Herbal and complementary treatments

[rf4c]

Hi everybody,

I just wondered if anybody has ever had doctors opinion on "additional therapies"

I constantly come across various herbal and complementary treatments, some of which look interesting.

One example is a product called "Organic India Breathe Free capsules", but there are many others.

While I'd never stop my Symbicort, Spiriva and Ventolin, I often wonder if I'm missing other additional

benefits available from the vast range of herbal and complementary products.

I fully accept that many of them are nothing but snake oil, but some of them might have potential.

I know this to be true, because before I was diagnosed with COPD, and thought it was just age and a hard life catching up

with me, I used to use a Chinese herbal breathe easy remedy and the homeopathic remedy Lobelia. They both worked well at the time

but things have advanced since then.

I know the obvious answer is to ask my doctor. However, my doctors attitude is "if it's not a pharmaceutical then it's no good!"

My big fear is that some of these remedies might interfere with my regular meds.

I just wondered if any of you have had a more enlightened approach from their doctor, or is there a source of information

out there that provides information on the interaction between meds and these remedies?

Keep well everybody

Kindest wishes

Jim