I told someone here on the Health Forum I would try a homeopathic remedy the next time I got sick.

[ZombieHorde]

I claimed homeopathic medicine was illogical, and someone said to try it out and see for myself.

Well, I got sick last week, and after about two days of illness, I thought about actually trying some homeopathic medicine. But then I decided against it since I am broke right now. The next day, I started feeling better. If I had tried the homeopathic medicine, I might have given it credit for my improved health.

I am writing this OP as a reminder to those who are thinking about trying an alternative cure: the alternative cure may have had nothing to do with your improved health.

Now I am wondering if I was wrong to say I would try a homeopathic remedy. How would I know if it really has any effect?

[OnTheOtherHand]

1. as you say, you couldn't "know" either way

But the lack of any plausible mechanism by which it could have an effect is a pretty good reason not to try it, at least if you have to pay for it.

[tblue]

2. I tried it once and my symptoms went off the deep end.

Maybe I didn't wait long enough but I couldn't stand it.

btw, I wanted to ask about the 2 lists you link below. Where'd the 2nd one come from?

[ZombieHorde]

12. I don't remember who created either link. I once knew, but I have since forgotten. nt

[LeftyMom]

3. Well if greater dilution makes a homeopathic remedy more powerful,

taking no homeopathic remedies at all means you've experienced all of them at their maximum dose and you will live forever in perfect health.

[Duer 157099]

4. Well, a true believer in homeopathy

might go so far as to say that just the thought of taking a homeopathic remedy was enough to effect the cure.

It's the logical conclusion anyway.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. If you have a martini and it is shaken and not stirred, does it count as homeopathy? Just Sayin'. nt

[tridim]

5. Crampbark AND couchgrass?

[matt819]

6. Let's try this

Let's say you took some sort of conventional medicine. You might then have been tempted to say, hey, look, conventional medicine is fantastic. See, I took it, and one day later I was fine. Using the same reasoning, the conventional medicine may have had nothing to do with your improved health.

Get this book out of the library: 13 things that don't make sense: The most baffling scientific mysteries of our time, by Michael Brooks. I read it earlier this year but am embarrassed to admit that I can't recall many of the 13 things. One of the 13, however, was homeopathy. This author was adamant in his conviction that it was nothing less than a fraud. He did report, however, on some studies that had perplexing results that suggest that this may not be the case.

[ZombieHorde]

9. Conventional medicine has a known reason for working.

We understand ibuprofen and penicillin. Even people who believe in homeopathic medicine don't understand it.

[Hydra]

8. Medicine of any kind is only 20% of the cure

So the only way you'd know if it did anything at all is if you had an adverse reaction, or if you had a chronic illness and you showed improvement.

It's your body though. I refuse to get mercury shots because it's my body, and some people will call me crazy for it. If you don't want to take sugar pills, why make a big deal of it?

[uppityperson]

11. If you don't believe medicine can help acute conditions, why believe it helps chronic ones?

I'd like to see a link to a reputable source backing up your "medicine of any kind is only 20$ of the cure" statement.

[Hydra]

13. I didn't say that it couldn't help

But it's much easier to have a scientific baseline when a person has a long term illness that their body isn't effectively fighting off to show actual results. As Zombie said, did nothing, better in a day. Had Zombie taken meds, they presumably would still be better in a day.

As for the 20% thing , more than one doctor I've spoken to said that meds and such are only about 20% of the healing process, and that we needed to rest and abstain from things that increase our exposure to conditions that hurt our immune system's response, such as re-exposure to the disease vector or unfavorable conditions such as extreme cold.

While google isn't giving me anything about that, I found something else that links to the original OP

http://www.wired.com/medtech/drugs/magazine/17-09/ff_placebo_effect?currentPage=all

Interesting, no?

[bvar22]

10. Many, many times, doing nothing IS the Homeopathic Medicine.

If left alone, the Human Body has a remarkable ability to manufacture its very own natural antibiotics, anti-virals,
and even natural anti-depressants among other things.
The Auto-Immune System is remarkable.
In many cases, NOT letting the body do its own thing causes these natural systems to atrophy.

Doing Nothing IS Homeopathic.

[HuckleB]

19. Many? You mean "always."

There is nothing to homeopathic medicine. Any perceived benefits are the work of the body.

[astral]

14. well, there's 'homeopathic' and then there's the whole category of 'natural cures.'

It would depend on what was wrong with you and what you 'almost' did.

I had some terrible cramps in my toes the other two days, which I normally don't even get, and it attacked both feet at once. I had some magnesium oil I had forgotten about that I was going to use on someone else but they wouldn't have it, and I remembered I had this and that it was good for muscle cramps among the many other things magnesium deficiency can do, and I rubbed it on both feet.

I was amazed, i swear within a couple minutes the cramps were gone.

They came back the next night, though, and I tried it again and it worked again. Third night = tonite, no cramps yet so I don't know.

I don't KNOW if they would have gone away anyway without the magnesium oil, but there's my anecdote.

When people sweep with a broad brush against anything that is not doctor / prescription medicine, I get uncomfortable and think we should clarify and be specific.

[gkhouston]

15. If you drank a glass of water, you did try a homeopathic cure.

See, it works! :7

[LeftishBrit]

16. Glad you're better!

People are often advised when sick to 'drink plenty of fluids'. If you have followed this advice, then you've already no doubt swallowed plenty of homeopathic medicine, without paying an exorbitant price for it.

[HuckleB]

17. Well, I bought some rather expensive bourbon.

The truth is, well, I haven't felt this good in quite a while!

[HuckleB]

18. Ask a "supervisor" or a "boss" or whatever you want to call someone who must keep a "shift" filled.

See if they keep track of those who "believe" in homeopathy and other "alternative/complementary/integrative medicine" and those who go the "usual" route. Then ask which group has more sick days.

Yep, it's all anecdotal, and very subjective, and completely meaningless, but I've yet to find one who won't adamantly say that the "alt/com/int" group doesn't call in sick far more often than the "usual" group.

[astral]

20. Mr. HuckleB, I don't believe you.

Please provide something specific to show that you are not just making this up. I am certain there is no evidence anywhere that what you said is true.

Please do drink more water, everyone, that at least is good adivce, but make sure it is clean pure water.

Read about "Your Body's Many Cries for Water," you will find that water is NOT a homeopathic cure after all, but a cure, nonetheless.

(Are we allowed to say the "c" word here?)