IBD Cases - Increasing In Developed Countries - & What Countries Do You Think Have The Highest Rate Of IBD Patients??

This is a good write up about the increased # of IBD patients that are being seen around the globe. Researchers have not yet discovered the reason for the growing rates, however they've noticed a trend geographically.

So the answer to the question... : What countries come out on top for having the largest population of diagnosed people with IBD?

CANADA & UNITED KINGDOM

"Something needs to be done. I agree with Rosee that we need more research but also we need to start focusing on new areas of treatment. To focus more on getting better information out there to newly diagnosed patients. This isn’t a problem that can be swept under the rug. It has a potential to cripple government health budgets with cases of IBD raising over the developed countries at new staggering rates. With countries like China & India suddenly having a growing rate in new cases, we need to focus on the differences between developed countries & those of their industrialized counter-parts.

There are theories circulating around developed societies becoming more sterile over time causing new children to be born with weakened immune systems. Other theories state that the ‘Western’ diet is at the core of the problem. <--------------- BAM!! In my opinion, this is the main cause. The "Western" diet is junk - processed, hormone boosted, made with artificial dangerous chemicals, pesticide sprayed.... the list goes on. Can someone tell me WTF a Dorito is? Next time your in a close proximity to a bag of dorito's, just for the hell of it, read the ingredients. LOL you won't be adding this to your cart (unless you have a death wish).

Another theory considered by researchers focuses on vitamin D deficiency due to the lack of sun in countries like Canada & Scandinavia. " The reason that I feel that this is not the culprit (It may certainly have some importance) for the cause of IBD, is because if you look at the weather patterns 50 years ago compared to today, there have not been much fluctuation in the amounts of sunlight to have such an impact on a population.

The area that we know for a fact that has changed for the worse and not for the better is DIET. The way our food is made and what it's made out of . The quality of everything we eat today is much worse than it used to be... HELLLLO, Doctor Blind?????????, maybe this is somewhat of the cause for IBD. Our bodies are not designed to process and metabolize chemically engineered crap. When we do, our bodies reject what we have eaten by manifesting symptoms that say "Ouch !!! I can't break that down " or "What the hell is this stuff... YUCK" - What I'm saying, is that you end up ill. Until doctors start to put some concentration on the importance of diet & IBD, we will forever NOT KNOW what the root cause for IBD is.. PERIOD! When a doctor says "Diet has nothing to do with the disease, it could impact symptoms, but it's not the cause", that's bullshit and i've heard that so many times that it's almost retarded to go along with this theory. DIET HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE MAIN CAUSE FOR IBD!

*Vitamin D deficiency is seen a lot and should be supplemented, especially if you live in an area where sunlight is minimal. If you live in a seasonal state, like NY or in a region that has changing weather patterns, during the times that you rarely are outdoors and during dreary seasons, take vitamin D. The majority of people that are deficient, aren't even aware.

Canada & UK top list of countries for inflammatory bowel disease

Original Article from: http://www.healthzone.ca/health/newsfeatures/article/1111139–canada-tops-list-of-countries-for-inflammatory-bowel-disease?bn=1

UPDATED: Do Probiotics Play A Role In Maintaining Remission In Ulcerative Colitis Patients?

YES!!


I'm editing this blog post to just add what probiotics I am currently taking and also ones that have helped in the past.These are the probiotics that I take, excluding Mutaflor due to the availability of the product.


VSL#3 - Prescription probiotic.  You must get an actual prescription fro your doctor to get this.  The packets of powder vs the capsules work better for me. This may be due to easier absorption, the powder mixed with water or juice instantly is dissolved and metabolized.  Very good product.


S.Boulardii - Beneficial for IBD patients(also beneficial to these medical conditions - HIV/AIDS, C. Difficile infection, IBS, Acute diarrhea, Travelers' diarrhea, Anti-biotic diarrhea.


Mutaflor - (sold in Canada.  Have not been able to get this in the US) Efficacy of Mutaflor for a variety of inflammatory bowel diseases has been tested through 80 years of clinical experience. There are numerous double-blind placebo-controlled studies showing the efficacy of Mutaflor in the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal disorders. These include Ulcerative Colitis, Chronic constipation, Crohn's Disease, IBS, Pouchitis, Antibiotic -associated/ Pseudo-membranous, Prophylaxis against colonization of pathogens and enhanced immunity of newborn infants.


LactoFlamX (Metagenics) - relieve intestinal irritation, promote the integrity of the GI intestinal barrier, and support a healthy immune response. 


Metagenics has a large product supply of GI beneficial products to help maintain microbial balance, address GI function and support the immune system:  Here's the link to the GI health products.
http://www.metagenics.com/products/product-categories/gastrointestinal-health


I already knew this to be true.  I don't have UC, I have Crohn's and I need to take Probiotics to keep my intestinal flora in balance.  


This last sentence in the article, pretty much sums up the findings of their study.....

"Through meta-analysis, they concluded that probiotics should be considered as an auxiliary medicine in the remission induction stage and maintenance stage of ulcerative colitis."

Which treatment is effective in maintaining remission in ulcerative colitis: Probiotic or placebo?

According to ScienceDaily.com, A Leaky Gut May Be Root Of Some Cancers Forming In The Body - Read on...

This is published online Feb. 21 in PLoS ONE by Thomas Jefferson University, if anyone would like to read where the original source of info came from.

This is one quote in article that says a lot in very few words

"If the intestinal barrier breaks down, it becomes a portal for stuff in the outside world to leak into the inside world. When these worlds collide, it can cause many diseases, like inflammation and cancer." - Waldman.

Stronger intestinal barrier may prevent cancer in the rest of the body, new study suggests

SOUUUUUP..........CHICKEN

I'm making my special chicken soup today. In the past few days, i've had to eliminate a lot of foods from my diet due to symptoms.  The good old Crohnie is visiting again... Of course always unpredictable by dropping by at unexpected times and staying wayyy longer than anticipated.  So annoying!

So yeah, I'm back to square 1 right now with just eating chicken soup (It's the intro diet to GAPS/SCD).  CHICKEN SOUP... Mmmmmmmm yummy.  That's what I say now...After about 7 days of just eating chicken soup, it becomes a lot less yummy.  It does help with balancing the flora and healing the pipes.

This is the 1st time I'm making it myself.  Gotta go stir up the pot now actually. :)

Interesting Article by The Irish Times- People with IBD Suffer Discrimination

People that do not have IBD have no clue what it's like to live with this disease. I was surprised to see an article about this issue. So many people downplay the symptoms of the disease because we "look fine". It's not a disease you can see, making it so difficult for some people to wrap their minds around the severity of Crohn's.

Nice to see people are bringing awareness to this issue.

People with IBD suffer discrimination, says report

Research Study Children - Ones with IBD & Ones w/out. Read Results.

This is a pretty logical article that discusses Children (between ages of 11 & 17) with some form of IBD and what has been seen as a trend with students that do have IBD and ones that do not.  What was concluded from the studies that are mentioned is pretty much expected.  I did find the fact that most students with IBD tended to "internalize" their feelings.  I can certainly relate to this fact and when I look back  on my last 2 years of highschool (when I was diagnosed with UC) I internalized most of my emotions and feelings.  This alone, not taking the disease into consideration is in my opinion a possible contributing factor that can lead to stomach problems, IBD or IBS.  At around the time of my diagnosis (I was 17)was also when I 1st began taking psychotropic medications and have yet been able to discontinue the use of them.

Kids With Crohn’s Disease, Colitis Often Struggle at School: Study

Last Updated: February 17, 2012.

	Frequent absences, depression can affect how well students with bowel disease do academically Share| Comments: (0) Tell-a-Friend
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Frequent absences, depression can affect how well students with bowel disease do academically.

FRIDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Children with inflammatory bowel disease may have difficulty in school due to frequent absences that are largely the result of mental struggles such as depression rather than the disease itself, a new study finds.
Researchers from Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, had students aged 11 to 17 years with and without inflammatory bowel disease -- which generally takes the form of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis -- answer questionnaires about their mental health, school functioning and quality of life. Schools provided report cards and school absence information.
Children with the condition missed more days of school than healthy kids, and those who missed lots of school had lower grade point averages, according to the study.
Kids with inflammatory bowel disease were also at risk of "internalizing" problems, such as depression, according to the study. Kids who were struggling more mentally also tended to have more absences.
"Youth with [inflammatory bowel disease] are at increased risk for depression, so the finding that internalizing problems are associated with school absence is a particular concern with important implications," said lead study author Laura Mackner, an investigator in the hospital's Center for Biobehavioral Health, in a hospital news release.
The study recently appeared in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.
Symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease include abdominal pain, fatigue and diarrhea. Children may be prescribed corticosteroids, which may affect learning and memory, or have to take intravenous medication requiring hours in an infusion clinic, according to Dr. Wallace Crandall, director of the hospital's Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
"Both [inflammatory bowel disease] and its treatment have the potential to disrupt school functioning," Crandall said in the release.
The study authors noted that most of the children studied were in remission or had only a mild form of the disease, so it's unclear if their findings would apply to children with more severe cases.
More information
Nemours has more on inflammatory bowel disease.

SOURCE: Nationwide Children's Hospital, news release, Feb. 14, 2012
Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

The Epoch Times Highlights 7 Diseases That Will Increase Drug Companies Profits - They Hope & Pray That You Have At Least 1 Of Them.

This article covers several different conditions and health problems from depression, to arthritis that are big money makers for the drug industry.  Conditions that can be easily categorized into a "treatable" (meaning you will be prescribed expensive medication to manage your condition) diagnosis which then allows the $$$ to come pouring in!
I have included some highlights from 1 of 3 and 2 of 3 and include the link below each highlight.  Next week I will post the 3rd and last article.
(This posting is not focused directly on Crohn's Disease and digestive diseases, however the the medications they discuss are used for some patients with Crohns, UC ect.  Also, more times than not, people have a dual diagnosis or more than 2 and are taking medication to treat the condition.  Due to the fact that these articles discuss several conditions and medications, I thought it would be worth posting to educate and expand awareness.
I like to draw attention to articles that touch on the motivations of the big pharmaceutical companies and the FDA.  When it comes to health care in the US, the system is highly flawed.  I've figured that out by reading and researching Crohn's Disease and it has lead me to read some very eye opening articles (yes they are reputable). I'm not frowning upon all drug companies and medications, I just want to inform people to be cautious and not so trusting of our medical system.  Being skeptical is being smart.

HIGHLIGHTS I COULDN'T RESIST POSTING _

"Supply-driven marketing, also known as “have drug, need disease and patients,” not only turns the nation into pill-popping hypochondriacs, it distracts from pharma’s drought of real drugs for real medical problems.

Of course not all diseases are Wall Street pleasers. To be a true blockbuster disease, a condition must meet certain criteria" 

read more............
seven-diseases-big-pharma-hopes-you-get-in-2012 1OF3

"In 2008, the FDA announced that 45 people on Humira, Enbrel, Remicade, and Cimzia died from fungal diseases. The FDA also investigated Humira’s links to lymphoma, leukemia, and melanoma in children.

This year, the FDA warned that the drugs can cause “a rare cancer of white blood cells” in young people, and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) warned of “potentially fatal Legionella and Listeria infections” from the use of these drugs."

read more............
seven-diseases-big-pharma-hopes-you-get-in-2012 2OF3

Is Your Gut Leaking? Sounds Gross, Yes. But, Can It Happen? Yes

From WEBMD posted this AM
My next blog will have more info about Leaky Gut.  I also would like to post a very indepth, well explained video on Leaky Gut Syndrome.

Come back & read/watch

Leaky Gut Syndrome: What Is It?

What you should know if you think you have leaky gut syndrome.

By Matt McMillen 
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

"Leaky gut syndrome" is said to have symptoms including bloating, gas, cramps, food sensitivities, and aches and pains. But it's something of a medical mystery.

“From an MD’s standpoint, it’s a very gray area,” says gastroenterologist Donald Kirby, MD, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the Cleveland Clinic. “Physicians don’t know enough about the gut, which is our biggest immune system organ.”

Recommended Related to Digestive Disorders

Pancreatitis

Online. Founded 1999. Online internet discussion group which serves as a means of support and information for persons with pancreatitis. Website: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pancreatitis Verified: 9/28/2010

Read the Pancreatitis article > >

"Leaky gut syndrome" isn't a diagnosis taught in medical school. Instead, "leaky gut really means you’ve got a diagnosis that still needs to be made,” Kirby says. “You hope that your doctor is a good-enough Sherlock Holmes, but sometimes it is very hard to make a diagnosis.”

“We don’t know a lot but we know that it exists,” says Linda A. Lee, MD, a gastroenterologist and director of the Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center. “In the absence of evidence, we don’t know what it means or what therapies can directly address it.”

Intestinal Permeability

A possible cause of leaky gut is increased intestinal permeability or intestinal hyperpermeability.

That could happen when tight junctions in the gut, which control what passes through the lining of the small intestine, don't work properly. That could let substances leak into the bloodstream.

People with celiac disease and Crohn’s disease experience this. “Molecules can get across in some cases, such as Crohn’s, but we don’t know all the causes,” Lee says. Whether hyperpermeability is more of a contributing factor or a consequence is unclear.

But why or how this would happen in someone without those conditions is not clear.

Little is known about other causes of leaky gut that aren't linked to certain types of drugs, radiation therapy, or food allergies.

Leaky gut symptoms aren't unique. They're shared by other problems, too. And tests often fail to uncover a definite cause of the problem. That can leave people without a diagnosis and, therefore, untreated.

Unsolved Mystery

It’s crucial, Kirby says, to find a doctor who will take time with you and take your concerns seriously.

“You may have leaky gut and we may be able to treat what causes it,” Kirby says. “If you have something going on, it is incumbent upon the medical community to listen to you.”

Unfortunately, Lee says, not all doctors make the effort to get at the root of the problem, and that’s what frequently sends patients to alternative practitioners.

“Often, the reason they have resorted to alternative medicine is because of what they have been told and how they have been treated by other practitioners,” Lee says.  “We need to listen.”

Could Transparency Life Sciences, LLC Drug Company Actually Be One With Right Intentions? This Makes Me Smile :)

Like Whoa!!! The timing of this article couldn't have come at a better time. I was just thinkig about this exact issue that this company pretty much addresses. Very cool! the fact that funding for trials cost just way too much freaking $$$. TLS drug company will use a different approach in the way they go about gathering potential trial participants, read the article, very different approach. In addition, FINALLY a company that wants to put an end to the stagnant progress with the older drugs that are off patent that no drug companies want to invest their money in for more clinical trials (mainly due to the fact that they will not get much $$ in return with these drugs - one being LDN) Money has always been the main barrier to gaining headway with the FDA for approvAL of certain drugs, especially older effective and safe drugs like LDN. It will be a very happy day when the FDA finally has to approve LDN as a treatment for something else besides addiction. I wonder which 1 out of the hundreds of conditions will be known to improve with the treatment of low dose naltrexone. My guess is.... hmmm.. Multiple Sclerosis or IBD. Hopefully we'll find out soon. Enjoy the article.

—Transformational Approach Aims to Leverage 21st Century Technology and Connectivity to Boost Patient Involvement, Slash Costs and Improve Success Rates in Its Clinical Trials—

—TLS' Crowdsourced Web Platform Allows Patients, Physicians, Researchers and Other Stakeholders to Participate in Clinical Trial Design

Transparency Life Sciences, LLC Launched as World's First Drug Development Company Based on Open Innovation

LDN/ Low-Dose Naltrexone - How This Medicine Works Differently Than Most Medications.

LDN OR AKA LOW-DOSE NALTREXONE IS CONFUSING TO SOME PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE JUST DISCOVERED INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROMISING DRUG.  WITHIN THE PAST YEAR OR SO, THERE IS AN OVERFLOW OF INFORMATION THAT CAN BE FOUND ONLINE.  JUST TYPE LDN IN GOOGLE AND SEE THE NUMEROUS RESULTS THAT APPEAR AND DISCUSS THIS DRUG.  PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO HEAR THE WORD MORE, SEE IT HERE AND THERE AND IT'S RAISING CURIOSITY, BECAUSE LDN REALLY DOES SOUND TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.... WELL, PEOPLE I'M ON IT AND I'M GETTING BETTER WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS AND IT DOESN'T DEPLETE MY FUNDS BECAUSE IT'S SO REASONABLY PRICED - THE GOOD NEWS IS TRUE AND IT GIVES HOPE TO MANY.  

THIS IS AN ARTICLE THAT IS RELATIVELY RECENT, PROVIDES  MUCH VALUABLE INFORMATION THAT EXPLAINS WHAT DISEASES IT TREATS, HOW IT HEALS YOUR BODY, STRENGTHENS IMMUNE SYSTEM, RECENT RESEARCH , NOTED CAUTIONS (REGARDING FILLERS & ER LDN), LDN & CANCER (PROVIDES SOME IN DEPTH INFO PERTAINING TO CANCER & LDN 

I HAVEN'T READ MUCH INFORMATION THAT HAS PROVIDED IN DEPTH DETAILS ABOUT LDN AS A TREATMENT FOR CANCER.  BELOW (IN THE DARK GREEN COLOR) YOU WILL FIND ALL THE DATA ON  LDN & CANCER.  

I SHOULD MENTION THAT I AM CURRENTLY TAKING LDN 2MG (FEELING FABULOUS BTW - 1ST TIME IN 4 YRS:) AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT LDN THAT YOU MAY BE UNSURE OF.  I'VE RESEARCHED THIS DRUG THOROUGHLY BEFORE I WAS CONFIDENT THAT I WANTED TO TRY IT, SO I HAVE PLENTY KNOWLEDGE. DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME WITH QUESTIONS/CONCERNS/COMMENTS :)  

HAPPY 2012 TO ALL   

LINK IT - Low-Dose Naltrexone - How This Medicine Works Differently Than Most Medications.

Article from PROHEALTH.COM 

Low-Dose Naltrexone for Autoimmune Diseases and Fibromyalgia? The Unfinished Story

ProHealth.com
by Joseph Mercola, MD*
December 21, 2011

“Some leading experts believe that low-dose naltrexone (LDN) holds great promise for the treatment of millions of people suffering with autoimmune diseases, central nervous system disorders, and even cancer and HIV/AIDS." - Joseph Mercola, MD

One of the Rare Drugs that Actually Helps Your Body to Heal Itself

It is not often that I advocate the use of prescription drugs, but low-dose naltrexone (LDN) is one of those rare exceptions that may hold the promise of helping millions of people with cancer and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, fibromyalgia, and Crohn's disease, just to name a few.

As a pharmacologically active opioid antagonist, LDN (used 'off-label' in very small doses) works by blocking opioid receptors, which in turn helps activate your body's immune system.

How LDN Harnesses Your Own Body's Chemistry to Fight Disease

The latest research in Experimental Biology and Medicine just confirmed that LDN does in fact target the opioid growth factor (OGF) / opioid growth factor receptor (OGFr) pathway to inhibit cell proliferation. Previous research by professor Ian S. Zagon of The Pennsylvania State University, who also conducted the Experimental Biology and Medicine study, found that OGF regulates the growth of cancer cells, and all cancer cells use the OGF-OGFr pathway in growth regulation. It is through this mechanism that LDN is thought to exert its profound inhibitory effect on cancer growth. 

Further, LDN also works with your body's immune system through its interactions with your body's endorphins.

Though most commonly referenced in relation to your mood, endorphins also play a role in pain relief, immune system regulation, growth of cells and angiogenesis (the growth of blood vessels that feed a tumor). 

Typically, LDN is taken at bedtime, which blocks your opioid receptors, as well as the reception of endorphins, for a few hours in the middle of the night. This is believed to up-regulate vital elements of your immune system by increasing your body's production of metenkephalin and endorphins (your natural opioids), hence improving your immune function.

In addition to cancer, LDN has shown promise for the treatment of the following diseases:

Hepatitis C
Diabetic neuropathies
Lupus
Dermatomyositis (an inflammatory muscle disease)
Ulcerative Colitis
Multiple sclerosis
Autism
Crohn’s disease
Chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)
Alzheimer’s disease
HIV/AIDS
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Parkinson’s disease
And Fibromyalgia [1,2,3]

How can one substance impact so many different diseases? As written on the non-profit Web site LowDoseNaltrexone.org , which is an excellent resource for more information:

"The disorders listed above all share a particular feature: In all of them, the immune system plays a central role. Low blood levels of endorphins are generally present, contributing to the disease-associated immune deficiencies."

Impressive Results in Cancer Treatment

In 1985, Dr. Bernard Bihari discovered LDN enhanced patients' response to infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Years later he found that his patients with cancer and autoimmune disease also benefited from LDN. 

Dr. Bihari has reportedly treated more than 450 cancer patients with LDN with promising results, including cancers of the bladder, breast, liver, lung, lymph nodes, colon, and rectum. According to Dr. Bihari, nearly a quarter of his patients had at least a 75% reduction in tumor size, and nearly 60% of his patients demonstrated disease stability. He believes LDN's anti-cancer mechanism is likely due to an increase in the:

• Number and density of opiate receptors on the tumor cell membranes, making them more responsive to the growth-inhibiting effects of the already present levels of endorphins, which in turn induces apoptosis (cell death) in the cancer cells

• Absolute numbers of circulating cytotoxic T cells and Natural Killer cells, as well as killer cell activity 

An impressive study released earlier this year exemplifies LDN's potential anti-cancer effects, in this case to treat ovarian cancer. The study found:

• LDN administered for six hours every two days reduced DNA synthesis and cell replication in tissue culture.

• Exposure to LDN in combination with cancer drugs had enhanced anti-cancer action.

• Mice with established ovarian tumors treated with LDN had repressed tumor progression by reducing DNA synthesis and angiogenesis -- but not altering cell survival, indicating it is non-toxic.

• LDN combined with a chemotherapy drug, cisplatin, alleaviated the toxicity associated with cisplatin.

• LDN treatment upregulated the expression of the opioid growth factor, which is the only opioid peptide that tends to inhibit cell growth of ovarian cancer cells. 

Says Dr. Burton M. Berkson, MD, who has attested to achieving phenomenal results with low-dose naltrexone in both cancer patients and those with autoimmune diseases:

"It is difficult for many to believe that one drug can accomplish so many tasks. But LDN does not treat symptoms as most drugs do. It actually works way 'upstream' to modulate the basic mechanisms that result in the disease state."

Your Doctor Probably Doesn't Know About Low-Dose Naltrexone

LDN has been an FDA-approved drug for over two decades, conventionally used to treat drug- and alcohol addiction at doses of 50mg to 300mg. Much lower doses (3 to 4.5 mg) are used for LDN's immunomodulating properties as discussed above, but it has not yet been submitted for FDA approval at this low dose. None of the pharmaceutical giants back it, as at an average price of $15 to $40 for a month's supply, the income potential isn't very promising. 

This means there are no friendly sales reps visiting your doctor talking about the potential benefits of this drug in very low doses, and as a result very few physicians are aware of LDN. So, if your physician is not familiar with LDN, you will need to bring it up to him or her, or, alternatively, seek a health care provider who is already knowledgeable at using LDN as a form of treatment. There are a number of pharmacies and compounding pharmacies in the United States and Canada that are reliable sources of the compound in low-dose form.

CAUTION: Important LDN Points to Consider if You Use It

• Avoid slow-release (SR) or timed-release naltrexone. You want to be sure the LDN you receive is in unaltered form that allows you to receive the full dose quickly. Slow-release formulas may not give you the full therapeutic effects.

• Be aware of inactive fillers. Part of the LDN capsule will contain a "neutral" filler material. However, there is some evidence to suggest that calcium carbonate as a filler could interfere with the absorption of LDN. So to be on the safe side, avoid LDN capsules that contain calcium carbonate fillers.

Ideally, if you are interested in using LDN as a potential treatment consult with a knowledgeable health care practitioner who can guide your therapy and also help you find a reliable compounding pharmacy.

* Source:

Dr. Mercola is the founder of the world's most visited natural health web site, Mercola.com. You can learn the hazardous side effects of OTC Remedies by getting a FREE copy of his latest special report The Dangers of Over the Counter Remedies by going to his Report Page.

1. Low-Dose Naltrexone Reduces the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia" by Sean Mackey, et al., Apr 22, 2009. See also "Inexpensive drug naltrexone appears to relieve fibromyalgia pain in Stanford pilot study." 

2. A second, longer term fibromyalgia trial at Stanford by Mackey et al., was recently completed but is not yet published: See ClinicalTrials.gov listing for "Effects of Low Dose Naltrexone in Fibromyalgia." 

3. A clinical trial to characterize the "Role of the Endogenous Opioid System Underlying Modulation of Experimental Pain," employing naltrexone in patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD), is currently (Dec 2011) recruiting participants at the University of Florida. 

MMP Vaccination That Blocks Inflammatory Response, Has Potential To Treat Crohn's Disease

Crohn's Disease, Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis are only a few autoimmune diseases that create an inflammatory response in the body when it is not necessary, which leads the immune system to attack the body's healthy tissue. This as we know, can result in terrible symptoms and damage to the tissue being attacked.
A group of researchers created a vaccination that would produce antibodies only against the MMP2 & MMP9 enzymes, the enzymes responsible for unnecessary inflammatory as seen in Crohn's patients. Could being immunized with this antibody be the answer to treat Crohn's Disease and other autoimmune conditions? Is this a safe solution?
Read below to read the article.

Vaccination Creates Antibody that Blocks Autoimmune Activity in Mice
ProHealth.com
December 28, 2011


The team is excited both by this ‘vaccination’ method's potential for treating Crohn’s disease in humans, but by its potential application in treatment of many other diseases as well.

After years of work on the problem, researchers at Israel’s Weizmann Institute believe they’ve found a way to “turn the tables” on autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. These disorders turn the immune system against the body's own tissues.

In an animal model of Crohn’s disease, Prof. Irit Sagi, PhD, and her research group have tricked the immune systems of mice into targeting a key villain in the autoimmune process - an enzyme known as MMP9 (a member of the matrix metalloproteinase family).

As outlined in their report, published Dec 25 by Nature Medicine, MMPs can cut through collagen and other support materials in the body. And, when working normally they are crucial for cellular mobilization, proliferation, wound healing, and other jobs. But when some members of the family – especially MMP9 – get out of control, they can "aid and abet" autoimmune disease and cancer metastasis.

The team therefore focused on finding ways to block these proteins in hopes of finding effective treatments for a number of diseases.

Originally, Dr. Sagi and others had designed synthetic drug molecules to directly target MMPs. But these drugs proved to be fairly crude tools that had extremely severe side effects.

• The body normally produces its own MMP inhibitors, known as TIMPs, as part of its tight regulation program for keeping these enzymes in line.

• But as opposed to the synthetic drugs, these natural inhibitors work in a highly selective manner.

• An arm on each TIMP is precisely constructed to reach into a cleft in the enzyme that shelters the active bit – a metal zinc ion surrounded by three histidine peptides – closing it off like a snug cork.

• “Unfortunately,” says Dr. Sagi, “it is quite difficult to reproduce this precision synthetically.”

Getting the Immune System to Create MMP-9 Antibodies

Then co-author Dr. Netta Sela-Passwell began working on an alternative approach as a student and later a PhD researcher in Dr. Sagi’s lab. She and Dr. Sagi decided that, rather than attempting to design a synthetic molecule to directly attack MMPs, they would try coaxing the immune system into targeting MMP-9 through immunization.

Just as immunization with a killed virus induces the immune system to create antibodies that then attack live viruses, an MMP immunization would trick the body into creating antibodies that block the enzyme at its active site.

Together with Prof. Abraham Shanzer of the Organic Chemistry Department, they created an artificial version of the metal zinc-histidine complex at the heart of the MMP9 active site. They then injected these small, synthetic molecules into mice and afterward checked the mice’s blood for signs of immune activity against the MMPs.

The antibodies they found, which they dubbed “metallobodies,” were similar but not identical to TIMPS, and a detailed analysis of their atomic structure suggested they work in a similar way – reaching into the enzyme’s cleft and blocking the active site.

The metallobodies were selective for just two members of the MMP family – MMP2 and 9 – and they bound tightly to both the mouse versions of these enzymes and the human ones.

As the team hoped, when they had induced an inflammatory condition that mimics Crohn's disease in mice, the symptoms were prevented when mice were treated with metallobodies. “We are excited not only by the potential of this method to treat Crohn’s,” says Dr. Sagi, but by the potential of using this approach to explore novel treatments for many other diseases.”

Yeda, the technology transfer arm of the Weizmann Institute, has applied for a patent for the synthetic immunization molecules as well as the generated metallobodies. Millions of autoimmune disease sufferers can only hope that human trials of this promising 'vaccination' concept will proceed soon.

Source: Based on Weizmann Institute News Release, Dec 26, 2011

More harm from Biologic Drugs, "The Best" New Drugs Out There (That's sarcasm people)

I found this article in my drafts section.  This is too important of an article to not publish. 

I believe there's probably a lot of actions that the FDA take that would surprise us if we knew about them.  I understand the gist of how the FDA works just by reading a handful or 2 of articles that are discouraging in regards to the drugs they choose to approve and the ones they choose not to approve.  

This article reminds me of an article I read about the drug Cymbalta.  During the trial stages, It wasn't just 1 case of death that ocured during the trial period.  It was FIVE 5.  The drug was approved by the FDA despite the deaths which were all suicides.  The FDA considered this drug to be safe for the treatment of depression/joint pain (i think too).  Here is an exert of an article about Cymbalta.

"Cymbalta has been associated with suicidal behavior since Traci Johnson, a healthy volunteer involved in a trial at Eli Lilly's clinic at Indiana University Medical Center in Indianapolis, killed herself in one of the clinics showers. Johnson, who did not suffer from depression, was taken off the drug and given a placebo four days before she hung herself in one of the clinic's showers on February 7, 2004. Johnson was the fifth patient to commit suicide after taking Cymbalta in clinical trials. After her death one-fifth of the volunteers have quit the Cymbalta trial."

This article and others that I have read discourage people and cause them to question the FDA's approval process for new drugs.  In my opinion, a drug that is considered safe, when infact there were 5 suicides that took place during the trial stage, should not be considered as "safe" and should have never been approved.  Makes you wonder what the FDA considers "not safe". Also makes people think about their motivation for approving the drugs they do.  Everyone that reads and keeps up to date on what's happening over there in the FDA shack, know and have caught on to them.  It's very obvious,  the FDA IS NOT making decisions and taking safety measures that are appropriate and done in a methodical way that is in the best interest of the people.   Read the following and if you don not know the reason by now, you will after reading this - 


"Cymbalta is an important drug for Eli Lilly, as some analysts believe its annual revenues can reach $3 billion by 2009. Cymbalta recorded $94 million in revenues in five months that it was on the market last year and $107 million the first three months of this year."                   It's no coincidence that when the patent for Effexor expired, Cymbalta was the new drug that Eli Lilly and pharm reps were pushing.  



Sadly, because of the FDA's federal position, citizens really don't have much power or say in the way they operate and make decisions.  so, our only choice as an informed and proactive member of society, is to naturally lose trust in good decision making and for us to do our OWN research before saying yes to a treatment.  It's your life that's on the line ... protect it.


Pfizer says patient died in oral RA drug study

(AP) – Apr 22, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) — Pfizer Inc. confirmed that one patient who was taking its drug candidate tofacitinib, a pill designed to treat rheumatoid arthritis, died during a recent clinical trial and said the death was connected to the drug.

The world's largest drugmaker said the patient died of respiratory failure. Three other patients who were treated with tofacitinib during the study died as well, but those deaths were not determined to be drug-related. Two of those deaths occurred several weeks after the patients stopped taking tofacitinib. Tofacitinib, formerly called tasocitinib, is being tested as a treatment for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation, usually of the hands and feet.

More than 1,000 patients have taken tofacitinib during clinical trials, and Pfizer said late Thursday that overall death rate for patients in those studies is similar to what has been observed in other biologic treatments for rheumatoid arthritis.

The late-stage trial was called ORAL Sync. Pfizer said in March that tofacitinib met its main goals in the 792-patient study. The patients received either 5 or 10 milligrams of the drug twice per day. Some patients received a placebo. The trials involved patients with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis who have not been helped by an older class of drugs including methotrexate. Pfizer will present full results from the ORAL Sync trial on May 27 at a conference of the European League Against Rheumatism.

Earlier this month Pfizer said the drug met its goals in a separate late-stage trial.

Pfizer said the other deaths included a patient who died of acute heart failure, one death caused by brain injury following trauma, and one case of worsening rheumatoid arthritis. The brain injury death occurred 22 days after the patient stopped taking tofacitinib, and the patient who died of worsening rheumatoid arthritis had stopped taking tofacitinib six weeks earlier.

Analysts downplayed the report, saying the deaths are not unusual in studies of rheumatoid arthritis drugs. Credit Suisse analyst Catherine Arnold said the death rates in studies of tofacitinib are similar to approved therapies like Humira and Simponi, made by Abbott Laboratories and Johnson & Johnson, respectively. Arnold said that, according to Pfizer, there is some evidence the patient whose death was connected to tofacitinib had pre-existing lung disease. However the patient did not have a diagnosed lung disease.

Citi Investment Research analyst John Boris said investors were more likely to focus on the patient who died of acute heart failure. He said rheumatoid arthritis drugs like Humira, Simponi and Enbrel are restricted in patients with a heart failure because rheumatoid arthritis is linked to the disease and because there is evidence that those drugs can worsen congestive heart failure.

Boris said it's possible that drugs like tofacitinib have a similar effect. He still expects the drug will eventually be approved and reach $800 million in annual sales.

Humira, Simponi and Enbrel are all injectable drugs that work by suppressing an immune system cell called TNF-alpha, or tumor necrosis factor alpha. Tofacitinib blocks janus kinases, a type of enzyme that is involved in inflammatory diseases and other illnesses.

The most common side effects of treatment with the drug have included bronchitis, headache, infections, and gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. More serious side effects in a mid-stage trial included lower levels of a type of white blood cell called neutrophils, higher cholesterol levels, and increased creatinine levels.

Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Telemedicine - Outpatient Care for IBD Patients By Using A Computer - Trial Link & My Opinion

I came across this journal clinical trial and thought I'd post this, I've never heard of this and probably many people have never heard about it as well. It's called "Telemedicine" in which the IBD patient is able to communicate with their health care provider from afar by using something called "Collaborative Imaging", all done with the use of a computer and an internet connection. Check it out.

http://www.nature.com/ajg/journal/v106/n12/full/ajg2011329a.html


My thoughts on this.... It sounds awesome because you could easily follow up with your doctor during those times that we are ill and it's difficult to leave the house. Also, it's hard to find good doctors and some people (like myself) have to travel about 2 hours to see my doctor that I am thankful I have found. BUT it's a pain in my ass to have to drive that far. This method of interaction over the internet would allow both parties to communicate more easily, better adherence to following the protocol and alot less missed appointments. How many of us cancel those appointments because of the long drive and reschedule for another day... like when we aren't having a blizzard.

Helpful Site - Frequently Asked Questions About LDN Are Answered A+

I'm glad I came across this page of information that answers many questions and concerns pertaining to LDN (low dose naltrexone). It provides A lot of FAQ's and if your concern isn't on the list, you can submit a question to be answered.

From LDN Editor's Blog

It should be interesting to see how the FDA responds to the information they receive about LDN. Time will tell



LDN Editor's Blog:

'via Blog this'

Low Dose Naltrexone - How Can LDN Become More Easily Available In Our Country?

Very good read:
A discussion/debate posted by Nia Griffith (Llanelli, Labour). UK Article
The basic argument of this article touches on how to make a drug that has existed since the 1980's, deemed safe at 50mg, now being used at a low dose, between 1mg-4.5mg (obviously safe at .5 % - 3% of the 50mg dosage), with low to no side-effects,modestly priced and effective for the treatment of many disorders and diseases (some of these include but not limited to MS, Crohn's Disease, Lupus, AIDS, Cancer Ect.,)
The problem is that the FDA in the US and the administration of food & drugs in other countries have only approved naltrexone at the 50mg dosage; making it difficult to prescribe and only certain pharmacies, called compounding pharmacies, must be used to fill the prescription. The compounding pharmacy will be able to take the 50mg tablet to a 1mg, 3.5mg ect.
The other issues that exist with naltrexone, is that many doctors do not know the benefits of the low dose naltrexone (LDN) and how effective it is as a treatment for many conditions, which in my opinion is the worst barrier there is because of the lack of knowledge. Having zero knowledge about such a safe and effective drug that could be a possible treatment for so many difficult to treat diseases is disturbing.
THE ISSUE: HOW can this drug become more readily available so people can use this as treatment. It took me a long time to find a doctor to prescribe this to me. I first ordered naltrexone from India due to the lack of connections. In time and by joining discussion groups and forums, I was fortunate enough to find knowledgeable people that lead me to the appropriate people & doctors. In reality though, most people will not put in that amount of effort, they'll give up and lose hope or not even know what to do to get the necessary resources that will lead them to success with their goal ...... GETTING THAT LITTLE PILL - NALTREXONE!

First, I want to make it clear that this debate is not about fighting for a very new and expensive drug. Campaigns about drugs are often brought to the attention of Parliament because a patient is fighting to be allowed to have a new and expensive treatment on the NHS. Some of these new drugs are not just expensive because they are new; because of the complex processes required to make them, they will, in fact, often continue to be expensive to produce. Such situations raise dilemmas for decision makers as to how access to such drugs can be funded.

This debate is about a very different problem: making an existing drug that is modestly priced available for the treatment of a wider range of conditions. Clinical trials are needed to get full approval for the drug under discussion, but I ask the Minister to consider whether there is any possible way in which it could be made more widely available.

Sometimes patients are faced with unacceptable options for treatment and find themselves researching possible new treatments. That is usually a road that leads to disappointment, but occasionally something useful is stumbled upon, such as low dose naltrexone, or LDN. The problem is that it is what is called an “orphan drug”, which means its patent has expired, so if someone does research on it, a generic manufacturer can subsequently steal the business.
I understand that naltrexone is proved safe in its normal mode of use, and now has a clinical history of 11 years of use in the UK with no problems reported and only minor side effects. LDN is also very low cost, and can be used to treat many conditions that are both chronic and often very expensive to treat with more conventional remedies. Sometimes those more conventional remedies have severe side effects, which then have to be treated with more expensive drugs.
The purpose of this debate is to ask how a drug such as LDN could be made available to patients who ask for it. The most desirable route would be via clinical trials leading to marketing authorisation and then official acceptance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and the NHS. A much cheaper and more immediately practical route is to recognise that LDN is a safe choice for patients without many of the risks of drugs currently in use. Doctors could therefore be given official advice not to deny it to patients who want it or wish to acquire it from pharmacists who make it as a “special” at a fair price. There could also be a mechanism for protecting doctors and allowing patients choice. At present, doctors are in a difficult position. If they prescribe anything that is not on an official list, they leave themselves open to criticism, as well as to being sued and possibly losing their right to practise.
The third route is to get it listed as an over-the-counter drug, such as aspirin or paracetamol. I understand that it is considered safer than paracetamol which is sold over the counter, so this might be a reasonable option that would make prescription very easy.