you need to know.

We have also discussed how dangerous it is to ingest alcohol while on

medication......ANY ALCOHOL.......which might be extremely toxic to the liver

or kidneys when taken with something as benign as tylenol, aspirin,

etc........or over the counter supplements.

I suppose we all have to offer Kathy whatever advice that we think would truly

be most helpful. Mine is that I think you need to see a new doctor.......a

Gastroenterologist or liver specialist. You need more blood work done and you

need to have it analyzed at a different laboratory. Doctors are not Gods or

Saints........they're human beings and they have their own problems sometimes.

They can make errors or even be negligent. But I have to believe that most of

them are trying the best they can to help the most people they can. It IS

quite possible that you have just come in contact with an infection from an

entirely different source.

It was mentioned today on the radio how important it could be for traditional

doctors to do more " laying on of hands " ........more comforting, soothing,

" emotionally connecting " things. Everyone involved in today's show agreed

with this. I took my neighbor to visit our shared Cardiologist last week.

When the doctor saw that the news he had given the man had obviously upset

him, he got up and came around and PUT HIS ARM AROUND THE MAN, TELLING HIM NOT

TO BE TOO UPSET....THAT HE WAS GOING TO DO EVERYTHING HE COULD TO HELP HIM

FEEL BETTER......this blew me away~!!! How many doctors would do that?

Particularly with a man? And I could see my friend immediately relax and

begin to smile.........This is also the feeling I get when he is treating

me.......one of kindness and concern.......never dismissing my fears or

tears.........and he has seen plenty of them.

One last thing I would like to share. When I was in Santa Barbara, California

last summer, helping my daughter move.......I went to the drug store to pick

up a prescription for her. It was really a different experience for me. I

stood in line to give them the prescription and was given a walkie-talkie type

thingie to carry around while I shopped and waited for it to be ready. I

could go anywhere in the shopping center~!!! When the thing beeped, I

returned to pick up the medication. They took my money and gave me a receipt,

but I had to wait a few minutes at another window where the pharmacist,

himself, handed me the package and questioned me about my daughter's medical

history and any other drugs she might be taking.......AND went over all

important information about the prescription with me......making sure that I

understood the proper dosage and what to do if she forgot to take it. I

thought it was wonderful!

Well, I guess I'll close this out.... I think I can go to bed and get some

sleep now. I hope everyone is coping well tonight.

Connie, 62, MD