Homeopath? - Multiple Sclerosis Message Board

McV · 04-21-2008, 04:20 PM

Anyone else here been to a homeopath or a naturalist? Be interested to hear if they made any difference?

MSNik · 04-21-2008, 07:07 PM

I have been. I actually went for about 4 months...then I tried Accupuncture- before that, PT and chiro....gotta be honest, none of it helped even alittle bit. MS is not something which can be helped with any of it; HOWEVER for some people, symtoms can be relieved...my nerve damage is too severe for chiro- and PT didnt touch the pain (it actually made mine worse) after 15 appts with the Accupuncturist, I gave up...

I do believe that the nutritionist who I visited, who gave me tips on supplements and vitamins might have helped me somewhat- I still take all of her recommendations daily, and when I went off of them for a month (due to having to before surgery) I felt awful...a month after I started back on them, the energy level came back up.

Homeopathic is one way to go; but again, only to treat symtoms...and with MS they come and go so quickly- its all a roll of the dice.

Hope it works for you...
Nikki

Bearygood · 04-21-2008, 07:14 PM

Ah, Nikki, you know I do not agree except of course for there not being a guarantee. Homeopathy is medicinal. Most medicine either comes from nature or tries to duplicate it. Again, no guarantees but I do believe that a doctor of Homeopathy who knows what they're doing can make a difference in keeping the disease under control. Or at least that it's possible.

MSNik · 04-22-2008, 05:48 AM

Hi Beary, knew I could count on you to keep this conversation going!

I DO KNOW that homeopaths, accupuncturists and even therapists CAN HELP RELIEVE SYMTOMS..but I cant honestly say that I think they can keep the disease under control...reason being, when I saw the homeopath, it actually caused my symtoms to flare and had me on steroids...when I started PT, my symtoms didnt respond at all. Accupuncture has been my biggest mistake so far with having increased symtoms and more flareups of original ones.

Homeopathic medicine, made of natural roots and herbs, I have used for years for soar throats, infections and even headaches. I chew ginger for upset stomaches, take all sorts of things for all sorts of reasons and HAVE found relief for geneal aches and pains...however, in my opinion- MS is not something which has a cure, and therefore, all the homeopathic meds in the world arent going to make it go away....some of the roots and herbs which I was prescribed for symtoms actually DID make my symtoms better for a short time, but then they started blowing out of proportion and left me with both Optical Neuritis and IV Steroids....I didnt find that my disease was under control at all- in fact, just the opposite. It was out of control.

I dont know how one qualifies a "good homeopath". There are no board certifications in this country for them. I thought the one I was seeing was great, for about a month...but I also adored my accupuncturist and he wasnt able to help me. Stimulating MS symptoms isnt always a good idea...

I will stand behind the simple fact that since this disease is so different for each of us, what works for one, might not work for another and vise versa. I do think that anything and everything is worth trying- especially natural things...however, I also know that for me- taking the natural approach has caused me more bad then good..and my doctors agree that I have been at my weakest, and had the most symtoms, when I was trying to work with natural meds with my MS...the only thing I continue to do is take my supplements for overall body health- because if they help fight off sickness and keep my body balanced, then I justify that they must be good for me....they certainly arent helping my symtoms!

Its another interesting debate...I would never tell someone not to try it themselves...but I answered the question honestly- it didnt work for me.

Nikki

Bearygood · 04-22-2008, 08:11 AM

Nikki, I actually agree with most of what you say in your last post. It's hard to recognize a good Homeopath without personal recommendations or your own experience annd certainly, what works for some may certainly not work for others. It's just that when someone states so resolutely and not just as their own opinion that something like like this will NOT work, you can pretty much count on me to chime in.

As you know, I love my acoupuncturist. I will never forget my first visit to him. I started off the appt. by telling him that I really believe in acupuncture. He replied "But you can't!" Unusual response -- I assured him I did. Then he said "No, you can't believe in it. It's never worked for you." Ah, I got it then. Fast forward and I CAN now say I'm a believer and he wouldn't argue.

To me, Homepathy is a different thing than acupuncture. Since it's medicinal, I don't know it's impossible it could work in keeping the disease under control. That said, whatever the thought process is in treatment would likely be very different than how Copaxone works and also R, A and B.

Jock, I hope you continue to keep us posted on your experiences with Homeopathy.