Margaret Hills

LaraSunday
LaraSunday Member Posts: 6
Hi

I wondered had you guys ever heard of Margaret Hills Book? It suggests taking Cider vinegar and molasses and honey along with Epson salt baths. Also an acid free as possible diet?

Im currently on lodine, cocodomol and methotraxate and im on the waitng list for Humira. My insides started to bleed recently from the meds and something like this routine seemed feasible its just wether it works : )

I havent taken my methotraxate in 4 weeks now because for 3 of that the hospital said not to give my body a chance to heal and then last night when I was meant to take it I wondered wether I should leave it and give this old fashioned cure a try. Im in alot of pain today though..this many weeks off and im all swollen again.

If you guys have any thoughts or advice on this I would much apreciate it. I realise its a little odd but if I could help myself without all the drugs it would be wonderful.

Lara

Comments

  • tillytop
    tillytop Member Posts: 3,460
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Lara

    I'm a forum member, not a helpline bod but just wanted to advise caution re the Margaret Hills books and anything else of that ilk. I have had RA for almost 15 years and, in the early days, I read the Margaret Hills books and hoped desparately that her methods would "cure me". I have to say I only "dabbled" in her method and was persuaded to stop by my very level-headed husband when I was quite unwell after indulging in one of the recommended Epsom Salts baths.

    I don't believe there is any harm in trying the diet alongside your existing meds but stopping your meth seems to me to be a risky strategy, given the irreversible joint damage which is caused by ongoing uncontrolled inflammation. I know that, when we are desparate, we want so much to believe that there is a natural miracle cure out there, but I really do think that, if these things worked, we would all know about it by now and the drug companies would long ago have stopped developing new drugs because there would be no money in it!

    Please don't stop your meth without talking to your consultant first. And hopefully you won't have to wait to long to give the Humira a try. I was on Humira for 3 years and it worked well for me until I had to stop because I became allergic to it) so fingers crossed it will work for you when you get it.

    Thinking of you.

    Love Tilly xxx
  • LaraSunday
    LaraSunday Member Posts: 6
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks Tilly

    I did wonder..and your right you do get your hopes up. I just hate being dependant on tablets all the time, its so frustrating! This morning I felt very confident and lets try this and my this afternoon Im feeling overwelmed by the pain. I think Im going to try it alongside my meds. It may help my body cope with them better. Its cant do more harm thats whats already being done.

    Thankyou for taking the time to reply, I really appreaciate it.

    Love Lara X
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It may be summat that works for those who like to think they have arthritis of some sort, I know that Sir Ranulph Fiennes swears by his cup of cider vinegar (or he's paid to say so, who knows?) but for immune-system based conditions these things are not much use. If they were none of us would be on this forum, would we? I can understand your frustration and dislike of the meds - they are strong drugs and not easy to deal with sometimes - but I think they are our only option. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • jillyb1
    jillyb1 Member Posts: 1,725
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    The " wacky " remedy I tried when in despair a few years ago , was the gin and raisin arthritis cure (you can google it ) ; it didn't make a scrap of difference to my RA , but it sure was a lovely way to face each new day of pain ! As everyone else has said , maybe try these things along side rather than instead of the prescribed meds . Jillyb
  • tillytop
    tillytop Member Posts: 3,460
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello again Lara

    I think your approach is a sensible one - ie trying the diet stuff alongside the meds if you choose, rather than instead of. Please do be careful of the Epsom Salts baths though - I felt really poorly the only time I tried it. In my view, the best thing we can do to help ourselves is to eat a healthy, balanced diet but I know how hard that is when you feel so rubbish all the time (says she who lives on toast and chocolate at the moment - tho not at the same time!!!!!)

    Like the other peeps say, we all dislike relying on the meds but with inflammatory arthritis we really don't have a choice unfortunately.

    If you would like to chat further, you are always welcome to send me a PM - and the Living with Arthritis forum is a great place for support. If you do post on LWA about diet, you might get some information from others about anything they have found helpful.

    Thinking of you.

    Love Tilly xxx
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Gin and raisin? GIN? :shock: Never mind the raisin component! :smile: DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • jillyb1
    jillyb1 Member Posts: 1,725
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Tasted yummy , did absolutely no good whatsoever ! Jillyb
  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,464
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    LaraSunday wrote:
    Thanks Tilly

    I did wonder..and your right you do get your hopes up. I just hate being dependant on tablets all the time, its so frustrating! This morning I felt very confident and lets try this and my this afternoon Im feeling overwelmed by the pain. I think Im going to try it alongside my meds. It may help my body cope with them better. Its cant do more harm thats whats already being done.

    Thankyou for taking the time to reply, I really appreaciate it.

    Love Lara X



    Dear Lara

    The comments from the other forum users and your last post have already said so much about specific diets for arthritis and I can add little more to what Tilly has said, but just to reaffirm what has been said, that there is no evidence that these diets make a difference to arthritis and it is very important that you do not stop taking your prescribed medication. If you look at our booklet ‘Healthy eating and arthritis’ on the linkhttp://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/PublicationsandResources/Listedbytype/Booklets this will give you lots of information on maintaining a healthy diet when you have arthritis. I hope it is helpful.

    Best Wishes
    Dawn
  • salamander
    salamander Member Posts: 1,906
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Lara, we've probably all been down the route you are going - looking for a cure. I tried gluten free diet and an alkaline one. Neither made the slightest bit of difference.
  • Ankyspond
    Ankyspond Member Posts: 626
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi,

    Now I am going to swallow my pride for the sake of giving you some support here and own up to this and I know most of you will say I cannot believe Anky did that! 

    After I was first diagnosed I was put on sulpasalazine, painkillers and anti inflamms nothing seemed to be working after about a year and someone told me about Margaret Hillsso I started looking into it. I decided to try it, told my rheumy about it and they said go and do it come back if you need us (they obviously knew).

    I actually went to the clinic and met her daughter who now runs the clinic, I stopped taking all my medication, I did the Epsom salt baths, I drank the cider vinegar and honey,  I took about 15 natural tablets a day and on top of that I did the diet which is no acid, pre made food, pig, cow, sugar, choc, and much, much more.  I actually went out at Christmas and drank water in a pub, although you could drink apple juice.  Now I stayed on it for a few months, I lost a lot of weight (spent a lot of money)  and was actually pain free for a couple of months I felt better than I had in years! I was so excited I may have found a cure but it was completely un realistic and not liveable,  couldn't go out for meal, drink etc.  Then after a couple of months it stopped working and I became so bad I crawled into the doctors surgery on my hands and knees and ended up in hospital back in rheumy and on methotrexate. 

    My overall opinion:  if you want to try it do the diet alongside  your medication but please do not stop taking your meds, I do honestly believe it was the placebo effect. Losing weight and healthy diet help but for me although I don't want to be on the anti TNF, methotrexate, Cocodomol, naproxen etc the Margaret Hills was not the way to go.

    If you decide to do it I wish you all the luck with it.  I now feel embarrassed years down the line when I know better. Xxxx
    AS Sufferer
    Live, love and enjoy life, live each day as though it's your last!
  • cris
    cris Member Posts: 35
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I tried the Margaret Hills cider vinegar honey and molasses. it seemed to make me worse. I wasn't convinced it was making me worse , I had read that you get a bit worse first. they were very very wrong you just get worse. I did not do the Epsom salts bath as I couldn't get in the bath so maybe saved my self from being poorly. I gave it up and I have Honey and warm water in the mornings its refreshing but no cure. supposed to give your immune system a boost the Honey I mean. and it wont harm but don,t use cider vinegar and molasses they are the culprits that made me ill.

    Hope it starts to feel better soon
    Cris XX
  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,464
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Cris

    I don't know what type of arthritis you have but if it is an inflammatory type it would be best not to take anything, that boosts you immune system, in any great quantity. The meds that people with inflammatory arthritis take are usually to suppress it as the immune system is already in overdrive.

    Best wishes
    Simona