10 replies to this topic

[Tinbasher]

Ok so I am now one of the "old hands" you know them they hang around spinal units tutting at the newbies.

I understand the desperation, I understand the loss and the fear and I understand how common sense can just fly out the window.

Do you remember when your Dad or Grandad or some wise old geezer said to you "Sonny, if a thing sounds too good to be true, then it probably is."?

There are folk out there working on a stem cell cure and they WILL find it but doesn't common sense tell you that is isn't going to surface in some second or third world country and at a price. The man or woman who perfects this will be Nobel Prize material not a somone who is making a few thousand bucks selling injections from a clinic in Mexico or Bejing.

Since humanity first fell ill there have been unscrupulous folk who will use their desperation to accrue power, wealth or simply fame. They thrive on the placebo effect and the odds of some natural recovery. Thats why they prefer new injuries the odds are so much better that some thing will happen.

The claims fail even on grounds of logic these cells are claimed to almost magically find the right place to work and what to do? Does that mean they fix anything else you might have wrong with you?

Some argue "What harm can it do?" but would you have something unproven injected into your spine in any normal circumstance? We just dont know the damage it could do.

For the moment, save your money, save your hope, save your sanity and wait.

Tin

[greybeard]

My disability is different because it was caused (I think) by illness rather than trauma, so I've never been through the Spinal Unit/Rehab routine. I wonder if the apparent rush of many newly injured to seek doubtful treatments, always at great expense, is a fault of the "system".

Do SCI patients get adequate briefing on leaving these treatment centres? Are they warned that there is little prospect of a magic bullet to cure SCIs, probably for many years to come? Should they be?

Edited by greybeard, 17 January 2010 - 11:44 PM.

[Texaswheelz]

Greybeard, my family and myself were both told to not think of a cure or a fix or a what ever ya want to call it, but to think about living the rest of my life in a chair. Does that mean we listened at the time? No, it's human nature. Of course they also told me and my parents to get used to one another as I would always need to live with them and they would always need to assist me in doing things or they'd have to put me into some sort of home. Crazy ass people, as soon as I graduated, I was out of there.

My parents thought everything was worth trying, hell they still do. I remember they were always coming home with some crazy ass medicine in weird bottles, there is no telling what they had me taking. All of it was of course supposed to spur regrowth of cells and let my nerves repair themselves. In other words, snake oil. I have no doubt if my injury was now instead of then, that they would have me in Mexico getting snake oil injections instead of taking pills.

[Tetracyclone]

Since receiving my snake oil injections in China I have miraculously learned to swear in Chinese, with no tutoring. In addition, all the hair follicles on my body have fallen out, to be replaced by scales. I find it ever so much easier to slither across the floor when I fall out of my chair.

Only down side is that the other day while "doing" my dear one I, you know, swallowed it.

Edited by Tetracyclone, 18 January 2010 - 01:16 AM.

[Ratticis]

Less than a half hour ago my cousin was lecturing me on all the miraculous cures and magic potions available that western medicine doesn't want us to know about so they can make money. So why are there still sick people in the east? I got about ten minutes of 'o, you should try this,' or 'you should look into that,' before i had enough and told her i'd rather live my life now with what i've got instead of waisting time with false hope when really i won't make me any happier. I'm paralyzed. So what? I'm also alive, smart, skilled, able to take care of myself, have great friends, a great and loving family, and about a million other positive things. So why look for a needle in a haystack only to appease someone else that feels sorry for me? Besides, most haystacks contain bugs and mouse droppings too.

[McTavish]

No matter what a lot of you say I think I will always be looking for a cure, not to the extent that it ruins me enjoying life as it is at the moment - but I will try any creams, potions or lotions or treatments that come my way.Call me naive if you like but I was paralyzed as a child for five years and the power returned then, so if it happened once, in my opinion, it could happen again. I am a total optimist.

[Denny]

Tsunami Cured a paralyzed person! I read this story of a paralyzed person in Southern India, who magically got cured when Tsunami approached. Though the news was in local language, I regret loosing that article. This person was paralyzed in an accident and been bedridden (poor man had no wheelchair) for some time. When huge waves approached, some of his friends tried to rescue him, but abandoned him when their own life was at risk. Then the miracle happens, the paralyzed person got out of the bed and ran for his life. Don't think anyone credited TSUNAMI for curing paralysis!

We only hear about odd success stories, but never hear about many who tried the treatment and received no improvements at all!

Quote

Since receiving my snake oil injections in China I have miraculously learned to swear in Chinese, with no tutoring. In addition, all the hair follicles on my body have fallen out, to be replaced by scales. I find it ever so much easier to slither across the floor when I fall out of my chair.

wow, who says Chinese medicines don't work

Winston warns of stem cell 'hype'
http://news.bbc.co.u...ech/4213566.stm

Edited by Denny, 18 January 2010 - 01:31 PM.

[dangerousdave]

SCI has nothin to do with Snake oil

Doesn't matter what your BIG problem is
We all grab at straws - Even meds are nothin but straws - Just goverment given ones
The real issue is the failure of proper research because of a lack of funds or societies minorities with over rated hangups denying medical groundbreaking research
Solve that issue and then snake oil will disapear

[topperf]

''The real issue is the failure of proper research because of a lack of funds or societies minorities with over rated hangups denying medical groundbreaking research
Solve that issue and then snake oil will disapear ''

Amen to that.

[dangerousdave]

One day a canny old begger (begging ws easier then working - precurser to welfare) was laying on his pallet by the road as usual, when it started to bounce.
Looking around, he thought, earthquake, and made sure his pennies were secure as his begging bowl bounced around.
Then from around the corner came a similer dirty long haired begger - followed by a multitude of 100's who were causing the road to bounce
So one begger said to the other "you had better pick up your pallet and run mate, or this lot will trample all over you "
Thus was born one of the first miracle cures.

Sorry guys - couldn't resist it - blame Denny

Edited by dangerousdave, 18 January 2010 - 07:26 PM.

[S&W Winger]

Oh shoot! I just sold my house...pawned my wheelchair...and booked a flight for [insert locale of your choice in the Far East] and NOW you tell me it's all a sham??? Fine timing...



It'd be so much trouble for me to walk now anyway, what with drop foot, ceaseless spasms (or do these miraculously dissolve also? ...not to mention all the medical equipment soon to have been acquired under false pretenses...


I was told from when I just "came to" after about 4-5 weeks and still attached to the ventilator that I had a zero to one percent chance of walking again, so must've helped my acceptance...not that I am hopeless...just realistic...or maybe I should see if I can return the refund to Orbitz and get my seat back??


Yes, Tin and all...they prey on desperation...always have, there'll always be those kinds...and their gullible victims...