Mary's Pepto-Bismol Story

In my mid-to-late twenties (roughly 1987 to 1991), I suffered on and off from stomach and/or intestinal pain.  A weird pain that was really more discomfort than pain but discomfort to a disabling degree, i.e. it would cause me to leave work for the day.  It seldom led to diarrhea, vomiting and the like so I generally waited it out with maybe sips of Coke and fetal position curls.  Not having health insurance at the time, I could not afford the next step which would have been barium enemas and other gory and invasive testings.  Not to mention expensive. 

One day, in a bookstore, I happened upon a compilation of herbal folk wisdom about cures for everyday ailments---the author may have been Jean Carper but I can't say for certain.  My attention was caught by a chapter on ulcer like symptoms that were indicative of a bacteria---H. pylori.  The suggested easy remedy was Pepto-Bismol.

After one dose my suffering was done.  I took another dose for good measure.  This was roughly late Spring 1991.  After that time, news broke about H. Pylori and how it mimicked ulcer symptoms.  But I never read about bismuth (active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) curing it anywhere again. 

This little science experiment on myself was actually the catalyst to my interest in finding ways to heal myself when and if possible.

Zoom forward many years later:  one of my kids (under the age of ten at that time) was experiencing repetitive stomachaches that were very painful.  I went through my repertoire and considered trying Pepto-Bismol on him.  In theory, the age 12 and under set is not supposed to use the product due to Reyes Syndrome.  But I decided to try one teaspoon.  Twenty minutes later, he bounced into the room and said:  “Mom, my stomachache is all gone!”  I have since used it judiciously on my kids when needed.

I think bismuth kills off things that need to be killed off……