Email ad

Everyday living
1

Hi All,

A couple of days a I received an email advertising tablets called Neuropathy Support Formula. It claims to reduces Numbness and tingling, lessened the pain and burning sensation, support and strengthen nerves and nerve linings, reduces stress and anxiety, improves balance and coordination. And even says it has a one year guarantee. It appears to be a herbal tablet.

I just wondered if anyone had tried it, or had mentioned it to there Dr ?. It’s very tempting to give it a ago.

Thanks

Twist

2

Hi Twist,

No, I haven’t tried it, but personally I regard any unsolicited e-mail marketing with extreme scepticism, and think it’s likely to be a scam, or at least overpriced tat. By “unsolicited”, I mean not from a reputable company I’ve dealt with already, but a new name out of the blue.

I do not believe there is an effective herbal remedy for MS symptoms, and I even doubt the “guarantee”. It’s just an extra inducement to sign up. What can you do if you buy them, they don’t work, but the seller refuses to honour the guarantee? In short, nothing. In the UK, you might be able to set Trading Standards onto them, and/or or make a claim in the small claims court - but neither means you will necessarily get your money back (even a successful claim in court will only be settled IF they can pay - if the company has been wound-up by then, and started again under a new name, your chances are slim).

But my hunch is they will turn out not to be in the UK, which means you wouldn’t be covered by UK legislation anyway.

Please don’t fall for this. Mark it as spam, and don’t think any more about it.

Tina

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2 Likes
3

Sorry but “snake oil” springs to mint! It would be interesting to know what’s in it, but won’t be holding my breath

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4

A quick Google suggests it’s mostly B vitamins + alpha lipoic acid - nothing “magic”.

The price quoted on American websites is expensive - about $60 per bottle of 120, but I don’t know how many you’re supposed to take a day.

I can find some glowing reviews on neuro forums, but also sceptical responses from other posters that they are from people employed by the company, who are being paid to plug it! It’s difficult to sort out which - if any - of the reviews are trustworthy, and not from anyone with links to the company.

5

B Vits are very important to us with MS - and magic they are. Just look at the Biotin for Progressive MS facebook group. Over 1000 members in 6 weeks since the results of phase 111 trials.

But to follow this Biotin treatment - you can buy nearly a years supply for £120. B Vits are very cheap to buy. Also many symptoms of B Vit deficiency mimic MS. B1 is Thiamine - good for fatigue/energy - and B7 Biotin - B12 memory/brain function.

6

Since the MedDay trial on B7 - Many unscrupulous people will try to ‘cash’ in. Even MedDay are trying to ‘patent’ their Biotin treatment.

7

Wow, that sounds like just what I need!! It’ll practically cure me! Hooray!

And I don’t believe a word of any email like that personally. If it’s that good then why aren’t the reputable organisations (eg the MS society) trumpeting it as the newest treatment. I’ve seen the reports about Biotin and it looks good for progressive MS (about time there was something for PP and SPMS) but this does sound like Teddies comment about Snake Oil.

Sue

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Sue, There is no reason why the Biotin should not help all types of MS. Especially, as it is so safe to take - l have kept off most meds because of possible health worries.

l watched a programme on BBC2 -recently -about possible cures for other illnesses - that did use snake venom and other known poisons. One never knows!!!

1 Like
9

Hi all,

I think what you have all replied is what was in the back of my mind.

Thanks

Twist

1 Like
10

I think and hope that means you’ve decided not to go with them.

I’m glad, because I continued to do a bit of research after posting. Although I can’t prove outright they are scammers, there seem to be a number of very similarly-packaged products, with the same ingredients and claims made, but very slightly different names. I wouldn’t be surprised if these all traced back to the same company.

The common theme is that if you buy, you are subjected to a very, very hard sell to keep going and buy more. Some purchasers reported receiving e-mails and phone-calls several times a week, to enquire how they were getting on, and whilst the contact itself doesn’t seem to have been harassing or aggressive, the mere frequency of it was.

People who claimed the tablets weren’t working were told 101 reasons this might be, and encouraged to persevere and increase the dose, to the point someone was taking nine tablets a day - and obviously having to pay for that amount.

So it seems that if you complain they’re not working, you don’t get a no-quibble refund under the guarantee. Instead, you’re persuaded to double or treble the dose and carry on - thus pouring good money after bad.

When you eventually protest that enough’s enough, and you’re not giving any more chances to something that doesn’t work, you’re typically told that carrying on as long as you did (which you only did at their insistence, of course), meant you accepted the product, and couldn’t now demand a refund.

Review of a suspiciously similar product on Amazon.com (not .co.uk) also made the comment that about half the reviews were positive, and the other half negative - but the positive ones were NOT from Amazon verified purchasers. So it looks like the company has a network of people (or a few with a lot of aliases) paid to say good stuff about the product.

It’s really at the fringes of legality, because nobody claimed they didn’t get the goods, that they didn’t contain what was claimed (though I doubt many people have the resources for chemical analysis), or that the company was ever nasty or threatening. Instead, the company used a relentless charm offensive to persuade you never to stop, even if you weren’t satisfied the tablets were working. It’s harassment with kid gloves on.

Once you’ve bought, you’re never free of them.

Tina

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11

That sounds appalling, but it’s the new M.O. now, isn’t it : /

I guess that we, as Brits, are sitting ducks for this kind of thing too, because in general we’re not good at telling pushy sales people to get lost, and these people are gonna be trained to push, and push, and push…

12

No I will definitely not be ordering them.

Thanks for looking into it all Tina. When you get an email like these, you can feel so desperate you jump at it.

Thanks all

Twist

13

I know what you mean, Twist.

That’s what makes these people all the more despicable, really.

The ads are calculated to appeal to people who are desperate, and might try anything. That is preying on the sick and the vulnerable. Not a nice tactic.

Tina

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