Back-pain sufferer finds relief with supplements

DEAR DR. GOTT: For the past 17 years, within two hours of falling asleep, a painfully stiff lower back would wake me and continually plague me throughout the night. Before this started, I was active - riding my bike, golfing and exercising regularly. Eventually, I gave up all activity, including my daily 30-minute walk, because the more I moved during the day, the worse the pain became at night. I tried pain pills, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, lidocaine patches, heating pads, ice packs, stretching, walking around, sleeping on the couch and sleeping in a chair. Nothing worked. Sometimes it got so bad I would just stand in the middle of the room crying, begging for relief. Orthopedic specialists, physical therapists and chiropractors all examined me. The only diagnosis I received was that I had a form of fibromyalgia.

Once again, I asked my family doctor, who is an anti-aging specialist and proponent of alternative medicine, what else she might have in her bag of tricks. She came up with a supplement called Soft Tissue Support Pak, distributed by Ortho Molecular Products. It is a package of eight supplements designed to repair soft-tissue injury. From the first night I took the supplements, I slept pain-free. I have been taking it for more than two months, and it's still working. I have also started exercising, bike riding and walking again. It is truly a miracle, in my estimation.

I know many people in the Internet chat rooms have the same symptoms I do and can't find relief. I hope this information is helpful to anyone who may be suffering from a similar torture. It's a bit costly, between $2 and $3 per nightly package, but it's more than worth it for a night's sleep.

Thank you for your column and all the folks it helps, including me.

DEAR READER: I was easily able to find Soft Tissue Support Paks by Ortho Molecular Products online. I could not find a package of eight, only nine and 30.

According to the website, the product contains vitamins C and B6, calcium, magnesium, turmeric, various enzymes and extracts, and other alternative supplements.

The product is fairly expensive. A box of 30 costs about $69, with shipping ranging from free to nearly $50, meaning each pack costs between just over $2 to just under $4. A box of nine costs just over $29, and shipping ranges from about $10 to $50, with each pack costing between $4 and $9.

The top of the website boasts a fairly large badge claiming it is a Better Business Bureau-accredited business. When clicking on this, I traveled to the BBB website, where I found that Doctor's Choice Inc., of which Ortho Molecular Products is a part, had an A+ rating. (The BBB system ranges from A+ to F.)

I was fairly impressed by this, but in trying to learn more about Doctor's Choice Inc. and its various subsidiaries, I was disappointed. I was able to discern that the company is about 10 years old. (A further look at the BBB page showed it was established in December 2000.)

On the whole, I wouldn't recommend this product, primarily owing to its cost; however, because you have had such success, I suggest you stick with it. I cannot see that the product would be harmful. (It does carry warnings against use during pregnancy or nursing and in those with allergies to pineapple and bromelain.) So, if any of my readers choose to try it, I ask that they send me their results. I will print a follow-up article once I receive sufficient reports.

• Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including "Live Longer, Live Better," "Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Diet" and "Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook," which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com.