Supplement Update

I am posting this update to my previous post on supplements that I am currently taking. Here goes:

Non-odorous garlic: still taking
Royal Jelly: ran out but I think it was an energy booster
Cherry juice: too acidic, had to stop
CoEnzymeQ10: too acidic, had to stop
Vitamin D: still taking
Olive Leaf: still taking but not noticing any effects

I am planning on replenishing my supply of Royal Jelly Bee Pollen.

Now, a little more on this subject of supplements, especially vitamin D. I have been reading some comments on facebook that the user states pain relief from taking vitamin D. I have been taking this for years and have never noticed any amount of relief from my pain or muscle cramping. I fear we in the fibro community are in danger of falling for claims on supplements as we are vulnerable to Big Pharma for new drugs. I wish it were as simple as swallowing a handful of meds and vitamins/herbs but it is not. Fibromyalgia is so complicated, so insidious that what works for one does not work for another or stops working altogether. I am becoming more and more convinced that we are just beginning to understand fibro and it will take a commitment from those of us who suffer to guard ourselves from chasing "cures". There are many snake oil salesmen out there plying their claims of cures, relief and pain-free promises. We must not fall for this anymore. We must insist on real studies and real research. Only our community can band together and ignore these con artists and push the medical field to what we all want, a real understanding of the mechanism behind fibromyalgia. Yes, I will continue to try a supplement here and there but only after researching the product for myself. Continue the fight fellow fibromites!

Enemy of the budget part 2.

I blogged a few days ago about stocking up on items but not taking care of the inventory i.e. rotating stock, checking expiration dates etc. Now I want to carry that idea a bit further.

The medicine cabinet. Lurking inside are medicines, toothpastes,OTC items plus others. If we are not careful, this can be another area where we can loose a considerable amount of money by not checking dates. Prescription medicines have use by dates, OTC meds have expiration dates and other items have dates including contact lens cleaners and solutions, some toothpastes, make-up (not always on package but is considered 6 months from date of purchase) and other select products. It is important to check these items monthly to ensure that the products and medications you have on hand have full potency for when they are needed. Also, to avoid overbuying products you cannot use within the stated expiration date.

To avoid throwing away expensive drugstore and others products it may be a good idea to do the following:

1. A listing of products that carry expiration codes
2. An inventory of products to discourage overbuying of short dated products
3. Familiarize yourself with expiration dates and where they are on pkgs.

When going over that Walgreens, Riteaid, or CVS ad don't forget to check your list or personally look over the medicine cabinet/cupboard for what you already have on hand. Does anyone really need to have on hand 4 boxes of Tylenol, multiple containers of older medications and 5 canisters of 500 multiple vitamins?

What is in your medicine cabinet????