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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is it a con or can it help my sick child?

392 replies

Nightswimminginoldpants · 21/08/2025 23:11

Homeopathy?

Feeling a bit vulnerable at the moment, so not sure if it’s clouding my view.

Dd is ill and I’m getting desperate. Have been talking to a homeopathist online, she is very intent that homeopathy will help my Dd get better.

Does it work?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
BusWankers · 23/08/2025 14:42

popcornpower2025 · 23/08/2025 14:20

Just a thought on the 'it's a con' argument. If homeopaths were competent and confident con artists would they not pursue something more lucrative? Homeopaths are not rolling in cash

I don't think they're con artists, I think they genuinely believe magic water cures what ails you.

Doesn't mean they're right.

popcornpower2025 · 23/08/2025 14:46

BusWankers · 23/08/2025 14:42

I don't think they're con artists, I think they genuinely believe magic water cures what ails you.

Doesn't mean they're right.

Surely after a few patients and no progress they'd give up then?

I'm not saying I'm expert and understand it, but nor am I an expert in pharmaceutical medicine but I know which one makes the most profit off of sick people.

I have had good experiences with homeopathy so that's what I'll base my opinion on. No need to think on it anymore than that tbh

G5000 · 23/08/2025 14:47

I agree, I know some and they themselves genuinely believe in magic too. Which also helps - placebo effect is stronger if the practicioner themself believes they are administering medicine.

Cakebythe0cean · 23/08/2025 15:01

I’m so sorry OP. I’d be pretty sceptical of homeopathy for PANS/PANDAS. I have long covid and as covid is a trigger, there are a fair few parents of children with PANS/PANDAS in those LC groups. It sounds horrific. I wish I had some advice, other than to try to find the holy grail of a really good doctor. I hope you get some helpful signposts on this thread.

BusWankers · 23/08/2025 15:11

popcornpower2025 · 23/08/2025 14:46

Surely after a few patients and no progress they'd give up then?

I'm not saying I'm expert and understand it, but nor am I an expert in pharmaceutical medicine but I know which one makes the most profit off of sick people.

I have had good experiences with homeopathy so that's what I'll base my opinion on. No need to think on it anymore than that tbh

Well, people do like a belief system. Look at Christians who pray for cures etc they see a friend get better and assign that to their prayers.

Who's to say that you didn't have someone praying for your recovery and THAT was the thing that cured in your experiences?

It has just as much basis/effect as the water...

BunfightBetty · 23/08/2025 17:11

BusWankers · 23/08/2025 13:39

Which just reinforces the idea that people cannot explain how a vial of water works because it's called homeopathic. Which leads me to believe it's absolute bollocks.

Edited

Sure. You have the same right as everyone else to determine for yourself what you believe. OP asked for people’s experiences with homeopathy and I gave her mine.

JamesWebbSpaceTelescope · 23/08/2025 17:46

Nightswimminginoldpants · 23/08/2025 13:15

Have you been through it? For this length of time?

Not pandas but other long term ill health yes. My son is currently out of all education he had to pull out after GCSEs with completely debilitating and unexplained headaches. He has had 2 eye surgeries and lots of heart investigations but still no cause found. Treatment has been trial and error and we don’t know when he will be able to return to functioning life. His life is very much on hold.

This has been going on for 2.5 years. I would love to be able to fix this. But I can’t. He has a chronic health condition and we just have to live with that. There are no quick fixes and miracle cures.

BusWankers · 23/08/2025 17:47

BunfightBetty · 23/08/2025 17:11

Sure. You have the same right as everyone else to determine for yourself what you believe. OP asked for people’s experiences with homeopathy and I gave her mine.

The problem with a belief system as a form of Medicine, is it give false hope, potentially stops them accessing actual medical help in desperate situations.

They're wasting their time and money pursuing vials of purified water. There's like 1 molecule of substance in 2 litres of water. That's ONE molecule, that's mixed in with the 6.69 x10²⁵ molecules in the water... It's like 1 grain of sand in a 5 mile long beach density here...

I just have zero understanding of WHY people think those vanishingly few atoms make any difference. Not even you can understand it. Yet here you are convinced that Homeopathy works for you... It's very confusing to think that people think water cures illnesses.

anyolddinosaur · 23/08/2025 18:13

@JamesWebbSpaceTelescope When medicine fails you try alternative therapies. I've known Shiatsu work on migraines. This would be cheap to try, www.awesomebooks.com/book/9780046130374/do-it-yourself-shiatsu/used although it was a trained practitioner that cured the migraines.

Nightswimminginoldpants · 23/08/2025 18:17

thebluehour · 23/08/2025 14:02

Changes in gut flora composition occur within days of dietary changes. It isn't that difficult, and I don't believe the OP has done at all what has been suggested by a pp on this thread, or she would not be talking about probiotic supplements.

Reporting-you are so rude and insensitive on a very difficult situation that you know zero about, really unkind.

OP posts:
Mumtobabyhavoc · 23/08/2025 18:24

LytesCarey · 22/08/2025 20:59

Because there would be no massive profits in it such as they enjoy now.

Riiight. Any business would take the profit.

Mumtobabyhavoc · 23/08/2025 18:26

Nightswimminginoldpants · 23/08/2025 18:17

Reporting-you are so rude and insensitive on a very difficult situation that you know zero about, really unkind.

Besides, OP is under no obligation to take advice on a chat forum and report back. 🤦‍♀️

Mumtobabyhavoc · 23/08/2025 18:28

BusWankers · 23/08/2025 17:47

The problem with a belief system as a form of Medicine, is it give false hope, potentially stops them accessing actual medical help in desperate situations.

They're wasting their time and money pursuing vials of purified water. There's like 1 molecule of substance in 2 litres of water. That's ONE molecule, that's mixed in with the 6.69 x10²⁵ molecules in the water... It's like 1 grain of sand in a 5 mile long beach density here...

I just have zero understanding of WHY people think those vanishingly few atoms make any difference. Not even you can understand it. Yet here you are convinced that Homeopathy works for you... It's very confusing to think that people think water cures illnesses.

Edited

And dangerous.

Nightswimminginoldpants · 23/08/2025 19:05

Mumtobabyhavoc · 23/08/2025 18:26

Besides, OP is under no obligation to take advice on a chat forum and report back. 🤦‍♀️

I know 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thank you X

OP posts:
BunfightBetty · 23/08/2025 19:08

BusWankers · 23/08/2025 17:47

The problem with a belief system as a form of Medicine, is it give false hope, potentially stops them accessing actual medical help in desperate situations.

They're wasting their time and money pursuing vials of purified water. There's like 1 molecule of substance in 2 litres of water. That's ONE molecule, that's mixed in with the 6.69 x10²⁵ molecules in the water... It's like 1 grain of sand in a 5 mile long beach density here...

I just have zero understanding of WHY people think those vanishingly few atoms make any difference. Not even you can understand it. Yet here you are convinced that Homeopathy works for you... It's very confusing to think that people think water cures illnesses.

Edited

I don’t use homeopathy exclusively, and if you had read my posts you would have seen I have not advocated for OP or anyone else to drop conventional medicine. There is no need to do so whatsoever, they can be used alongside each other.

I credit OP with a basic level of intellect, such that she won’t be silly enough to turn away from effective medical treatment, where it exists.

Of course, for people to eschew standard medical treatment, there has to be such standard medical treatment available in the first place. You will have read the OP explaining that her poor daughter has received no effective medical treatment from conventional avenues. She’s not turning away from it, it has not offered anything useful to her. So she’s exploring other approaches, as a caring parent should.

When I’ve been in a similar situation, I have done what I could to find my own solution/cure, knowing that if I waited for the medical establishment to help me I’d be waiting decades. Others may wish to sit around in a state of helplessness, because they don’t believe anything other than western medicine can help. That’s their prerogative, but it wouldn’t be my choice and neither does it sound like it’s OP’s.

I’m convinced it works because I have seen evidence it does in me and others over and over again, over 3 decades. To others, this is anecdotal evidence of course, which is fair enough. But you’d have to be a special kind of ninny to have something happen to you over and over and not pay attention to that. My health would be much poorer without homeopathy, so I don’t give a rat’s arse what anybody else thinks. My own experience is more than good enough for me.

In any event, as I’ve said already, I’ve been responding to the OP’s question on her thread, and I’m not quite sure why you’re taking my responses or her questions personally. You’re completely entitled to your own view. You should respect other people’s right to decide for themselves, similarly.

Barnbrack · 23/08/2025 21:35

popcornpower2025 · 23/08/2025 14:46

Surely after a few patients and no progress they'd give up then?

I'm not saying I'm expert and understand it, but nor am I an expert in pharmaceutical medicine but I know which one makes the most profit off of sick people.

I have had good experiences with homeopathy so that's what I'll base my opinion on. No need to think on it anymore than that tbh

And that's how homeopaths keep making money, treating self limiting illnesses with no impact whatsoever and gullible people get sucked in.

BusWankers · 23/08/2025 22:15

BunfightBetty · 23/08/2025 19:08

I don’t use homeopathy exclusively, and if you had read my posts you would have seen I have not advocated for OP or anyone else to drop conventional medicine. There is no need to do so whatsoever, they can be used alongside each other.

I credit OP with a basic level of intellect, such that she won’t be silly enough to turn away from effective medical treatment, where it exists.

Of course, for people to eschew standard medical treatment, there has to be such standard medical treatment available in the first place. You will have read the OP explaining that her poor daughter has received no effective medical treatment from conventional avenues. She’s not turning away from it, it has not offered anything useful to her. So she’s exploring other approaches, as a caring parent should.

When I’ve been in a similar situation, I have done what I could to find my own solution/cure, knowing that if I waited for the medical establishment to help me I’d be waiting decades. Others may wish to sit around in a state of helplessness, because they don’t believe anything other than western medicine can help. That’s their prerogative, but it wouldn’t be my choice and neither does it sound like it’s OP’s.

I’m convinced it works because I have seen evidence it does in me and others over and over again, over 3 decades. To others, this is anecdotal evidence of course, which is fair enough. But you’d have to be a special kind of ninny to have something happen to you over and over and not pay attention to that. My health would be much poorer without homeopathy, so I don’t give a rat’s arse what anybody else thinks. My own experience is more than good enough for me.

In any event, as I’ve said already, I’ve been responding to the OP’s question on her thread, and I’m not quite sure why you’re taking my responses or her questions personally. You’re completely entitled to your own view. You should respect other people’s right to decide for themselves, similarly.

So you GENUINELY believe that water cured all these people?

Mumtobabyhavoc · 23/08/2025 23:37

Not to mention, @Nightswimminginoldpants that "natural" remedies, whatever they may be, can interfere with prescribed medication and lab tests.

theDudesmummy · 23/08/2025 23:41

Homeopathy doesn't interfere with anything, its just small amounts of water, sugar and/or clear alcohol.

theDudesmummy · 24/08/2025 00:22

Oh yes "natural" remedies for sure, you are right. Lovely natural grapefruit extract is good for your gut, right? Except if I was to take it with my antihypertensive it could potentially cause a serious dip in my blood pressure. Many many examples like that.

BunfightBetty · 24/08/2025 00:30

BusWankers · 23/08/2025 22:15

So you GENUINELY believe that water cured all these people?

Why do you care what I believe?

Valeriekat · 24/08/2025 04:15

anyolddinosaur · 22/08/2025 14:29

Some herbal remedies do have clinical trials, they may be small scale though.

When antibiotics are not getting rid of infection it's worth trying xylitol. There is research on it's benefits for some types of bacteria, especially strep bacteria. e.g. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3434645/ and it may have other benefits https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/8/1813. It can be used with antibiotics and as it acts by reducing adherence may enhance their effect.

Another useful herbal product (although not in this case) is arnica https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8537440/

Elderberry may help with respiratory infections https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30670267/

Yes you should always consider possible interactions with other products/ medicines but they are not all in the same category as homeopathy.

So not eating sucrose helps with tooth decay? Hardly the same as an antibiotic.

Valeriekat · 24/08/2025 04:26

@LytesCarey How might Quantum physics "point the way"?

Valeriekat · 24/08/2025 04:35

LytesCarey · 22/08/2025 19:23

Acupuncture used to suffer the same kind of bigotry and closed mind, as no one (especially doctors) could understand the meridien system upon which it is based and did not accept it. Why condemn out of hand something you know nothing about? There is no placebo effect when treating animals, which homeopathy does.

When someone sticks a pin in you something physical is happening so they are not really comparable.

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