[AliB]

By the way I am Type 2 although veering more towards Type 1, diagnosed in '97 at the age of 40, on insulin for 5 years and have had sugar levels way too high for way too long. My Mum (killed by toxic drugs and medical negligence) was Type 1 since she was 16, my Dad (also killed through medical negligence) was Type 2 late onset as was his mother, my gran and as is his eldest sister and younger brother. Do I have much experience of Diabetes? Do I have much experience of the difference between toxic drugs and natural remedies?

Sorry, I would have mentioned this from the outset but it never occurred to me that others would be so suspicious of my motives.

[notme]

Hi AliB, Generally people introduce themselves on the forums, just say hello and give a short introduction. You will have to understand that the internet is a hotbed for advertisers and scammers. People are always suspicious of the motives of a new posters that claim amazing results of any product. Daily, we delete posts from scammers and advertisers or people promoting their new product. Go back to your original post and read it. It does read a bit like an advertisment. I am sorry you were offended by the replies to your post, but the members of this site see advertisers daily.

Put this aside and let me be the first to say "Welcome to Diabetes Forums". There are a lot of good people here. Please introduce yourself and get to know a few people. I think you will find it to be a great place.

[AliB]

Hi Notme. Yes, I am pretty good at spotting adverts on the site my blog is on. As you say, they are often fairly obvious. As I am not one of them I wasn't looking at my own post with any suspicion or for any ulterior motive!

I would have posted again more promptly to allay any fears but the posts had gone on to a new page and I was wondering why no-one had responded to my post (darn it, that gets me every time!)! I didn't twig until I logged in today and realised there was another page!

Anyway, here I am. Genuine as they come and most certainly without a shred of ulterior motive (unless it involves a chocolate eclair!). Plus, there is no way I would have even bothered to mention the Byetta if my post wasn't genuine! (Try that one if you dare - I did and that is one I definitely won't be recommending, but then there are some who have managed to overcome the side effects and cope ok with it). I did lose some weight on it but only because it made me feel so sick I didn't feel like eating.

I have always had a very sensitive tum and that has really mucked it up. I have had so many bad nights with my digestion during and since I was on it that I am frightened it has done some permanent damage. It might just be an ulcer or something but I just can't seem to settle it down.

How the heck did they know that the spit of the Gila Lizard would help Diabetics? I suspect that it was a tribal (natural) remedy that the scientists have just extracted part of to chemically manufacture so that they can make a huge profit (and have probably left out the bits that stop you getting the side-effects - which is probably true of most drugs). That probably explains why the natural alternatives to the chemically manufactured drugs are far better tolerated by most people, like the difference between natural and chemical progesterone, for instance, or even natural and chemical aspirin.

Drugs are a necessary evil, but sometimes they are just plain evil.

[AliB]

Harold, I am so sorry that you have had such a sad experience. Unfortunately that has understandably coloured and embittered your opinion of 'supplements' somewhat.

Sometimes we have to try and put personal feelings aside and try to keep an open mind. I have a similar strength of feeling about drugs and the harm that they do because of my past experiences, but I was prepared to give the Byetta a go and at least give it the benefit of the doubt.

Nothing is perfect. There is no cure. There are things we can do to try to help ourselves. However, it is all a complete lottery. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes we get it wrong. Sometimes, unfortunately, even those 'experts' we entrust with our well-being also get it wrong.

My Dad and Mum also spent a considerable amount of money on 'supplements' in a attempt to help themselves and plug the holes not filled by the medical profession. Some things worked, some didn't, but it was the drugs and medical negligence that actually resulted in their deaths.

I take vitamins and minerals to try to keep my immune system supported, and to strengthen my blood vessels, but I will not go overboard. To eat well and sensibly and keep relatively fit is far more important. But I am very pleased to have found a product that plugs my holes not filled by the medical profession and which supports my medication and gives me some good results not acheived by the medication alone.

Nowhere in my original post, or since, did I claim to have come off insulin or stopped my medication. I am merely using the Vitabase as extra support. From your perspective supplements may seem to be 'snake oil', from mine it is drugs. Somehow we just have to try and acheive a balance.

We are privileged to have freedom of choice. Whether we make the right choices is totally up to us. However, it is hard to make those choices when we are bombarded from all directions with such an overwhelming array of options.

We live in an evil world where the gullible can be chewed up and spat out without any twinge of conscience. It naturally makes us suspicious and cynical. But that is where personal experience counts. We are so fortunate now to have the benefit of the internet to be able to research products before we proceed. If we do it carefully it can prove to be a protection for us.

I will never discount anything out of hand, or be blatantly sceptical without good reason, but will always research as much as I can before making any decisions. How foolish it would be to completely and sceptically dismiss an opportunity to improve my health and well-being. I do not consider being able to bring my blood sugar down to normal from 300+ to be an inconsequential thing. Trying the Vitabase could well have been worthless, but in my experience it has more than proved itself well worth the risk.

[wiseguy]

Originally Posted by Alice

Since a few of you are advocates for supplements, thought I'd ask this question...always wondered and have seen some consumer shows investigate this:

How do you know what you are really getting in those supplements? I don't mean this in a accusatory fashion, but how do you feel confident you are getting fresh, natural ingredients? And the same ingredients that they are marketing?

I guess that's the regulation I'm worried about. Just curious and open to your opinions.

Basically, you buy from a trusted and established company. There are several around that have been in the supplement business for many years. Personally, I confer with an organic chemist who steers me in the right direction when I'm checking out something new.

Again, "federally approved" means very little to me. Your safety comes second in line to the interest of large corporations. I feel much safer taking an herb that has been used by millions of people for hundreds or thousands of years than I do taking a synthetic substance that has been tested for a few years on a few people and labeled safe by some government agency.

[AliB]

Wiseguy by name, wiseguy by nature.........I couldn't have put it better myself!

[AliB]

By the way, the other reason I didn't respond immediately to the comments suggesting my first post was advertising was that I was fast asleep and totally oblivious. Here, it is at least 6 hours ahead of you at half past midnight and that is where I am going right now, so you won't get a peep out of me for, well, hours. Did I hear someone say 'hooray'...........

[LynnRut]

I don't know if you know, but Vitabase is offering a free 60 day supply of that product. I have already signed up and will keep people informed.

[kclay0840]

I noticed that too. The only requirement for getting the 60 day supply from Vitabase is that they want you to keep track of your results and let them know. They don't collect payment information.

[wiseguy]

Originally Posted by LynnRut

I don't know if you know, but Vitabase is offering a free 60 day supply of that product. I have already signed up and will keep people informed.

Yes, this offer is genuine. I submitted the simple form and within a week I had a bottle of Vitabase in my mail box. But I must say that when I opened the bottle I noticed a strong smell of what I could only describe as fingernail polish. Makes me kind of leery of taking these capsules.

[LynnRut]

Originally Posted by wiseguy

Yes, this offer is genuine. I submitted the simple form and within a week I had a bottle of Vitabase in my mail box. But I must say that when I opened the bottle I noticed a strong smell of what I could only describe as fingernail polish. Makes me kind of leery of taking these capsules.

LOL. I have never smelled any pills that smelled good. Walk down the supplement aisle in any drugstore and it is not really pleasant if you have a keen sense of smell. However, I do not know that you can really make herbs like that smell good.

[wiseguy]

Originally Posted by LynnRut

LOL. I have never smelled any pills that smelled good. Walk down the supplement aisle in any drugstore and it is not really pleasant if you have a keen sense of smell. However, I do not know that you can really make herbs like that smell good.

Believe me, I have opened many bottles of vitamin and herbal formulas. Much more than your average consumer. I have never found anything with a purely chemical smell like these capsules.

[LynnRut]

A quick update on this trial I am doing with Vitabase. I am taking the product regularly and seeing a solid improvement. It is hard to say how many points a day or anything like that, but just seems considerably lower on a average basis. I feel good too. If I have a few minutes, I will try to calculate better numbers.

[Schlep]

Originally Posted by LynnRut

A quick update on this trial I am doing with Vitabase. I am taking the product regularly and seeing a solid improvement. It is hard to say how many points a day or anything like that, but just seems considerably lower on a average basis. I feel good too. If I have a few minutes, I will try to calculate better numbers.

For how many days did you have to take it before you noticed a difference?

[Schlep]

Originally Posted by wiseguy

Yes, this offer is genuine. I submitted the simple form and within a week I had a bottle of Vitabase in my mail box. But I must say that when I opened the bottle I noticed a strong smell of what I could only describe as fingernail polish. Makes me kind of leery of taking these capsules.

How did you make out with the Vitabase, did you get past the smell and try them?