The Whitcomb Method

Erin, I am going to give this site a look and get back to you with my thoughts. I am glad you saw this, it gives us a chance to do some reading and pondering new info without people immediately coming down on us with the standard response that I find to be insulting and more than a little patronizing. I'm sure this will incur some wrath but I think we should be given enough respect to at least learn more before we are chatised.

I see a Chiropractor and he has not mentioned this. He did recommend using a hair sample to detect any nutritional deficiets.

I too found the fact that they have a cost link that takes you to an appt set up page very disheartening. Seems as though they want you to call and talk to them to get any info about pricing. I did send them an email however asking about the cost, just to see what kind of response I would get and have not, as of yet, gotten a response.

I also just want to clarify that I am NOT advocating this site or trying to convince anyone of anything. I am simply looking for opinions, negative, positive or whatever. To me it is interesting to see what kinds of treatments are out there and what kind of NEW things are being done because lets face it many of us could really use some REAL relief.

From what I gathered this treatment is not like your typical chiropractor experience. In fact here is a quote from their website:

"Chiropractic Treatment and Fibromyalgia"

"While standard chiropractic procedures may bring temporary relief, these procedures may also intensify the symptoms of Fibromyalgia, and in some cases cause further impairment. Evaluation techniques taught in chiropractic schools are often inconclusive, and treatment procedures easily complicate symptoms and interfere with recovery. Without clearly identifying the true cause, such management is ill–equipped to treat this condition."

Also, the "test" and consult they have is free to anyone. They also are doing seminars and offering up the free tests there as well. Some people are seeing temporary results just from the tests. Too bad he isnt doing any of these seminars in my area or I would go just to check it out and see what happens for myself.

I can totally understand skepticism as well as a need for proof. I certainly wouldn't want to spend my money (which there is hardly any of lately) on something that I wasn't sure of, or had little to know proof either. There are way too many gimmicks out there trying to make a buck off of sick people.

My hopes are that if this "technique" is really on to something, the word will spread and it will be investigated more, proven more and become a widespread method of treatment.

Anyways I don't want to seem pushy or anything like that, or go too far into this. If you are interested, take a look there is a lot of stuff there to read and watch. If not, thats fine too.

Hope everyone has a nice day!

Let me say that there have been times that I have asked a question about something new to me and the response has felt like an admonition than support. Answers that begin with- "Don't you think if it were a real treatment we would all know about it and the doctors would be prescribing this?" are a little off putting. I understand that everyone can have an off day, including me :) Maybe I would just ask that we not be so quick to tell new folks that their ideas are not worthwhile. Thank you.

I just checked out that site and gave them my information this weekend. Not due to this thread, but another friend found it. I got a phone call today from the company and they were very pleasant. They gave me do's and don'ts and asked how I was doing. Never once did they pressure me or anything. The price is on the website if you sign up for their free membership. It is VERY expensive and would cost the average person $10,000 and 10 week stay at a hotel. I was doing a search on this method to see what else I could find when I found this thread, so I thought I would put my 2 cents worth.

Sera,
I am the guilty party who rains on all the parades. I admit it freely. I've had this disorder for my entire life, was diagnosed in '04 and was the first mod on this forum. In the past four years I have seen so many rip offs, inferred claims, testimonials, unproven herbals, magic drinks and just plain quack methods on this site, TV and the web that I tend to be over vigilant in my responses. I have a background in nursing and internet research, and have found more dishonest people linked to fibro than you can shake a stick at. I absolutely ABHOR quackery of any kind and will ferret it out to save people their hard earned money.

If you want to read some negative responses to his treatments try these sites:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080709004928AAwfQyh
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/blogs/sherrillynn/please----help-keep-a-13278

Aetna Insurance lists his method as one on their non/payment, experimental list
http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/300_399/0388.html

If you want the truth about what he is doing... He's a chiropractor. The extent of his research appears to be his own personal experience with his patients. He is not involved with any of the scientific research going on at the University of Michigan or Georgetown University with Dr. Clauw, the foremost fibro researcher in the country. He is a guy giving spinal treatments for lots of big bucks to "help" fibro patients.

I have a 'truback' appliance that I purchased from a TV infomercial. It realigns my spine and does a passive stretch on my back muscles and makes me feel awesome for a while. It really helps with my degenerative joint disease and arthritis in my spine. It cost $59.00. It works for a while, but my fibro always comes back. I use the hot tub at the YMCA to relieve some of my symptoms. Costs about $100.00 a month. It helps for a while but the fibro is still there. Do you get my drift?

He may be helping people feel better, but at what cost and for how long? He definitely does NOT have a cure for fibro. He doesn't even understand its underlying physiological and cellular activities. IMHO he is a quack.

I understand the scientific method and how results must be sustainable and repeatable. I also believe in the double-blind, placebo-controlled study method for finding real answers. I know testimonials have some value, but they are unreliable and so must be self evaluated. His answer to fibro just doesn't ring true.

 I checked it out, and does seem to make sense, ut the price tag is to high.  I think they should elaborate more on the treatment then they do. Thanks for sharing this with us...

Erin,
You are welcome. Because I have never known life without fibro I tend to wonder how it would feel to be "normal". Maybe I would spend that kind of money for a relief from pain for a while, (if I had it!!!) but I have resigned myself to the fact that pain is a part of my life, yada, yada, yada... and let's move on. I sympathize with all the people who have lived pain free most of their lives and now have to deal with this but I try to stay positive and keep going. I kind of feel like we have an obstacle to overcome and to continue to do our best.

One of the members on the diabetes forum I mod just had both of her legs amputated last winter because of complications of diabetes... and she is now facing blindness. This gracious woman still has humor and guts and keeps going in the face of serious obstacles and she helps me stay in focus. My own daughter has fibro and crohns, and last fall became a paraplegic with the birth of her child from a rare incomplete spinal cord injury. New mommy in a wheelchair told she could have no more babies and she could try to walk again... She is almost one year out from the injury and can walk with her walker but she can't stroll across a room or walk her baby to sleep. She welcomed the return of her fibro pain because it meant that her spinal nerves were healing. Me... I can handle most anything I get. My problems are minor...

I can't find the cure for our disorder but I'll be dog gone if I will watch people get ripped off because they are in pain. I will try to help them deal with their pain but sooner or later we all have to handle our own pain our own way. And we have to accept some of it as part of our human condition... and KOKO! (Keep on keepin' on!)