Posted on 04/10/2006 8:00:51 PM PDT by neverdem
Stem cell ping
|
I wonder if when the immune system is destroyed you lose all previous infection memory (mumps, measles, you name it) and have to build immunities all over again?
Interesting stuff ping. Steriods are a God send, but the side effects are nasty.
I would think so. You're starting all over from square one.
when I had a patient with severe autoimmune lung disease, I asked what else could we do...and they said bone marrow transplant...
Luckily, my patient responded to lower dose chemotherapy.
But this use of adult stem cells would have the advantage of using cells with one's own DNA.
Bone marrow transplant and "embryonic stem cells" do not have the same DNA, so would have immune problems.
Unlimited funding for stem cell research!
-- but first they might like to try a very low-cost treatment for all the autoimmune conditions that was originally proposed by Dr. St. Amand for fibromyalgia.
All those hundreds of different conditions may have a factor in common, which is the lymphatic fluid of the immune system, commonly known as mucus. There is a very common and cheap product, guaifenesen, sold at Costco for $5.25 (220 tablets) that has a well-known ability to liquefy mucus in the lungs when we have a respiratory congestion.
It seems to work very well for arthritis (also an autoimmune condition -- like so many other incurable chronic conditions) because it is the essential fluid and lubricant of the body for anything to work properly -- all cells, all tissues, all organs, all systems. It may be nothing more than that the mucus of the body needs to be made more viscous for cell functioning to occur properly.
That's a common feature of people having a generalized impairment of body functioning -- that has traditionally been considered a more or less normal part of the aging (deterioration) process. That condition was called throughout literature as "phlegmatic" -- increasing with age until all functioning eventually ceased entirely.
Well, I don't think it would work for MS. The immune system attacks the myelin and because of this the nerve impulses to various parts of the body are affected.
Hey LadyDoc, do they give chemo to autoimmune hepatitis patients nowadays?
Mucus is the lymphatic fluid of the immune system??? Quack Quack Quack!!
Guaifenesen is one of those "drugs" that have been grandfathered in and has more often than not shown to be no different than placebo for "loosening" bronchial sludge.
I'd give it a shot -- unless one does have an effective cure for whatever ails one.
The beauty of guaifenesen is that there is no known negative side-effects -- despite the boilerplate warning not to continue taking it for more than five days. That was the most encouraging aspect of the doctor's report on his experience with it because ten years earlier, I noted the tremendous increase in my well-being every time I took the product -- but was discouraged by health care practitioners against taking it, as though they knew of actual negative impacts.
It may be the only product one can consume without a well-documented negative side effect. Sometimes, something that seems too good to be true may be in fact true.
You google the research; you tell me where there is a well-documented contraindication for it. I know it's cured my chronic body pains and dysfunctions the doctors told me nothing could be done for it.
Millions of people will swear by Robitussin and all the other knock-offs everytime they have a respiratory episode.
I would imagine it doesn't work in some people -- but it works in too many people for it to be dismissed as just a placebo effect. But it pretty much is as innocuous as one can get to the literal placebo tablet. That's why it is an effective expectorant.
Forty years ago a doctor wanted to put me on steroids for my shoulders and I refused because of the potential harm. My shoulders are still bad, but at least I don't have the effects of a lifetime of steroid use.
The greater implication is that if it works by thinning the mucus in the lungs, it would not just limit its action ONLY to the mucus in the lungs -- but would have that favorable effect on the mucus throughout the body.
Ping
Robitussin has dextromethorphan, an isomer of codeine, which is an effective cough suppressant. Thats different than an expectorant. It has been shown effective in randomized-controlled, double blinded studies.
Guaifenesen, on the other hand, has not been shown to be significantly different than placebo in a lot of RCTs so you do have to use your imagination for these things to work.
Have you tried drinking a fresh glass of your own urine by any chance? That'll make you expectorate.
Basic Robitussin (guaifenesen) doesn't have to have all the other additives -- which is another story altogether.
Robitussin works for me -- but if your own urine works for you, that's your cup of tea. Whatever works for you is valid.
Similar to what I underwent for my bone marrow transplant. Except that before the chemo, I got 6 days of radiation treatments.
14+ years cancer free!
"I wonder if when the immune system is destroyed you lose all previous infection memory (mumps, measles, you name it) and have to build immunities all over again?"
Short answer: no.
Memory B and T cells are difficult to destroy. You'd have to get TBI (total body irradiation) to a level seen in Hiroshima to get to that state. Or be given chemo that will destroy the entire mucosal tract before it would kill memory cells. To give you an example, patients given high dose chemo for BMT (bone marrow transplant) still have intact memory B and T cells (as determined by responses to tetanus toxin, for example).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.