Well, I take David's comment with a grain of salt....or a grain of baking soda! There are so many of these individual testimonies and anecdotal "cures" at various websites, wherein they claim a complete remission of symptoms. In David's case, he is not even sure that he truly has fibro; was diagnosed many years ago and it may not be an accurate diagnosis. I've seen this apple cider vinegar/baking soda "cure" for fibro on other sites. Some claim that the apple cider vinegar alone cures them, and some say they need to take sodium bicarb with it to alkalinize the body fluids and tissues.
I have some apple cider vinegar, and it is nasty tasting stuff.
I'm not sure I could choke down enough every single day to do any good even if this does work, and I have my doubts about that.
My feeling is, "first do no harm" and apple cider vinegar may be worth a try because it has no harmful side effects in the suggested dosage. Some alternative therapies, vitamins, and supplements seem to help some people, and not others -- also, the potency and type of formulation, dosage, and how long you take it seems to have some effect on whether that supplement is helpful or not. Everyone is different. As long as it does no harm and the cost is not prohibitively expensive, I say, there's no reason not to try it.
That said, I've already spent a small fortune in vitamins/herbs/supplements at my local health food store, and my Medicaid won't cover any of it, of course....so while I like to try things that I read about online, especially those that fibro docs use in their treatment regimens at fibro clinics and in their practices, often it's just too darn expensive and ends up not making a difference in my pain and fatigue levels. I hate throwing money down the drain, and sadly, there are in fact a lot of fibro websites that capitalize -- big $$$ -- on our pain and desperation for relief or a cure....especially if it is "natural" and not a prescription drug.
The thing is....even "natural" supplements and herbs are drugs, meaning they exert a specific effect on the cells, organs or organ systems of the body, and may have dangerous side effects. They are not controlled or regulated, and you don't know for sure what you are getting in terms of potency and sometimes, toxic filler products used in manufacture. So...buyer beware and proceed with caution. It's a good idea to let your doc know what supplements you are taking because some of them can adversely interact with prescription drugs.
A woman who used to work at my chiropractor's office nearly died in the hospital after a bad allergic reaction to black cohosh, which an herbalist had recommended for symptoms of menopause. It was only a lucky coincidence that this was discovered as the cause of her illness, as she had not thought to mention it to the doctors because "it was only an herb, not a drug..." And it nearly KILLED her! Herbs are serious medicine, and in most parts of Europe are regulated like prescription drugs. When WE here in the states go to the health food store, some sales person with just a little knowledge and training is advising us about which supplements and herbs we should take, not knowing our medical histories, allergies, or what prescription drugs we are taking already that may interact or counteract. I find that a scary thought, so I always do my own research first and proceed with caution. It's a miracle that there are not more overdoses and toxic reactions to supplements.
now what was I rambling on about.....? Oh yeah! Apple Cider vinegar is a cheap and safe thing to try, you can get a large bottle for around $3, so why not? It tastes awful though...and so far has done nothing for me....but it may help somebody else!
Post edited by: hipmama42, at: 03/21/2008 20:28
