To My Well-Intentioned Friends: Supplements Won't Solve All My Problems

My husband has been dealing recently with what the chronically ill are all too familiar with: Well-Intentioned Friends. He has a guy who sells something related to the ketogenic diet, and he is pushing hard because according to him it will “solve all my problems.”

Welcome to the world of the chronically ill — where you become to go-to person for everyone who has a nutrition supplement, vitamin, wrap, detoxifier, oil, or enema offering a potential cure.

I have hemiplegic migraines. One in 10,000 people have my condition. The closest person I’ve “met” online lives seven hours from me. I know you don’t mean to be insulting, but if you think for a moment I didn’t go through my desperation “phase” where I tried everything, you’re wrong. I did.

I tried it all. I tried oils, veganism, juicing, expensive vitamins, wraps, greens, high fat diets, low-fat diets, yoga, meditation, sitting with my wrists and ankles in cold water, and using specific aroma washes.

The chronically ill have tried it all.

So stop. Please. Stop trying to sell us something when you don’t understand our illnesses. If you really think it will work — offer it to us for free at first, because I promise you, we have a small fortune invested in failed cures and medical bills.

There it is. Your friendly message from the other side of the fence.

We need friends, not sales pitches.