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Rocks can treat CFS?

Messages
75
After reading a good book I purchased on Ebay (Oslers Web) I decided to search for another cfs-related good on Ebay. I stumbled upon a very shocking, yet upsetting find. There is a person who is claiming that a "special combination of stones help treat the symptoms of CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME". http://www.ebay.com/itm/31034476110...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_2945wt_1163 all i did was type "chronic fatigue syndrome" in the search bar. item # 310344761100 or just click the link I provided.

My first instinct would be to just pass it by, but this particular listing got me thinking. I did some research into the various stones she mentioned and arrived at the conclusion that it is nothing more than a hoax. Not only will it have no effect on CFS, but the listing itself violates Ebay policy in several ways. Please go to "report item" (upper right hand side) and from there it asks the reason for reporting which would be Listing practices--->Search & Browse manipulation-->Misleading title or even Key Word Spamming. If you dont have an Ebay account you can create one-its free.

I just want to be clear that I am in no way affiliated with this seller and I am not trying to cause trouble nor sell anything. I need your help, because Ebay will take prompt action to remove it they feel it is a general complaint. The seller has trouble finding customers for her rocks and thus uses the vulnerable and desperate, cfs sufferers, as prey. And as you know, we are the last people who deserve this kind of treatment. This sort of advertisement trivializes our illness and is not acceptable. I get the impression the seller somehow thinks these rocks will have a placebo effect on CFS sufferers. I want others to know that we wont simply be stepped on. This is an organic, physical disease recognized by agencies, and should be treated as such.

I contacted the seller, themagicisinyou, and she responded "Wow! You seriously need to find something more productive to do with your free time! Furthermore, why do you care so much? Seems you have a lot of excess energy that is being misdirected... I have some crystals that could help you with that."

Have I taken the appropriate measures regarding this issue or have I gone over-board?


Thank you
 

leela

Senior Member
Messages
3,290
"Wow! You seriously need to find something more productive to do with your free time! Furthermore, why do you care so much? Seems you have a lot of excess energy that is being misdirected... I have some crystals that could help you with that."

Wow. That reply is so grotesquely wrong on so many different levels--where to begin?!?! I can only say that I can see with complete clarity that this person has no idea that CFS=ME=serious neuroimmune disease.

I would be tempted to point this out to them, and to point out that they would be unlikely to peddle stones for, say, cancer, and to point out that due to the complex mitochondrial, adrenal, and neurological dysfunctions using any product that is too stimulating is contraindicated,
and that you care so much because you are severely ill.....<catching breath>....but the only point that person even came close to getting right is that dealing with her at all would be a huge waste of energy.

Personally, I'd let it go and trust that if some patient made the decision to try the stones, they'd only be out $5. ;)
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
... and to point out that they would be unlikely to peddle stones for, say, cancer,...

I wouldn't bet on it. ;) She probably has stones for cancer, stones for aging, stones for Alzheimer's, stones for whatever ails ya. Many people have found a market in offering snakeoil to desperate and hopeless people.

At least she's only charging $5.

You did a good thing reporting her, livingwithcfids. :thumbsup: Anything more at this point would be a waste of your valuable energy.
 

wdb

Senior Member
Messages
1,392
Location
London
I'm actually not at all surprised you stumbled upon such a book, anyone can write and publish a book on any subject with no requirement whatsoever to have any relevant qualifications. I'm sure that is one of many such books, I just typed cure cancer into Amazon.com and there are literally dozens of books claiming to offer a cure by methods supported by no more than intuition and anecdotal evidence.
 

Min

Guest
Messages
1,387
Location
UK
Well at least this scam cannot harm unlike graded exercise 'therapy' that has made so many of us worse.
 

svetoslav80

Senior Member
Messages
700
Location
Bulgaria
Very well. Such things shouldn't be passed by. I reported it as keyword spammming, what it actually is. Obviously this guy doesn't even believe himself that his stones are actually helping.